Music Theory

Experience Interactive and Rewarding Professional Development

Learn AP instructional best practices and strategies that lead to student success in the classroom.

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Course at a Glance

Format:

Live-Online and Asynchronous

New & Experienced Combined

Length:

4 days, Monday-Thursday

Dates and Times:

June 23-26, 2025

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. CT

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Program Hours:

32 Contact Hours

Price:

$550 Early Bird Registration Fee (ends May 19)

$600 Standard Registration Fee (begins May 20)

Payment is expected at the time of registration. UTC accepts two forms of payment for its APSI: Credit Card or Purchase Order.
As you complete the registration, depending on which payment option you select, you will be asked to enter either your credit card number or PO number.
To assist you with your school’s PO process, we are providing a generic quote and UTC’s W9. You will find this as you complete your registration. If you need further assistance, please contact Anna Myers at 423-425-4344 or by email at [email protected].

College Board APSI Materials

College Board APSI materials are included in your registration fee. To provide greater accessibility, we will be offering the College Board materials electronically. The cost of electronic and hard copy materials are the same. You may purchase hard copy materials through the College Board store: https://store.collegeboard.org/

Still Have Questions?

If you have questions or need assistance registering, please contact [email protected] or 423-425-4344.

Course Description

Our AP Music Theory Summer Institute offers both new and experienced music theory teachers strategies to lead the most effective music theory course possible. Come explore the course content of AP Music Theory, address syllabus design, review course pacing, and examine a wide range of available pedagogical resources. All week long, we will engage in interactive, hands-on workshops: How to approach the most challenging topics in the course including part-writing; how best to integrate sight-singing, contextual listening, and dictation into your daily lessons; and how to refresh your music theory knowledge with the most current pedagogical approaches. We will reflect together on new research on diversity, equity, inclusion, and recruitment to reflect on the ethics of what we teach and how we teach it. Participants will leave with ready-to-use exercises, lesson plans, and assignments; a thorough understanding of the AP music theory course content; and knowledge of how best to prepare for and score the AP exam.

What You Will Learn

Important workshop topics include:

Multiple strategies to understand challenging topics in the Music Theory curriculum
How to design student exercises to develop mastery faster
Ways to use the Course and Exam Description and AP Classroom resources most effectively
Pedagogical methods to prepare students better for the AP Music Theory Exam

See Workshop Schedule →

How You Will Benefit

Learn ready-to-use classroom activities to help with lesson planning
Gain a thorough understanding of the AP Music Theory exam and how it is scored
Review course content via new pedagogical approaches
Explore different ways to integrate course components into a coherent course plan

How Online Workshops Will Work

No one wants to sit and watch a 32-hour long webinar, so we are working closely with our consultants to develop a modified course schedule that allows you greater flexibility, but still gives you the knowledge and skills you need.

Live-online instruction will be conducted through Zoom while asynchronous learning assignments will be managed through Canvas, the University’s learning management system (LMS).

Once you register, we will provide you with more details on how to access the platforms as well as your materials.

To register, please visit our registration portal.

Meet the Instructor

Dr. Jocelyn Neal

Jocelyn Neal is Professor of Music and Chair of the Department of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She received a BA (1993) in music from Rice University and an MA and Ph.D. (2002) in music theory from the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester. Her expertise covers music theory and analysis, theory pedagogy, rhythm and meter, and popular music. She also teaches courses on music and copyright, music-dance intersections, and the cultural reception of popular music.

Dr. Neal is a member of the Content Development Team that writes questions for the AP Music Theory Exam and previously served on the AP Music Theory Test Development Committee for four years; she has been a reader, question leader, and exam leader at the AP Reading since 2015; and she was on the College Board’s instructional design team that authored the current Course and Exam Description (CED). She has also led outreach projects for local high school AP music theory teachers and taught workshops directly to high school AP students since 2016.

Within the field of music theory, Dr. Neal has served as an officer on the executive board of the Society for Music Theory. She has served as chair of the Popular Music Group for the Society of Music Theory; as a member of the editorial boards for the academic journals Music Theory Spectrum, Music Theory Online, and Intégral; and as co-editor of Southern Cultures. Her articles have appeared in journals such as Musical Quarterly, The Journal of Popular Music Studies, and Music Theory Spectrum. Her books include Country Music: A Cultural and Stylistic History (Oxford University Press, 2012; 2nd ed. 2019). Dr. Neal regularly presents her research at national conferences on American music, popular music, music theory, and cultural studies. In 2016, she founded the UNC Bluegrass Initiative, which she continues to direct.

How to Register

To register, please visit our registration portal. Attendees will need to register using their College Board login credentials.

If paying by check or purchase order, CPE staff will follow up with an invoice. Please be prepared to provide your PO number upon registration. To request a W9, email [email protected].