T109: Curriculum and Sequence of Topics
T109 is offered every fall and spring as well as during Summer Session II. The organization of topics below into fifteen weeks reflects the course’s organization during a full-length semester; during the summer session all topics are necessarily covered more quickly.
Week 1:
Introduction to notation/calligraphy
The parameters of music (pitch, rhythm)
Staff notation
Treble and bass clefs, grand staff
Octave designation systems
Keyboard layout
Accidentals
Diatonic and chromatic half and whole steps
Major and natural minor scales as patterns of diatonic half and
whole steps
Beginnings of dictation: short scalar pitch patterns, half steps
and whole steps
Week 2:
Simple meters: decoding time signatures, rhythmic notation
Conducting 2-, 3-, and 4-beat patterns
Performance of simple meter rhythms (first level of subdivision,
no syncopation)
Concepts of intervals—emphasis on major, minor, and perfect
intervals
Aural identification and vocalization of P8, P5, M2, m2
Introduction to sightsinging and its techniques
Introduction to rhythmic dictation and its techniques
Key signatures, the circle of fifths
Aural identification of scale degrees (using 1 and 5 as anchors)
Week 3:
Aural identification and vocalization of M3, m3
Compound meter: decoding time signatures, differences from simple
meter
Performance of compound meter rhythms (first level of
subdivision, no syncopations)
Concept of intervallic inversion
Three forms of minor
Spelling and vocalization of major and minor triads
Performance of conjunct melodies
Week 4:
Identification and vocalization of M6, m6; descending intervals
Melodic dictation with some chordal (i.e., tonic) skips
Preparation for Exam 1
Week 5:
Spelling of augmented and diminished intervals
Spelling and vocalization of major, minor, augmented, and
diminished triads
Performance of melodies using chordal (i.e., tonic) skips
Spelling, vocalization, and identification of tritone
Aural identification and vocalization of M7, m7
Performance and dictations using dotted rhythms in simple meter
Principle of tonic/dominant relationship; singing dominant triad
on scale degrees
Week 6:
Mastery of short melodic clichés (5-4-3, 1-4-5, 3-7-1, etc.)
Roman numerals; chord qualities in major and minor keys
Scale degree names
Sightsinging and dictation of melodies using tonic and dominant
skips
Concept of chordal inversion
Concept of cadences: authentic, half, deceptive, plagal
Introduction to set of basic rhythmic cells in simple and
compound meters
Spelling, vocalization, and aural identification of Mm7
Week 7:
Concept of figured bass to indicate inversion of triads and
seventh chords
Rhythmic dictations using rhythmic cells
Melodic dictation with rests
Introduction to melodic analysis: contour, melodic apex,
sequences, motives, harmonic implications of a melody
Week 8:
Review of previous topics in preparation for Exam 2
Week 9:
Aural identification of harmonic intervals
New emphasis on fluency with use of scale degrees while singing
melodies
Introduction to concepts of functional harmony; Riemann symbols
(PDT)
Composition of melodies using functional harmony; recognition of
functions in a notated melody
Introduction to non-chord tones (PT and NT only)
Week 10:
Introduction to period structure, parallel periods
Introduction to syncopation; performance and notation
Review of strategies for dictation of all kinds, drill
Week 11:
Transcription of melodies using periodic structure
Keyboard spacing, open/close spacing, chord reduction
Performance and transcription of rhythms with ties, syncopations,
triplets, duplets
Introduction to transposition; moving melodies into other keys
and common instrumental transpositions
Week 12:
Review of previous topics in preparation for Exam 3
Week 13:
Introduction to C clef and alto clef (emphasis on latter)
Introduction to bass line transcription
Composition of functional-harmony melodies
Week 14:
Strategies for bass line transcription
Concept of compound intervals
Additional practice with more difficult sightsinging and
dictations of all types
Week 15:
Review of previous topics in preparation for Exam 4 and Make-up
Exam