Tuesday, September 28, 2010

WHAT WE DID TODAY (SEMESTER #1-19): TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2010

GENERAL MUSIC PERIODS 2, 3 COMPOSER: BACH BRANDENBURG CONCERTO #2



OBJECTIVE: MUSICAL ALPHABET and HOW INSTRUMENTS USE IT

1. QUOTE AUTHOR: Igor Stravinsky

.....a. Famous 20th Century composer
.....b. Good friends with the artist Pablo Picasso
.....c. Stravinsky's music was as modern and experimental for his day just as Picasso's art was
2. SOLFEGE: MI-RE-DO
.....a. Each student sings the pattern and hand signs to... teacher: "Did you finish your quote?" Student reply, "Yes I did." 2. Musical Alphabet and the recorder:
.....a. Reviewed the first 3 notes we played on the recorder by letter name: T1: B, T12: A, T123: G and then continue down the recorder moving backwards down the alphabet: T1234: F, Ti2345: E, T123456: D, and T1234567: C.
.....b. Then we exchanged letters into the solfege, which we sang and signed.
.....c. We also reversed the letters back into finger numbers.
.....d. Against an accompaniment and a student (directing the note tracking) the class played 2 Mi, Re, Do (B, A, G) songs: "Mary had a Little Lamb" and "Hot Cross Buns." (These songs and the same notes to be played also on the keyboard following the keyboard musical alphabet instruction.)
3. Musical Alphabet and the keyboard:
....a. Showed the keyboard and asked if a pattern could be seen on the keyboard between the white black keys.
....b. Class discerned that there was a pattern of 5 black keys (falling in patterns of two's and three's) and 7 white keys
....c. The 5 black keys are played and students can also hear the pattern as well as see it. Same is done with the 7 white
key notes.
....e. Rule: White keys are named after letters of the musical alphabet and the black keys (called sharps and flats) are named after the white keys.
.......1)If there are only 7 white keys (in a pattern) on the keyboard, how many letters are there in the musical alphabet? Answer: 7 (A, B,C, D, E, F, G)
.......2)To be able to identify all the white keys on the keyboard all that has to be done is to memorize where one key is located and to know and memorize the musical alphabet, in order, forward (to the right/higher in order on the
keyboard) and backwards (to the left/lower in order on the keyboard).
.......3)Easiest white key name on the keyboard to locate and memorize is "D" because it is located inbetween the black keys when they are located in the patterns of two. (Class was then asked to locate certain notes on the keyboard by using the key note of "D" as the guide.)
.....f. Memorizing the musical alphabet forward and backwards is extremely important when understanding how notes are identified on musical instruments and also in notereading.
........1)Memorize the 7 letters (white keys) going up (forward) fast as a reaction or an automatic reflex.
........2)Memorize the 7 letters (white keys) going down (backwards) fast as a reaction or an automatic reflex.
........3)Automatic Reflex: When something is totally learned it becomes a reflex; though the act 0f thinking is good, a reaction is best. Speed in music can not be attained until a reflex has been initiated.
........4)Memorize the musical alphabet backwards in patterns:


G, F, E//4x//
G, F, E, D//4x//
C, B, A//4x//
G, F, E, D....C, B, A//4x//
G,F,E,D,C,B,A//4x

GENERAL MUSIC PERIOD 6
COMPOSER: BACH BRANDENBURG CONCERTO #2
OBJECTIVE: MUSICAL ALPHABET and HOW INSTRUMENTS USE IT
1. QUOTE AUTHOR: Igor Stravinsky
2. SOLFEGE: MI-RE-DO
.....a. Each student sings the pattern and hand signs to... teacher: "Did you finish your quote?" Student reply, "Yes I did."
3. Musical Alphabet and the recorder:
.....a. Reviewed the first 3 notes we played on the recorder by letter name: T1: B, T12: A, T123: G and then continue down the recorder moving backwards down the alphabet: T1234: F, Ti2345: E, T123456: D, and T1234567: C.
.....b. Then we exchanged letters into the solfege, which we sang and signed.
.....c. We also reversed the letters back into finger numbers.
.....d. Against an accompaniment and a student (directing the note tracking) the class played 2 Mi, Re, Do (B, A, G) songs: "Mary had a Little Lamb" and "Hot Cross Buns." (These songs and the same notes to be played also on the keyboard following the keyboard musical alphabet instruction.)
4. Musical Alphabet and the keyboard:
....a. Showed the keyboard and asked if a pattern could be seen on the keyboard between the white black keys.
....b. Class discerned that there was a pattern of 5 black keys (falling in patterns of two's and three's) and 7 white keys
....c. The 5 black keys are played and students can also hear the pattern as well as see it. Same is done with the 7 white
key notes.
TO REVIEW AND CONTINUE TOMORROW

BEGINNING VIOLIN PERIOD 5: 
OBJECTIVE: Bowing on Open Strings
1. TUNE
2. SILENT BOW ROCKING for arm levels at the MB (middle bow)
3. SILENT BOW SPRINGING to prepare for bowing articulation of separate bows
4. LISTENING FOR ARTICULATION of the bow on the string
.....a. Students listened to articulated and unarticulated sounds to discern the sound they will be trying to achieve; they were asked to pick out which sounds were articulated and unarticulated.
.....b. Articulation of the bow is achieved by a very brief "spring" action of the bow on the string as it strikes the string and sets it to vibration
.....c. Great tone on the violin is directly related to how the string is set to vibration by the articulated bow.
5. OPEN STRING BOWING at the UH (Upper Half) of the bow using the "CYCLE OF STRINGS"(G,D,A,E,E,A,D,G)
.....a. separate bows 4x each string (down-up...)
.....b. separate bows 8x each string (down-up...)
.....c. separate bows 2x each string (down-up...) to different bow speeds using the same amount of bow
..........1)EXAMPLE: slow-fast-fast-slow-slow pattern played 2x before changing strings
6. BOW LEADING/CONCERT MASTER-CONCERT MISTRESS
.....a. The head of the violin section is the one responsible for the direction, speed, placement,and proportion of the bows for all the others.
.....b. All the violins in each section MUST follow their leader so that all the players are exactly together with each other.
.....c. A bow leader was selected and students practiced following her bowing.

ADVANCED VIOLIN PERIOD 4: 
OBJECTIVE: Preparation for Harvest Day performance on October 28th/Hoedown music
1. TUNE

2. LA SERNA MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND NIGHT
.....a. Received a notice from La Serna High School about a Middle School Music Night for this coming Friday and I passed it out and discussed it with the class.
..........1)Even though the notice specified band players, the band director personally invited the string class to participate as well.
..........2)The event starts at 4:00: students to meet at La Serna's band room and bring the permission slip (located on the back side of the notice) which allows students to join La Serna's Band on the bus trip to Cal High to participate at the football game band show.
..........3)Students may bring their instruments and play some football "fight" songs along side with the band if they wish (do not worry about the music, short instructions will be given).
..........4)String students may participate even if they do not wish to bring their instrument.
..........5)Soda, pizza, ice cream will be provided free
..........6)The event is over at 9:00 and the bus will be taking students back to La Serna to be picked up by parents.
..........7)A permission slip is needed in order to participate so if you plan to attend please bring it (signed) to La Serna to give to the band teacher.
..........8)Parents may also go to Cal High to watch the event.
..........9)Any further questions please contact La Serna's Band Director: Matt Rohrs (562) 698-8121, Ext. 6077 (Matthew.Rohrs@wuhsd.k12.ca.us)
3. ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL
......a. Guitar part (electic guitar used in replacement of the acoustic for sound balance as the acoustic was not being
heard over the violins) added into the sound balance.
......b. Helped the cellos and piano track their notes on their music.
......c. Again, worked on continuity (the playing of a piece of music from the beginning to end without stopping even if mistakes are made).

QUIZ ON THE DIFFICULT 4-NOTE PASSAGE WILL BE HEARD ON FRIDAY (HOPEFULLY)