Music Theory and Composition Workshop (Acc) {MTCWAcc}

The Park School of Baltimore

Adele Dinerstein

US Music Room (USMR), Keyboard Lab (KYBDL), Studio (RS)

USMusic Office (410) 339-4198 x 4461

Office Hours: Tues & Wed Xs or by request

Wiki: parkarts.pbworks.com

Go to Music, US Music Course Pages, Music Theory Advanced

https://parkarts.pbworks.com/w/page/98881016/Music%20Theory%20Advanced%2C%20Composers%20Workshop%202015-2016

Course Overview:

In this course, you will explore the following topics:

• Ear-training and sight-singing

• Philosophy and aesthetics of music

• Chord construction and chord progression analysis

• Score (harmonic) analysis

• Music composition and arranging

In teaching music theory it is crucial to constantly make connections between the principles that are taught and the music you play, sing, and listen to. This course will give you a deeper understanding of how music functions and you will understand why composers arranged the notes to fit together in particular patterns and groups. Student composition will be a large part of the class work as it is an essential development in the understanding of Music Theory. Students will also learn through instructing small dictation and sight-singing modules, presentations to class, and in class student composition.

Aural skills are a focus of this course. Learning fundamentals of music theory such as intervals, chord construction, and harmonic progressions requires a large amount of repetition towards mastery. The information is cumulative. There’ll be a variety of methods -visual, verbal, and aural quick-response drills – to move your theoretical understandings from a challenging cognitive process into essential knowledge.

You’re encouraged to use music technology for theory and composition work, as well as using ear-training websites for personal practice outside of class. Start transcribing pieces you like. There are many theory websites that can supplement your understanding of the principles studied in this class. Advance warning - notation software is required for all final drafts of composition projects.

For those interested in taking the Advanced Placement Exam it’s on Monday May 09, 8 AM. Prior to the AP test there’ll be scheduled practice sessions and a time to take a full practice exam. Review questions will be incorporated into some classes during Semester II. The study of theoretical principles in this course draws heavily from the Common Practice period (1600-1750) with additional music of other stylistic periods used appropriately. Though this course focuses on many aspects from the AP Music Theory Course Description, you will be exposed to a wider variety of content and diversity of music topics. The breadth of material explored and brought forth in this class will prepare you for continued understanding of ways music can be performed, created, and enjoyed.

Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

·  Notate pitch and rhythm in accordance with standard notation practices

·  Read melodies in treble, bass, and movable C clefs

·  Mastery of all keys; major and minor, and modes

·  Write, sing, and play major scales and all three forms of minor scales

·  Recognize by ear and by sight all intervals within an octave

·  Use the basic rules that govern music composition

·  Use and recognition of pentatonic, whole-tone scales, and hybrid scales

·  Harmonize a melody with appropriate chords using good voice leading

·  Analyze the chords of a musical composition by number and letter name

·  Notate chords using traditional notation and with chord symbols

·  Construct compositions in four-part texture

·  Transpose a composition from one key to another

·  Transpose a composition from one instrument to another

·  Express musical ideas by composing and arranging

·  Compose and arrange for instrumentation in the class

·  Understand and recognize basic musical forms: ternary, binary, rondo, etc.

·  Write simple rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic dictations

·  Compose an Invention

·  Compose a theme for a prelude and fugue

·  Compose a Sonatina

·  Compose a theme and variations

·  Compose a neo-Modern piece influenced by Impressionism, Expressionism,

·  Compose a piece using 12-tone technique or row

·  Collaborate with Senior Studio students on a mixed media piece

·  Attend live music performances

·  You’ll become a strong, lean, music machine

Classroom Expectations:

·  Be respectful of others

·  Take responsibility for your own learning

·  Engage in appropriate, effective, respectful and responsible communication and behavior

·  No food or beverages in classroom (only water in capped containers) with planned exceptions.

·  Rare cell phone use

·  Be in class on time, and prepared.

·  Adhere to all school policies

·  Feet on the floor, not on the chairs or instruments.

·  If you break or damage equipment, you are responsible to replace it

Assessment:

Approximately 33% of the class time is spent on Aural Skills and Sight Singing (listening, melodic and harmonic dictation, sightsinging etc.) During the First Semester, I’ll lead the majority of the Ear Training skills, with a focus on dictations played on the piano. By Second Semester, you’ll take leadership of the Ear-Training work by working in groups and playing dictations on your instruments.

Students are expected to participate actively in classroom discussions and presentations. In addition to completing assigned daily homework, all are required to keep a comprehensive theory notebook containing all handouts as well as homework, quizzes, and exams that are returned.

There will be scores of opportunities for students to demonstrate their understandings of the concepts using a whiteboard, an instrument, or vocals.

There will be frequent assessments - quizzes, compositions, projects, and cumulative tests mid-semester and near the end of the semester.

Required Textbooks:

-Benward, Bruce and Maryilyn Saker, Music In Theory and Practice, 9th Edition, Volume I, McGraw-Hill 2015 ISBN: 978-0-07-802515-0

-Benward, Bruce and Kolosick, J. Timothy Ear Training: A Technique for Listening, Revised 7th Edition, ISBN: 0073401366 / 9780073401362

-Benward, Bruce and Maryilyn Saker, Music In Theory and Practice, 9th Edition, Volume II, McGraw-Hill

(8th ed ISBN: 0077254953 / 9780077254957)

Throughout the Benward-Saker textbook, basic music theory elements such as Roman numerals and functional harmonic progressions are addressed in the context of a variety of Western art music.

Supplementary Materials:

-Benward, Bruce and Maryilyn Saker, Music In Theory and Practice (Workbook), 8th Edition, McGrawHill.

-Kostka, Stefan and Dorothy Payne, Tonal Harmony, 6th Edition, McGraw-Hill.

-Burkhart, Charles. Anthology for Musical Analysis. 6th ed. New York: Schirmer, 2003.

-Ottman, Robert. Music for Sight Singing. Prentice Hall, 2003

Supplies:

8-10 staved music paper

pencils

headphones