Pilot Point High School

2014-2015
AP Music Theory Syllabus
Instructor: Mr. Daniel Balkema
Email: dbalkema@pilotpointisd.com
Course Overview
This course will provide students the opportunity to enrich their education by examining the
development and structural makeup of Western music in depth. This is an advanced course and as
such, it is designed for students with musical backgrounds (students should consult teacher before
enrolling). Students, through visual and aural analysis as well as creative expression, will develop a
solid foundation of musical knowledge that will help them develop into analytical listeners and
creative appreciators of music in a variety of settings.

Textbook & Materials
1. Kostka, Stefan, and Dorothy Payne. Tonal Harmony, 6th ed. New York: McGrawHill, 2009.
2. Kostka, Stefan, and Dorothy Payne. Tonal Harmony Workbook, 6th ed. New York:
McGrawHill, 2009.
3. Staff paper, as needed
4. Pencil and eraser (no pens!)
5. Black 3 Rick Music Theory Notebook, with dividers

Objectives of the Course

General Course Content
The following objectives have been adapted from the Syllabus Development Guide on the AP
Music Theory Home Page on AP Central.

1. The study of the rudiments of music, including: notational skills, scales, keys, intervals,
chords, meter and rhythm
2. The study of fourpart harmony
3. The study of figured bass
4. The study of Roman numeral analysis
5. The study of motivic treatment
6. The study of scales, including: major, minor, modal, pentatonic and whole tone
7. The study of nonchord tones
8. The study of seventh chords
9. The study of secondary dominants
10. The study of closelyrelated key modulation
11. The study of phrase structure
12. The study of small forms, including: simple binary, rounded binary, ternary, theme and
variation
13. The development of listening, written and sightsinging skills
14. The study of standard Western tonal repertoire, a wide variety of which is included in
the course textbook. We will use the textbook examples given in Chapters 124 and
Chapter 28 for illustration of topics and for analysis.

Expanded Course Objectives
The following objectives have been adapted from the AP Music Theory Concepts and Skills Summary on the
AP Music Theory Home Page on AP Central.

1. Musical Terminology and Notational Skills
a. Notate and identify pitch in treble, bass, alto and tenor clefs
b. Notate, hear and identify simple and compound meters
c. Notate and identify all major and minor key signatures
d. Notate, hear and identify major, minor (all three forms), chromatic, whole tone and
pentatonic scales
e. Name and recognize scale degree terms
f. Notate, hear, and transpose the authentic forms of Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, and
Mixolydian
g. Notate, hear and identify all intervals inclusive of an octave
h. Notate, hear and identify triads and seventh chords including inversions
i. Define and identify common tempo and expression markings

2. Compositional Skills
a. Compose a bass line for a given melody to create simple twopart counterpoint
b. Realize a figured bass
c. Realize a fourpart progression from Roman and Arabic numerals

3. Score Analysis
a. Identify authentic, plagal, half, Phrygian half, deceptive cadences in major and minor
keys
b. Identify the following nonharmonic tones: passing tone, neighboring tone, anticipation,
suspension, retardation, appoggiatura, escape tone, changing tone/cambiata, pedal
tone
c. Smallscale and largescale harmonic procedures, including: identification of cadence
types, Romannumeral and figuredbass analysis, identification of key centers and
relationships and recognition of modulation to closely related keys
d. Melodic organization and developmental procedures, including: scale types, modes,
melodic patterning and motivic development/relationships (inversion, retrograde,
sequence, imitation, etc.)
e. Rhythmic/metric organization, including: meter type, beat type and rhythmic
devices/procedures
f. Texture identification, including: types (monophony, homophony, polyphony) and
devices (textural inversion, imitation)

4. Aural Skills
a. Error detection in written music from given aural excerpts
b. Melodic dictation
c. Sightsinging
d. Recognition of nonharmonic tones
e. Recognition of intervals, scales, chord sonority
f. Harmonic dictation
g. Identification of the following processes and materials in the context of music literature:
melodic organization, harmonic organization, tonal organization, meter and
rhythmic patterns, instrumentation, texture and formal procedures

Texas Music Educators Association TEKS

IV.1.1 (B) analyze musical performances, intervals, music notation, chordal structure, rhythm/meter, and
harmonic texture, using standard terminology.

IV.1.1 (C) analyze music forms of performance and listening repertoire.

IV.2.1 (A) perform independently, demonstrating accurate intonation and rhythm, fundamental skills, and
advanced techniques, and using literature ranging from moderately difficult to difficult.

IV.2.2 (B) read and write music that incorporates complex rhythmic patterns in simple, compound, and
asymmetric meters.

IV.2.3 (B) compose or arrange vocal or instrumental pieces (manuscript or computergenerated).

IV.3.1 (A) classify representative examples of music by style and by historical period or culture, justifying the
classifications.

IV.3.1 (B) describe the effects of music on society, culture, and technology.

IV.3.1 (D) define the relationships between the content, the concepts, and the processes of the other fine
arts and those of music.

IV.4.1 (A) evaluate musical performances and compositions by comparing them to similar or exemplary
models and offering constructive suggestions for improvement.

Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Title 19, Part II Chapter 117: TEKS for Fine Arts,
Music Level IV
Knowledge and Skills:

1. Perception The student describes and analyzes musical sound and demonstrates musical artistry.

2. Creative expression/performance. The student sings or plays an instrument, individually and in groups,
performing a varied repertoire of music.

3. Creative expression/performance. The student reads and writes music notation.

4. Creative expression/performance. The student creates and arranges music within specified guidelines.

5. Historical/cultural heritage. The student relates music to history, to society, and to culture.

The National Association for Music Education: National Standards

1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

2. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.

3. Reading and notating music.

4. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.

5. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.

6. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
Student Evaluation & Expectations
Graded assignments for this course will include skill development worksheets, listening logs, eartraining
quizzes, written exams, composition projects, and an analysis paper. It is the students responsibility to check
with the teacher about work missed during an absence.

Type of Assignment Percent of Total Grade
_______________________________________________________
Class Participation 15%
Skill Development Worksheets 15%
EarTraining Quizzes 15%
Composition Projects/Paper 25%
Written Exams 30%
_______________________________________________________

Class Participation
Students are expected to be attentive and participate in all class activities. Due to the amount of
material covered in this course, it is essential that all students are prepared for class and ready to contribute
every day.

Skill Development Worksheets
Worksheets and exercises from the Tonal Harmony workbook will be assigned as either class work or
homework. The extra practice provided by these assignments is vital to student success. If needed, inclass
quizzes may be given to monitor student progress. All assigned work is to be completed in a timely manner.

EarTraining Quizzes
These weekly quizzes will take place on Fridays and are meant to monitor each students
development in the area of aural skills.

Composition Projects
Periodically, students will be assigned composition projects to complete outside of class. There will
be five projects assigned throughout this course with the last one being completed in two phases. Projects
will tie together concepts learned in class while allowing students to explore the composition field firsthand.

Composition Projects/ Paper
During the school year, students will be required to take the knowledge that they have gained and create a
composition reflecting skills learned. There will be one composition project per six weeks. The written part of
the project will include commentary on Melody, Tempo, Harmony, Meter, Rhythm, Mode, Texture, Form,
Dynamics, and Articulation.

Written Exams
There will be one written exam given at the end of each six week period. Exams will include multiple
choice and short answer questions in addition to score analysis, written exercises and aural exercises.


Extra Credit
Students will only be allowed one extra credit project per six weeks. Students will be given an opportunity to
write a one page report on a concert that they attend outside of school. If the students decide to take this extra
credit assignment on, the concert program must be signed by the director of the ensemble AFTER the
performance. The written analysis paper will include commentary on Melody, Tempo, Harmony, Meter, Rhythm,
Mode, Texture, Form, Dynamics, and Articulation. This assignment can only take the place of a quiz grade or
worksheet.

Course Planner
All topics will include written exercises (including excerpts from literature and workbook exercises)
and aural exercises (including aural excerpts from literature). The following outline may be modified
to meet the needs of the class. Chapter references are to the Tonal Harmony textbook.

First Six Weeks (16)
Part I: Fundamentals
Weeks 1 & 2 Chapter 2: Elements of Rhythm
Rhythm; durational symbols; beat and tempo; meter; division of the beat; simple time
signatures; compound time signatures
Aural Skills: rhythmic dictation; identification of beat and meter; sightread rhythms; sing
scales
Weeks 3 &4 Chapter 1: Elements of Pitch
Keyboard and octave registers; notation of the staff; major scales; major key
signatures; minor scales; minor key signatures; modes; pentatonic scales; whole
tone scales; scale degree names; intervals; perfect, major, and minor intervals;
augmented and diminished intervals; inversion of intervals; consonant and
dissonant intervals
Aural Skills: rhythmic dictation; melodic dictation (short, stepwise); identification of
intervals
(2nds, 3rds + 4ths, 5ths); sing scales

Weeks 5 & 6 Chapter 3: Introduction to Triads and Seventh Chords
Triads, seventh chords; inversions of chords; inversion symbols and figured bass; lead
Sheet symbols; recognizing chords in various textures
Aural Skills: melodic dictation (short, stepwise); identification of intervals (+ 6ths, 7ths);
sing scales;sightsing melodies (stepwise); identification of triad sonority

Composition Project 1:
Students will write two contrasting melodies.
Melodies will follow the guidelines presented in the assignment description. This
includes but is not limited to:
o Knowledge of clefs (treble, bass, alto, tenor)
o Key signatures (major, minor)
o Time signatures and meter (simple, compound, triple, duple/quadruple)
o Intervals
o Rhythm (durational symbols, dotted rhythms)
o Notational skills (proper technique involving
note/stem/clef/signature/etc. placement)
First Six Weeks Exam
The First Six Weeks Exam will require students to demonstrate mastery of the following
concepts and skills:
o Rhythm, Meter, Time Signatures
o Major and Minor Scales/Key Signatures, Scale Degree Names,
Intervals
o Triads, Seventh Chords, Inversions of Chords, Figured Bass Symbols,
Lead Sheet Symbols
o Rhythmic and Melodic Dictation, Aural Identification of Intervals, Aural
Error Detection in Rhythmic and Melodic Examples



Second Six Weeks (712)

Part II: Melody and Harmony

Weeks 1 & 2 Chapter 4: Diatonic Chords in Major and Minor Keys
Minor scale; diatonic triads in major/minor; diatonic seventh chords in major/minor
Aural Skills: melodic dictation (short, small leaps); identification of intervals (all); sing
Scales; sightsing melodies (stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord
sonority

Weeks 3 & 4 Chapter 5: Principles of Voice Leading
Melodic line, chord notation, triadic voicing, parallel motion
Aural Skills: melodic dictation (short, small leaps); bass line dictation (short);
identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies (stepwise);
identification of triad and seventh chord sonority

Weeks 5 & 6 Chapter 6: Root Position Part Writing
Root position part writing with repeated roots, roots a 4th (5th) apart, roots a 3rd (6th)
apart, roots a 2nd (7th) apart; instrument ranges and transpositions
Aural Skills: melodic dictation (short, small leaps); bass line dictation (short);
identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies (stepwise);
identification of triad and seventh chord sonority

Composition Project 2:
Students will realize two Roman Numeral bass lines given by the instructor and then fill
out their harmonies following proper voice leading guidelines in four voices.
Students will compose their own bass line and fill in the harmonies following the given
guidelines.
Harmonic progressions must adhere to the guidelines listed on the assignment
description which include but are not limited to:
o No parallel 5ths or 8ves
o No direct 5ths or 8ves
o No 5ths or 8ves by contrary motion
o No unequal 5ths

Second Six Weeks Exam
The Second Six Weeks Exam will require students to demonstrate mastery of the
following concepts and skills:
o Topics covered on the First Six Weeks Exam
o Diatonic triads/seventh chords in major and minor modes, Chord
notation
o Triadic voicing, Root position writing, Realization of Roman Numeral
bass lines, Harmonic analysis
o Basic instrument ranges and transpositions
o Melodic dictation, Bass line dictation, Identification of intervals,
Identification of chord sonority





Third Six Weeks (1318)

Part III: Harmonic Progressions and Chord Inversions

Weeks 1 & 2 Chapter 7: Harmonic Progression
Sequences; circle of fifths; diatonic chords; common exceptions; differences in minor
mode; progressions with seventh chords; harmonizing a simple melody
Aural Skills: melodic dictation (short, small leaps); bass line dictation (short); harmonic
dictation
(I, V, IV); identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies (stepwise); identification
of triad and seventh chord sonority

Weeks 3 & 4 Chapter 8: Triads in First Inversion
Bass arpeggiation; substituted first inversion triads; parallel sixth chords; part writing
first inversion triads; sopranobass counterpoint
Aural Skills: melodic dictation (short, small leaps); bass line dictation (short); harmonic
dictation
(I, V, IV); identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies (stepwise); identification
of triad and seventh chord sonority

Weeks 5 & 6 Chapter 9: Triads in Second Inversion
Bass arpeggiation; cadential sixfour; passing sixfour; pedal sixfour; part writing for
Second inversion triads
Aural Skills: melodic dictation (short, small leaps); bass line dictation (short); harmonic
dictation
(I, V, IV); identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies (stepwise); identification
of triad and seventh chord sonority

Composition Project 3 Part 1 of Semester Final:
Students will compose a short twovoice work using first species counterpoint.
Compositions must adhere to the guidelines outlined in the assignment description

Third Six Weeks Exam Part 2 of Semester Final:
The Third Six Weeks Exam will require students to demonstrate mastery of the
Following concepts and skills:
o Topics covered on the First & Second Six Weeks Exams
o Sequences, Harmonizing a melody, Harmonic analysis
o First inversion triads, Counterpoint, Second Inversion Triads
o Melodic dictation, Bass line dictation, Identification of intervals,
Identification of chord sonority











Fourth Six Weeks (1924)
Part IV: Cadences and NonChord Tones, Practice AP Exam
Weeks 1 & 2 Chapter 10: Cadences, Phrases, and Periods
Cadences; harmonic rhythm; motives and phrase structure; period forms
Aural Skills: melodic dictation (longer, small leaps); bass line dictation (short); harmonic
dictation
(I, V, IV); identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies (stepwise); identification
of triad and seventh chord sonority
Week 3 Chapter 11: NonChord Tones 1
Classification of nonchord tones; passing tones; neighboring tones; suspensions and
retardations; figured bass and lead sheet symbols; embellishing a simple texture
Aural Skills: melodic dictation (longer, larger leaps); bass line dictation (short);
Harmonic dictation (I, V, IV, vi); identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing
melodies (stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord sonority

Week 4 Chapter 12: NonChord Tones 2
Appoggiaturas; escape tones; the neighbor group; anticipations; pedal points; special
Problems in the analysis of nonchord tones
Aural Skills: melodic dictation (longer, larger leaps); bass line dictation (short);
Harmonic dictation (I, V, IV, vi); identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing
melodies (stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord sonority; identification
of nonchord tones

Week 5 Chapter 13: The V7 Chord
General voiceleading considerations; V7 in root position; V7 in three parts; V7
inversions
Aural Skills: melodic dictation (longer, larger leaps); bass line dictation (short);
harmonic dictation (I, V, IV, vi); identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing
melodies (stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord sonority; identification
of nonchord tones

Week 6 Chapter 14: The II7 and VII7 Chords
II7 chords; VII7 chords in major; VII7 chords in minor
Aural Skills: melodic dictation (longer, larger leaps); bass line dictation (short);
Harmonic dictation; identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies
(stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord sonority; identification of
nonchord tones

Composition Project 4:
Students will compose a short homophonic piece either using a melody from the first
composition project or using a new original melody.
Compositions must adhere to the guidelines outlined in the assignment description that
Include but are not limited to:
o The use of nonchord tones, inverted chords, Roman numeral analysis,
etc.
Fourth Six Weeks Exam
The Fourth Six Weeks Exam will require students to demonstrate mastery of the
Following concepts and skills:
o Topics covered on the First, Second & Third Six Weeks Exams
o Cadences, Phrases, Periods, Nonchord tones, V7, II7, and VII7
chords
o Melodic dictation, Bass line dictation, Identification of intervals and
chord sonority
Fifth Six Weeks (2530)
Part V: Modulation and Mode Mixture, Practice AP Exam
Week 1 Chapter 15: Other Diatonic Seventh Chords
IV7 chords; VI7 chords+/; I7 chords; III7 chords; seventh chords and the circle of fifths
progression
Aural Skills: melodic dictation (longer, larger leaps); bass line dictation (short);
Harmonic dictation; identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies
(stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord sonority; identification of
nonchord tones
Week 2 Chapter 16 & 17: Secondary Functions 1 & 2
Chromaticism and altered chords; secondary functions; secondary dominant chords;
secondary leadingtone chords; sequences involving secondary functions; deceptive
resolutions of secondary functions
Aural Skills: melodic dictation (longer, larger leaps); bass line dictation (short);
Harmonic dictation; identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies
(stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord sonority; identification of
nonchord tones
Week 3 Chapter 18 & 19: Modulations Using Diatonic Common Chords and Other
Techniques
Modulation; tonicization; key relationships and commonchord modulation; sequential
modulation; modulation by common tone; monophonic modulation; direct
modulation
Aural Skills: melodic dictation (longer, larger leaps); bass line dictation (short);
Harmonic dictation; identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies
(stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord sonority; identification of
nonchord tones
Week 4 Chapter 20: Binary and Ternary Forms
Binary form; ternary form; rounded binary form; twelve bar blues; other formal designs
such as theme and variation/strophic
Aural Skills: melodic dictation (longer, larger leaps); bass line dictation (short);
harmonic dictation; identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies
(stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord sonority; identification of
nonchord tones
Week 5 Chapter 21 & 22: Mode Mixture and the Neapolitan Chord
Borrowed chords in minor; the Bb 6 in major; other borrowed chords in major;
Modulations involving mode mixture; the Neapolitan chord
Aural Skills: melodic dictation (longer, larger leaps); bass line dictation (short);
harmonic dictation; identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies
(stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord sonority; identification of
nonchord tones
Week 6 Chapter 23 & 24: Augmented Sixth Chords
Augmented sixths; the Italian augmented sixth chord; the French augmented sixth
chord; the German augmented sixth chord; conventional uses of augmented
sixth chords; resolutions to tonic; resolutions to other scale degrees; resolutions to
other chord members; other augmented sixth chords
Aural Skills: melodic dictation (longer, larger leaps); bass line dictation (short);
Harmonic dictation; identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies
(stepwise); identification
of triad and seventh chord sonority; identification of nonchord tones
Composition Project 5:
Students will compose a short chord progression that modulates to a closely related
key.
Compositions must adhere to the guidelines outlined in the assignment description that
Include but are not limited to:
o Modulation technique, Use of seventh chords, Cadences, Roman
numeral analysis, etc.

Fifth Six Weeks Exam
The Fifth Six Weeks Exam will require students to demonstrate mastery of the following
Concepts and skills:
o Topics covered on the First, Second, Third, & Fourth Six Weeks
Exams
o Diatonic seventh chords, Secondary functions, Modulation to closely
related keys, Mode mixture, Neapolitan chords, Augmented sixth
chords
o Melodic dictation, Bass line dictation, Identification of intervals and
chord sonority

Sixth Six Weeks (3136)
Part VI: 20th Century Music
Week 1 Chapter 28: An Introductio
\+6n to TwentiethCentury Music
Impressionism; scales; chord structure; parallelism; pandiatonicism; rhythm and meter;
Set theory; twelvetone technique; tonal serialization; aleatory of chance music;
texture and expanded instrumental resources; electronic music
Aural Skills: melodic dictation (longer, larger leaps); bass line dictation (short);
Harmonic dictation; identification of intervals (all); sing scales; sightsing melodies
(stepwise); identification of triad and seventh chord sonority; identification of
nonchord tones
Weeks 2, 3 & 4 Review for AP Music Theory Exam
**AP Exam**
Weeks 5 & 6 Final Composition/Analysis/Research Projects
Composition Project 6 Part 1 of Final:
Students will compose 12tone pieces for four voices
Compositions must adhere to one of the sets of guidelines outlined in the assignment
description
Options for this project include:
o Simple 12Tone
o Complex 12Tone
o Integral Serialism
Sixth Six Weeks Exam Part 2 of Final
The Sixth Six Weeks Exam will require students to demonstrate mastery of the
following concepts and skills:
o Topics covered on the First, Second, Third, Fourth, & Fifth Six Weeks
Exams
o Twentieth century compositional techniques
o Melodic dictation, Bass line dictation, Identification of intervals and
chord sonority

Depending on how well students are grasping skills and concepts, the course
outline may need to be adjusted throughout the year.