Music 16D - Theory and Musicianship
Fall 2004

COURSE SYLLABUS

Professor: Christopher Dobrian
Music and Media Building, Room 211
(949) 824-7288, dobrian@uci.edu
http://music.arts.uci.edu/dobrian/Music16D2004/
Office Hours: Room 211, MWF 11:00-1:00 by appointment

Teaching Assistant: Darren Wilsey
(949) 246-4509, dcwrocks@aol.com
Office Hours: Wed. 11:00-1:00 by appointment

Class time: MWF 9:00-10:50
Holiday: Friday November 26
Midterm exam: Friday October 29, 9:00-10:50 (date subject to change)
Final Theory Exam: Friday December 3, 9:00-10:50
Final Exam: Monday December 6, 10:30-12:30 and Wednesday December 8, 8:00-10:00


Textbooks:

Course Requirements:

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; Ternary form; Rondo; Sonata allegro form.

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:

Correct performance of all articulation patterns of triplets, sixteenths, quintuplets, sextuplets, septuplets, and thirty-seconds; 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, (and, as time permits, 3+7, 4+7, 5+6, 5+7, 6+7, etc.).


This page was last modified September 18, 2004.
Christopher Dobrian
dobrian@uci.edu