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Monday, September 27, 2010

WHAT WE DID TODAY (SEMESTER #1-18): MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

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