Explorations in Music Theory

Explorations in Music Theory: Harmony, Musicianship, Improvisation offers an innovative learning approach to music theory, centered on instrumental skills, improvisation, and composition. Providing a comprehensive textbook to support music theory curricula, along with an accompanying workbook, it includes extensive performance-based exercises in each chapter, alongside written theory and analysis. This book teaches harmony as a series of historical practices, each with different advantages and disadvantages. Classes are empowered to critically compare these practices and adopt those that they find most effective. Designed to support multiple learning modalities, and incorporating repertoire from a diverse array of composers, this book offers instructors and students a comprehensive and engaging foundation in music theory.

Features of this book include:

• Modular lessons centered on inquiry-driven pedagogy, offering flexibility
• Lesson difficulty is marked to allow instructors to easily organize their course
• A wide variety of exercises and practice tasks incorporated throughout the chapters
• Improvisation Labs allow students to practice concepts through improvisation
• Historical Minutes introduce students to historical theorists and enable them to understand music theory as a living practice
• Composer Spotlights highlight the stories of composers whose work is featured in the chapter, bringing forward underrepresented composers
• Explore Online features provide additional exercises and coverage of advanced topics through an accompanying online resource

A flexible, modular organization allows the book to be used in a variety of course structures, accommodating a wide variety of schools. Enhancing improvisation and composition skills, introducing historical perspectives, incorporating diverse repertoire, and enabling students to better connect theory concepts with practical applications, this text provides a new and effective way to teach harmony.

Dariusz Terefenko is Professor of Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media and Affiliate Professor of Music Theory at Eastman School of Music, where he teaches courses in jazz and music theory. He is the author of Jazz Theory: From Basic to Advanced Study and Jazz Theory Workbook.

Benjamin Wadsworth is Professor of Music Theory at Kennesaw State University, where he oversees the Music Theory area.

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