AP Music Theory
Course Objective:
The AP Music Theory course corresponds to one or two semesters of a typical introductory college music theory course that covers topics such as musicianship, theory, musical materials, and procedures. Musicianship skills, including dictation and other listening skills, sight singing, and harmony, are considered an important part of the course. Through the course, students develop the ability to recognize, understand, and describe basic materials and processes of tonal music that are heard or presented in a score. Development of aural skills is a primary objective. Performance is also part of the curriculum through the practice of sight singing. Students understand basic concepts and terminology by listening to and performing a wide variety of music. Notational skills, speed, and fluency with basic materials are also emphasized.
This course is designed to prepare students to take the AP Music Theory test administered by the College Board in May. This will result in College level credits of 12+ hours for students who pass with a 3, 4, or 5 as well as exemption from Theory I and in some cases Theory II. Some credit hours may be awarded to a score of 2 at some institutions, but still requires enrollment in Theory I.
Prerequisites or minimum requirements:
Students should have a history of basic musical understanding
Students should be able to read music on a basic level
It is strongly recommended that the student has acquired at least basic performance skills in voice or on an instrument.
Student should have experience in at least one of the following ways:
Participation in Choir, Orchestra and/or Band
Private study on piano or other instrument or voice
Music Teacher recommendation required from one of the following:
Music teachers at BFHS (or music teacher from a previous school for new students )
Private instructor who can verify the focus and experience of the student.
Curriculum Outline per quarter/semester
Provided below is a synopsis per semester of the course curriculum. Full weekly syllabus and timelines will be provided upon approval of this course to be taught at BFHS.
Semester 1:
Mastery of the rudiments and vocabulary of music, including hearing and notating:
Pitches
Intervals
Scales and keys
Chords
Meter
Rhythm
Sightsinging
Semester 2:
Building on the above foundation, the course progresses to include more complex and creative tasks, such as melodic and harmonic dictation; composition of a bass line for a given melody, implying appropriate harmony; realization of a figured bass; realization of a Roman numeral progression; analysis of melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, and form in repertoire drawn mostly from the Western European Common Practice style, but also including jazz, 20th century works, and world music; and sight singing of simple melodies. Students learn to identify, both aurally and through score reading, tonal procedures based in common-practice tonality, such as:
Functional triadic harmony in traditional four-voice texture (with vocabulary including nonharmonic tones, seventh chords, and secondary dominants)
Cadences
Melodic and harmonic compositional processes (e.g., sequence, motivic development)
Standard rhythms and meters
Phrase structure (e.g., contrasting period, phrase group)
Small forms (e.g., rounded binary, simple ternary, theme and variation, strophic)
Modulation to closely related keys
Composition techniques
Sample exam testing
Final exam testing
AP Exam Assessment
The AP Music Theory Exam evaluates students’ understanding of musical structure and compositional procedures through recorded and notated examples. Listening skills are emphasized, particularly those involving recognition and comprehension of melodic and rhythmic patterns, harmonic functions, small forms, and compositional techniques. Most of the musical examples are from standard Western tonal repertoire; some examples of contemporary, jazz, vernacular music, or music beyond the Western tradition are included. The exam requires fluency in reading musical notation and a strong grounding in music fundamentals, terminology, and analysis.