WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2013

QUOTE: 
"The history of music, supported by the actual hearing of the master compositions of the different 

  epochs, is the shortest way to cure you of self-esteem and vanity.”

AUTHOR: Robert Schumann

MEANING OF THE QUOTE: 
“A person may think their art is great until they compare it with the greatest masters such as Beethoven and Mozart.”

COMPOSER

COPLAND

 Long Time Ago
from "Old American Songs"

Sung by Marilyn Horne

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Rj-T8DpNho&feature=related

Long Time Ago Lyrics

Traditional

On the lake where droop'd the willow

Long time ago,

Where the rock threw back the billow

Brighter than snow. 

Dwelt a maid beloved and cherish'd

By high and low,

But with autumn leaf she perished

Long time ago.

Rock and tree and flowing water

Long time ago,

Bird and bee and blossom taught her 

Love's spell to know.

While to my fond words she listen'd

Murmuring low,

Tenderly her blue eyes glisten'd

Long time ago.

I Bought Me a Cat

The Cat - Bart Van Der Leck

from "Old American Songs"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISFyClvTf3I

I Bought Me a Cat Lyrics

VERSE 1

I bought me a wife, my wife pleased me

I feed my wife in yon green tree

VERSE 2
I bought me a baby, and my baby pleased me
I feed my baby in yon green tree

VERSE 3
I bought me a cow, my cow pleased me
I feed my cow in yon green tree

VERSE 4
I bought me a calf, my calf pleased me
I feed my calf in yon green tree

VERSE 5
I bought me a hog, my hog pleased me
I feed my hog in yon green tree

VERSE 6
I bought me a dog, my dog pleased me
I feed my dog in yon green tree

VERSE 7
I bought me a hen, my hen pleased me
I feed my hen in yon green tree

VERSE 8
I bought me a rooster an' my rooster pleased me
I feed my rooster in yon green tree

VERSE 9
My wife said, soke, soke
Cow said, moo, moo
The calf said, baaf, baaf
The baby said, waa, waa
The dog said, bow-wow, bow-wow
The hog said, grify-graf, grify-graf
The cat said, fiddle-li-fee
The hen said, shem-shak, shem-shack
The rooster said, quaw-shee
If you ever find another rooster like me
Feed your rooster too

http://maxhunter.missouristate.edu/songinformation.aspx?ID=286

GRANADA ADV. STRINGS
1.  THEORY
a.  Note reading on bass and treble clef

2.  C MAJOR SCALE
a.  Scale in 3 part rounds
3.  SILENT NIGHT

INTRO. TO INSTRUMENT
1.  VIOLIN
a.  Introduction to the Violin Family
b.  Short History
1)  Instrument Demonstrations

GRANADA BEG. STRINGS
1.  FINGERING
a.  Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-Fa-Mi-Re-Do
b.  Played on each string UH bow
c.  Practice fingering patterns 1-4 and 2-4 
8x times on each string
2.  JINGLE BELLS MELODY
a.  Played by rote

HILLVIEW ORCHESTRA
1.  THEORY
a.  Note reading on bass and treble clef
2.  BELIEVE
a. First Half
3.  RUDOLPH

NOTE READING ASSIGNMENT ON TREBLE and BASS CLEF

THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2013

QUOTE:
“The manner in which Americans consume music has a lot to do with leaving it on their coffee tables, 

  or using it as wallpaper for their lifestyles, like the score of a movie --it's consumed that way without 

  any regard for how and why it's made.”
AUTHOR: Frank Zappa

MEANING OF THE QUOTE:
“Many people don’t listen to music; they just hear it.”

COMPOSER
HAYDN

The Seasons Oratorio

Hob. XXI:3

An oratorio is an extended musical work usually based upon a religious theme, for solo voices, chorus, and orchestra, and performed without action, costume, or scenery. (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/oratorio)

GENERAL MUSIC

01.  KEYBOARD THEORY WORKSHEET WITH SHARPS and FLATS

........a. WORKED ON WORKSHEET #4 IN CLASS TOGETHER FINDING WHITE and BLACK KEY NAMES

02.  RECORDER

........a.  WARM-UP

..............1)  ECHO RHYTHMS and PITCHES USING NOTES FROM "B" DOWN TO "E" and THEN "E" DOWN TO 

                    LOW "C"

....................a)  DISCUSSED THE DIFFICULTY OF PLAYING THE LOWEST NOTES ON THE RECORDER:  

                          ..USE OF  WEAK FINGERS WITH SMALL FINGER TIP PADS TO SEAL THE HOLES 

                          ..BLOWING THE LOWER THE NOTES EXTRA SOFT WITH SLOW CONTROLLED AIR

........b.   RECORDER SONGS WITH NOTE READING

...............1)  INTRODUCTION TO THE TREBLE (OR "G") CLEF

.....................a)  CLEF: 

                          ..A clef is a sign placed on the staff to designate what pitches are to be represented by its lines and 

                             spaces.

.....................a)  TREBLE ("G") CLEF:

                           ..G clef shows us not only that the second line of the staff represents G, but that the first line 

                             represents E, the first space F, etc. 

...............2)  INTRODUCTION TO THE HALF NOTE

...............3)  INTRODUCTION TO THE DOTTED HALF NOTE

.....................a)  THE RULE OF THE "DOT PLACE TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF A NOTE"

                           .. A DOTE PLACED TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF A NOTE IS ALWAYS WORTH HALF THE VALUE OF 

                              THE NOTE IT SITS NEXT TO

http://www.wikihow.com/Read-Music

...............4)  PLAYING SONGS

.....................a)  USING THE TREBLE CLEF RULE (LINE 2 OF THE MUSIC STAFF IS THE NOTE "G" and THE IDEA OF 

                           STEP-WISE MOTION and THE MUSICAL ALPHABET STUDENTS DECODE THE MUSICAL 

                           NOTATION BY SAYING THE LETTER NAMES AS THEY READ THE MUSIC OUT LOUD

.....................b)  THE LETTER NAMES ARE TRANSFERRED TO RECORDER FINGERINGS

.....................c) RHYTHMS ARE REVIEWED

.....................d) SONGS PLAYED WITH TEACHER TRACKING HELP

.....................e) SONGS PLAYED WITHOUT TEACHER TRACKING HELP

...............5)  NAMES OF SONGS PLAYED

.....................a)  ALL ALONE (B)

                           ..SONG USES HALF and QUARTER NOTES

.....................b)  SKATING AWAY (B, A)

                           ..SONG USES DOTTED HALF NOTES, HALF NOTES, QUARTER NOTES

.....................c)  SONG OF THE SEA (B, A, G)

                           ..SONG USES DOTTED HALF NOTES, HALF NOTES, QUARTER NOTES

(to be continued and reviewed the next time we play the recorder)

ADV. STRINGS

01.  CABALITO
02.  WHAT MAKES YOU BEAUTIFUL
02.  ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL
03.  STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN

BEG. STRINGS

01.  MY HEART WILL GO ON

02.  STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN 
03.  PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN (SIGHT READING)

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-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

WHAT WE DID TODAY (SEMESTER #1-23): MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2010

GENERAL MUSIC PERIODS 2,3,6

COMPOSER: BACH DOUBLE VIOLIN CONCERTO (CONTINUED FROM FRIDAY)
1. Reviewed what a "double concerto" was: soloists playing a duet with an accompaniment of an orchestra with the music 
    divided into 3 movements.
2. Discussed that Bach's music has a lot of notes and that he had to write all these notes down using a quill pen and ink that 
     you dipped the pen into.
.....a. All the music for the orchestra parts had to be copied by hand (no electronics back then) and since there was no electric 
         lights this was all done by candle light.
.....b. Bach work all day and at night he and his wife would copy most of the music by hand.
.....c. At the end of Bach's life he was going blind partly due in part to the years of stress he put on his eyes writing up all this 
         music by candle light.
OBJECTIVE: RECORDER NOTE READING BY LETTERS
1. QUOTE AUTHOR: Sergei Prokofiev
.....a. A Russian composer from the 20th Century
.....b. His most famous composition was "Peter and the Wolf." 

"Peter and the Wolf" Narrated by David Bowie Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpoizq-jjxs

"Peter and the Wolf" Narrated by David Bowie Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFSrmhNHz84&feature=related

"Peter and the Wolf" Narrated by David Bowie Part 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShA-ew26eL4&feature=related

"Peter and the Wolf" Narrated by David Bowie Part 4

.....c. We discussed the topic of dissonance in music and likened it to food.

..........1)First we defined the term dissonance: discord or lack of agreement; conflict or incompatibility

..........2)Certain foods have flavors that are pleasant but they don't always blend well together (ie: peppermint and orange 
              juice may be pleasant separately but don't mix well together) Sounds can act the same way; ones that don't blend 
              well together produce a strident, harsh, often irritating sound call dissonance.

..........3)Sounds that blend well together create a pleasant, comfortable, and/or happy-type sound; the term used for this in 
              music is called "consonance."

2. SOLFEGE: DO-RE-MI

.....a. Each student sings the pattern and hand signs to...
       teacher: "Did you finish your quote/" Student reply, "Yes I did."
3. WARM-UP

.....a. We worked our way down the recorder starting to use the fingers of the right hand.
.....b. We reviewed the musical alphabet backwards and how it related to recorder fingering

4. WHACKY NUTCRACKER DO-RE-MI piece

.....a. Using the musical alphabet forward (up) and backwards (down) I showed students how to locate the note names on the 
         staff (lines and spaces) using step-wise motion
.....b. Understanding this concept, by knowing where the name of one note is located you will know how to name all the others 
          as well.
.....c. The symbol which indicates that one note that helps you identify all the others is called the "clef" (the symbol used for 
         the soprano recorder in music notation is called the "treble" clef or "G" clef because the symbol (found at the 
         beginning of the music) looks like a fancy "G" and the circular portion of the "G" goes around line 2 of the staff  
         (which is the "G" note in the "treble" clef). 

.....d. We exchanged finger numbers for letters and also reviewed many of the directions (measures rest, beats per measure, 
          staccato, etc.)

5. OLD MACDONALD (periods 2 and 3) DO-RE-MI piece

.....a. Reviewed letter names and what the fingerings were
.....b. Looked at the use of quarter notes (tah) and eighth note in pairs (ti-ti) symbols found in this piece

6. TURKEY TROT DO-RE-MI piece
.....a. Echanged numbers to letters

.....b. Used more complicated combinations of quarter and eighth notes

.....c. The song contained single eighth notes with flags and eighth notes in pairs (their flags being "beamed" together)

..........1)Eighth notes with flags are the same as eighth notes with beams; whenever you have 2 or more single (flagged)eighth 
             notes next to each other those flags can be tied together or "beamed" to make reading the notes easier on the eyes

..........2)Eighth note rests are valued the same as an eighth note except they are silent notes. The symbol for one looks sort-of 
             like a fancy "7"

BEGINNING VIOLIN PERIOD 5:

OBJECTIVE: Bowing on Open Strings/DO-RE-MI Fingering
1. TUNE 
2. CYCLE OF STRINGS 4x each string UH
3. CYCLE OF STRINGS 4x each string 8x UH
4. CYCLE OF STRINGS 2x each string to rhythm: "My sis-ter Marc-y" (slow-fast-fast-slow-slow) using same amount of bow 
     for each syllable but bow speed changes UH
5. CYCLE OF STRINGS 4x each string lifted, short down bows MB for articulation practice 
6. Reviewed "Little Bitty"
.....a. Reviewed that there are many LIFTED DOWN bows in this piece; bows to be lifted where indicated (during the
       quarter rests). We practiced silent lifted bows in the air first.
.....b. Reminded them of the term RITARDANDO (Italian meaning to retard or slow down "RIT." for short) written into the 
         music and defined the Italian directions "a tempo" (the original speed), "fermata" (holding the note as long as the 
         conductor wishes; symbol looks sort-of like a bird's eye),

          and a "double bar" (a symbol with a thick and thin line indicating the end of a piece of music).

......c. We played through the entire piece.
7. FINGERING DO-RE-MI
..........a. We put away our bows and learned how to put left fingers down at their pads in the RE (1st finger)-MI (2nd finger) 
               positions (DO is an open string) with the left thumb opposite the 1st finger.
..........b. Using the guitar position (for practice purposes only) students started to practice plucking the strings using the right 
              thumb over the fingerboard while they fingered the DO, RE, MI notes using the left fingers.
TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW

ADVANCED VIOLIN PERIOD 4: 

OBJECTIVE: Preparation for Harvest Day performance on October 28th/Hoedown music
1. TUNE
2. DE COLORES 
.....a. Reviewed harmony parts with cellos, guitar, and piano by having everyone (including violins) play the 
     harmony part.
.....b. Started the process of connecting the parts together. by having a few violins start the melody part (later to add a few 
         more students until all violins are playing the melody).

3. HOE DOWN

.....a. Review trying to keep bass line harmony parts connected rhythmically with the melody
.....b. Violins practiced to try to keep the fast section from rushing, so all the violins are moving at the same speed

QUIZ ON THE DIFFICULT 4-NOTE PASSAGE OF ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL POSTPONED UNTIL I RE-ANNOUNCE IT