Hartselle High School

Advanced Placement Music Theory is designed to provide high school music students with fundamental written and aural music skills in preparation for the AP Music Theory exam. The ultimate goal of the course is to facilitate students' musical studies after high school. The course "integrates aspects of melody, harmony, texture, rhythm, form, musical analysis, elementary composition, and, to some extent, history and style. Musicianship skills such as dictation and other listening skills, sight-singing and keyboard harmony are also considered an important part of the theory course" (from the College Board Advance Placement Music Theory course description). This class will build upon the student's foundation of musical knowledge to prepare them for the AP Music Theory examination, which encompasses the typical curriculum content of freshmen music major courses.

Students will be required to read, notate, write, sing, and listen to music. They will engage with the material through the utilization of a wide variety of activities: listening exercises, performance (singing) exercises, written exercises, creative exercises and analytical exercises. In addition to classroom work, students will need to plan on spending time with the material outside of the classroom. Regular homework assignments will be used to reinforce the skills and knowledge gained during the school day.