Taking Music to the Next Level

By Doug Santana - Director of Performing Arts and Erin Simón - Choral Director

Do you know the difference between a German and an Italian augmented sixth chord? Can you spot a common chord modulation? Can you recognize the difference between a major sixth and a minor third? Do you try to melodically dictate all of the pop songs you hear on the radio? Are you a selfproclaimed expert at sight singing? If you answered yes to any of these things, you probably took AP Music Theory at Archbishop Mitty High School.

This performing arts course was first introduced in 2001 by Mr. Mason Kimont and was originally taught in the old band room. The class started with six students. Today, the content is the same as it was the first time it was offered, with some changes in how this information is delivered.

“Music Theory doesn’t change over time,” said Mr. Kimont. “As much as technology has changed in the classroom, the subject matter is hundreds of years old. Today, students use the same textbook as the original class did in 2001, the industry standard that is used at the collegiate level. The biggest change is that the textbook is now digital and students are using iPads, instead of staff paper, to write out their assignments.”

The current course is taught by Choral Director Mrs. Erin Simón and includes 25 students in their sophomore, junior, and senior years. The class starts with a quick review of theory fundamentals, such as scales and triads, and quickly accelerates into more advanced topics such as four-part writing from a figured bass and college-level musical analysis. In addition to written theory, students are also expected to be able to sing a passage of music at first sight and transcribe melodies by ear alone. Lessons in the periods of music history help provide context for the compositional techniques the students are studying. “One of my main goals for students in this class is for them to understand how theory connects back to the emotion and expression they hear in music. How does it make the music exciting and elicit a reaction for the listener?” said Mrs. Simón. “Otherwise, music theory begins to feel like a set of arbitrary rules and techniques.”

The course culminates with students putting their knowledge to the test when they take the AP Music Theory exam in May. As part of this exam, students are evaluated based on their musical analysis, aural skills, and composition. Last year, 100 percent of students received a score of 3 or higher. The impact of this course is wide ranging and has proved to be incredibly valuable in students’ continued development as musicians during their time in the Performing Arts program and at the college and professional levels. Monarch Sravya Rallapalli ’16, who is now a graduate student at the University of Southern California, credits the class with taking her understanding of music to the next level.

“AP Music Theory instilled in me a thorough sense of fluency in the fundamentals of musical vocabulary and opened the gateway to further expand on my knowledge of composition and musical arrangements in college and beyond,” she said.

The Performing Arts Department is excited to continue to offer this course and others like it that challenge students and provide them with opportunities to further their knowledge of music and the arts. So next time you’re on campus, come by the Schott Music Center, and join the class to test your theory skills with some of the best and brightest musicians on campus.