Music Appreciation Syllabus
by Carol Braun
August 26, 2010
Music Appreciation, History & Theory Syllabus & Grading Requirements
Teacher: Michele Gerdes
Southern High School
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES: Music Appreciation, History, and Theory will educate the student in the classical music genres of European music, classical and popular forms of music from America such as folk, blues, jazz, forms of rock n’ roll, as well as music from around the world. The composers, performers, and their music are showcased in relation to the social, political, and religious events happening at the time the compositions were created and performed.
The music theory portion of the course is the study of the materials and components that create and organize music. Music theory encompasses the study of notation, types and uses of scales, melodic and harmonic analysis, intervals, chord progressions, rhythm, ear training, and site singing. Music theory is the “nuts and bolts” of the construction of music in any style or genre.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1. Listening Journal: do the listening lesson activities and worksheets. Participate in class discussions. Complete assignments from the workbooks on music composers, compositions, style periods, music, and music vocabulary.
- Each student will present one project to the class each grading quarter. These projects are planned by the student with the teacher’s guidance and approval of the project.
Examples of projects:
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- Student plays a solo or small ensemble song with other classmates by a composer the class is studying. Practice it to the best of their ability. They can get additional help from the teacher learning their music during and outside of class time, This same piece of music could be appropriate for other performances outside of this class such as contest, civic groups, or college and honor band auditions. The students need to give a presentation to the class on the information they have researched on this particular piece of music.
- Research a style period, composer, or music topic and present it to the class.
- Compose or arrange a piece of music for themselves, or their classmates. Direct it and/or perform it.
- Transpose parts to fit the student’s desired instrumentation.
Example: Change a flute duet to a flute and clarinet duet by transposing the flute part to the key sign of the clarinet. Perform it with a classmate or the instructor for the class. Explain to the class how they created the transposition.
- Compose an original work of music such as a song or instrumental composition, Perform it for the class.
- Students may suggest projects not on this list and they will need to meet with the teacher to formulate the project.
- Complete Unit lessons in theory workbook(s) and hand in unit reviews and any worksheets and assignments. Use supplemental material to enhance the learning of theory skills.
- If the class has the opportunity to go on a music field trip, the student will be responsible for attending the event. The instructor will try to give the students plenty of time to plan it into their schedules. Inform the instructor that it is impossible to attend before tickets are ordered. The event may have an assignment such as a critique of a performance in aspects of style, performance, or theory elements. The school will provide transportation and hopefully most if not all of the cost of the ticket or gate price.
GRADING PROCEDURES:
Individual Projects: 20%
Assignments: 40%
Theory unit reviews, composer/composition or style period reviews. Assignments created by the teacher applied to the composers, compositions, style periods, music theory, music vocabulary, and field trip assignments.
Weekly Class Participation: 20%
Includes cooperation, behavior, and work ethic. Much of the work is done as a group and we need full participation from everyone.
Tests/quizzes: 20%
In power school, students will see that the tests will be worth twice the points of quizzes. Example: a 90% on a test would be worth 90 x 2 = 180%.
Semester Test:
10% of the semester grade with 1st quarter being worth 45% and 2nd quarter worth 45%. This is also applied to 3rd and 4th quarter.
Absentee Policy: Same as school policy of 10 absences. You do need to do make-up work which includes coming in on your own time to do the listening examples unless we can make you a CD to take home.
Late Work Policy: I will accept late work, but it will lose10 points per school calendar day that it is late. If the students find themselves in a time bind, please inform the instructor so we can work together to create a time line that is ideal for the class and the student. Plan ahead, know your calendar, and know your commitments. Plan out your school activity absences and for warn the instructor.
Plagiarism Policy: Plagiarism is representing someone else’s ideas or work as your own. To avoid plagiarism when you use someone else’s data, arguments, designs, words, ideas, project, music, etc., you must make it clear that the work originated with someone else by citing the source.
Southern Public Schools
Music Appreciation, History, and Theory Curriculum Main Sources
Accent On Composers by Jay Althouse & Judith O’Reilly,
The Music and Lives of 22 Great Composers w/ Listening CD, Review, tests, and supplemental materials, Alfred Publishing Co., Inc., 2001.
Alfred’s Complete “Essentials of Music Theory”: Lessons, Ear Training, Workbook. Books 1-3, Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.,1998.
Bowmar’s “Adventures In Music Listening, Level Three. by Dr. Leon Burton,
Dr. Charles Hoffer, and Dr. William Hughes; Belwin-Mills Publishing Corp., 1999.
The Indians Book: Songs and Legends of the American Indians, recorded and edited by Natalie Curtis, Dover Publications, Inc.,1907.
Lives of the Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Katleen Krull, Harcourt, Inc.,1993.
Masters Of Music Opera by Alessandro Taverna, Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. 1999.
Meet The Great Composers, Book One by June Montgomery and Maurice Hinson Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.,1995.
Meet The Great Composers, Book Two by June Montgomery and Maurice Hinson Alfred Publishing Co., Inc., 1997.
Meet The Great Jazz Legends: Short Sessions on the lives, times & music of the great Jazz Legends by Ronald C. McCurdy, Ph.D. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. 2004..
Music Alive!” Great Composers of the 20th Century by Jacqueline Wollan Gibbons, Cherry Lane Music Company, 2000..
Music Alive! “Music from Around the World” by Brad Shank, Cherry Lane Foundation, Inc., distributed by Hal Leonard, 2009.
Music Alive! “Sounds of the Cities” A Musical Road Trip Across America by David Simons, Cherry Lane Music Company distributed by Hal Leonard Publishing, 2003.
One Page Composer Bios: 50 Reproducible Biographies of Famous Composers by Jay Althouse. Alfred Music Publishing Co. Inc., 2009.
