Comprehensive Musicianship 111

Days 2 - 4 - 6, SBH 015
Gregory Walker
Office: Music 108 (SJU)
Phone: 3376
E-mail: [email protected]

TEXTBOOKS:

  • Tonal Harmony (6th Edition) - Stefan Kostka & Dorothy Payne
  • Workbook for Tonal Harmony

OTHER RESOURCES:

COURSE CONTENT:

This course is the first in a four-semester sequence of musicianship skills. We will study basic rudiments, scale forms, keys and chord construction. This leads to study of tonality and harmonic progression, including writing and voice leading. The overall course includes a continuing program of listening work in relation to major orchestral works. We will also begin learning the music notation software program, Finale.

GRADING:

  • 35% homework
  • 35% tests and quizzes
  • 30% final exam


For your benefit as well as mine, I would prefer not to accept late homework or make up tests, except in emergency situations. Any work turned in late will be subject to a 25% reduction in the assignment grade.

I use the following grading scale to convert these percentages into letter grades:

A 93 - 100
AB 90 - 92
B 83 - 89
BC 80 - 82
C 73 - 79
CD 70 - 72
D 65 - 69

COOPERATIVE GROUPS:

The entire class will be divided into groups of two or three. This group will be your study team. Know who they are, where they live, phone numbers, etc. Plan a time to regularly meet with your group. Homework should be done in your group, with each member working on their own copy. Come to a common understanding and consensus about the work, helping each other. I will collect one assignment from each group.
You should also study the listening list together. All members of the group should listen to the same recording and discuss its style and content. Bonus points will be added to each group member's score on listening quizzes and exams if your total reaches a certain score.

CALENDAR:

Introduction to the class August 28
Mod A Listening September 1
Chapter 1 - Elements of Pitch September 3
Keyboard introduction September 5
Chapter 2 - Elements of Rhythm September 9 - 11
Chapter 3 - Introduction to Triads and Seventh Chords September 15 - 17
Chapter 4 - Diatonic Chords in Major and Minor Keys September 19
- Listening Quiz #1 - September 17 - 19
EXAM #1 September 23
Mod B Listening September 26
Chapter 5 - Principles of Voice Leading September 30
Chapter 6 - Root Position Part Writing October 6 - 10
Chapter 7 - Harmonic Progression October 14
- Listening Quiz #2 - October 10 - 14
Keyboard check October 16
EXAM #2 October 20
Mod C Listening October 22
Chapter 8 - Triads in First Inversion October 24 - 30
Chapter 9 - Triads in Second Inversion November 3 - 5
Chapter 10 - Cadences, Phrases and Periods November 7 - 11
- Listening Quiz #3 - November 7 - 11
EXAM #3 November 13
Mod D Listening November 17
Chapter 11 - Non-Chord Tones1 November 19 - 25
Chapter 12 - Non-Chord Tones 2 December 4 - 6
Keyboard check December 8
Exam review December 10 - 12
- Listening Quiz #4 - December 10 - 12
FINAL EXAM

All exams are cumulative in nature, requiring material from earlier chapters as part of the current work.

LISTENING QUIZZES:

The listening list is a collection of major orchestral and operatic works which every musician should know. The works were compiled by music faculty in theory and history, attempting to cover important works of music throughout history. Ten pieces of music will be on reserve in the BAC library every mod. Quizzes will consist of a one minute excerpt from each of these works. Listening quizzes will be given twice, on two consecutive class days.

  • Mod A
    September 17 - 19
  • Mod B
    October 10 - 14
  • Mod C
    November 7 - 11
  • Mod D
    December 10 - 12