MUSIC THEORY I
Course Syllabus

Music 30B, Winter 1997
Monday-Wednesday-Friday, 9:00am-9:50am
Music Building, Room 196

Professor Christopher Dobrian
294E Music Building
824-7288
dobrian@uci.edu

Office hours by appointment.

Textbooks

Kostka, Stefan and Payne, Dorothy. Tonal Harmony, 3rd edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1995.

Burkhart, Charles. Anthology for Musical Analysis, 4th edition. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1986.

UCI Catalog Course Description

The study of traditional common-practice diatonic harmony, through written and keyboard drill. Basic harmonic theory, triads, seventh chords, sequences, modulation, elementary figured basses. Prerequisite: Music 25 or equivalent.

Professor's Course Description

A workshop in elementary Western (predominantly classical) music theory, analysis, and composition through active score study, ear training, performance, and composition. Primary activities will be specific style studies, frequent brief composition exercises based on those style studies, and performance of the composition exercises. Prerequisite: Music 30A or equivalent.

Activities

Lectures
Elementary theoretical concepts
Stylistic analyses of selected compositions
Derived "rules" of composition
Ear Training
Singing drills to improve aural acuity
Melodic and harmonic dictation
Analysis
Studying examples of established theoretical concepts
Deriving concepts from existing compositions
Compositions
Frequent brief guided composition assignments employing specific theoretical concepts or imitating a specific style or technique currently under study.
Performance
Vocal and instrumental performance of excerpts under study

Topics

Generic Weekly Schedule

Monday
Hand in assignment from previous Friday
Introduction of new works and concepts for study
Assignment of new composition exercise based on newly studied example or newly presented theoretical concepts
Wednesday
Performance of previous week's composition assignments
Friday
Hand in assignment from Monday
Analysis of works that exemplify concepts under study, and/or
Introduction of new works and concepts for study
Assignment of new composition exercise based on newly studied example or newly presented theoretical concepts

Course Requirements

  1. Participation in at least 90% of all class meeting time,
  2. Adequate preparation for class performances and drills,
  3. Timely completion of composition and analysis assignments,
  4. Midterm and final exams: composition, analysis, performance, and dictation.

Course Grades

Grading for the course will be based on timely completion of all the course requirements. Since every requirement is considered a vital part of the educational experience of the course, serious and high quality work is expected at all times. Grading will be based in more or less equal proportion on the following activities:

  1. Active and well-prepared participation in class activities,
  2. Written composition and analysis assignments,
  3. Midterm exam,
  4. Final exam.

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. This applies particularly to citation of sources for quotes and ideas included in your compositions and analyses. While supportive co-education between colleagues is encouraged, written assignments must be accomplished individually, without collaboration with others.

Christopher Dobrian
January 2, 1997
dobrian@uci.edu