Music Theory Courses

Foundations of Music Theory
An introduction to traditional pitch and rhythmic notation as well as the study of basic materials such as tempo, meter, key signatures, intervals, scales and simple triad spellings. This course does not satisfy the general education requirement in music nor count as a music elective toward any major or minor in the Department of Music.

Beginning Sight Singing and Ear Training
Development of skills in dictation, sight singing, notation and the aural comprehension of music.

Intermediate Sight Singing and Ear Training
A continuation of Beginning Sight Singing and Ear Training including chromatic relationships, more difficult rhythmic grouping and two-part music.

Theory of Music (1st of 4 in a sequence)
An intensive course in the fundamentals of music including scales, modes, intervals, tonality and the four types of triads.

Theory of Music (2nd of 4 in a sequence)
Introduction to harmony and part-writing, figured bass, the principal triads in root position and the dominant seventh in root position.

Advanced Sight Singing and Ear Training I
A continuation of Intermediate Sight Singing and Ear Training including more difficult intervallic, melodic, harmonic and rhythmic problems.

Advanced Sight Singing and Ear Training II
A continuation progressing to the most difficult intervallic, melodic, harmonic and rhythmic problems.

Theory of Music (3rd of 4 in a sequence)
A continuation in the Theory of Music sections including figured bass triads and seventh chords in inversions, nonharmonic tones, secondary dominants and secondary leading tone chords.

Theory of Music (4th of 4 in a sequence)
Completion of the study of harmonic progression including modulation, the Neapolitan sixth chord and the augmented sixth chords. Study of impressionistic and dodecaphonic techniques.

Choral Composition and Arranging
Principles and practices of arranging for choirs and small vocal ensembles.

Instrumental Composition and Arranging
Principles and practices of arranging for school orchestras, bands and other instrumental ensembles.