MUSIC
DEPARTMENT
THE
ADVANCED PLACEMENT MUSIC THEORY CURRICULUM
SUBMITTED
BY: DAVID THOMAS MAY
SEPTEMBER
9TH, 2004
COURSE
STATEMENT
The
goal of this course is to prepare students to function at the Advanced Placement
level of fluency, while demonstrating a greater literal understanding of Music
Academics and Advanced Music Theory practices. The course will advance students
in the skills of reading, writing and communicating the musical language and
theoretical practices. Students will also cultivate skills that will advance
and develop their knowledge and critical thinking skills in other academic
areas.
Students
will learn to use and advanced music vocabulary and continue development of
music reading and writing skills, advanced ear and voice training skills, and
piano/keyboard skills. They will build on and further improve their melodic and
rhythmic sight-reading skills, while improving their music manuscript writing
skills. Students will develop a keen knowledge of harmonic and form analysis.
Students will also utilize advanced computer hardware and software applications
that will further develop many of the previous mentioned skills.
COURSE
PROFICIENCIES (ATTITUDES)
Ø
Students should recognize the effects and impact
that music reading and performance can have on their lives.
Ø
Students should be able to demonstrate an
advanced and fluent use of the musical vocabulary and language.
Ø
Students should acknowledge the importance of
mastering these elements of Advanced Placement Music Theory and their
importance within the music world at the present time.
Ø
Students should acknowledge the importance of
Advanced Placement Music Theory as it relates to their future musical
experiences.
Ø
Students should possess and develop the skills
necessary for fluent communication and presentation within musical performances
and composition.
Ø
Students should be able to utilize a variety of
advanced skills and technologies to read, write, create, orchestrate, record,
and perform a variety of styles of music.
Ø
Students should have a working knowledge of
music history and musical development through the ages.
COURSE
PROFICIENCIES (SKILLS)
*Note:
The following skills are all developed to encompass the standards of the
Advanced Placement Music Theory Exam.
Ø
To develop fluent ability to write / transcribe
music in manuscript or tablature forms.
Ø
To develop advanced ear training capabilities
for melodic and harmonic transcription and identification.
Ø
To develop advanced rhythmic dictation
identification capabilities for transcription.
Ø
To enhance the students’ understanding of
Rhythmic function and the rules governing meter, tempo, and rhythm.
Ø
To enhance the students’ understanding of
Melodic function and the rules governing chromatic, stepwise, scale wise, skip,
and jump movement in melody.
Ø
To continue the development of Harmonic
structure and the rules which set up harmonic form.
Ø
To further the understanding of major, minor,
and chromatic scales, key signatures, and modes.
Ø
To continue development of musical styles and
developments from the earliest historical documentations to the present day.
Ø
To develop fluent ability to discuss musical
forms from various musical eras.
Ø
To develop a fluent knowledge and use of musical
vocabulary for conversational discussion of music.
Ø
To develop advanced technology skills to study,
compose, analyze, record, and reproduce music in digital and analog formats.
N.J. CORE
CURRICULUM CONTENT STANDARDS
FOR VISUAL AND
PERFORMING ARTS
1.1 All Students will acquire knowledge and
skills that increase aesthetic awareness in dance, music, theater, and visual
arts.
All
students will refine perceptual, intellectual, physical, and technical skills
through creating dance, music, theater, and/or visual arts.
All
students will utilize arts elements and arts media to produce artistic products
and performances.
All
students will demonstrate knowledge of the process of critique.
All
students will identify the various historical, social and cultural influences
and traditions which have generated artistic accomplishments throughout the
ages and which continue to shape contemporary arts.
All
students will develop design skills for planning the form and function of
space, structures, objects, sound, and events.
Cross-Content
Workplace Readiness Standards
Standard
1: All students will develop career
planning and workplace readiness skills.
Standard
2: All students will use technology,
information and other tools.
Standard
3: All students will use critical
thinking, decision making, and problem-solving skills.
Standard
4: All students will demonstrate
self-management skills.
Standard
5: All students will apply safety
principals.
COURSE CONTENT
Music
Fundamentals
Students
will be able to:
Ø
Skillfully use ALL components of a single staff,
grand staff,& score staff.
Ø
Properly use the 4 components of sound:
duration, intensity, pitch & timbre
Ø
Properly use ALL clefs in a variety of settings
and projects.
Ø
Properly utilize ALL time signatures, note
values and rhythms.
Ø
Visually & Aurally
utilize pitches on, below and above the staff.
Key Signatures,
Scales, Modes
Students
will be able to:
Ø
Utilize all Keys - Major & Relative Minor Key Signatures.
Ø
Utilize the following Scale Models in any key:
Ø
Major - Melodic - Harmonic - Natural Minor, & Chromatic Modes.
Ø
Perform ALL scales on their principal instrument
and on piano.
Ø
Sing, play and identify all intervals of the
octave.
Ø
Construct and utilize the Circle of Fifths.
Ø
Demonstrate understanding of the MODES:
Ø
Ionian-Dorian-Phrygian-Lydian- Mixolydian –Aeolian - Locrian
Melody
Students
will be able to:
Ø
Compose melodies within a given Key Signature
and Time Signature.
Ø
Properly identify and define how a melodic line
moves, ie… Ascending, Descending, Stepwise, Skips,
Jumps.
Ø
Properly define a melody and what mode it is
written in.
Ø
Properly utilize specific characteristics such
as binary, strophic, or atonal.
Harmony
Students
will be able to:
Ø
Harmonize existing and newly composed melodies.
Ø
Use of the modality of triads built off of each
major scale tone.
Ø
Use intervals with their proper definition
within the key.
Ø
Properly use ALL Triads and Seventh Chords.
Ø
Properly read, write and analyze in the
classical 4 part writing style.
Music History
Students
will be able to:
Ø
Discuss the musical eras and their contributions
to or from recorded history.
Ø
Aurally identify musical works from Ceremonial
Tribal, Ritual Sacred, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, 20th Century, Cultural,
New Age, Swing, Jazz, Rock and Pop.
Ø
Identify specific compositional forms within the
various eras.
Music
Appreciation
Students
will be able Listen to
and :
Ø
Identify timbres and qualities associated with a
variety of musical selections.
Ø
Properly use the appropriate vocabulary to
discuss performance issues.
Ø
Properly use and develop appropriate critique
skills for music evaluations.
Ø
Identify the styles and origins of musical
compositions.
EVALUATION
TECHNIQUES
Several
different evaluative tools will be used to measure student progress and
achievement. These items will help accumulate information and data that may
assist in identifying adjustments that might be considered for the curriculum.
All students need to be evaluated for their command of the course content, and
skills. Student progress, and the effectiveness of the
Curriculum will be evaluated using the following elements:
Ø
Participation and cooperation in the classroom.
Ø
Classroom attendance and promptness.
Ø
Following Directions for class work and
activities.
Ø
Independent thinking and work habits.
Ø
Effective Communication Skills.
Ø
Completes Assignments on time and as instructed.
Ø
Individual musical performance activities.
Ø
Utilization of skills on compound levels
throughout the course.
Ø
Taking the Advanced Placement Music Theory Exam
in May.
Bibliography
Classroom
Texts
The
Practice of HARMONY – Peter Spencer
Prentice-Hall
Inc.
Music
Theory for Everyone - Frank Leanza &
Leonard Gallo
Supplemental
Resources
Backgrounds
in Music Theory - Maurice C. Whitney
Schirmer
Books Division of MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc.
Harmony – 4th Ed. - Walter Piston -
Revised & expanded by Mark Devoto
W.W.
Norton & Co. Inc.,
Harmony
Book for Beginners - Preston Ware
Theodore
Presser Company –
Master
Theory Books III & IV
- Charles S. Peters &
Paul Yoder
Neil A Kkjos Music
Company – SanDiego Ca.
Sight
and Sound A
Visual Aid to Melody & Harmony - Darazs & Jay
Boosey & Hawkes,
Inc.
The
Concise