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.
2. Checked quotes for the week. .....a. Students will be responsible for 4 this week; anyone who did 5 will be given extra credit for the extra quote. 3. MUSICAL: OLIVER .....a. Passed out musical report forms ..........1)Reviewed the first part of the musical "Oliver" by filling in some some of the information asked for on the form ..........2)Main characters we met so far: Oliver and Mr. Bumble ..........3)Names of songs listened to: "Food Glorious Food" / "Oliver" / "Boy for Sale" ..........4)Wrote down... musical's title: "Oliver" / novel the musical was based on: "Oliver Twist / novel's author: Charles Dickens / musical's composer/lyricist: Lionel Bart / date of musical composition: 1960 / country that the story of the musical takes place in: London, England .....b. Today we heard the song "Consider Yourself" and met another main character called the Artful Dodger (PLEASE SEE THE "OLIVER MUSICAL REPORT" ON THIS BLOG FOR DETAILS) (Next week we will continue to fill-in the report as a class.) (Period 2 and 6 still need to finish the end of song "Consider Yourself")
BEGINNING VIOLIN PERIOD 5: OBJECTIVE: FINGERING DO-RE-MI/DO-RE-MAY (MAJOR and MINOR) 1. TUNE2. HOLIDAY PROGRAM SONG: COVENTRY CAROL .....a. This is an open string, right hand pizzicato, harmony part and will be played with the advanced violins (from the period 4 class) playing the melody at the concert. .....b. Listened to the recorded accompaniment and teacher demonstration. .....c. Reviewed terms and symbols in music ..........1)uarter notes and rests ..........2)Double bar and two dots (repeat signs) ..........3)meter/time signature ..........4)Importance of the silence in each rest .....d. The class read/sang the open string notes as teacher pointed. .....e. In regular pizzicato position we plucked the notes as we sang out loud with the recorded accompaniment .....f. After the song ended we stopped and because the music was new and played at its performing speed, some students found it helpful to write the letter names under the notes. .....g. We replayed it being careful not to play on the quarter note rests. ..........1)The silences in rests are are difficult to play as a whole group at once because if a single person plays during one the rest is no longer silent. 3. DOUBLE STOPPING .....a. Open string bowings: Using the 7 different arm levels: G, GandD, D, DandA, A, Aand E, and E .....b. There are 4 basic bow levels but also 3 more levels which places the bow on two strings at one time. ..........1)Playing 2 different strings at once called DOUBLE STOPPING ..........2)We started to learn these extra levels first by applying the silent bow-arm rocking tecnique (we rocked the bow at the middle or MB) ..........3)Then we practiced all the 7 levels from lowest G to highest E, 4x each combination using the UH of bow.
Coming Up: we will be replaying DO-RE-MI songs: Mary and Hot Cross Buns on the G, D, and A strings but adding the next higher open string with it [example playing Mary (DO-RE-MI) on the "D" string but bowing open A with the D string at the same time]. By adding the neighboring (next highest) open string while playing the melody on the lower string, harmony is produced. Using this technique on these DO-RE-MI songs helps students to listen for intonation because it is easier to hear a finger going out of tune when there is another note harmonizing with it.
ADVANCED VIOLIN PERIOD 4: OBJECTIVE: Preparation for Harvest Day performance on October 28th 1. TUNE 2. Orange Blossom Special.....a. Again having trouble coordinating harmony and melody parts. ..........1)We rehearsed having the violins play all alone with the accompaniment to see if they were able to keep the beat steady which they were. ..........2)Then the cellos were added and the beat was still steady. ..........3)When the electric guitar was addedit was a little too loud and the beat started to get lost. When the sound was turned down the accompaniment beat was easier to hear. ..........4)We had amped the keyboard because it could not be heard when all the others were playing with the accompaniment but, like the electric guitar, I think the keyboard amp also needed to be adjusted down. I don't think the keyboardist could hear the other parts well enough to keep the beat steady because of that. ...........5)Also, when making mistakes while playing in a group the players need to disregard the errors and keep going. If the player slows down even just a little bit due to the frustration of making the error, the beat will be lost. 3. Hoedown .....a. Reviewed briefly. 4. Be prepared next week we need to get out the music stands in preparation of the Harvest Festival Performance .....a. There are 13 practice sessions (days left) before the concert .....b. We will be performing on the outside stage in the early part of the festival .....c. When we are finished we can put our instruments away in the room and enjoy rest of the festivities .....d. More information to follow when I get it.
2. The story (http://www.balletmet.org/Notes/Sleeping.html) is the famous fairytale set to music and dance. 4. The original version of the tale on which the ballet is based was written and published by Charles Perrault: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Perrault) under the name, "La Belle au bois dormant" (The Sleeping Beauty) in Paris, 1697. OBJECTIVE: RECORDER NOTE READING 1. QUOTE AUTHOR: Nadia Boulanger
.....a. (1887–1979) French composer, conductor and teacher who taught many composers and performers of the 20th century. .....b. One of her compositions is called "Three Pieces for Organ" transcribed for cello and piano
1. RECORDER WARM-UP .....a. Practiced the muscle movements (finger coordinations) needed to play the new song "Chanukah" ..........1)G-E ..........2)G-high C ..........3)A-F ..........4)F-D ..........5)F-B ..........6)B-G ..........7)B-high C 2. HOLIDAY SONG: CHANUKAH .....a. I played the song for the class on my recorder. .....b. The chart I made with the music on it has phrases of the notes in different colors and I asked the class to make an educated guess on what the colors represent. ..........1)Students determined that the "black" note phrases were phrases that were exactly the same. ..........2)The "blue" notes had the same pattern as the "black" phrase notes except every note is one letter name lower (the term used to describe this is called "sequencing"). ..........3)The "red" note phrase is different than the other phrases. .....c. Before playing, the class reviewed the recorder fingering ..........1)Students said the finger numbers as they moved their fingers silently. .....d. I then played the keyboard accompaniment as a student pointed to the notes to help the others in the class with their tracking. MINI-KEYBOARD RECITAL IS SCHEDULED THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 8, 9, 10.
DECEMBER 9th is the holiday concert for chorus, band, and strings. Recorder students are invited to play their instruments ("recorder carolling") as the pre-concert activity outside of the gym. This is not mandatory; just a fun way to celebrate the holidays through music. We will play the holiday music learned in class. All students need to bring is their recorder; music and accompaniments will be already set-up. More details to follow as I get them. BEGINNING VIOLIN PERIOD 5: OBJECTIVE: PREPARATION FOR HOLIDAY PERFORMANCE ON DECEMBER 9th 1. TUNE 2. SHIFTING on a major scale one octave ascending .....a. Shifting is when a single finger slides from one note to another without leaving contact with the string. .........1)The shift we are using in this exercise has the left thumb and finger moving together while sliding. .........2)The finger depresses the string to play a pitch and then the pressure is released but contact with the finger on the string remains as the finger slides. .........3)As the sliding finger approaches the next pitch, its sliding speed slows down while the finger pressure on the string increases until the exact pitch is found (sort-of like the concept of a baseball player sliding into home plate). .....b. We started on the open string (DO) and then we added the 1st finger (RE) then moved the 1st finger forward (toward the bridge) without lifting it up, to the next pitch, and we repeated this movement up (ascending) the scale. (do:1, re:1, -mi: 1, -fa:1, -sol:1, -la:1, -ti:1, -do 3. HOLIDAY SONG: JINGLE BELL ROCK .....a. Reviewed directions, note names, and fingerings. .....b. As we listened to the music, students sang the note names (without playing the instrument) .........1)Doing this helps students develop the mental concept first. (If you can't hear it in your head, you can't play it on your instrument.) .....c. We then sight read through this piece. VIOLIN PERIOD 4: OBJECTIVE: Preparation for: Holiday performance on December 9th 1. HOLIDAY SONG: GREENSLEEVES .....a. Everyone worked on the harmony part first. .....b. Started with keyboard harmony part. .....c. Added cellos to keyboard part .....d. Then we added the guitar part .....e. Lastly, all violins came in with the harmony part. .....f. After the harmony part became a little more secure, most of the violins changed to the melody part Holiday Concert : Thursday, December 9th 18 rehearsal days left until the concert
2. Checked quotes for the week. .....a. Students will be responsible for 4 this week; anyone who did 5 will be given extra credit for the extra quote. 3. MUSICAL: OLIVER .....a. Passed out musical report forms ..........1)Reviewed the first part of the musical "Oliver" by filling in some some of the information asked for on the form ..........2)Main characters we met so far: Oliver and Mr. Bumble ..........3)Names of songs listened to: "Food Glorious Food" / "Oliver" / "Boy for Sale" ..........4)Wrote down... musical's title: "Oliver" / novel the musical was based on: "Oliver Twist / novel's author: Charles Dickens / musical's composer/lyricist: Lionel Bart / date of musical composition: 1960 / country that the story of the musical takes place in: London, England .....b. Today we heard the song "Consider Yourself" and met another main character called the Artful Dodger (PLEASE SEE THE "OLIVER MUSICAL REPORT" ON THIS BLOG FOR DETAILS) (Next week we will continue to fill-in the report as a class.) (Period 2 and 6 still need to finish the end of song "Consider Yourself")
BEGINNING VIOLIN PERIOD 5: OBJECTIVE: FINGERING DO-RE-MI/DO-RE-MAY (MAJOR and MINOR) 1. TUNE 2. HOLIDAY PROGRAM SONG: COVENTRY CAROL .....a. This is an open string, right hand pizzicato, harmony part and will be played with the advanced violins (from the period 4 class) playing the melody at the concert. .....b. Listened to the recorded accompaniment and teacher demonstration. .....c. Reviewed terms and symbols in music ..........1)Quarter notes and rests ..........2)Double bar and two dots (repeat signs) ..........3)meter/time signature ..........4)Importance of the silence in each rest .....d. The class read/sang the open string notes as teacher pointed. .....e. In regular pizzicato position we plucked the notes as we sang out loud with the recorded accompaniment .....f. After the song ended we stopped and because the music was new and played at its performing speed, some students found it helpful to write the letter names under the notes. .....g. We replayed it being careful not to play on the quarter note rests. ..........1)The silences in rests are are difficult to play as a whole group at once because if a single person plays during one the rest is no longer silent. 3. DOUBLE STOPPING .....a. Open string bowings: Using the 7 different arm levels: G, G and D, D, D and A, A, A and E, and E .....b. There are 4 basic bow levels but also 3 more levels which places the bow on two strings at one time. ..........1)Playing 2 different strings at once called DOUBLE STOPPING ..........2)We started to learn these extra levels first by applying the silent bow-arm rocking tecnique (we rocked the bow at the middle or MB) ..........3)Then we practiced all the 7 levels from lowest G to highest E, 4x each combination using the UH of bow.
Coming Up: We will be replaying DO-RE-MI songs: Mary and Hot Cross Buns on the G, D, and A strings but adding the next higher open string with it [example playing Mary (DO-RE-MI) on the "D" string but bowing open A with the D string at the same time]. By adding the neighboring (next highest) open string while playing the melody on the lower string, harmony is produced. Using this technique on these DO-RE-MI songs helps students to listen for intonation because it is easier to hear a finger going out of tune when there is another note harmonizing with it. ADVANCED VIOLIN PERIOD 4: OBJECTIVE: Preparation for Harvest Day performance on October 28th 1. TUNE 2. Orange Blossom Special .....a. Again having trouble coordinating harmony and melody parts. ..........1)We rehearsed having the violins play all alone with the accompaniment to see if they were able to keep the beat steady which they were. ..........2)Then the cellos were added and the beat was still steady. ..........3)When the electric guitar was added it was a little too loud and the beat started to get lost. When the sound was turned down the accompaniment beat was easier to hear. ..........4)We had amped the keyboard because it could not be heard when all the others were playing with the accompaniment but, like the electric guitar, I think the keyboard amp also needed to be adjusted down. I don't think the keyboardist could hear the other parts well enough to keep the beat steady because of that. ...........5)Also, when making mistakes while playing in a group the players need to disregard the errors and keep going. If the player slows down even just a little bit due to the frustration of making the error, the beat will be lost. 3. Hoedown
.....a. Reviewed briefly. 4. Be prepared next week we need to get out the music stands in preparation of the Harvest Festival Performance
.....a. There are 13 practice sessions (days left) before the concert
.....b. We will be performing on the outside stage in the early part of the festival
.....c. When we are finished we can put our instruments away in the room and enjoy rest of the festivities
.....d. More information to follow when I get it.
