COURSE DATES: September 2026 - May 2027

TUITION for Credit: $950 if payment is received before July 1; $999 effective July 1.

• • Cost of required texts is additional.

TUITION for Audit: $400 (Auditing includes access to the syllabus and all assignments/materials/assessments on the course website, but does not include instructor feedback, grades, or participation in live sessions)

LIVE SESSIONS: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00 to 9:00 AM MST

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

AP^® Music Theory offers the equivalent of a first-year college course sequence in music theory and aural skills. As such, it provides students a thorough grounding in core concepts such as harmony, counterpoint, chorale-style voice-leading, and musical structure, and also with "hands-on" training in such musicianship skills as sight-singing, interval and chord recognition, and melodic and harmonic dictation. Students will learn to analyze written and performed music, to understand the composer's techniques as they relate to melody, harmony, phrase structure, and texture, and to describe these phenomena with a sophisticated musical vocabulary. We will focus on Western tonal music of the common-practice period (the Baroque through early-Romantic eras), as this is the music that generated and best exemplifies the theory concepts covered in this class.

Along the way, this course will prepare students to take the College Board AP^® Music Theory exam. Students who score well on this exam may be eligible to receive college credit, and/or placement in a higher-level music theory class in college (depending on the policy of that institution).

WHO SHOULD APPLY?

• High school students who can handle a college-level workload, have a background in music, and are enrolled in formal music instruction elsewhere (private lessons, choir, orchestra, etc.)
• Music literacy (the ability to read music proficiently in at least one clef) is an essential prerequisite for this class.
• Access to a piano, though not required, will help to integrate the student's conceptual understanding, kinesthetic awareness, and aural skills. Basic piano skills (the ability to play scales in different keys) are recommended.
• We will develop and hone our sight-singing skills during the live "lab" sessions. While singing in front of others can seem intimidating, I try to make this as fun and comfortable as possible! 
• Historically, the students who succeed in this course are self-disciplined, detail-oriented, and motivated by a hunger for understanding.
• Prior to registration, students must submit an entrance exam and an application. Please email those documents to mckenziecmaira@gmail.com.

COURSE FORMAT:

This class is structured around two core components:

• Written theory: prerecorded video-lectures, reading assignments, and weekly homework tasks (to include worksheets, listening/analysis assignments, compositions, and discussion board posts) develop students' understanding of melodic, harmonic, and formal organization. 
• Aural skills: ear-training, singing, and critical listening skills are practiced during the live "lab" sessions each week. 

Students' progress in both areas is reinforced and assessed via quizzes, module exams, aural skills workshops, and midterm/final exams. Students complete a final project (focused on analysis or composition) in the spring. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Expectations:
• Time commitment: this varies widely by student, but the total workload for this class may reach 6-8 hours/week.
• Live session attendance and participation is required. Students are allowed a certain number of "free" absences per semester.
• Timely submission of work: due to the cumulative nature of the course material, we do adhere to a strict late-work policy. Extensions may be requested within reason, but after two weeks, unsubmitted work automatically receives a 0%.

• Feedback and Communication:
• As a rule, we grade and return assignments to students within one week.
• We usually communicate with students directly regarding their assignments/progress in the class, but we appreciate and welcome parental involvement, communication, and feedback, as well. We send students a weekly update email with upcoming assignments and other useful information; parents may opt to receive this email and may also request an observer account on our Canvas website.

REQUIRED TEXTS:

• Clendinning, Jane Piper, and Elizabeth West Marvin. The Musician’s Guide to Theory and Analysis: Fourth AP^® Edition. New York: W.W. Norton. [Link]
• Clendinning, Jane Piper, and Elizabeth West Marvin. Workbook and Ear-Training for The Musician’s Guide to Theory and Analysis (Fourth AP^® Edition). New York: W.W. Norton. [Link]
• Buonviri, Nathan O. 2015. Building Better Dictation Skills. [Link]

TECH REQUIREMENTS:

• We will use Google Meet for our live sessions. Students will need a reliable high-speed internet connection.
• Students will need a webcam and mic (computer built-in is fine). Audio and video participation in live sessions is required. 
• Students will need to scan workbook pages (or take a picture with an app like Cam Scanner) and submit in PDF format. 

ABOUT THE AP MUSIC THEORY COURSE FACULTY:

Riccardo Maira, MA - Course Director

Riccardo Maira is a distinguished composer and educator with a Master of Arts in Music from the City University of New York, Queens College. Following his formative years of classical training at the Vincenzo Bellini Conservatoire in Italy, he has collaborated with esteemed institutions such as the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (London, UK) and London College of Fashion and composed for world-class professional musicians and ensembles. His original compositions—encompassing solo pieces, musical theater, chamber music, and opera—have been premiered and performed in prestigious concert halls and festivals throughout the United Kingdom (including London), Europe, and the United States (notably New York City). As an educator, he has mentored and instructed thousands of students, supporting their personal and professional development; he has delivered hundreds of classes, designed and led numerous courses—including at the university level—and directed curriculum development alongside initiatives fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.

Mckenzie Maira, BA - Course Instructor

Mckenzie Maira is a classical pianist with a BA in Music, BA in English, and over 10 years of experience as a piano accompanist, tutor, and private music instructor. In college, she worked as a teaching assistant for music theory classes and tutored fellow students in aural and music theory. She has performed such pieces as Liszt’s B Minor Sonata, Shostakovich’s cello and piano sonatas, and Beethoven’s Spring Sonata for violin and piano. She has also collaborated widely with orchestras, chamber ensembles, choirs, and vocalists, performing in Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Ballet and the piano part in “One More Minute,” a Veteran’s Day tribute conducted and composed by film composer Joseph DeBeasi. More recently, she performed “Inventio I” by her husband, composer Riccardo Maira, and is currently working on his piano solo, “Estonian Tale.” In her free time, Mckenzie enjoys baking sourdough and spending time with her husband and two children.