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Spring, 2007 T-Th 8:00–8:50 a.m., Instructor: Michelle Clater Email: mclater@indiana.edu Course Home Page: |
Course Objectives
T109 is designed to provide music students with fundamental written and
aural music skills in preparation for their continuing musical studies. These
skills include the ability to translate sounds into musical notation (dictation)
and the ability to translate musical notation into sound (sightsinging).
In addition, students will begin to acquire some of the basic language
necessary for speaking intelligently and analytically about music and its
structure. This course serves as the foundation for all future studies in music
theory, and as such, it is crucial that students strive to understand and
master the material from the onset.
Student Responsibilities
Ultimately, students are responsible for their own
progress in T109. Although a variety of resources will be available, students
must take the initiative to assure that they acquire a firm foundation for
successful musicianship. They are expected to practice daily the skills
emphasized during class. Students are also expected and encouraged
to approach the instructor for extra help when difficulties arise.
Students are responsible for all material covered during class, even
during absences.
Text and Supplies
There is only one required text for this class: the
T109 course packet. The course packet is available at TIS Bookstore. Please
purchase this text immediately—they contain all the homework assignments.
(Students who have taken T109 before should purchase a new course
packet.) Please also designate a notebook for T109 that contains both notebook
and staff paper (most of the work done in this class is done using music
notation). Students should take notes and dictations in this notebook.
Always bring the following materials to class: the
course packet, the T109 notebook with staff and notebook paper, pencils, and
erasers (assignments and tests done in pen will not be graded). Students are
also encouraged to purchase and use a personal calendar.
Attendance
Good attendance is crucial to the student’s
success in this course. (Refer to the introduction of the course packet.)
Attendance will be taken at every class and is worth 5% of your overall grade.
It has been noted time after time that the student who only shows up for exams
and hearings and inconsistently attends class does not pass T109. Failure to
regularly attend class certainly assures failure in the
course, even with prior music-theoretical studies. Students
who know in advance of an absence should inform the instructor as early as
possible. Upon missing a class because of illness or an emergency, get in touch
with another student or the instructor as soon as possible to find out what you
missed. Take special note of the make-up policy in this syllabus
before missing any grading opportunities!
Course Content and Grading
The last page of this syllabus is a Course Progress Log on which students can
keep track of scores in the class. The Log also shows how many points each
grading opportunity is worth. There are 1000 points possible in this entire
course; grades will be assigned at the end of the term using the grading scale
below.
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Passing Grades |
Non-Passing Grades |
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975-1000 A+ |
700-724 C- |
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925-974 A |
675-699 D+ |
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900-924 A- |
625-674 D |
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875-899 B+ |
600-624 D- |
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825-874 B |
0-599 F |
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800-824 B- |
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775-799 C+ |
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725-774 C |
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All of the written examinations are cumulative. Assume that all material
covered prior to the test date will appear on the test. Please consult the
Student Handbook for guidelines concerning ethics and student honesty. Students
must earn a grade of “C” or higher (not C minus) in this course to
be eligible for enrollment in T151 and/or T132.
For information about the topics covered in this course, visit the T109 web
site and click on the “Curriculum” link (or click
here).
Make-up Policy
There are different policies for making up work in
T109, depending on the type of grading opportunity missed.
Quizzes and Mini-Homework Assignments: When any of these
grading opportunities are missed because of an unexcused absence, they may
not be made up and may not be turned in
late. Generally speaking, advance notice is required for an absence to be
excused (though advance notice alone does not assure an excused absence).
Students who become ill should still get in touch with
the instructor before the class meeting at which the
quiz is taking place or the assignment is due. Excused absences due to illness
will generally require documentation by a physician. Once an excused absence
has been established, the student must approach the instructor to make
arrangements to complete the missed task in a timely fashion or risk losing all
credit for that task.
Homework Projects: Homework Projects turned in up to one class
day late will receive half credit. Homework Projects more than one day late
will receive no credit.
Final decisions regarding make-up opportunities rest with the instructor.
Plagiarism
All Indiana University policies regarding copying and plagiarism of other
students’ work are in effect throughout this course. Except where noted,
all take-home assignments for this course are individual
projects, and working on these assignments in groups is tantamount to academic
dishonesty, which is subject to disciplinary action by the School of Music and
the university.
Students are encouraged to work in study groups when
appropriate to reinforce each other’s understanding of concepts discussed
during class. However, written assignments must be the
student’s personal intellectual product. It’s ok to
discuss concepts and drill one another, but when pencil touches paper for an
assignment, the content must be your own work.
Examination and Hearing Dates
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Hearings |
Exams |
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1: Week of Jan.
29 |
1: Thursday, Feb.
1 |
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2: Week of Feb.
26 |
2: Thursday, Mar.
1 |
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3: Week of Apr.
2 |
3: Thursday, Apr.
5 |
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4: Week of Apr.
23 |
4: Tuesday, May
1 |
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Makeup: Week
of Apr. 30 |
Makeup:
Saturday, Apr. 28 |
Note that all hearing and exam dates are subject to change as course progress makes
changes necessary. Adjustments to the schedule above will be announced well in
advance. A detailed schedule of all these dates is available on the course web
site (click here). Mark your calendar now.
Homework and Mini-HW Assignments
Due dates for Mini-Homework assignments and Homework Projects will be given
as the term progresses. (Homework Project due dates are also available at all
times on the web site.) Some Mini-Homework assignments may be checked during
drill, while others will be handed in. Prepare all homework carefully and
neatly. The material needed for all homework assignments is in the course
packet.
Mini-HW 1: Basic materials,
conducting patterns, rhythmic notation
Mini-HW 2: Notation, piano layout, note names
Mini-HW 3: Notation of half steps and whole steps, enharmonic equivalents
Mini-HW 4: Intervals I: major, minor, and perfect intervals
Mini-HW 5: Key signatures; relative, parallel, and natural minor scales
Mini-HW 6: Harmonic and melodic minor scales
Mini-HW 7: Intervals II: augmented and diminished intervals
Mini-HW 8: Triads: major, minor, diminished, augmented
Mini-HW 9: Roman numerals I: tonic and dominant triads, dominant 7ths
Mini-HW 10: Roman numerals II: identifying and spelling triads by Roman numeral
Mini-HW 11: Chord reduction and keyboard spacing
Mini-HW 12: Roman numerals III: chorale spacing, figured bass
Mini-HW 13: Non-Chord Tones
Mini-HW 14: Cadences
Mini-HW 15: Intervals III: compound intervals
Mini-HW 16: Alto clef and transposition
Homework Projects
Project 1: Melodic composition:
melodies using rhythmic cells, common scale-degree patterns
Project 2: Melodic composition: melodies outlining the harmonic cycle
Project 3: Melodic composition: melodies forming a parallel period
NOTE: in addition to the graded work described above, there will be at least seven unannounced quizzes throughout the semester. These quizzes will occur both in lecture and drill classes. Refer to the makeup policy given above.