WHAT WE DID TODAY 2011-2012: SEMESTER #1 TUESDAY; SEPTEMBER 6, 2011

GENERAL MUSIC periods 1,2,3
OBJECTIVE: MUSICAL ALPHABET AND THE KEYBOARD
....MUSICAL ALPHABET GRAPHING WORKSHEET(CONTINUED)
....1. Sheet #2: Students will determine the direction of the musical alphabet at the beginning of each graph and complete 
         the musical alphabet in the proper direction. Colors (one for each of the 7 letters) will be added in as before. (Sheet 
         #3 is extra credit. It is similar to Sheet #2)
....2. Sheet #4: Finding patterns

........a. Patterns are found in music everywhere; often there are patterns within patterns. This exercise is to give an idea 
            of how musical sounds are arranged to create anywhere from simple to complex patterns.

........b. Musical patterns are mathematical try to find the mathematical formulas in each pattern.

........c. Locate the musical alphabet patterns in each pattern (forward or backwards).

........d. Using your color key as before color in the squares. The colors you see are also colors you hear.

(Tomorrow applying the musical alphabet on the keyboard.)

ADVANCED VIOLIN

OBJECTIVE: BOWING PROPORTIONS and "HARVEST FESTIVAL" MUSIC
....TUNING
....WARM-UP
........1. Cycle of Strings

..............a. Single Bows Upper Half (UH).

..............b. Single Bows Lower Half (LH).

..............c. Bow Proportioning (W=WHOLE/ UH=UPPER HALF/ LH=LOWER HALF)

..................1)Bow to the rhythm of the words "My Sis-ter Marc-y"

..................2)Perform the pattern 2x each string (note)

..................3)Start down bow and continue with the bowing as it comes

..................4)Use this pattern of bow proportions: W--UH-UH-W--W--/W--LH-LH-W--W--//

....NOTE READING REVIEW

........1. Review line-space musical alphabet rule to read the notes on the musical staff:
            A line to the very next space or a space to the very next line (step-wise motion) going up is one note higher in the 
            musical alphabet and a line to the very next space or a space to the very next line (step-wise motion) going                       down 
            is one note lower in the musical alphabet.

........2. Review treble clef note reading.

............a. Treble Clef is often called the "G" clef because it is a symbol which looks like a fancy "G" and because the 
                circle portion of the "G" goes around line 2 of the music staff which is the line that represents the note "G"

........3. Review bass clef note reading.

.............a. Bass Clef is often called the "F" clef because it is a symbol that looks like a fancy "F" and because the two 
                 small dots (which help create the look of the"F") located above and below line 4 of the music staff are 
                 emphasizing (or in a way) pointing towards line 4 which represents the note "F."

....SONG: "HASTE TO THE WEDDING"

........1. For sight reading and review everyone will read the double bass part (music is prepared for the different 
            instrumentations in the proper clefs for each instrument.)

............a. First read the notes out loud.

............b. Play with the accompaniment.

This to be continued tomorrow.


BEGINNING VIOLIN
OBJECTIVE: RHYTHMIC INTRODUCTION
....APPLICATION OF QUARTER NOTES, QUARTER NOTE RESTS, EIGHTH NOTES IN PAIRS IN A RHYTHMIC SONG: "ALLEY CAT" (CONTINUED)
........1. Review counting of quarters, quarter rests, eighth notes in pairs.

........2. Introduce concepts of:

............a. Meter: The mathematical formula at the beginning of a piece of music which determines the amount of beats in                   a musical section or measure

............b. Measure: A section of music, measured by a mathematic formula given by the meter.

............c. Bar Line: The line(s) that divides the music notation into sections or measures.

............d. Measures Rest: A symbol for a measure of rest (a section of the music not played by a particular instrument) 
                with a number above it indicating more than 1 measure of rest. (In "Alley Cat" the music begins with 4 
                measures of rest.)....EXTENSION OF "ALLEY CAT" RHYTHMIC SONG:

........1. After learning the left and right body percussion directions from the last lesson the body percussion will be 
             replaced with percussion instruments:

..............a. Left hand body percussion becomes wood sounding instruments (indicated by notes being the color black).

..............b. Right hand body percussion becomes scraping instruments (indicated by notes being the color red).

..............c. Triangles added at certain locations (indicated by a blue colored "X") replacing some quarter rests.

........2. Students count all the notes but only play on their specific instrument's color. 
..............a. It is encouraged for students to count out loud as they play to help keep a focused concentration.

........3. Teacher points to the notes to help with tracking. (Student volunteers then become pointers to help class track.)

........4. Students perform rhythmic song without tracking help; each student responsible to count for themselves while 
             playing with the accompaniment.

(Tomorrow a little look at violin history and starting to learn the parts of the instrument.)

THEORY: NOTE READING BY STEP EXTRA CREDIT ASSIGNMENT

THEORY: NOTE READING BY STEP ASSIGNMENT

ANTI-BULLYING PROGRAM: "DON'T LAUGH AT ME"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVjbo8dW9c8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv9fN0-062k

"Don't Laugh at Me"
Mark Willis
http://www.mademan.com/mm/10-best-songs-about-bullying.html

Country singer/songwriter Willis' song has the same title as the tune by Peter Yarrow, but the words and meaning are a bit different. Willis' tune talks about a kid with glasses and braces and the teasing he endures at school. The tune then moves to the more universal themes of folks physically challenged. The theme is we all have baggage, it's just that some of us have it on the outside.

LYRICS

I'm a little boy with glasses, the one they call a geek
A little girl who never smiles because I got braces on my teeth
And I know how it feels to cry myself to sleep
I'm that kid on every playground who is always chosen last
A single teenage mother trying to overcome her past
You don't have to be my friend if it's too much to ask

Chorus:
Don't laugh at me, don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Some day we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

I'm a cripple on the corner
You pass me on the street
I wouldn't be out here begging if I had enough to eat
And don't think I don't notice that our eyes never meet
I lost my wife and little boy someone crossed that yellow line
The day we laid 'em in the ground was the day I lost my mind
Right now I'm down to holding this little cardboard sign

Chorus:
I'm fat, I'm thin
I'm short, I'm tall
I'm deaf, I'm blind
Hey aren't we all

Chorus:
I'm fat, I'm thin
I'm short, I'm tall
I'm deaf, I'm blind
Hey aren't we all

LESSON EXTENSIONS:

http://learningtogive.org/lessons/unit187/lesson1.html
http://lessonplansos.blogspot.com/2011/08/dont-laugh-at-me.html
http://books.google.com/books/about/Don_t_Laugh_at_Me.html?id=W0Nte_iJx88C
http://www.franklincollege.edu/pwp/labbott2/WebQuest/Template_1/Dont_Laugh_at_Me.html



http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp294-04.shtml

• Who are some of the people mentioned in the poem who are feeling pain? Why are they feeling that way?
• The poem includes the words "I'm fat, I'm thin, I'm short, I'm tall, I'm deaf, I'm blind, hey, aren't we all..." What do those words mean? How might we all be "blind to some people?
• Do you think most people can relate to the words of this song? Have you ever felt the way the people mentioned in the song feel?
• Is it fair to say that tolerance is one of the main themes of this song?

KEYBOARD to RECORDER: FROSTY THE SNOWMAN

SONGS PLAYED ON THE RECORDER 

CAN ALSO BE PLAYED ON THE KEYBOARD

RECORDER BY MUSICAL ALPHABET LETTERS

KEYBOARD BY FINGER NUMBERS

MUSIC NOTATION

TREBLE CLEF

THEORY-PITCH: INTERVAL/KEYBOARD: WHOLE STEPS and HALF STEPS on the KEYBOARD

http://musicmattersblog.com/wp-files/Keyboard%20Word%20Puzzle.pdf

THEORY-PITCH: NOTE READING: STAFF: IDENTIFYING LINES and SPACES on the MUSICAL STAFF GAME

TO PLAY THIS GAME CLICK ON THE TITLE or http://www.purposegames.com/game/line-or-space-quiz


THIS GAME IS ALSO ABOUT IDENTIFYING LINE AND SPACE NOTES BUT EMPHASIS IS ON VIOLIN NOTES FOUND ON THE STRINGS: D, A and E.
http://www.purposegames.com/game/89983384

SHARPS and FLATS ON THE KEYBOARD GAME

http://www.quiz-tree.com/The-Musical-Staff_The-Keyboard---Sharps_1_image.html

http://www.quiz-tree.com/The-Musical-Staff_The-Keyboard---Flats_1_image.html

KEYBOARD: NEW SONGS FOR THE PIANO BY NUMBER

THEORY-KEYBOARD: NAMING THE WHITE AND BLACK (SHARPS/FLATS) KEYS on the KEYBOARD

USE THIS SITE TO REVIEW THE NAMES OF THE

WHITE AND BLACK KEYS ON THE PIANO:

http://www.purposegames.com/game/1368 (or CLICK on the title)

..............................................

THE KEYBOARD IS A MUSICAL PATTERN OF

7 WHITE KEYS CALLED "NATURALS"

and

5 BLACK KEYS CALLED "SHARPS" and "FLATS"

IN THE PATTERN THERE ARE 12 KEYS ALTOGETHER

...............................................

BLACK KEYS ON THE KEYBOARD FALL IN PATTERNS OF THREE'S AND TWO'S

..................................................

THE LETTER NAMES OF THE MUSICAL ALPHABET

ARE GIVEN TO THE WHITE KEYS

THESE 7 MUSICAL ALPHABET LETTERS ARE "A B C D E F and G"

..................................................

LOOK AT THE PATTERNS FORMED BY THE BLACK KEYS

TO HELP LOCATE THE WHITE KEYS

THE WHITE KEY INBETWEEN THE BLACK KEYS

IN GROUPS OF TWO IS NAMED "D"

THE MUSICAL ALPHABET MOVES FORWARD

AS THE WHITE KEYS GO TO THE RIGHT

THE MUSICAL ALPHABET MOVES BACKWARDS

AS THE WHITE KEYS MOVE TO THE LEFT

SO:

THE WHITE KEY JUST TO LEFT OF THE "D" KEY IS NAMED "C"

MIDDLE "C" IS THE "C"

LOCATED IN THE CENTER OF THE KEYBOARD

MIDDLE "C" IS CONSIDERED THE STARTING

OR REFERENCE NOTE ON THE KEYBOARD

.................................................

AGAIN:

THE MUSICAL ALPHABET IS A PATTERN OF

SEVEN WHITE KEYS

THE PATTERN IS REPEATED

THROUGHOUT THE KEYBOARD

.........................................

THE BLACK KEYS ARE CALLED SHARPS AND FLATS

THE BLACK KEYS TAKE THEIR NAMES FROM THE WHITE KEYS

A BLACK KEY LOCATED TO THE RIGHT

OF ITS NEIGHBORING WHITE KEY

IS CALLED A "SHARP" AND NAMED AFTER THAT WHITE KEY

.............................................

A BLACK KEY LOCATED TO THE LEFT

OF ITS NEIGHBORING WHITE KEY

IS CALLED A "FLAT" AND NAMED AFTER THAT WHITE KEY

.....................................................

ALL BLACK KEYS HAVE TWO NAMES:

A SHARP NAME and A FLAT NAME

(NOTES THAT SOUND THE SAME

but HAVE DIFFERENT NAMES

ARE CALLED "ENHARMONIC EQUIVALENTS")

...............................................

HERE ARE OTHER SIMILAR SITES:

http://www.purposegames.com/game/2398/info
http://www.purposegames.com/game/names-of-piano-keys-quiz
http://www.purposegames.com/game/202587455b/info

WHAT WE DID TODAY 2011-2012: SEMESTER #1 FRIDAY; SEPTEMBER 2, 2011

GENERAL MUSIC periods 1,2,3
OBJECTIVE: MUSICAL ALPHABET AND THE KEYBOARD
1. ROLL
....a.  MUSICAL ALPHABET GRAPHING WORKSHEET
.........1)Sheet #1: Students are to choose 7 different colors (one for each letter of the musical alphabet) and find the 
            corresponding squares in the graph and color them in.
.........2)Sheet #2: Students will determine the direction of the musical alphabet at the beginning of each graph and complete 
             the musical alphabet in the proper direction. Colors (one for each of the 7 letters) will be added in as before.
.........3)These worksheets not only reinforce the musical alphabet concept but also the idea of "patterns" used in music, art, 
             and math. (These charts are similar to multiplication charts and this also helps in relating music with math.)
....b.  MUSICAL ALPHABET APPLIED TO THE KEYBOARD: HOW TO EASILY LOCATE THE NAMES OF EVERY 
          KEY ON THE KEYBOARD BY MEMORIZING THE LOCATION OF ONLY ONE KEY
          To know the names of all the keys on the keyboard there are 4 main facts that need to be known:
..........1)Know the musical alphabet forward and backwards as an automatic reflex (A B C D E F G/G F E D C B A).
..........2)Know how the instrument produces high and low sounds (example: moving to the right on the keyboard raises the 
              sounds and going to the left lowers them).
..........3)Knowing where one note is located as a guide to finding all the other notes. (The easiest note to locate on a keyboard 
              from memory is the note "D" because it is the white key that falls in between the black keys that are in groups of 2.)
..........4)Knowing how to use the names of the white key notes to name the black key notes.
.............a)Black key notes are called "sharps" and "flats.
.............b)Each black keys has 2 names one for the "flat" and one for the "sharp."
.............c)A "flat" is a key (or sound) that is one key lower than (or to the left of) its neighboring white key and is given that 
                white key's name added with the word "flat" or the symbol "b" as in these examples: Ab or Db.
                The term "flat" is easy to remember because it is like a flat tire when the air pressure is too low. (A flat is a 
                 lowered note.) 
..............d)A "sharp" is a key (or sound) that is one key higher than (or to the right of) its neighboring white key and is given 
                  that white key's name added with the word "sharp" or the symbol "#" as in these examples: A# or D#.
..............e)To identify the 2 names for a single black key look at the white keys directly to left and right of it. [Example: G# is 
                  also Ab because the black key to the right (or sharp) of the white key "G" is G# and that same black is also to the 
                  left (or flat) of the white key "A". Applying this rule to the other black keys A# is also Bb, C# is Db, D# is Eb, F# is  
                  Gb
                  The musical term "enharmonic (sound) equivalent (equal)" is given for a key that has 2 names.

ADVANCED VIOLIN
OBJECTIVE: DIRECTIONS/PROCEDURES-CYCLE OF STRINGS
1.    ROLL
2.    PRACTICED PROCEDURE GETTING OUT INSTRUMENTS
3.   TUNING
4.    WARM-UP
........a. Cycle of Strings (C,G,D,A,E-E,A,D,G,C)Bow Warm-Up: Explanation
..............1)CELLO: Start with open"C" string, continue to open strings "G"-"D"-"A" then place 1st finger on "D" 
                  string for "E" then reverse.
..............2)VIOLIN: Start with 3rd finger on "G" string for "C" then continue to open strings "G"-"D"-"A"-"E" then 
                  reverse. 
..............3)BASS: Start with 2nd finger on the "A" string, continue to open strings "G"-"D"-"A"-"E" then reverse.
..............4)GUITAR: Start with 1st finger/1st fret on "B" string then continue to open strings "G"-"D"-"A"-"E" then 
                  reverse (may also play as chords)
...............5)KEYBOARD: Play notes: C,G,D,A,E-E,A,D,G,C (may also play as chords)
5.    PROCEDURES ON TAKE DOWN

BEGINNING VIOLIN
OBJECTIVE: RHYTHMIC INTRODUCTION
1.    ROLL2.    INTRODUCTION TO BEAT AND PULSE
.......a. Beat or Pulse: Related to the heart beat it is a steady, even pulse that may beat at different speeds (or tempos) 
            determined by either the composer, musician or conductor. It is as fundamental to the music as a heartbeat is to a 
            person.
............1) Pulse and beat are also related to everyday life such as the regular pulse of the ocean waves, the cycle of the 
                earth in orbit around the sun, the bouncing of a ball, the pull of gravity, the movement of feet when walking 
                naturally, etc.  (Music is science, music is movement.)
.......b. Rhythms (related to beats) are a combination of long and short durations of sound divided by planned silences. .......c. Rhythms do not have to have a steady beat
.......d. Rhythms are also related to the longs and shorts (durations of time) of the syllables we speak that is why poetry 
            and music go so well together in songs. (Music is connected with poetry and with language.)
.......e. Musical notation is a way a writing down these durations of time using symbols which represent mathematical 
            fractions. (Music is math.)
3.    QUARTER NOTES, QUARTER NOTE RESTS, EIGHTH NOTES IN PAIRS
.......a. Parts of a note: (Some or all will be found notes) Body, Stem, Flag(s) and/or Beam(s)
...........1)The more attachments added to a note, the faster its value is.
.......b. Math and Music: Note values based on fractions
.......c. Notes and Rests:
...........1)Symbols representing the length (or value) of beats within a sound or silence.
...........2)Rests are silent beats which are felt but not heard.
...........3)Notes are beats that are felt and heard.
...........4)For each note value symbol there is a relative (or corresponding) rest value symbol.
.......d. Rhythm and Body Percussion
4.    APPLICATION OF QUARTER NOTES, QUARTER NOTE RESTS, EIGHTH NOTES IN PAIRS IN A RHYTHMIC 
       SONG: "ALLEY CAT"
........a. Review Directions: 
..............1)Quarter notes are worth 1 count or 1 beat of the heart so when viewing the quarter note say the word "one."
........b. Say the counting out loud as body percussion is performed/teacher pointing to notes on a chart to help for 
             tracking.
..............1)Counting out loud helps keep the eyes in mental focus for note reading; helps prevent distractions from getting 
                  in the way and the student losing his place in the music and getting lost. 
..............2)Body percussion movement helps student to feel the beat and rhythm of the music; helps prevent accidental 
                  speeding up and slowing down
..............3)Being able to learn to stay focused for the entire length of a piece of music without getting lost is how the skill 
                   of focusing is taught. (The skill of focusing is learned, not innate, and must be taught through practice by 
                   slowly extending the length of focusing time by playing longer and longer pieces of music.)
........c. Repeat again with music recording teacher pointing for tracking.
........d. Repeat again with student volunteer as the pointer for tracking.
........e. Class performs without pointer and each person tracks for themselves.
5.     EXTENSION OF "ALLEY CAT" RHYTHMIC SONG: DEVELOPMENT OF THE LEFT AND RIGHT PORTIONS OF 
        THE BRAIN
6.    RIGHT versus LEFT/CROSS CIRCUITING
7.    PATTERNS and the BRAIN

WHAT WE DID TODAY 2011-2012: SEMESTER #1 THURSDAY; SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

GENERAL MUSIC periods 1,2,3
OBJECTIVE: MUSICAL ALPHABET
....ROLL
....PROCEDURES/CLASS FOLDERS TO HOLD CLASSWORK
....WHAT IS BODY LANGUAGE WORKSHEET/DISCUSSION/PRACTICE
........01. Finish as needed
.....MUSICAL ALPHABET INTRODUCTION
........01. Art and Music Connection: Artists use colors as their medium of expression musicians use sound
..............a. Colors you visually see start with primary colors which are then mixed into secondary colors and further 
                   mixed into many other varieties or shades
...............b. Music also has primary pitches or TONE COLORS which also can be blended to form different sounds
........02. Using the keyboard as an example the primary musical tone can be demonstrated.
...............a. On the keyboard pressing down individual keys produces different sounds (TONE COLORS)
...............b. The keys are arranged in patterns which can be clearly identified by viewing how the black and white keys are 
                   situated. You can see and hear the patterns
...............c. Identify the patterns of the black keys? Identify the pattern of the white keys. How many keys are in each 
                    pattern? How many black and white keys (together) are in one pattern? 
...............d. Playing the patterns it is easy to hear them. The patterns are repeated over and over again going higher as the 
                   keys are played going up to the right and lower when moving down to the left. 
...............e. There are actually 88 keys on a full sized piano but only 7 white keys, 5 black keys; combined together 12 
                   keys in a pattern on the keyboard.  
...............f. The musical keys are identified as colors are in art. The names given to each key in the pattern of 7 white keys 
                   (or sounds they represent) are most often the first 7 letters from the alphabet: "A B C D E F G" called the 
                   "musical alphabet." (The "DO-RE-MI" Solfege system is the second most common way of identification.)
...............g. Since the 5 black keys derive their names from the white keys the names of the white keys are learned first
.........03. Memorizing the notes of the musical alphabet forwards and backwards [because music sounds will go higher (up 
                or forward) and lower (down or backwards) one of the basic foundations of music.
...............a. Thinking versus Memory: You can memorize something but not understand it and you can understand 
                    something but not have it totally memorized. Though the two processes work together they are different.
....................1)For performance musicians need to have their music learned as an "automatic reflex" in order to place all 
                        their attention on the emotional and tonal aspects of the whole piece. 
....................2)Thinking while performing has the musician looking at the individual parts separately from the whole and 
                        that takes away the musicality. 
....................3)The ability to play fast musical passages are also impeded by thinking
.....................4)In music nothing is totally learned until it has become an automatic reflex
...............b. Memorize the 7 letters of the musical alphabet forward by chanting it to a steady patsch (a patting of the thighs 
                   with the palms of the hand) pulse over and over accenting (or stressing) the "A" a little louder to feel the 
                    pattern of the 7 letters. (Keep repeating this exercise at faster paces.)
....................1)Since the regular alphabet going forward is an automatic reflex for most everyone, this is easy to do.
...............c. Memorize the 7 letters of the musical alphabet backwards by chanting it to a steady patsch (a patting of the 
                   thighs with the palms of the hand) pulse over and over starting with letter "G" and accenting (or stressing) the 
                   "G" a little louder to feel the pattern of the 7 letters. 
...................1)This may be more difficult because many of us were never asked to learn our regular alphabet backwards 
                       and in order to do that requires us to think it through.
...................2)To be able to perform this from memory at a fast pace it must be learned as an automatic reflex by dividing 
                       the backwards musical alphabet into smaller, easier memorized sections or patterns and chanting them 
                       quickly accenting certain letter sounds to create a rhythm as if reciting a poem. [EXAMPLE: letters 
                       enlarged should be louder than the others "GFE" (repeat quickly 4x); "GFED" (repeat quickly 4x); "CBA" 
                       (repeat quickly 4x); "GFED" pause "CBA" (repeat quickly 4x); "GFEDCBA" (repeat quickly 4x)

ADVANCED VIOLIN 
OBJECTIVE: DIRECTIONS/PROCEDURES
....ROLL
....SEATING CHART
....PROCEDURES ON SET-UP/TAKE DOWN
........1. Practice and see if any procedural changes need to be made.
....OVERVIEW OF MUSIC FOR "HARVEST FESTIVAL" CONCERT
........1. "Haste to the Wedding"
........2. "Rocky Top"
....MUSIC FOLDER PREPARATION

BEGINNING VIOLIN
OBJECTIVE: BODY LANGUAGE/FOLLOWING A CONDUCTOR
....ROLL
....PROCEDURES/SEATING CHART

....WHAT IS BODY LANGUAGE DISCUSSION

........01. Body Language: What is it? Why is it needed in the orchestra? Demonstrate some examples.
........02. Silence: What is it? How is it used in music? Is there ever complete silence?
..............a. Sound does not become music without silence (the planned spaces between the sounds)
..............b. Music is a combination of sound and silence the most difficult part being the performance of the silences especially in a group of musicians.
..............c. Mistakes in the creation of musical sounds are able to be covered up in group playing but all mistakes are heard if someone in the group plays in the silence.
..............d. Learning to create the silence is a skill that takes training as it takes much control and focus to accomplish.
........03. Listening versus Hearing: What is the difference?
..............a. There are so many sounds around us that in order to function we have learned to block many of them out to where we have forgotten that our hear capacity is much greater than we know.
..............b. Listening deals with the process of intense focusing; an element essential for the musician
........04. Teams: An orchestra is a team. What other groups are teams?
........05. Teamwork: What is it and why is it important for an orchestra?
........06. Leadership: What is a leader and why is his/her function in a team?

........07. Rules: What are they? Why are they important for a team?
........08. Conduct: What is it?
........09. Conductor: As the leader of the orchestra's conduct, what does he do? What are his/her rules? 
....PRACTICING BODY LANGUAGE/FOLLOWING THE CONDUCTOR

........01. Importance of watching the conductor
........02. Review visual cues
........03. Demonstrate and practice the conductor's starting beat or "gravity" beat
              (What goes up...will come down) so everyone learns to start together
........04. Practice with percussion instruments (after short demonstration of each instrument used) cues on how to:
..............a. stop/start
..............b. get louder/softer
..............c. faster/slower
..............d. how to stop with a silence that is not only heard but seen by an audience
(body movements are completely still until the conductors hands go down) 

WHAT WE DID TODAY 2011-2012: SEMESTER #1 WEDNESDAY; AUGUST 31, 2011

GENERAL MUSIC periods 1,2,3
OBJECTIVE: BODY LANGUAGE/FOLLOWING A CONDUCTOR
....ROLL
....WORKSHEET: WHAT IS BODY LANGUAGE WORKSHEET/DISCUSSION
....PROCEDURES/CLASS FOLDERS TO HOLD CLASSWORK
.....CLASS RULES TAKE HOME TO HAVE SIGNED
.....PRACTICING BODY LANGUAGE/FOLLOWING THE CONDUCTOR
........01. Body Language: What is it? Why is it needed in the orchestra? Demonstrate some examples.
........02. Silence: What is it? How is it used in music? Is there ever complete silence?
..............a. Sound does not become music without silence (the planned spaces between the sounds)
..............b. Music is a combination of sound and silence the most difficult part being the performance of the silences 
                  especially in a group of musicians.
..............c. Mistakes in the creation of musical sounds are able to be covered up in group playing but all mistakes are 
                  heard if someone in the group plays in the silence.
..............d. Learning to create the silence is a skill that takes training as it takes much control and focus to accomplish.
........03. Listening versus Hearing: What is the difference?
..............a. There are so many sounds around us that in order to function we have learned to block many of them out to 
                   where we have forgotten that our hear capacity is much greater than we know.
..............b. Listening deals with the process of intense focusing; an element essential for the musician
........04. Teams: An orchestra is a team. What other groups are teams?
........05. Teamwork: What is it and why is it important for an orchestra?
........06. Leadership: What is a leader and why is his/her function in a team?
........07. Rules: What are they? Why are they important for a team?
........08. Conduct: What is it?
........09. Conductor: As the leader of the orchestra's conduct, what does he do? What are his/her rules?
..... BODY LANGUAGE PRACTICE/FOLLOWING THE CONDUCTOR
........01. Importance of watching the conductor
........02. Review visual cues
........03. Demonstrate and practice the conductor's starting beat or "gravity" beat
               (What goes up...will come down) so everyone learns to start together
........04. Practice with percussion instruments (after short demonstration of each instrument used) cues on how to:
..............a. stop/start
..............b. get louder/softer
..............c. faster/slower
..............d. how to stop with a silence that is not only heard but seen by an audience             (body movements are completely still until the conductors hands go down)  

ADVANCED VIOLIN 
OBJECTIVE: DIRECTIONS/PROCEDURES
....ROLL
....CONCERT INFORMATION-PLANS FOR THE YEAR
....NEW PROCEDURES ON SET-UP/TAKE DOWN DISCUSSION
....CLASS RULES: TAKE HOME TO HAVE SIGNED

BEGINNING VIOLIN
OBJECTIVE: DIRECTIONS/PROCEDURES
....ROLL
....PROCEDURES/SEATING CHART
....INTRODUCTORY VIOLIN INFORMATION

WHAT WE DID TODAY 2011-2012: SEMESTER #1 TUESDAY; AUGUST 30, 2011

GENERAL MUSIC periods 1,2,3
OBJECTIVE: FIRST DAY DIRECTIONS/PROCEDURES
....ROLL
....WORKSHEET: WHAT IS BODY LANGUAGE....INTRODUCTIONS/QUESTIONS

BEGINNING VIOLIN period 5
OBJECTIVE: FIRST DAY DIRECTIONS/PROCEDURES
....ROLL
....INTRODUCTIONS/QUESTIONS
....CLASS RULES TAKE HOME TO HAVE SIGNED

ADVANCED VIOLIN period 4
OBJECTIVE: FIRST DAY DIRECTIONS/PROCEDURES
....ROLL
....CONCERT INFORMATION-PLANS FOR THE YEAR
....CHECKING OUT INSTRUMENTS

VIOLIN PRACTICE CHECK LIST

WANT TO LEARN A PIECE OF MUSIC WITH LESS PRACTICE AND MORE ACCURACY?

Evaluating your music before practicing will save hours of time.

What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?

These are all elements that must be prepared and practiced.

Use this check list as a guide.

REMEMBER:

The quality of your practice time is more important than the quantity of your practice time. In fact, a large quantity of practice with poor quality might even set-back your progress.

01. RHYTHM: COUNTING AND METER

(Do you memorize the rhythm or do you understand it first before memorizing it?)

02. NOTE READING

(Can you read the music notation?)

03. FINGERING (INCLUDING SHIFTING AND GUIDE NOTES)

(Is the fingering you are using the most practical or musically fitting for the piece you are playing?)

04. KNOWING WHOLE AND HALF STEP FINGERINGS

(Do you know before putting a finger down whether it is a whole step or a half step to the next finger or do you just use your ear to determine the proper intonation of the pitch?)

05. BOWINGS: DOWN AND UP PREPARED

(Before practicing do you know what direction you bow needs to be for every note?)

06. BOWING PROPORTIONS AND BOW SPEED PLANNED

(Do you play with your bow anywhere or do you pre-plan where you are going to start and stop each note, how much bow will be used for each note, and the speed the bow needs to be at?)

07. TONE PRODUCTION/ARTICULATION OF BOW ON THE STRING

(Is the beginning of every separate note played started with an articulation and do all the articulations produce the same tone quality?)

08. INTONATION

(Do your fingered notes that have corresponding open strings have a beautiful “ringing” tone quality to them caused by the sympathetic vibration of the open string?)

09. PHYSICAL MUSCLE MOVEMENT TECHNIQUE

(Can your fingers and/or bow move effortlessly to their proper positions at will?)

10. MENTAL FOCUS/CONTINUITY THROUGH MISTAKES

(Can you play completely through a piece of music at performance speed without stopping or getting nervous even if you make a mistake?)

11. EMOTIONAL FEELINGS/DYNAMICS AND BOWING PLANNED FOR THIS

(Do you play notes or do you play music? Do you pre-determine where in the music you are going to play soft and loud? What role does the bow have in producing this?)

12. WHEN PLAYING WITH OTHERS

(Do you listen and watch others as you play? If you are playing the same passage as someone else has your bowing been planned exactly the same way as theirs? When more than one violin plays the same musical passage does everyone together sound like one large violin or many violins?)

a. ARTICULATING AND BOWING TOGETHER

b. MATCHING PITCH INTONATION TOGETHER

13. DEVELOPMENT OF AUTOMATIC REFLEXES THROUGH REPETITION

(When you play your music are you thinking about technical matters or are you only feeling the music?)