VC Tetrachord quiz grades

Hey guys,

Your grades from Friday's quiz on tetrachords are up on Synergy. I can't pass back your papers until everyone has taken the quiz (the re-take is Thursday), so please look at your grades and come to me if you have any questions.

Thanks!

missy.p

Theta Trainer

In case you're having email issues and need to go straight to the website, here it is:

https://trainer.thetamusic.com

VC & CC assignments are due by tonight at 11:59pm.

CC & VC: Theta Trainer Assignment due TOMORROW

Hey guys!
Don't forget that you have an online assignment due tomorrow. As long as it's dated 12/10/2013 for the completion date I'll accept it.

If you have problems logging in try using your first & last name (all lowercase) as your username and password. (You can change the password once you log in.)

Example:
Username: erinpalmer
Password: erinpalmer

If this isn't working see/email me. I'll do my best to fix it asap, but remember that you've had a week to complete this. Not being able to log in is not an excuse.

Thanks!

missy.p

New Theta Trainer Assignment

VC & Chamber!

There's a new assignment up for you in Theta Trainer. It's due Tuesday 12/10. Don't forget that you can practice as much as you want before you actually play.

If you're having issues with logging in, let me know asap. "My login wouldn't work" or "I couldn't get to a computer" are not excuses.

happy training!

missy.p

Amahl & the Night Visitors

Next Sunday 12/15 I'll be playing for a production of Gian Carlo Menotti's operetta Amahl & the Night Visitors. The production will feature Indra Thomas, the soprano who came to sing on our Holiday Concert last year. Come check it out if you're interested!

What: Amahl and the Night Visitors
When: 11-12pm Sunday, December 15
Where: First Congregational Church - 105 Courtland St NE, Atlanta, GA 30303

missy.p

Chamber Theory week of 11/18

Hey everyone,

This week we're covering Augmented and Diminished triads. Here's a recap of all the triad formulas:

Major triad: M3 on bottom, m3 on top
Minor triad: m3 on bottom, M3 on top
Augmented triad: M3 on bottom, M3 on top
Diminished triad: m3 on bottom, m3 on top

You can practice on Theta Trainer if you go to Games - Theory - Chord Speller. Practice level 3. (But feel free to do other levels!)

Have fun!

missy.p

VC Theory Week of 11/18

Hey guys!

This week we're talking about half steps and whole steps in your theory group.

A half step is any two consecutive notes on the piano. (Ex. F to F#.) When you sing a chromatic scale, you're singing all half steps.

A whole step is 2 notes that are 2 half steps apart. (Ex. G to A.) Two halves equal a whole, right? :)

For your quiz Friday, I'm going to give you 2 notes. Your job is to tell me the name of each of the notes (which we've been doing) AND how far apart the two notes are, either a HALF (H) step or WHOLE (W) step.

Here's a website you can use to practice this: www.teoria.com
Go to Exercises, Intervals (on the left under "Music Theory & Reading Skills"), Identification.
You'll come to a menu where the only thing you should check is the Minor and Major boxes under 2.

Here's the key:

Half Step = minor 2nd (m2)
Whole Step = Major 2nd (M2)

Don't forget to set up your Theta Trainer account online. You'll start to have graded assignments there when we get back from Thanksgiving break.

Have fun!

missy.p

Upcoming performances...

Hey Everyone!

I have a few performances coming up I wanted to let you know about in case you'd like to come. :)

*********

• Who: Terminus Contemporary Music Ensemble 
• What: We're performing music composed in the last 10-20 years. Lots of crazy meters, bitonality, and me playing inside the piano...literally.)
• When: 7:30pm, Friday, November 22
• Where: Georgia State University, Kopleff Recital Hall, 10 Peachtree Center Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30303 (Inside the Arts & Humanities Building, entrance on Gilmer Street)
• How much: FREE

*********

• Who: Indra Thomas, soprano (who visited our PHS & sang on our Holiday concert last year!)
• What: Amahl and the Night Visitors (an operetta by Gian Carlo Menotti)
• When: 11am (& possibly 4pm...tbd) Sunday, December 15
• Where: First Congregational Church, 105 Courtland St NE, Atlanta, GA 30303
• How much: FREE

have fun!

missy.p

Chamber Online Assignment

Hey Chamber!

Make sure you check your email for the Theta Trainer assignment due Monday. If you miss class Thursday and need, here are some notes:

TRIADS!!!!

m3 = 3 half steps
M4 = 4 half steps

Major triad = M3 on bottom, m3 on top
Minor triad = m3 on bottom, M3 on top
Diminished triad = m3 on bottom, m3 on top
Augmented triad = M3 on bottom, M3 on top

I recommend doing the practice level before playing.

Have fun,

missy.p

Hey guys,

Check out this video! 5 pianists at one piano!

missy.p

Tornado-Tacky-Whatever Tuesday...

Dearest students,

Please join me in making Ms. White cackle her head off by dressing up as Mokiki tomorrow. Check out the video here:

http://vimeo.com/53341064

(If the link doesn't work, google "sloppy swish snl".)

Don't forget to put some dirt on your face.

WAKIKIIIIII!!!!

missy.p

Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition

Ladies & Gentlemen!

The Schmidt Youth Vocal Competition is just what is says - a singing competition for high school sophomores, juniors & seniors. They're holding auditions right here in Atlanta at GSU on November 23. Applications are due 2 weeks prior to the competition. Repertoire is 3 songs of contrasting styles. (One of the songs can be Broadway!) For example, you could sing an All State song, a class project song, and another classical song, probably English/German/French. Many of you can (and should!) do this. There is a $35 application fee. Here is the website:

http://schmidtcompetition.org

Oh, and did I mention there's PRIZE MONEY? Like, $2,000??? There are also encouragement awards and even an award for most promising sophomore. :)

Have a great day!

missy.p

Good times!

This week in Theory/Piano:

• Vocal Concentration: Note names in treble clef
• Treble clef AKA G clef
• Lines: EGBDF
• Spaces: FACE
• Ledger lines
• Chamber: Intervals
• Diatonic - fits in key (eg. E is diatonic in the key of C major; Eb is NOT diatonic)
• Perfect intervals are 1, 4, 5, 8
• Major intervals are 2, 3, 6, 7
• If the top note is diatonic in the key of the bottom note, it is either Major or Perfect
• RC3 Piano:
• Scales, scales, scales & cadences!!!
• All major scales & cadences must be learned by end of semester. There will be a final test at the end of the semester in which you will draw 2 scales randomly and have to play them for a grade. 

Week of 9/23

• Vocal Concentration: In theory groups this week we'll continue to review rhythmic values and their equivalent pulses as well as speaking the correct sight singing numbers in rhythm.
• Chamber Choir: We'll continue to hit sight reading hard-core, particularly minor examples. 
• RC3 Piano: We're moving on to G major this week which has the same fingering as C major, but with one addition... what is it?
• RC4 Musicality: We'll continue to practice audiation and error detection. How have you been practicing these skills?

Websites for extra practice in music theory & listening skills:

http://teoria.com (Go to Exercises, Note Dictation)

http://trainer.thetamusic.com (Pick a game!)

missy p's recital

Come see Missy P play:

Saturday, May 4
5pm
Morningside Presbyterian Church
1411 N Morningside Dr NE  Atlanta, GA 30306
FREE RECITAL
:)

Texture homework due Monday 4/29

MONOphonic texture à à a single melodic line

POLYphonic texture à à two or more lines moving independently or in imitation with each other

HOMOphonic textureà à melody and accompaniment. The accompaniment provides rhythmic & harmonic support for the melody.

HOMOrhythmic texture à à similar rhythmic material in all parts (“hymn style”) 

Quiz: NCTs & Objectionable Parallels

Hi Everyone,

There will be a quiz tomorrow over the following:

• All NCTs: NT, PT, ET, APP, SUS, RET, ANT (The format for these will be matching the name of each to its example.)
• Providing Roman numeral analysis and identifying objectionable parallels (Parallel 5ths & 8ves) (The format will be the same as we practiced in class & that you did for homework Tuesday night.)
• Types of motion (The format will be labeling like we did in class. Ex: "Soprano & Alto are in oblique motion")
• Open vs. Close structure (The format will be writing "O" or "C" under the chords you analyze.
• Open structure = there is an octave or more between Soprano & Tenor
• Close structure = there is LESS than an octave between Soprano & Tenor

Don't forget your homework due today: sing an example of your choice from the sheet I gave you yesterday. You must sing on solfege.

Have a great week/end.

ms.p

Week of March 18

Hey everyone,

This week we'll wrap up Diatonic Triads & 7th Chords, so be ready for a test on/around Wednesday. We'll also begin to hit ear training & sight singing pretty hard. Look for a performance quiz on Friday.

Here's the link to that website that provides songs to go with the different intervals:

http://www.earmaster.com/intervalsongs/

Homework due Tuesday will be p. 32 (C & D) from the current homework packet.

See you soon!

Missy P

Week of March 4

Ciao belli!

Good work this past week on inversions & 7th chords. Don't forget to complete the Aberystwyth worksheet for your homework over the weekend.

EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY....

Who was Van Cliburn? Bring in some kind of presentation for the class, be it art, video, lecture...any format is acceptable. Answer the following:

• What was his nationalilty? 

• What kind of musician was he?

• What did he do at age 23 that was an important occurrence in the Cold War?

• What were some of the signature pieces of his repertoire?

• How long was his career?
• What is the Van Cliburn Competition?

*Make sure you listen to some clips of him. Start with these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M7M4UoqBpA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apNTq-Tgf4w

********
Next week we'll continue with 7th chords and their inversions, moving quickly into Roman numeral analysis. Hold onto your hats... it's about to get crazy up in here...

Have a great weekend!

missy p

Week of February 25

Hey guys!

It's almost March... can you believe it?!??!

This week we'll be focusing on triads and seventh chords. We'll be visiting the computer lab for aural training on Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, so be sure to bring your headphones on those days.

Homework due Tuesday is the photocopied p. 20 #16-31. (More triad practice.) If you did not finish your homework from last week (p. 19) make sure you get that done as well - both to bring up your grade and to get the extra triad practice. Also, I will accept test corrections for the Interval Quiz through Wednesday of this week, so make sure you get those in!

Don't forget about your extra credit opportunity: Explain to me what a figured bass is using any format you choose.

Also, don't forget about registering for the AP Music Theory Exam! You can register here:  www.TotalRegistration.net/AP/111925. The deadline for registering is March 26, 2013. The date of the exam is Monday, May 13 at 8am.

Have a great week!

miss ep

Class Friday 2/8 & Weekend Homework

Today we'll wrap up M, m, augmented & diminished intervals and begin putting them into practice. Your homework will be to analyze the intervals between each voice part in a chorale by Samuel Wesley. (I'll give you the copy in class.) We'll discuss how to do this in class today. We'll also work some on sight singing. Get ready for minor solfege...

Haile - in case you're not here today, I'll give your homework copies for the last few classes to Brianna.

Becca - Hope you guys performed well, & I'll see you Monday.

Have a great weekend!

missy p

Thursday 2/7

Hey y'all,

We started intervals yesterday! Congrats to Dominique & Keyera on a great teaching job!
Your homework (due today) is pp. 7 & 8 (from the handout I gave you in class) part B #1-20 & Part C #11-20.

Today we'll do some ear training as well as begin working with augmented and diminished intervals. We'll also working on some sight singing (minor solfege!!!) and melodic dictation.

A note about Thursday morning 7:30 sight-singing practice: I am happy to meet with anyone who is interested. However, if no one is there by 7:40 I am going to assume no one is coming and begin doing something else. You are welcome to come practice in the piano lab, but you may not necessarily have my help.

On Friday I'd like to wrap up intervals and spend some time doing some aural training. We might go listen to Women's Rep some to if I need to get in some rehearsal time... ;)

Tonight's homework (for Friday) will most likely be p. 8 Part C #31-50 and p. 9 Part A 11-20. I will confirm after today's class.

Stay tuned for weekend homework.

-missy p

For Monday 2/4

hHey guys!

Your homework for Monday is to answer the following about the Rachmaninoff piece "Angel". Be sure to listen to it several times on youtube.com (search for "rachmaninoff angel").

Keron, stick with what I told you about listening to Angel several times (while looking at the music!) & a 1-page paper on Rachmaninoff. Be ready to debrief the rest of the class with your info, and they'll do the same with the below questions.

ü 

Gain an understanding of the poem “The Angel”

ü What is the meter?

ü What time signatures are used & why?

ü What key is the piece in?

ü What other keys are visited? Why?

ü What role does the piano part play? How does the piano part contribute to the poem?

ü Other observations…

TEST TUESDAY:

ü Scale degree names (tonic, mediant, etc.)

ü Solfege – be able to provide solfege for a piece of music

ü Any other notes from homework, composers, time periods, or Leonard Berstein documentary (ex. Opus, scalar variance, Bach, Mendelssohn, Isaac Stern, concerto, Baroque, etc.)

Have a great weekend!

missy.p

Rhythm & Meter quiz - still on!!!

Hey guys,

Sorry I wasn't there today. Had to do my civic duty. I hope you all enjoyed the Lenny Berstein documentary. I'm anxious to hear what you thought.

We'll get back on track tomorrow with the Rhythm & Meter quiz that was scheduled for today.

See you then!

missy p

Remind 101

To enroll:

Send a text message to: (309) 228-4768

With the message: @b1328

Ok? Ok.

misee.p

Monday, January 28

There will be a quiz this Monday 1/28 over Rhythm, Meter & Organization. Things to make sure you are familiar with:

• filling in the meter chart (meter, beat note, division of beat, time signature) (like part A p. 15!)
• adding a rest to complete a measure of music (like part B p. 15!)
• supplying a time signature (like part C p. 16!)
• looking at a piece of music and being able to answer questions relating to meter, anacruses, & rhythm (like the pieces we looked at in class Thursday & you did for HW Thursday night!)

Homework due Monday:

• Study for your quiz
• Listen to "Waldstein" Piano Sonata 1st movement by Beethoven. Check out the Horowitz recording first. The more times the better!
• Do pp. 15-16, parts A-C from the purple packet
• Optional: Extra credit assignment (watch 24-Hour Opera Project & write a 1-page paper)

Have a great weekend!

missy.p

Extra Credit Opportunity!!!

Check out the live webcast of the Atlanta Opera 24-Hour Opera Project at 7pm tomorrow, Saturday 1/26!

For extra credit, write a thoughtful, creative, one-page (minimum) review of my production. I'll let you know the time of my team's performance once I find out tomorrow late afternoon.

Here's the link to the webcast:

http://www.atlantaopera.org/calendar/view.aspx?id=43246698

Thanks have a great weekend!!!

missy p

Week of Jan. 22

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend!

Our new unit this week is Rhythm, Meter & Organization.

• Homework due Wednesday 2/23 is pp. 11-14 in the purple packet you received today (minus the p. 13 B & p. 14 B). 
• There will be a Listening Quiz Wednesday on hearing & writing pitch collections. The scales you are responsible for are Whole Tone, Chromatic, Pentatonic, Blues, Major & Harmonic Minor. You will be given a starting pitch and asked to write the scale you hear.
• Don't forget that the PTSA Open House is this Thursday at 6:30.

Have a good one,

Missy P

Homework for Friday

Is to compose 8 measures of a melody written in the mode or scale you taught today. Remember, treat it like a math problem. Be efficient and follow the rules. Don't pour your heart out into this melody - we've got a million more to do this semester. :)

Tomorrow's Friday!!!!  ms.p

January 16-18

Hey guys,

We'll have a written quiz tomorrow (Wednesday 1/16) over major & minor key signatures as well as major and (all 3) minor scales. You'll also get your teaching assignments for the remainder of the pitch collections which we'll begin Thursday. Your only homework that is due Wednesday is to be prepared for your written quiz.

Thursday will be your piano quiz. Be prepared to play major, natural minor, harmonic minor & melodic minor scale (all in the same key - use parallel major/minor). I'll also have you listen and identify a few scales.

On Friday we'll wrap up the pitch collection presentations. Stay tuned in class for more specific homework assignments.

Have a great week!

missy.p

Weekend homework

Hey guys!

Homework due Monday 1/13 is p. 6 in the Part I copies. We'll have a quiz over major & minor key signatures as well as scales (major & all 3 minors) at the beginning of next week.

Have a good one!

ms.p

Theory websites & apps

Hey guys, a valiant effort on the pre-test today!! :)

****Homework due Thursday is to write out all the minor scales in treble clef.****

Just FYI, here are some websites that might be useful for extra practice:

http://www.musictheory.net/
http://www.gmajormusictheory.org/
http://www.teoria.com/

Also, check out what apps you can find for your cell phone. There's one called Tenuto for iPhone (it costs $3.99), but I know there are other free ones - for Android too, of course! Just search for "music theory" in your app store.

See you tomorrow!

Ms.p

AP Music Theory

Welcome, AP-ers!

Looking forward to seeing/meeting all of you tomorrow in 4th block. Your homework due Wednesday is to write out all the major scales in bass clef. Ascending only.

Looking forward to a great semester,

Ms. P