Tonal Counterpoint

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Compose species counterpoint in an 18th-century context with implied harmonies.
• Identify and correct errors in examples of species counterpoint.
• Analyze contrapuntal excerpts and works, including canon, invention, and fugue.
• Compose a two-voice invention and three-voice fugue in 18th-century counterpoint.

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure	Percentage/Points
Attendance & Participation	10%
Homework Assignments	30%
Tests	25%
Projects	35%

Grading Scale for undergraduate students (MUS 439)

Percentage	Letter Grade
93 – 100%	A
90 – 92%	A-
87 – 89%	B+
83 – 86%	B
80 – 82%	B-
77 – 79%	C+
73 – 76%	C
70 – 72%	C-
67 – 69%	D+
63 – 67%	D
60 – 62%	D-
<60%	F

Grading Scale for graduate students (MUS 639 and MUS 739)

Percentage	Letter Grade
93 – 100%	A
90 – 92%	A-
87 – 89%	B+
83 – 86%	B
80 – 82%	B-
77 – 79%	C+
73 – 76%	C
70 – 72%	C-
<70%	F

Attendance/Participation:

Attend class regularly. Each student receives three excused absences to accommodate all hindrance to attendance, including illness and travel. Further absences may be excused at the instructor’s discretion with documentation of events beyond the student’s control.

Arriving after instruction has begun incurs a 20% late penalty.

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

• Teresa Davidian, Tonal Counterpoint for the 21st Century Musician (ISBN: 9781442234581)
• Douglass Green and Evan Jones, The Principles and Practice of Tonal Counterpoint (ISBN: 9781317518761)
• Michael Scott Asato Cuthbert, Artusi Music Theory Now, Volume I: Introduction to Harmony and Counterpoint (www.ArtusiMusic.com)
• Music notation software (e.g., Finale, Sibelius, MuseScore, etc.)
• Music staff paper