Comprehensive Course Syllabus

Music Theory

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

In Music Theory, students will implement higher-level musical language and grammar skills
including musical notation, harmonic analysis, and part writing which will lead to a thorough
understanding of music composition and music theory. Students will obtain and practice ear
training skills and skills required for sight reading musical literature. They will recognize the
development of music from an historical and cultural perspective and extend musical
awareness beyond music currently familiar to the student.

INSTRUCTOR:
Lara Brink

OFFICE: ​D105

OFFICE HOURS:
C: 10:00am-11:00am
I: 2:00pm-3:00pm
Also available by Appointment

Contact Information:
Office Phone: ​630-907-5915
E-mail: ​lbrink@imsa.edu

MEETING TIMES:
A-B, D (3)

MEETING ROOM:
D110

TEXT/MATERIALS:
● Benward and Saker Music in Theory and Practice 9​th ​Ed. Vol. 1 (Textbook
and Workbook).
● Tablet/Laptop (when necessary)
● Notebook for taking notes (easier than using a computer for this content)
● Pencil
 ● Blank staff paper
● Students will need to periodically spend time outside of class using a piano
keyboard which is available in the department for use.

ESSENTIAL CONTENT:

The essential content in this course will include aspects of each of the six Fine Arts
Learning Standards. See IMSA Core Curriculum Template for models.

1. Experience different kinds of art or music.

a. Accurately recognize the principles and practices of art or musical
composition.
b. Examine, evaluate and analyze sounds, images, and ideas.
c. Use a variety of senses to experience art or music.
d. Examine, evaluate and analyze professional created art or music.
2. Understand the purpose of tools, techniques, and terminology used in the
creative and productive process.
a. Select and accurately use appropriate artistic, stylistic, and interpretive
terminology.
3. Effectively use appropriate materials, processes and techniques to create,
perform and interpret art or music.
a. Select and apply appropriate materials, techniques and processes to the
production of a work of art or music.
b. Develop automaticity in skills, concepts, and processes that support and
enable complex creative thought.
c. Work in an environment that is safe and healthy, and encourages self-
confidence and responsible experimentation.
4. Understand the aesthetic components of art or music and develop aesthetic
awareness.
a. Analyze and describe the role, meaning, and value of a work of art or
music.
b. Apply elements of design and expression.
5. Develop historical and cultural perspectives in art or music.
a. Compare and contrast the characteristics of art or music through
representative works from various historical and cultural periods.
6. Develop skills necessary to evaluate art or music.
a. Employ critical thinking skills during the evaluative process.
b. Identify and characterize the composing elements of dynamic and organic
c. wholes, structures, and systems in works of art.
SSL’s:

I A. Develop automaticity in skills, concepts, and processes that support/enable

complex thought.
a. Music Theory: Developing automatic recognition of music notes, intervals,
scales, and basic chords.
II B. Find and analyze ambiguities inherent within any set of textual, social, physical, or
theoretical circumstances.
a. Music Theory: Analyze pieces of music within the confines of various
compositional approaches.
III A. Use appropriate technologies as extensions of the mind.
a. Music Theory: Learn keyboard skills in order to promote understanding of
musical concepts, use the composition software “Musescore” to facilitate
composition projects.
IV A. Construct and support judgments based on evidence.
a. Music Theory: Through developing aural and visual knowledge of various forms
of music, students will be able to make and support judgments about a musical
piece’s key, form, chord progression, style, and structure
IV C. Identify and characterize the composing elements of dynamic and organic wholes,
structures, and systems.
a. Music Theory: Through learning about smaller elements of composition
throughout the semester, students will be able to analyze an entire piece of
music in regard to tonal centers, modulations, motives, phrases, periods, and
cadences by the end of the course.

INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN AND APPROACH​:

Students are expected to actively participate in classroom discussions and

demonstration each week. The “Music in Theory and Practice” workbook includes
extensive part writing and composition exercises which will be assigned every week.
Students also take turns demonstrating concepts using the board, overhead projector,
the voice, or instrument. Students will utilize the keyboards (actual or online) for a
variety of exercises, including developing the skills necessary to play some homework
assignments, harmonic progressions, and melodies. Students will compose short
assignments using the free online software, “musescore” throughout the semester.
STUDENT EXPECTATIONS:

ATTENDANCE
Students are expected to attend all class meetings and to arrive to class on time (see
pages 10-11 of Student Handbook). Students are expected to make up Academy
excused absences and work missed by arranging time to do so with the instructor.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
Students are expected to do original work without plagiarism. Turning in work that was
done by others as one’s own is dishonest and unacceptable. Students who have been
suspected of plagiarism or turning in work of others will be referred to the Dean of
Students for disciplinary action (see page 9 of Student Handbook).

LATE WORK
An assignment will be considered late when it is not turned in by the end of the day on
the day it is due. In order to be fair to those who are consistently prompt in getting their
work in, a deduction of 10% per day will be made from the grade of any late
assignment.

ASSESSMENT PRACTICES, PROCEDURES, PROCESSES:

Grading Policy: Grades in this class will be obtained through class participation, as well
as a variety of homework assignments, quizzes, and tests. Your final grade will be
apportioned as follows:

Class Participation: 15%

● Students are expected to contribute to discussions and activities and be present
and attentive in class.
● In-class ear training exercises covering intervals, chords, and dictation will be
graded as class participation.
Quizzes: 25%
● There will be both alternating written and aural quizzes.
Homework: 30%
● Homework will be assigned on a regular basis. This may consist of practicing
skills online, listening to recordings, worksheets, compositions, and developing
keyboard and ear-training skills.
Tests/Projects: 30%
● There will be 2 tests throughout the semester as well as a final exam.
● Projects can consist of compositions, group presentations, etc.
SEQUENCE OF TOPICS AND ACTIVITIES:
Syllabus is subject to change per students’ prior music knowledge.

Week 1: ​Pretest/Introduction to online music theory resources.

Week 2: ​Chapter 1: Notation, Chapter 2: Scales, Tonality, Key, and Modes
● Discuss descriptive terms for music: tempo, dynamics, texture, rhythm,
consonance/ dissonance.
● Key signatures: How they are structured and how to find them - major and minor.
Week 3: ​Chapter 3: Intervals and Transposition
● Ear Training: Major and minor ascending and descending intervals, major/minor
scales.
● Sight Singing: Rhythm - simple meters; the beat and its division; intervals and
scales.
● Aural Quiz​: Interval and rhythmic dictation - ascending diatonic intervals and
rhythms in 4/4 with eighth, quarter, half, and whole notes.
Week 4: ​Chapter 4: Chords
● Practice creating/identifying triads on the board in different keys and inversions.
Practice identifying roman numerals and chord quality.
● Ear Training - Identifying the difference between major and minor.
Week 5: Review & Test #1
● Note identification, meter, written intervals, key signatures (major and minor),
scales: major/minor/modes, transposition.
Week 6: ​Chapter 5: Cadences and Nonharmonic Tones, Chapter 6: Melodic
Organization
● Aural Quiz:​ Identifying cadences and chord progressions.
Week 7: ​Chapter 11: The Dominant 7th Chord, Chapter 13: Nondominant 7th Chords
● Quiz: ​Major and minor triads, dominant 7th chords, nondominant 7th chords.
Week 8: ​ Chapter 15: Modulation
Week 9: Review & Test #2
● Cadences, progressions, chord identification, chord modulation.
Week 10: ​Chapter 16: Two-Part (Binary) Form
Week 11: ​Chapter 17: Three Part (Ternary) Form
● Quiz:​ Identifying the difference between binary and ternary form.
Week 12: ​Chapter 9: Voice Leading in Four-Part Chorale Writing
Week 13: ​Group Choral Writing Project
● Students will compose a short piece for a quartet - SATB, SSAA, SSAB, etc.
● This project will be collaborative in that students will be divided into groups to
create their choral work and they, as a group, will sing their piece for the rest of
the class.
Week 14: ​Group Choral Writing Project Presentation
● Students from each group will perform their created work for the class.
Week 15: ​Individual Choral Writing Project
● Students will compose their own choral work for up to 12 singers in whichever
format they so choose - SATB, SSA, SSAT, etc.
● Choral Conducting - meter, dynamics, expression, etc.
Week 16: ​Individual Choral Writing Project Presentation
● Each student will conduct their choral piece with the entire class. The entire class
will participate as the student’s “choir”.
● Review for Final Exam
Week 17: Final Exam