Music Theory
Instructor: Edward Trimis, Ed.D.
Edward Trimis, currently a Principal at Verdugo Hills High School, was previously a specialist, assistant principal at Polytechnic High School, and principal at Manual Arts High School and City of Angels School with the Los Angeles Unified School District following 16 years teaching music in inner city Los Angeles secondary schools. Following assignments as a substitute and then a math teacher, Mr. Trimis began teaching music at Berendo Middle school where he was responsible for many reforms and innovative programs. National acclaim came to Mr. Trimis when he turned a struggling music program at Huntington Park High School (HPHS) with 70 students and limited course offerings into a large, comprehensive program with over 400 students, three full time music teachers, and three adult teaching assistants in the last 7 1/2 years. Part of the reform efforts at HPHS included piloting the first Advanced Placement Music Theory program in the school district (LAUSD) and a Music Major Program. During his tenure, Mr. Trimis and the HPHS music department were featured in several newspapers and journals including the Los Angeles Times, the Foothill Leader, the United Teacher, the Music Educators Journal, and Teaching Music. Mr. Trimis has received numerous awards for his work including the Music Center of Los Angles County's Bravo Award (finalist), the Los Angeles County Music Educators Association Teacher of the Year Award, and an outstanding educator award from United Teachers, Los Angeles. Mr. Trimis is still very active in music education working as a consultant for the College Board, presenting Advanced Placement Workshops and participating in the AP Music Theory Readings each year, serving on the Education Committee for the Music Centerof Los Angeles County and helping build the arts program at Verdugo Hills. Dr. Trimis has also worked as a band festival/solo and ensemble adjudicator and honor orchestra guest conductor. Previously teaching courses for Los Angeles Trade-Tech College, Los Angeles City College, University of Phoenix, and Pasadena City College, Dr. Trimis now teaches an arts integration course he created as an adjunct professor for the University of Southern California. At Verdugo Hills High School, if you do not see him visiting classes, running meetings, or other administrative work, you will likely find him in the bandroom helping music students or directing the new Glee Club he started when he came to the school. A nationally published author, Trimis is currently seeking publishers for his first novel and his musical works. Dr. Trimis resides in Southern California with his wife and youngest child. He has 3 other children: one is a Ph.D. student at USC, one is a junior at the Unviersity of Maryland, and one is a Second Lieutenant in the US Marines.
2012 Session Outline
Tuesday, June 26
- Introduction. Workshop Overview and Review of Packets.
- Advanced Placement Music Theory Foundations
- APMT Recruitment and Program Building Program Options including Independent Study. Goals and Philosophy (approach)
- Methodology: Fundamentals/Harmony/Chords/Figured Bass Harmonic Analysis
- Connecting Methodology to the Exam
- Grading the Free-Response section (#1-4)
Morning:
- Review/Practice: Fundamentals/Harmony/Chords/Figured Bass Harmonic Analysis
- Methodology: Sight-singing Methods
- Connecting Methodology to the Exam.
- Grading Sight Singing #1-2 and classroom implications.
Morning:
- Review/Practice: Sight-singing Methods
- Practice Exam and Grading the Exam Form/Analysis
- Textbook Review.
- Grading the Free-Response section (#5-7) and classroom implications.
Morning:
- Presentations by Participants.
- Use of Technology resources including CD-ROM programs, theory fundamentals programs, notation programs, sequencing programs, ear-training programs, composing and other creative software programs.
- Additional workshop round-robin.
- Discussion and next steps.
