For Monday, September 24, 2001:
Purchase the textbooks.
Sing the major scale drill (singing the full note names and scale degree numbers) in the keys of C, G, D, F, and Bb.
Play a four-voice I-V-I chord progression in the major keys of C, G, D, F, and Bb, using proper voice leading.
Compose and sing a rhythm at least 16 beats long, using each of the 16 possible attack-point patterns of sixteenth notes at least once.
For Wednesday, September 26, 2001:
Sing the major scale drill in the keys of C, G, D, A, E, F, Bb, Eb, and Ab.
Sing an arpeggiated version of a I-V-I progression in the major keys of C, G, D, A, E, F, Bb, Eb, and Ab.
Play a four-voice I-IV-V-I chord progression in the major keys of C, G, D, F, and Bb, using proper voice leading.
Compose and sing a rhythm at least 8 beats long, using each of the 8 possible attack-point patterns of triplet eighth notes at least once.
Study the pieces on pages 3, 55, and 147 of the course packet, and sing the entire parts in both the bass and treble clef of each piece.
For Friday, September 28, 2001:
Sing the minor scale drill in the natural minor keys of a, d, g, e, and b.
Sing an arpeggiated version of a i-V-i progression in the (harmonic) minor keys of a, d, g, e, and b.
Play a four-voice I-IV-V-I chord progression in the major keys of C, G, D, A, E, F, Bb, Eb, and Ab, and the minor keys of a, d, g, e, and b, using proper voice leading as discussed in class.
Sing the rhythm handed out in class (all possible attack patterns of triplets and sixteenth notes). Sing the upper and lower rhythms independently, and then sing the two parts together ascribing a different pitch to each voice.
Study the pieces on pages 3 and 55 of the course packet, and be able to sing the entire parts in both the bass and treble clef of each piece, singing the numbers of the scale degrees. (In places where the pieces modulate, you'll need to decide where the modulation occurs in order to sing the correct scale degree.)
For Monday, October 1, 2001:
Sing the minor scale drill in the natural minor keys of a, d, g, c, f, e, b, f#, and c#.
Sing an arpeggiated version of a i-V-i progression in the (harmonic) minor keys of a, d, g, c, f, e, b, f#, and c#.
Sing an arpeggiated version of all the triads in the major keys of C, G, D, A, E, F, Bb, Eb, and Ab.
While tapping the beat, sing the rhythms in the upper (big note) part of the exercises on the following pages of the course packet: page 91 (top of page only), page 93 (all), and page 107 (top of page only).
Do a harmonic analysis of all the chords on page 144 of the course packet. Identify non-chord tones.
Analyze and write in all the intervals between the left hand and the right hand of the piece on page 5 of the course packet. Identify non-chord tones. Write a few sentences giving an overview of the harmonic and formal structure of the piece. (In order to hand in your analysis assignments, you will need to make xerox copies of pages 144 and 5 of the packet.)
For Wednesday, October 3, 2001:
Sing the minor scale drill in the natural minor keys of a, d, g, c, f, e, b, f#, and c#.
Sing an arpeggiated version of a I-V7-I progression in the major keys of C, G, D, A, E, F, Bb, Eb, and Ab.
Sing an arpeggiated version of a i-V7-i progression in the (harmonic) minor keys of a, d, g, c, f, e, b, f#, and c#.
Sing an arpeggiated version of all the triads in the major keys of C, G, D, A, E, F, Bb, Eb, and Ab.
While tapping the beat, sing the rhythms in the upper (big note) part of the exercises on pages 107 (top of page only) and 93 (whole page) of the course packet.
Perform the cross-rhythms 4:3, 3:4, 2:3, 3:2 in two different ways: a) tapping the beat and singing the cross-rhythm, and b) tapping the beat in one hand and the cross-rhythm in the other hand.
Sing the interval drill (all the intervals found in a major scale between the tonic and each other note of the scale) both upward and downward in the major keys of C, G, D, F, and Bb.
For Friday, October 5, 2001:
Sing the interval drill upward and downward in all major keys up to four flats or sharps.
While tapping the beat, sing the rhythms on pages 99 (top of page only) and 110 (all) of the course packet.
Using the chord progression I - IV - V7/V - V7 - I as the harmonic basis, one chord per beat, write as many examples as you can of correct two-part counterpoint. The chord progression should be in 3/4 time, should begin on the third beat of the measure and end on the downbeat of a measure. The actual counterpoints may be in any rhythm, and the chords may be in any inversion (although second inversion is not so good in this context). Any non-chord tones you use must be used properly and identified. Choose any key other than C major, and write all your counterpoints in that key.
For Monday, October 8, 2001:
Sing the alto clef melodies on pp. 80-82 of the course packet: numbers 421, 422, and 431.
Be able to sing all of the drills, melodies, rhythms from all previous assignments.
Be able to play on the piano a I-IV-V-I chord progession for four-voice choir, using proper voice leading, in all major and (harmonic) minor keys up to four flats or sharps.
For Wednesday, October 10, 2001:
Analyze the chord types and harmonic function of all of the harmonies in measures 1-21 of Mozart's Symphony No. 40, Mvt. I, found on pages of the course packet. Make a xerox copy of those pages, write in the roman numeral chord analysis, and identify any non-chord tones. (Note: Horns in Bb and G, Clarinets in Bb.)
While tapping the beat (either half note or quarter note, depending on the time signature), sing the rhythm #92 at the top of page 108 in the course packet.
For Friday, October 12, 2001:
Hand in a paper containing a) your name, b) your proposed instrumentation of your composition, and c) your preferred performers, if known.
Using exercises 1 and 2 on page 111 of the course packet,
For Monday, October 15, 2001:
Complete the exercises on page 142. (Make a xerox copy to hand in.)
Sing the alto clef melodies on pp. 80-82 of the course packet: numbers 421, 422, and 431. (Already assigned for Monday October 8.)
Perform the rhythm at the top of page 99. (Already assigned for Friday October 5.)
For Wednesday, October 17, 2001:
Analyze the chord functions (using Roman numerals) and non-chord tones (circling and labeling them) on pages 70 and 71 of the course packet. Xerox those pages to hand in.
Perform any of the melodies sung in class Monday 10/15. This includes melodies 417, 419, and 420 on page 80 of the course packet, as well as all the melodies that were handed out in class.
For Friday, October 19, 2001:
Hand in a very detailed design for the formal structure of your composition project. Your formal design could be in the form of a written prose description, but is probably better presented as a (large and detailed) schematic diagram. How long will your piece be? In what meter? In what tempo? How many measures? In what key will it start/end? To what keys will it go (and when)? Will it have discernable sections? What will be the sectional structure? What will be the predominant "texture (homophonic, polyphonic, etc.)? Which instrument will be most prominent (or even solo) at which times? At what moments will certain instruments be clearly "teamed" together in contrast to others? Any particular harmonic ideas, progressions, etc. that you want to be characteristic? Any melodic motives you know you want to use? Etc.
Sing all triads in the minor keys of a, e, b, d, and g minor. (Use a major triad for the V chord.) In the major keys C, G, D, F, and Bb, sing all the intervals of the scale up and down from the tonic note, and as you sing each note of the scale, ornament that note with its chromatic lower neighboring (leading) tone. Say the note names as you go.
For Monday, October 22, 2001:
Sing an arpeggiation of the chord progression I-IV-V7-I in all major keys up to 4 flats and sharps (C, G, D, A, E, F, Bb, Eb, and Ab), and i-iv-V7-i in all minor keys up to 4 flats and sharps (a, d, g, c, f, e, b, f#, and c#). Play all those chord progressions on the piano, using proper four-part voice leading.
Begin composing, based strictly on your master formal plan. Define more specifically your harmonic progression, and based on that progression compose one or two primary motivic/thematic ideas. Develop the theme into related melodic ideas, or compose an "answering" melody, following your planned chord progression.
Practice all previously assigned drills, melodies, and rhythms.
For Wednesday, October 24, 2001:
There is no specific assignment other than composing.
In class, new (post-midterm) material will be introduced.
For Friday, October 26, 2001:
Written MIDTERM THEORY EXAM.
Hand in your "half-done" composition: a xerox copy of everything you have composed up to this point.
For Monday, October 29, 2001:
MIDTERM MUSICIANSHIP EXAM. Solo performance of any singing drill, melody, rhythm, or keyboard progression covered up to this point.
For Wednesday, October 31, 2001:
Perform rhythm #92 at the top of page 108 and rhythm #81 at the top of page 101 (large notes). Tap the beat and/or conduct the meter.
Singing the note names, sing an arpeggiated version of the chord progressions I - ii7 - V7 - I and I - ii65 - V7 - I in the major keys of C, G, F, D, and Bb.
For Friday, November 2, 2001:
Hand in a xerox of the "rough draft" of your (basically completed) composition.
For Monday, November 5, 2001:
Singing the note names, arpeggiate all the seventh chords in the keys of C major and A minor. (Use the natural minor except for the dominant V7 chord; also try using the #viio7.)
Analyze the introduction and the first 12-bar stanza of Ellington's "Ko-Ko" on pp. 34-36 of the course packet. Many of the chords are not appropriately analyzable in classical (roman numeral) terms. Try to figure out which chords are (which chords have a structural harmonic tonal function) and develop a hypothesis that will explain the other chords.
For Wednesday, November 7, 2001:
Perform rhythm #83 (large notes) on page 102 of the course packet. Tap the beat and/or conduct the meter.
Singing the note names, or scale degrees, melody #438 on page of the course packet.
Singing the note names, arpeggiate all the seventh chords in G major and F major.
For Friday, November 9, 2001:
Sing the major scale drill (singing the full note names and scale degree numbers) in the keys of Db, Gb, B, and F#.
Write a rhythm at least 24 beats long, using as many different adjacencies as possible of beat divisions 1 through 8, and perform it in class.
Note: The due date of the score of your composition has been postponed until Wednesday November 14.
For Wednesday, November 14, 2001:
Hand in a xerox of the completed final copy of the score of your composition.
Perform rhythm #98 on page 109 of the course packet. Tap the beat and/or conduct the meter, and be prepared to sing either the top or bottom line.
Singing the scale degrees, sing melodies #432 and 433 on pages 82-83 of the course packet.
For Friday, November 16, 2001:
Singing the scale degrees, sing melodies #432 and 433 on pages 82-83 of the course packet. (Repeat of Wednesday's singing assignment.)
Sing the full note names and scale degree numbers of all the notes in the (natural) minor keys of b-flat, e-flat, g#, and d# minor. Singing the note names, arpeggiate the i - V7 - i progression in each of those keys.
Analyze as much as possible of the Chopin Nocturne in Eb on pp. 19-20 of the course packet. It is not required that you hand in your work, but you may do so as an "extra credit" graded assignment.
For Monday, November 19, 2001:
Singing the scale degrees, sing melody #437 on page 84 and melody #447 on page 87 of the course packet. (Analyze the chord progression outlined by melody #447.)
Sing the full note names and scale degree numbers of all the notes in all the modes beginning on C, F, and G.
Give the score of your composition to each of your performers. If any of your instruments would be better off reading from a part rather than a score (primarily to avoid excessive page turns), give them a part (transposed if necessary). Make sure that your score and parts have measure numbers or rehearsal points included in them, to aid in rehearsals.