Syllabus for Advanced Placement Music Theory 2005 – 2006
Room 343
Block C, 11:22 – 12:42, First Lunch


Instructor
Mr. DeBenedetti

Text
I will give you handouts to keep in a folder. Bring them to class every day.

What are Advanced Placement (AP) Courses?
Every May the College Board administers AP tests so that colleges can decide whether incoming Freshmen should receive college credit for what they have learned in high school. AP courses are college level courses designed to prepare students for these tests. This AP theory course can save you tuition money, it can improve your chances of being accepted at the college of your choice, and it can give you a head start as a music major, possibly helping you to graduate early.

Discipline
As a college level class, I expect college level discipline.

Each Class Period
Come to class on time. If you are tardy, you will miss the quiz which begins most classes. The portion of the quiz left unanswered will receive no points.
These quizzes will emphasize either listening skills or speed in answering fundamental material.
You will spend most of your time individually on your workbooks.
We will practice sight singing as a class at the end of most peiods.
Other seniors will arrive at 12:00. Do not let them distract you.

Grading
Colleges reviewing your transcripts understand that AP classes are more difficult than other classes. A “B” in an AP class is usually equivalent to an “A” in other classes.

Chapter Tests
Most chapter tests reflect the AP test format, except that sight singing will not be included:

Homework, computer work and quizzes
There is not enough time during class to complete every assignment; do some of your work at home.

Sight singing
These tests will be individualized. You MUST sing for this class.

Final
This test will be an AP test from a previous year. It will be given before the actual AP test.

Composition or arrangement due after the AP test
This will be a composition using the "common practice" harmonies learned in this course.
You will turn in a Finale printout and an analysis, and you will have the piece played by live musicians.

The Year at a Glance.
See the calendar on the next page. You will take your tests, at the latest, by the dates shown on the calendar. You will schedule the actual test dates yourself. If you do not take the tests by the dates on the calendar, you will receive a zero for them and you will proceed to new material the following day. If I feel you are prepared, you may take a test early. In these cases you must have done the homework for that chapter (I will accept homework from last year), and you must do the chapters in order. You can take each test once only.

Work will be individualized in two ways:

Work done as a class includes


THE CALENDAR
Fridays Chapter
Sep 9, 2005 1. Notation and Meters
Sep 16 1. Notation and Meters (no test) AND 2. Scales, Keys, Modes
Sep 23 2. Scales, Keys, Modes TEST ON BOTH 1 & 2
Sep 30 3. Intervals and Transposition (no test)
Oct 7 4. Chords
Oct 14 4. Chords TEST ON BOTH 3 & 4
Oct 21 5. Cadences and Nonharmonic Tones
Oct 28 5. Cadences and Nonharmonic Tones TEST
Nov 4 6. Melody (no test)
Nov 11 9A. Voice Leading in Four Voices grades close
Nov 18 9A. Voice Leading in Four Voices
Nov 25 9A. Voice Leading in Four Voices (THANKSGIVING)
Dec 2 9A. Voice Leading in Four Voices TEST
Dec 9 9B. Voice Leading in Four Voices
Dec 16 9B. Voice Leading in Four Voices TEST
Dec 23 Rehearsals, shows
WINTER BREAK
Jan 6, 2006 10. Harmonic Progression and Harmonic Rhythm
Jan 13 10. Harmonic Progression and Harmonic Rhythm
Jan 20 10. Harmonic Progression and Harmonic Rhythm TEST
Jan 27 Review and Mid-year Final, grades close Jan 27
Feb 3 11. Dominant Seventh Chords
Feb 10 11. Dominant Seventh Chords
Feb 17 11. Dominant Seventh Chords TEST
Feb 24 12. Leading Tone Seventh Chords
Mar 3 12. Leading Tone Seventh Chords and 13. Non Dominant Seventh Chords
Mar 10 13. Non Dominant Seventh Chords TEST ON BOTH 12 & 13
Mar 17 15. Secondary Dominants<
Mar 24 15. Secondary Dominants TEST
Mar 31 14. Modulation / Form grades close?
Apr 7 14. Modulation /Form TEST
Apr 14 6. Melody (Review) and 7. Textures TEST
SPRING BREAK Apr 13-17
Apr 21, 2006 AP Music Theory Released Test THIS TEST COUNTS AS YOUR FINAL
Apr 28 Review
May 5 Review and AP TEST WEDNESDAY MAY 3, 2006 at 8:00 AM
May 12 Compose or arrange a piece using Finale
May 19 Compose or arrange a piece using Finale
May 26 Composition and analysis due
June 2 Composition played by live musicians grades closefor this class
THE SCORE, ANALYSIS AND PERFORMANCE COUNT AS A CHAPTER TEST