MUSIC: For the first time, Poly adds AP Music Theory to its curriculum for the upcoming 2015-2016 school year.
By Miguel Toner, Staff Writer
Next year, AP Music Theory will be offered alongside other music classes such as orchestra, band, choir and music technology. This class will stray from the classic AP teaching style and focus more on the mechanics of music.
Offered as a rigorous course for the average music student, AP Music Theory will be taught by Poly’s choir teacher Kristen Walton. This is her second year teaching choir, and she hopes to expand her teaching to students outside of her current classes. According to Walton, “AP Music Theory involves a lot of different aspects.” One of which is ear training, which develops the ear’s sense of pitch by training it to hear a certain tone or pitch in order to identify it. Students will also gain an understanding of the structure of scales and chords—in other words, the math behind music. This class will also explore sight-singing and some dictation. Walton will play a melody and students will practice writing the corresponding music notes. Also, students will be able to explore their creativity and compose their own music.
Although the class is open to everyone, it is not recommended that students with no musical background take the class. However, the class provides a great opportunity for students who already have an understanding of music. “I recommend the class to anyone who’s already in a musical ensemble. It’s good to have a background in music. It will help you greatly in staying on top of the work, and you can apply what you’re learning in your class to other classes like band, choir or orchestra,” Walton explained.
Many Poly students are hopeful that the class will be beneficial to their musicianship. “I already know the basics of music theory. I just hope that taking the class next year will help me gain better sight-reading skills,” choir student Ruthie Farrell (11) said.
AP Music Theory will give students who are not your average AP student an outlet to explore a more creative class that is not just academically rigorous. It will improve the quality of musicianship at Poly and let students who love music delve more deeply into it. The application of what you’re learning in the class will help greatly in appreciating and understanding the music that we play and listen to.