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EXAMPLES OF THE DISCOUNT SYSTEM

Any student taking private lessons is eligible for discounts on unit-bearing classes and ensembles.  The more units an individual student takes, the high the discount for each unit up to six units.  After the sixth unit, every additional unit is free. 

Example 1

Any lesson-taker who also takes

  • two 3-unit offerings (valued at $402) or
  • a 3-unit and a 4-unit offering (valued at $469) or
  • two 4-unit offerings (valued at $536)

will be charged only $354 above the cost of their lessons. Additionally this student may take any number of additional classes or ensembles at NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE.

Example 2

A student who takes private lessons, Youth String Orchestra (3-units) and Beginning guitar (2-units) would add the total number of units in all classes and ensembles for a total of 5 units.  The discounted tuition on the chart for 5 units is $298.  That would be the total charge for both Youth String Orchestra and Beginning Guitar combined per semester.

Note:  This student may take any number of additional classes or ensembles for a cost of only $56.

Example 3

A student who takes private lessons and Music Theory

(four units -- valued at $268) would be billed the reduced rate of $241.

Example 4

A student who takes private lessons and Jazz Performance Workshop (3 units -- valued at $201) would be billed the reduced rate of $183. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

INSTRUCTOR AND FACULTY COORDINATOR:    

Margaret Henry  

Phone: 585-274-1962

Email: mahenry@esm.rochester.edu

Office: Room 214 in Messinger Hall

 

Office Hours:

Tuesday: 3:30-4:30 PM

Friday: 3:00-4:00 PM  or by Appointment

 

Extra Help Sessions:

Wednesday: 4:00-5:00 PM

Friday: 7:00-8:00 PM

Saturday: 1:30-3:00 PM

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

 

Brief Overview of Course

Introductory Theory A is the first course in a sequence of two courses for middle school students.  The two-course sequence (Introductory Theory A and B) covers, in two years, the same material covered in one year in Music Theory I.  In Introductory Theory A, students will learn the some of the basic elements or building blocks of music – treble and bass clefs, pitch alteration, rhythm and meter, major and relative minor scales and key signatures, intervals and triads – through written work, ear training and sight singing - and through this work, gain some insight as to how these elements are used to enhance their music making.

  

Course Goals

  • to help students understand the basic elements of Music Theory and prepare them to take the more advanced courses leading to the Advanced Placement Examination in Music  Theory

  • to fulfill the first requirement in the sequence of courses leading to an ECMS Diploma

 

Course Activities

  • Written activities in all of the above-mentioned topics

  • A heavy emphasis on correlated aural skills in the form of singing, movement, rhythmic performance and dictation

             

Course Material

  • Duplicated material for each lesson will be handed out in class.  Students should purchase a three-ring binder to store this material.

  • There will be a small fee of up to $25 per semester for this material, which will be added to the student’s bill.

 

COURSE SYLLABUS

Main Topics

  • PITCH NOTATION AND PITCH ALTERATION: CLEFS, ACCIEDNTALS AND ENHARMONIC TONES, WHOLE TONES AND SEMITONES

  • RHYTHM AND METER NOTE VALUES AND SIMPLE AND COMPOUND METER                

  • SCALES AMD MODES: THE MAJOR MODE, THE CIRCLE OF FIFTHS AND KEY SIGNATURES 

  • THE RELATIVE MINOR MODE

  • INTERVALS AND TRIADS: INTERVALS AND THEIR INVERSION  AND TRIAD TYPES

 

More Detailed Listing of Topic

  • PITCH NOTATION AND PITCH ALTERATION

  1. Notation of Pitches in the Treble Clef
  2. Notation of Pitches in the Bass Clef
  3. The Grand Staff: Transcribing from One Clef to Another Pitch Alteration I: Accidentals and Enharmonic Tones
  4. Pitch Alteration II: Whole tones and Semitones and the Chromatic Scale
  5. Pitch Alteration III: The Double Sharp and Double Flat
 

  • RHYTHM AMD METER

    1. Note Values I: Undotted Note values and Notation in the Staff
    2. Note Values II: The Tie and Dotted Note Value
    3. Simple Meter I: Simple Basic Common Beat Values
    4. Simple Meter II: Less Common Beat Values
    5. Compound Meter I: Basic Beat Values
    6. Compound Meter II: Less Common Beat Values
     

     

  • SCALES AND MODES

  1. The Major Mode I: Tetrachords of the Major Mode
  2. The Major Mode II: The Circle of Fifths and Transposition    
  3. The Major Mode III: Key Signatures

 

  • THE RELATIVE MINOR MODE, THE ALTO AND TENOR CLEFS AND TONALITY AND TRANSPOSTION

  1. The Relative Minor Mode I: Finding the Relative Minor
  2. The Relative Minor Mode II: Finding the Relative Major
  3. Forms of the Relative Minor: The Natural, Harmonic, Melodic and Partially 
  4. Chromatic Minor Mode

     

  • INTERVALS AND TRIADS

    1. Intervals I: Perfect, Major and Minor Intervals
    2. Intervals II: Melodic and Harmonic Intervals; Simple and Compound Intervals
    3. Intervals III: Augmented and Diminished Intervals
    4. Intervals IV: Inversion of Intervals
    5. Triads I:  Major and Minor Triads
    6. Triads II: Augmented and Diminished Triad

 

COURSE POLICIES AND WEIGHTING OF GRADES

Attendance

    1. Students must attend class regularly in order to keep up with the material and achieve a good grade for the course.                                                          
    2. If a student cannot attend a class, he/she should let the teacher know before the class and attend the other section of the same course that week.

 

Assignments

  • After each class there will be an assignment, which will be due at the beginning of the following class. 

  • If a student does not know how to tackle an assignment, he/she should contact the teacher and get help before the following class.

  • Assignments that are more than four weeks late will NOT be graded.

 

Grades

Grades will be given at the end of each semester.  Grades are based on the following four factors:

  1. Attendance
  2. Class Participation
  3. Weekly Assignments
  4. Four Take-home Tests and Periodic In-class Quizzes

 

MOST COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I know if I should be taking Introductory Music Theory A

  • There are no prerequisites for this course and, in general, this course is designed for middle school age students because it moves at a slower pace than Music Theory I and teaches concepts largely through singing, movement and rhythmic performance. 
  • However, middle school students may qualify to take Music Theory I instead of Introductory Theory A and B by passing a Placement test, given at the beginning of the academic year
  • Students should be able to attend class regularly.
  • Students should have time to devote one hour a week to assignments.    

 

What academic requirements does Introductory Music Theory A fulfill?

For middle school age students, it is the first required theory course for an ECMS Diploma but please note that students must receive the grade of B or better to be eligible for a diploma. 

 

How can I pass out of Introductory Music Theory A?

Students must successfully pass a Placement Test in Introductory Music Theory A.   

     

Are Introductory Music Theory A and B both year long courses?

Yes, it takes two years to cover the same material covered in one year in Music Theory I because we cover the theoretical concepts at a slower pace with these younger students and we supplement each concept with a lot of singing, movement aural skills.

 

Last updated:  July 22, 2008