Everything music from a perspective of a public
school music teacher with subject integration
(especially art, history, and literature) as a focus
to help teach the Common Core Curriculum.
a. A famous composer from the 19th Century who was also an accomplished pianist and piano teacher. 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. LESSON CONTINUED FROM YESTERDAY 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. "BLAST OFF" open string note reading piece....a. Reviewed note names and sang them with the recorded music ....b. Played song on violin while singing notes out loud (bowing at UH) ....c. Learned a new bow technique called "tremolo" and played it on the last note of the song. A tremolo is a bowing technique (played in this case at the bow tip) made up of many small and unmeasured up and down bows, accented or unaccented, at various dynamics; often used to make the sound of the music feel more full, or to create excitement or tension
In musical notation, tremolo is indicated by strokes through the stems of the notes:
5. Reviewed "Little Bitty" with the recording and passed out music for it that students will have to put in the appropriate color for, per each string. .....a. Students may fill in the colors at home or we will do it in class next week. ADVANCED VIOLIN PERIOD 4:OBJECTIVE: Preparation for Harvest Day performance on October 28th/Hoedown music 1. TUNE 2. MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND NIGHT: REMEMBER TO GET THOSE PERMISSION SLIPS IN! 3. ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL .....a. Worked to get speed .....b. Worked toward continuity 4. DE COLORES .....a. We all worked on the harmony part QUIZ ON THE DIFFICULT 4-NOTE PASSAGE OF ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL POSTPONED UNTIL I RE-ANNOUNCE IT
OBJECTIVE: MUSICAL ALPHABET and HOW INSTRUMENTS USE IT
1. QUOTE AUTHOR: Stephen Sondheim
.....a. Famous composer of the musical theatre
.....b. Composer of the musical (that was made into a movie called "Sweeney Todd"
.....c. Worked and studied under the famous composer Leonard Bernstein
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 keyboard: Reviewed musical alphabet
....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 in between 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 note reading. ........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
4. Gave directions on an assignment to work on at the keyboards
.....a. Students were asked to find the "D" key on the keyboard (the white key which is located in between the black keys in groups of 2)
.....b. Using the song sheet given, locate the musical alphabet letters (EX: B, A, G) on the keyboard.
.....c. Place as many fingers down needed to play each of the keys (as possible) for each letter in the chosen song in preparation.
.....d. After the fingers are placed ahead of time, before playing, keep the eyes on the music sheet (not the fingers) and let the fingers feel their way while pressing down on the keys.
.....e. To coordinate the movement of the finger muscles with the directions sent to move those muscles from the brain (when first learning a new fingering passage often the brain sends messages to the muscles but the muscles are slow to respond) it is often helpful to slow the brain's messages down to give the muscles a chance to react. A way this can be done is by saying the letter names of the keys out loud as the fingers move down on them.
5. Students were then given specific directions on the procedural rules on using the keyboards before leaving their seats to go up and play them.
6. Students practiced songs from the handout sheet while I monitored their progress making sure that everyone knew how to locate the musical alphabet notes on the keyboard.
LESSON TO 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. ARTICULATION SOUNDS of the bow on the string .....a. Practiced lifted down bows specifically to hear the articulated "pop" like sound of the bow starting the string to vibration.
.....b. Practiced at MB (middle bow) than at UH (upper half or tip) 4x each open string using "cycle of strings"
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) 6. OPEN STRING SONG: "LITTLE BITTY"
.....a. Reading open string notes: With teacher direction, we sang open string letter names as we listened to the recording.
.....b. Students sang letter names out loud and played the open strings at the same time as teacher directed.
TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW
ADVANCED VIOLIN PERIOD 4: OBJECTIVE: Preparation for Harvest Day performance on October 28th/Hoedown music
1. TUNE 2. MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND NIGHT at La Serna: reviewed from yesterday...REMEMBER TO GET THOSE PERMISSION SLIPS IN! 3. ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL .....a. Worked to get speed .....b. Achieved better coordination between violin melody and lower harmony parts .....c. Guitar started to play the cello part instead of the chords only-prepared note reading in his part 4. DE COLORES (new song) .....a. We are all starting out learning the harmony part to help everyone who plays the melody parts learn how their part will connect with it. .....b. Reviewed violin note reading and fingering .....c. Demonstrated and practiced the fingering pattern (based on the key signature) in this piece for the strings Starting on the"D" string: pattern: 0 12 3 4 for violin pattern: 0 1 2 4 for cello pattern: 0 2 3 0 for guitar .....d. Practiced for articulation (starting and stopping together) by starting off with 2 players (who work together to sound like one instrument, then add another instrument into the mix, until all students are playing together and sounding like one huge instrument
QUIZ ON THE DIFFICULT 4-NOTE PASSAGE OF ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL WILL BE HEARD ON FRIDAY (HOPEFULLY)
GENERAL MUSIC PERIODS 2, 3COMPOSER: 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:
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)
GENERAL MUSIC PERIOD 2 COMPOSER: Chopin OBJECTIVE: LEARNING ABOUT MUSICAL THEATRE 1. COMPOSER REPORT ON CHOPIN CONTINUED: .....a. Discussed some added information on Chopin .....b. Turned in the report at the end of class 2. "What Is a Musical Worksheet" and discussion concluded today .....a. Questions were answered in class and was finished today and turned in. .....b. See this worksheet on this Blog as well .....c. Some terms learned and discussed from this worksheet/lesson in regards to musical theatre: ........1)composer ........2)lyrics, lyricist ........3)dialogue ........4)choreographer, dance ........5)song, reprise ........6)act, intermission ........7)technicians ........8)creative team, director, musical conductor 3. Musical Alphabet .....a. Review 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. Showed the keyboard and asked if a pattern could be seen on the keyboard between the white black keys. .....c. Class discerned that there was a pattern of 5 black keys (falling in patterns of two's and three's) and 7 white keys. .....d. 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 3 COMPOSER: Chopin OBJECTIVE: LEARNING ABOUT MUSICAL THEATRE 1. COMPOSER REPORT ON CHOPIN CONTINUED: .....a. Discussed some added information on Chopin .....b. Turned in the report at the end of class 2. "What Is a Musical Worksheet" and discussion concluded today .....a. Questions were answered in class and was finished today and turned in. .....b. See this worksheet on this Blog as well .....c. Some terms learned and discussed from this worksheet/lesson in regards to musical theatre: ........1)composer ........2)lyrics, lyricist ........3)dialogue ........4)choreographer, dance ........5)song, reprise ........6)act, intermission ........7)technicians ........8)creative team, director, musical conductor GENERAL MUSIC PERIOD 6: COMPOSER: Chopin OBJECTIVE: LEARNING ABOUT MUSICAL THEATRE 1. COMPOSER REPORT ON CHOPIN CONTINUED: .....a. Discussed some important historical happenings, inventions during Chopin's time period: ..........1)Daguerreotype Photography (Photography invented at end of Chopin's life and there is only one confirmed photograph of Chopin that is known ..........2)John Deere Steel Plow invented ..........3)Safety Pin invented by Walter Hunt ..........4)Baseball invented by Abner Doubleday ..........5)California Gold Rush .....c. Discussed the style of Chopin's music: .........1)Romantic (evokes feelings and emotions) .........2)Melodic .........3)Contrasted Tempos (Speeds in the music change) .........4)Nationalistic (Love of his country Poland depicted in his music) .........5)Folk Music (Use of Polish folk music incorporated into his musical style) .....d. Discussed "How to Write an Opinion" section and students had two write a couple of sentences giving their opinion on the music of Chopin. (SEE period 3 for the rest of the lesson "What is a Musical Worksheet") BEGINNING VIOLIN PERIOD 5: OBJECTIVE: Violin Bow Rosin and Bow on the Violin 1. How to rosin the bow 2. Silent bow springs (simliar cocept to the finger springs we did in left hand pizzicato) ....a. Bow is depressed from above using the right arm to transfer weight through the right pointer finger middle joint on the bow. 3. Before starting the bow springs, the bow is placed on the string at the middle (where the right arm and bow form a square with the violin; bow is inbetween the bridge and the fingerboard). 4. Teacher marks the bow for each student: using the angle used for the left pizzicato, bow is placed on the string at the middle (square) and bow is marked at that point with tape. Students then to place bows at the tip (finding their trapezoid) and the teacher marks that place on the bow with tape as well. 5. Bow stick, placed inbetween the bridge and fingerboard, should be at an angle away from the players nose and an arrow was placed on the bow tape to remind each student. ADVANCED VIOLIN PERIOD 4: OBJECTIVE: Preparation for Harvest Day performance on October 28th/Hoedown music 1. TUNE 2. HOEDOWN REVIEW 3. ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL:.....a. played with the recording for continuity slowly then fast .....b. cellos and keyboard to work alone on section starting with the 4-note passage (without accompaniment) .....c. same as above but add violins playing their 16th notes against the quarter notes played by the keyboard, guitar, and cellos .....d. coordination of the different parts are needed and the violins need to work on keeping their articulations together instead of many people starting and stopping at different times. 4. Worked on the 4-note pssage. Violins having trouble playing the double-stops to play the upper notes until the double-stops are learned QUIZ ON THAT DIFFICULT 4-NOTE PASSAGE POSTPONED UNTIL TOMORROW
GENERAL MUSIC PERIODS 2, 3: COMPOSER: Chopin Etude in C# Minor Opus 15 #7 OBJECTIVE: LEARNING ABOUT MUSICAL THEATRE 1. COMPOSER REPORT ON CHOPIN CONTINUED: .....a. Discussed famous artists that lived during the time period of Chopin: ..........1)J.M.W Turner, J.M.W ..........2)George Caleb Bingham ..........3)Eugene Delacroix (Personal friend to Chopin and George Sand; he painted a famous painting of Chopin) .....b. Discussed some important historical happenings, inventions during Chopin's time period: ..........1)Daguerreotype Photography (Photography invented at end of Chopin's life and there is only one confirmed photograph of Chopin that is known ..........2)John Deere Steel Plow invented ..........3)Safety Pin invented by Walter Hunt ..........4)Baseball invented by Abner Doubleday ..........5)California Gold Rush .....c. Discussed the style of Chopin's music: .........1)Romantic (evokes feelings and emotions) .........2)Melodic .........3)Contrasted Tempos (Speeds in the music change) .........4)Nationalistic (Love of his country Poland depicted in his music) .........5)Folk Music (Use of Polish folk music incorporated into his musical style) .....d. Discussed "How to Write an Opinion" section and students had two write a couple of sentences giving their opinion on the music of Chopin. 2. "What Is a Musical Worksheet" and discussion .....a. Questions are being answered in class and to be finished on Monday .....b. See this worksheet on this Blog as well .....c. Some terms learned and discussed from this worksheet/lesson in regards to musical theatre: ........1)composer ........2)lyrics, lyricist ........3)dialogue ........4)choreographer, dance ........5)song, reprise ........6)act, intermission ........7)technicians ........8)creative team, director, musical conductor
We did 4 quotes this week worth 4 points on the grade. GENERAL MUSIC PERIOD 6: The same as periods 2,3 except the Chopin composer report information: 1. COMPOSER REPORT ON CHOPIN (CONTINUED): .....a. Discussed some other famous composers who were alive at the same time as Chopin: ..........1)Felix Mendelssohn: Famous composer and conductor from Germany (wrote a famous Wedding March) ..........2)Robert Schumann: Famous pianist, composer and piano teacher. He married the daughter of his piano teacher Clara Wieck Schumann, who was also well known for her piano playing and composing in her own right. Schumann experimented with a device he invented to help strengthen and train the fingers of his students. While trying the device out himself, he harmed one of his fingers to the extent that it never healed properly. Not being to play the piano as well as he used to depressed him so much that he eventually developed a mental illiness. ..........3)Franz Liszt: A famous pianist (performer) and composer who, like Chopin, was one of the most popular pianists of his time. .....b. Discussed some other famous historical people alive during Chopin's lifetime: ..........1)US President #5 James Monroe ..........2)US President #11 James K. Polk ..........3)Queen Victoria of England (She was the queen of England for a very long time and her style was copied by people all over the world. Her influence on style and culture was so famous that the time period she lived in is often refered to as the "Victorian" era. An example of her influence is the tradition of the Christmas tree. Before she had one in her palace, the Christmas tree was only a tradition in Germany. After Victoria was introduced to this custom by her husband Albert, who was German, the Christmas tree became a tradition all over. It was also Victoria who set the tradition of getting married to a famous bridal march composed by Felix Mendelssohn. She had heard the music in his (Mendelssohn's) "A Midsummer's Night Dream" and decided to have it played at her own wedding ceremony. (SEE periods 2,3 for the rest of the lesson) BEGINNING VIOLIN PERIOD 5: OBJECTIVE: Violin Bow: Bowing on the Shoulder: Bow Levels and Moving the Bow at Different Parts 1. Reviewed bow hold 2. Bowing on the shoulder: review bow levels 3. Moving the bow at its different parts using down and up bows .....a. Learned the symbols for UP and DOWN bows ADVANCED VIOLIN PERIOD 4: OBJECTIVE: Preparation for Harvest Day performance on October 28th/Hoedown music 1. TUNE 2. ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL: a. Worked on the 3rd section based on fast scale passages: FINGER PATTERNS USED: "A" Major Scale: 0 1 23 4 (4can also be 0) "E" Major Scale: 1 2 34 (4 can also be 0) played with the recording for continuity. MONDAY THERE WILL BE A QUIZ ON THAT DIFFICULT 4-NOTE PASSAGE!
The melody from this piece was borrowed, words added, and the backround rhythm changed creating a popular song in the 1940's called, "Till the End of Time"
OBJECTIVE: RECORDER BEGINNING SONGS BY NUMBER 1. QUOTE AUTHOR: Zoltan Kodaly a famous Hungarian composer who also specialized in the creation of a children's music education course of study which emphasized "solfege." 2. SOLFEGE: MI-RE-DO Review of MI-RE-DO hand signals and sounds/practice singing the MI-RE-DO pitches by teaching how to proportion air using the diaphragm muscle (a technique also used for breath control on the recorder). .....a. Each student sings the pattern and hand signs to... teacher: "Did you finish your quote?" Student reply, "Yes I did." 2. Composer Report on Chopin: .....a. Discussed some other famous composers who were alive at the same time as Chopin: ..........1)Felix Mendelssohn: Famous composer and conductor from Germany (wrote a famous Wedding March) ..........2)Robert Schumann: Famous pianist, composer and piano teacher. He married the daughter of his piano teacher Clara Wieck Schumann, who was also well known for her piano playing and composing in her own right. Schumann experimented with a device he invented to help strengthen and train the fingers of his students. While trying the device out himself, he harmed one of his fingers to the extent that it never healed properly. Not being to play the piano as well as he used to depressed him so much that he eventually developed a mental illness. ..........3)Franz Liszt: A famous pianist (performer) and composer who, like Chopin, was one of the most popular pianists of his time. .....b. Discussed some other famous historical people alive during Chopin's lifetime:
..........1)US President #5 James Monroe
..........2)US President #11 James K. Polk ..........3)Queen Victoria of England (She was the queen of England for a very long time and her style was copied by people all over the world. Her influence on style and culture was so famous that the time period she lived in is often referred to as the "Victorian" era. An example of her influence is the tradition of the Christmas tree. Before she had one in her palace, the Christmas tree was only a tradition in Germany. After Victoria was introduced to this custom by her husband Albert, who was German, the Christmas tree became a tradition all over. It was also Victoria who set the tradition of getting married to a famous bridal march composed by Felix Mendelssohn. She had heard the music in his (Mendelssohn's) "A Midsummer's Night Dream" and decided to have it played at her own wedding ceremony. 3. SONG "Whacky Nutcracker"( http://www.musick8.com/store/alphadetail.php?product_group=909 ) .....a. Review term "staccato" [shortened articulated sounds (short does not mean loud however)]/and then we practiced paying the "staccato" having a student direct the class on how the staccato was to be played (articulated). .....b. Review other technical terms in the piece (measures, measures rest, triplets, time signature/meter) GENERAL MUSIC PERIOD 1: (Same as periods 2,3 but will work on composer report tomorrow) BEGINNING VIOLIN PERIOD 5: OBJECTIVE: Violin Bow: Beginning bow holds/Bowing on the Shoulder: Bow Levels 1. Reviwed bow hold 2. Bow: Beginning exercises .....a. "Spider Crawl" .....b. "Windshield Wiper" .....c. Flexible right knuckle joints on the bow stick 3. Bowing on the shoulder: .....a. Making squares with the bow on the shoulder vs parallelograms ..........1)Where the square is formed (depending on arm length vs bow size, etc.) is the middle of the bow for each particular player. ..........2)Using the idea of the "square" is an important concept because it keeps the violin bow from traveling into the fingerboard area (which is one of the major causes of scratchy, ugly sounds on a violin). .....b. Bow Levels ..........1)Bow and arm stay together and move as a unit together in order to assure that the the bow will sound the string that is intended and not hit another one by accident ..........2)There are 4 basic arm/bow levels; one for each string("G," "D," "A," "E") and there are 3 more added levels used when performing double-stops (more than one note played at a time on 2 neighboring strings). Those levels find the bow placed on two strings at the same time: G+D, D+A, A+E ..........3)At the "G" string bow level the bow and arm (forming the square) are both parallel to the floor (sort-of like a table top upon which can sit a glass of water) and at the "E" string bow level, the elbow of the bow playing arm is towards the floor. .....c. Making trapezoids with the bow on the shoulder. ..........1)The tip of the bow (the amount of bow that can comfortably be used; not the actual tip) is where the bow forms a trapezoid in proportion to the arm's length with the bow on the shoulder. ..........2)Since everyone's arm length (and its proportion to the bow size) is different, the tip of the bow is not always in the same place. ..........3)If in order to reach the actual tip of the bow the player must extend the right arm completely straight, then the amount of bow used must be lessened a bit. The idea is that the right arm must never be extented completely straight; there must always be a slight bend in the right elbow when at the tip of the bow. ..........4)Practice bow arm levels at the tip and compare with the bow arm levels at the square; bow arm levels are different when playing at different parts of the bow. .....d. Making triangles with the bow on the shoulder. ..........1)The lowest part of the bow is called the "frog." When placing the bow on the shoulder at the frog a triangle is formed. ..........2)Compare all three bow levels: bow at the frog, bow in the middle, bow at the tip; movements of the arm are greater when the bow is placed at its tip and very minimal whenthe bow is placed at the frog. ADVANCED VIOLIN PERIOD 4: OBJECTIVE: Preparation for Harvest Day performance on October 28th/Hoedown music 1. TUNE 2. ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL: a. Worked on the 4th section (first half of the phrase is almost identical to the second half) b. Added this section on to what we had previously learned (skipping section 3 but following the passage with our eyes) and played with the recording for continuity. MONDAY THERE WILL BE A QUIZ ON THAT DIFFICULT 4-NOTE PASSAGE!
This piece was rewritten in a modern "pop" version called "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows." It was performed by many famous singers of their day. An example is a famous "pop" artist of 1918, Harry Fox who sang this making it a big hit.
OBJECTIVE: RECORDER BEGINNING SONGS BY NUMBER 1. QUOTE AUTHOR: Nadia Boulanger; famous teacher of music composition and teacher of the famous American composer, Aaron Copland. 2. SOLFEGE: MI-RE-DO Review of MI-RE-DO hand signals and sounds/practice singing the MI-RE-DO pitches by teaching how to proportion air using the diaphragm muscle (a technique also used for breath control on the recorder). a. Each student sings the pattern and hand signs to... teacher: "Did you finish your quote?" Student reply, "Yes I did." 2. Composer Report on Chopin: We wrote down some famous people in literature who lived during Chopin's time: Washington Irving "Rip Van Winkle," Sarah Hale "Mary Had a Little Lamb," Victor Hugo "Hunchback of Notre Dame," and George Sand (a famous female writer who used the pen name of a man in order to get published during a time when it was nearly impossible for a woman to make a living at writing. She was also Chopin's girl friend. 3. Review of songs previously played using fingers T123/fingerings that move by step/skip a. SONGS "James' Lot"and "Whacky Nutcracker"(http://www.musick8.com/store/alphadetail.php?product_group=909 ) b. Start to sight read through "Whacky Nutcracker" Play once with direction from teacher/discuss term "staccato" [shortened articulated sounds (short does not mean loud however)]/practice paying the "staccato." c. Tomorrow to go over other technical terminology in the piece.
BEGINNING VIOLIN PERIOD 5: OBJECTIVE: Violin Bow: How to tighten and loosen/Beginning bow holds 1. Demonstrated: .....a. A loosened bow (hair close to the stick-not capable of producing a spring action)/ Hair is not too loose so it can get caught on things and get ripped off the bow by accident. .....b. A properly tightened bow [hair farther away from the stick to form a spring action when pressed onto the string/middle of the bow is approximately the width (from hair to stick) of a pointer finger or pencil] The stick of the bow will have a slight inward curve or "bow" to it. .....c. An overly tightened bow [hair is very far from the stick and more than the width (from hair to stick) of a pointer finger or pencil] causing the stick of the bow to be almost completely straight or "bowed" (curved) outward. 2. Bow care and maintenance: .....a. Bow hair comes from horse tail (very coarse) and will expand and contract depending on weather conditions. Because of that, bows need to be loosened before they are put away in their case and tightened before they can be used on the instrument. If the hair is not loosened and the weather conditions change, the bow hair could shrink. When that happens the bow could over tighten itself (the hair tension on the bow stick being pulled very tight) often causing the bow stick (usually at the tip) to break. .....b. Never touch hair of the bow with hand as natural oils from the skin will get onto the bow hair and cause it to become slippery. .....c. When bow hair becomes loose or breaks take care how the loose hair is taken off the bow. Done incorrectly can actually cause more hair to fall out .....d. Bows have a pointed tip and must be handled carefully because of that; consequently never point a bow at some one's face. 3. Using the screw to tighten and loosen the bow air: .....a. If the bow stick is on the right and the hair is on the left, then the screw, when turning it to the right, will tighten the bow. (RULE: "RIGHTY-TIGHTY, LEFTY-LOOSEY") .....b. If the player forgets which side to view the stick and hair (as above) they can watch the horse hair itself in relation to the stick to determine if the bow screw is being turned to the wanted direction. (Hair closer to the stick to loosen, hair away from the stick to tighten 4. BOW HOLD .....a. 3 main types of right-bow holds: Russian (heavy sounded with right index finger placed on the stick way below the middle joint of the pointer finger), French(light sounded with the right index finger placed way above the middle knuckle of the index finger, and the Franco-Belgium (most common and average bow hold) with the right index finger placed just slightly above the middle knuckle on the stick. .....b. Not everyone will hold the bow exactly the same since everyone has different sized hands and fingers. What everyone does have are the middle knuckles which are all first placed from above on to the top of the bow stick. They are placed on the stick padding of silver portion (stay away from the screw) From that position everyone will have to adjust the bow hold for their specific hand and fingers: ..........1. Right thumb is placed in between the middle two fingers (with no squeezing) ..........2. Right pinky will move to a position atop the stick so it sits at a naturally curved position (not flat or bent backwards with any tension) This finger will balance the bow. ..........3. Lastly, the right pointer finger is adjusted to just slightly above the knuckle on the stick (Franco-Belgium bow hold). .....c. The bow is supposed to sit or balanced on top of the violin and the bows movement is actually directed by the hand and fingers. (The weight of the bow pressing down on the strings to create a spring which starts the violin string to vibrate actually comes from the upper right arm not the hand and fingers.) The bow is not actually held because the right fingers need to be flexible. "Holding" the bow in a squeezing type of position will cause the bow to create sounds that will be tense, scratchy, and coarse.
ADVANCED VIOLIN PERIOD 4: OBJECTIVE: Preparation for Harvest Day performance on October 28th/Hoedown music 1. TUNE 2. ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL: a. Put together the introduction: coordinating the violin part (some different rhythms from the cello) with the cello/piano part. b. Worked on a difficult 4 note passage using fingered double stops (two strings played at once with a finger down on each string) on the violin and for the cello, using an extended 4th finger to 2nd finger pattern (extending out of the 1st position for 2 notes before going back to the 1st position). To continue with this tomorrow. c. Add the next section on to what we previously learned and play with the recording for continuity. MONDAY THERE WILL BE A QUIZ ON THAT DIFFICULT 4-NOTE PASSAGE!
5. Reviewed "Little Bitty" with the recording and passed out music for it that students will have to put in the appropriate color for, per each string.
