Music 16D - Theory and Musicianship
Fall 2001

COURSE SYLLABUS

Teaching Assistant: Thomas Zelenz
(909) 677-1319, tzelenz@uci.edu
Office Hours: Room 302, Th 1:00-3:00, F 11:00-1:00 by appointment

Class time: MWF 9:00-10:50
Holidays: Monday November 12 and Friday November 23
Midterm exam: Friday October 26, 9:00-10:50 (date subject to change)
Final Theory Exam: Friday November 30, 9:00-10:50
Final Exam: Monday December 3, 10:30-12:30 and Wednesday December 5, 8:00-10:00

Textbooks:

* Benward, Bruce, and White, Gary. Music in Theory and Practice, Volume II, Sixth Edition. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 1998. Available at the UCI Bookstore.

* Dobrian, C. Music Excerpts for Study. Course packet available at University Readers, Inc., The Princeton Review, UCI Marketplace, 4255 Campus Drive, Suite A108.

Course Requirements:

* Attendance in at least 90% of all class sessions.
* Successful completion of all theory and musicianship assignments.
* Successful completion of the midterm and final theory and musicianship exams.
* Composition and performance of an original composition as assigned.
* Attendance in individual office appointments, as assigned.

Grading:

Grades are assigned to each student individually, not in comparison with other students. Grades will be based in roughly equal parts on performance in class, written assignments, midterm exam, final exam, and composition. A poor attendance record will result in a lowered grade.

Regarding Academic Integrity:

Plagiarism of any kind is a violation of UCI policy on Academic Honesty, and penalties for plagiarism can be severe. In this class you will be expected to attribute due credit to the originator of any ideas, music, or other work which you incorporate substantially into your own assignments. While supportive co-education between colleagues is encouraged, written assignments must be accomplished individually, without collaboration with others.

Activities:

* Singing scales, intervals, chords, etc. from memory
* Analyzing and singing melodies (including G, F, and C clef reading)
* Performing rhythmic patterns and polyrhythms
* Performance of simple harmonic progressions on keyboard from memory
* Recognizing melodic patterns, harmonies, etc.
* Harmonic, melodic and formal analysis
* Realization of figured bass
* Composition of simple melodic and harmonic concepts
* Composition of an original work for one of the following:
    Voice (or instrument) and piano
    Voice (or instrument) and guitar
    Voice and two instruments
    Three instruments

Theory topics:

Major keys; Minor scales; Triad types, spellings, and functions; Seventh chord types, spellings, and functions; Figured bass; Functional "theory" figures; Non-harmonic tones: PT, NT, sus., app., esc. (accented vs. unaccented), pedal, etc.; Secondary V and V7 chords; Secondary vii° and vii°7 chords; Common "pivot" chord modulation; Secondary "pivot" chord modulation; Augmented sixth chords: Italian, French, German (pivot modulation by respelling German sixth chord, etc.); Borrowed chords from parallel keys; Neopolitan sixth chord; Instrumental transpositions; Orchestral score reading; Harmonic series; Ninth chords (11ths, 13ths, add 6, add 9, etc.); Jazz chord terminology; Binary sonata form; Theme and variations form; Rondo.

Musicianship topics:

Singing:

Major and minor scales with spellings and degrees; Intervals within the scales (especially major scales) with spellings; Chords in isolation and with their diatonic function; Melodies emphasizing particular scale degrees; Melodies emphasizing particular harmonies; Melodies emphasizing particular intervals; Raised leading tones and flattened scale degrees; Chromatic passing and neighboring tones

Harmonic progressions on keyboard:

I - IV - V - I; I - vi - IV - V(7) - I; I - vi - ii65 - I64 - V7 - I; Equivalents in minor keys

Rhythm:

Sixteenths, correct performance, articulation patterns; Thirty-seconds, correct performance, articulation patterns; Triplets, correct performance, articulation patterns; Sextuplets, correct performance, articulation patterns; Quintuplets, correct performance, articulation patterns; Septuplets, correct performance, articulation patterns; Optimum learning sequence: Divide, subdivide, rest, tie, accent, articulate, flex; Cross-rhythms: 2+3, 3+4, 2+5, 4+5, 3+5, 2+7, reverse of those, (as time permits, 3+7, 4+7, 5+6, 5+7, 6+7, etc.).