amwhitaker.weebly.com · Web view2018. 10. 12. · by David Holsinger (1:33) A Childhood Hymn. by...

Curriculum Unit Project :

Unit Overview

My advanced eighth grade band will perform this concert program in their second semester. The pieces that will be played are listed as follows in concert order:

· If You Must Doodle, Doodle Somewhere Else! by David Holsinger (1:33)

· A Childhood Hymn by David Holsinger (3:15)

· Coast Guards March by Karl L. King, Arranged by James Swearingen (2:32)

· Blue Ridge Saga by James Swearingen (6:34)

Concert Length: 15:00

This curriculum project will include a weekly outline of rehearsals in the eight weeks leading up to the concert. This program is rather “meaty” for a band of this age, but they will grow exponentially as musicians by the end of the year. Endurance will be the biggest problem for some instruments by the end of the concert.

This band meets everyday for 45 minutes. They have 3 minutes after the bell rings to be seated and ready for rehearsal with their instrument, a pencil, and their music. I give them 3 minutes at the end of rehearsal to pack their instruments and be seated in their chairs when the bell rings. There will be a warm up everyday that will not only warm up the players, but it will also help them with certain aspects of the pieces. All long tones, chorals, scale patters, and lip slurs will come from Foundations for Superior Performance by Jeff King and Richard Williams. Things such as scales, articulation exercises, long tones, dynamic exercises, and lip slurs taken from the different pieces will be incorporated into the warm up. The warm up time is taken out of all pieces equally. Students will also frequently sing during the warm up and the rehearsal.

For assessment, students will be graded on class participation, quizzes, playing tests, and a one-page paper about at topic from a piece of the teacher’s choosing. The students will also do guided listening in class as will as an evaluation of their own concert performance at the end of the 8 weeks. All scale tests and playing tests will take place on SmartMusic, in a practice room that the teacher can see at all times. Four students will go out at a time to four separate practice rooms. They will go in one at a time and record their test. The teacher will then listen to the recordings and evaluate them on performance, effort, and improvement. Students will receive playing assignments two weeks in advance to allow them adequate time to practice. The follow is a list of the weekly assignments:

Week One- Listening Assignment

Week Two- Playing/Scale Test

Week Three- Listening Assignment

Week Four- Playing/Scale Test

Week five- Musical Terms Quiz

Week Six- Playing Scale Test

Week Seven- Paper Due

Week Eight- Concert

The class period following the concert, there will be a concert evaluation sheet for the student to fill out while listening to the recording of their concert. I will also bring them cookies to eat as a thank you for a job well down.

This ensemble contains all instruments typical in a concert band. Atypical of the average eighth grade band, we have two bass clarinets, a first year bassoon player and baritone saxophone, and string bass player. This ensemble has an extremely high work ethic and there is no doubt in my mind that they will have a very successful concert at the end of these eight weeks.

The total rehearsal time for each piece is as follows:

Total Rehearsal Time Per Piece

If You Must Doodle… (346 minutes)

A Childhood Hymn (215 minutes)

Coast Guards March (367 minutes)

Blue Ridge Saga (417 minutes)

All lesson plans are subject to change depending what is best for the ensemble. Some pieces may need more or less work than others depending on the learning curve and retention rate of the students.

Each piece was chosen carefully for specific reasons. If You Must Doodle, Doodle Somewhere Else by David Holsinger demonstrates three different styles, “Chorale,” “Waltz,” and “Slavic Dance.” It is variations on the well-known melody from Yankee Doodle. It provides a opportunity to teach about history, style, and it is fun for the students to play. A Childhood Hymn by David Holsinger is meant to help the band develop slow legato playing. It also helps the students with phrasing and stamina. It is important for students to play marches, not only for historical reasons but also for musical reasons. Coast Guards March by Karl King arranged by James Swearingen does both of these things. It is a fun song for the students to play and it is also an age appropriate march. Blue Ridge Saga by James Swearingen challenges the students musically and physically. It is long piece, so the students must work on focus and stamina. It frequently changes tempo, meter, and style throughout. By the end of this piece, students will have a good understanding of playing in 6/8 meter.

Week 1

Monday

-Sight read Holsinger- If You Must Doodle… (20 minutes)

-Sight read King/Swearingen -Coast Guards March (19 minutes)

Tuesday

-Sight read through Holsinger-A Childhood Hynm (14 minutes)

-Sight read through Swearingen- Blue Ride Saga (25 minutes)

-Skip 6/8 sections if necessary

Wednesday

-Holsinger- If You Must Doodle… (22 minutes)

-Play all the way through stopping to fix MAJOR trouble spots

-Transitions talk through them, repeat them once

-“Waltz”- not rushing rhythms

-“Slavic Dances”- syncoption

-King/Swearingen- Coast Guards March (17 minutes)


-Address cut time what it means, how to count it

- example rhythms for the piece, counting and clapping, chart of rhythmic equivalencies in 4/4 time

-Roadmap of the piece

-repeat signs

Thursday

-Holsinger- A Childhood Hynm (12 minutes)


-Transitions

-Key Change

Swearingen- Blue Ridge Saga (27 minutes)


-6/8 what it means, how to feel it

-sound before sight exercises, counting clapping

Friday

-Guided Listening (10 minutes)

-Stars and Stripes Forever- John Philips Sousa

-Discussion about marches, the march style, the history of marches


-Into- mm. 21

- Melody and accompaniment rhythms

-Who has melody? Who has accompaniment?

-Woodwind trills

Warm- ups

-History of composers and the specific pieces we are playing

- Detailed history of the march in America

-Key composers

-Long tones, lip slurs (for brass, chromatic scales for woodwinds)

-Scales- Bb major, F major

- Scales and scale patterns

-Bb major scale in syncopation

Week’s Objectives

By the end of this week:

· Students will be able to play through all 4 pieces for the concert from beginning to end by demonstrating it through performance. (There may be a few stops and starts)

· Students will be able to play the Bb major and the F major scale successfully by demonstrating it through playing scales in warms ups.

· Students will have a basic understanding of the history of marches and their style by formative questioning from the teacher.

· Students will have a basic understanding of the musical styles in If You Must Doodle… and the history of the song Yankee Doodle.

-Pre-Revolutionary War times

National Standards

1) Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

2) Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

5) Reading and notating music.

7) Evaluating music and music performances.

9) Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Time Break Down Per Piece





Week 2

Monday


-Play through “Choral” and “Waltz”

-focus- correct notes, rhythms, articulation

-“Waltz”- break down ostinato rhythms

-Swearingen- Blue Ridge Saga (24 minutes)

-mm 1-19 (Introduction)- correct notes, rhythms, articulations

-A section (mm 19-37)- correct notes, rhythms, articulations

-slow tempo

-play different parts separately

Tuesday

-Holsinger- A Childhood Hymn (15 mintues)

-Play all the way through

-focus- mm1-9

-breathing legato style

-Swearingern- Blue Ridge Saga (24 minutes)

-A section- review notes, rhythms

-slow tempo

-break down parts

-B section (mm36-49)- correct note, rhythms, articulations

-slow tempo

-break down parts

Wednesday


-mm 1-12- review correct notes, rhythms, articulations

-mm 22-39- correct notes, rhythms, articulations

-slur mm 26


-“Choral”

-“Waltz”

-Melody- who has it? Fitting with ostinato rhythms

- Solidifying tempo in ostinato rhythms

Thursday

-Holsinger- A Childhood Hymn (17 minutes)

-focus- phrasing mm 1-9

- mm 9-17- clarinet rhythm mm 9-15

-all flutes play solo


-Review mm 22-39- correct notes, rhythms

-Discuss trio (mm39-55)

-Key change

- legato style, lighter, softer

Friday

-Scale test through all of class

-Bb major, F major


-Review Into- end of B section

-Focus on A section- notes, rhythms, articulations (still slow tempo)

Warms- ups


-Choral- 3, 4 – phrasing, dynamics

-Scales- Bb major, F minor

- Scales and scale patterns

-With staccato, legato articulation

-Bb major scale in syncopation

-F major scale in 6/8 rhythms

Week’s Objectives


· Students will have a better understanding of the correct notes and rhythms of the pieces through rehearsal.

· Students will understand the trio section of a march and understand its characteristics.

· Students will continue to become more stable with 6/8 meter.

· Students will play the Bb major and F major scales accurately.

National Standards










Week 3

Monday


-Review mm 1-17

-mm 13-22- separate parts, all flutes and all trumpets play solos, correct notes/rhythms


-Review Intro- B section- review items already covered

-focus B section (mm49-75)- at slow tempo

-6/8 meter, notes, rhythm, articulations

Tuesday


-mm 1-30- review anything already covered

-“Slavic Dance”-mm30-42

-syncopation, correct notes and rhythms

-trumpet melody


-Review A and B sections- notes, rhythms, articulations, a little faster tempo

-focus most of rehearsal on B section

Wednesday


-Review mm 1-trio

-Trio- Style, notes, and rhythms


-mm30-42- rhythms, syncopation, homophonic dotted eighth sixteenth notes

Thursday


-mm22-37- focus on key change, correct notes and rhythms, seperate and listen to

all different parts

-nothing forte yet focus on good tone

-King/Swearinger- Coast Guards March (20 minutes)

-mm 55-71- correct notes and rhythms, separate parts/put them back together, articulation

Friday

-Guided Listening (10 minutes)

-Perthshire Majesty by Samuel Hazo

- Discussion about phrasing, peak of phrases, expressive playing


-Play all the way through focus on phrases


-mm1-end of B section- review problem areas

-read C section (mm 91-130)- transition, ¾ meter, key change, notes, rhythms, legato, 2nd key change

Warms- ups


-Choral 1, 2- phrasing, dynamic variations

-Scales- Ab major, f minor

-Scales and scale patterns


-Eb major scale in syncopation, dotted eighth sixteenth notes

-Bb major scale in 6/8 rhythms

Week’s Objective


· The students will be more comfortable with the syncopation in “Slavic Dances.”

· The students will continue to become more comfortable with 6/8 meter.

· The students will successfully perform the Ab major and f minor scale.

· The students listen to and evaluate Perthshire Majesty by Samuel Hazo.

National Standards











Week 4

Monday


-review mm 1-30 notes, rhythms, articulation

-mm 30-42- review

-mm 42-end- syncopation, articulation, key change, tbn/tenor sax melody, mode change mm48-end


-mm 22-end- key changes, all clarinets and horns play solo parts

-focus on melody who has melody? Bring it out at all times

Tuesday


-Play through piece point out that mm 71- end is same as trio

-mm71- end- for instruments that did not play in the trio

-mm 55-71- focus on notes, rhythms, and articulations


-Play through piece

-mm30-end- rhythms, syncopation, notes, split up parts

Wednesday



-Break down parts mm1-22

-students hear who is on each part


-Review C section- notes, rhythms, legato, key changes, dynamics

-Read percussion transition- A section (mm 130-154)

-fitting percussion parts together

-understand that this A section is the same as the first one

Thursday


-mm 22-55- focus on notes, rhythms, and articulations

-break down parts in each section


-Read mm 1- 192- endurance, notes, rhythms, transitions, rondo FORM

-mm 192-end- notes, rhythms, marcato articulation, separate all parts to listen

Friday


-Eb major, c minor


-Play through the piece stopping for transition problems and trouble spots

-mm 1-22- focus on articulations (marcato), rhythms

-how to release note ties across bar lines


-Play piece all the way through

-stop when necessary, fix large problems

Warms- ups


-Choral 2, 3, 4 - phrasing, dynamic variations

-discussion about form rondo form






Week’s Objectives


· Students will be able to play the Eb major and the c minor scales successfully.

· Students will be able to play through all 4 pieces without stopping.

· Students will no longer miss the key changes in any piece.

· Students will be able to define and recognize rondo form.

National Standards










Week 5

Monday


-mm 22-59- focus on cresc. Mm 23, legato mm 26, marcato mm29, separate parts

-mm29-55- legato style

-mm 42, 46, 49- tbn/bari marcato notes


-mm 1-9- phrasing, where to breathe

-mm 9-22- phrasing, where to breathe

-mm 1-22- bring out melody

Tuesday


-“Chorale”- phrasing, breathing, rall./dim.

-“Waltz”- separate melody and accompaniment, fit them together

-Swearingen- Blue Ridges Saga (17 minutes)

-Intro- phrasing, dynamic contrast, stagger breathing, decrescendo and rallentando together as an ensemble, good air at piano volume

Wednesday


-Play through piece

-mm 30-end- split up parts, articulation accents and marcatos in melody

-I V progression


-Play all the way through go back to hit trouble spots

-mm 5- clarinets bring out triplet rhythms

- mm, 6-7- stretch

-continue to focus on legato style and phrasing

Thursday


-Play through piece

-mm 55-71- focus on playing forte with good sound and tone, articulations, separating parts

-mm 71-end- fortissimo with good sound/tone, listening for all parts


-A section- crisp staccato, contrast between staccato and slur

-mm 29-trumpet melody

-lows and middles bring out mm 28

Friday

-Musical Terms Quiz (15 minutes)


-B section- solid in 6/8 time, up to performance tempo, fortissimo control

-contrast!-mm 165- short p < mf with clear articulation

Warms- ups

-Long tones ff dynamic, lip slurs (for brass, chromatic scales for woodwinds)

-Choral 1, 2, 3- phrasing, dynamic variations






Week’s Objectives


· Students will be able to clearly articulate marcato, legato, and accents in each piece.

· Students will be able to play at fortissimo volumes with a good tone and sound.

· Students will master the syncopated rhythms in “Slavic Dance.”

· Students will demonstrate correct phrasing in A Childhood Hymn.

· Students will be able to define all the musical terms that appear in all 4 pieces.

National Standards










Week 6

Monday


-“Chorale”- dynamic contrast, phrasing


-Discuss playing expressively

-Speed up and slow down when appropriate in the music make sure ensemble

can watch


-mm 1-39- focus on contrast dynamic, articulation, style

Tuesday


-“Chorale”- Review

-“Waltz”- make it dance!


-C section- expressive! transition, key changes, mm 98-103 melody vs. countermelody, lows soli, fl/cl soli, rit. in new key change

Wednesday


-Play through all of piece

-mm 39-end- focus on contrast dynamic, articulation, style


-mm30-end

-speed up tempo

-key/mode change

-hearing all accompaniment parts

Thursday


-focus on places with slurs and accents

-mm 22-31


-focus on trio (mm 39 AND mm 71)

-stylistic contrast


-focus on percussion break (mm 130-138)

-band play timpani and bass drum part on body percussion

Friday


-Ab major, f minor

-Playing tests:

-Fl, Cl, Oboe, Alto Sax mm 21-37 in Blue Ridge Saga

-Tpt mm. 29- 37 in Blue Ridge Saga

-Low brass, horns mm. 21-37 in Blue Ridge Saga


-Play through piece with no stopping

-focus on successful transitions


-Focus on dynamic contrast throughout

-What parts to bring out when

Warms- ups


-Choral 3, 4, 5- phrasing, dynamic variations, CONTRAST!



-With staccato, legato articulation-CONTRAST!



Week’s Objectives


· Students will be able to successful demonstrate 6/8.

· Students will be able to successfully show contrast in dynamics, articulation, and style.

· Students will be able to play all 4 pieces close to tempo.

· Students will be able to play the Ab major and f minor scales accurately.

National Standards











Week 7

Monday


-mm 30-end- at performance tempo, articulation


-Review dynamic contrast

-Focus on play forte and stong with a good sound mm 22-37


-mm 55-end

-forte, strong playing, march!!

Tuesday

-SCRAMBLE rehearsal- Students sit by none-like instruments

-New listening environment

-Play through each place in new seats

-Discuss new things the students hear





Wednesday


-Listen of new things students heard in scramble rehearsal

-Fix problems



-Fix problems



-Fix problems

Thursday



-Fix problems

-King/Swearingen- Coast Guard March (15 minutes)

-Fix issues

-word on playing confidently

Friday

-Paper Due

-Topic choice- History of Yankee Doodle

-when popular, what lyrics mean, who wrote it, what used for

-one page, single spaced

-assigned first week of school

-Run through all pieces, in concert order, without stopping

-Go back and address issues in each piece

-Holsinger- If You Must Doodle…

-Holsinger- A Childhood Hymn

-King/Swearingen- Coast Guards March

-Swearingen- Blue Ridge Saga

Warms- ups


-Choral 1,3,4- phrasing, dynamic variations, ff to pp dynamic contrast






Week’s Objectives


· Students will be able to play through all 4 pieces with accurate dynamic, notes, rhythms, and articulation at performance tempos.

· Students will be confident in their parts and in their playing and be able to play musically.

National Standards











Week 8

Monday



-Take last opportunity to address anything that needs work




Tuesday







Wednesday

-Dress Rehearsal Day in Auditorium

-Run through all pieces, in concert order, without stopping

-Go back and address issues in each piece

-Students get used to playing pieces in auditorium

-Holsinger- If You Must Doodle…

-Holsinger- A Childhood Hymn

-King/Swearingen- Coast Guards March

-Swearingen- Blue Ridge Saga

Thursday

-Long Warm up

-Light Playing

-Short excerpts

-trouble spots and confident areas

-solidify all

-CONCERT! 7pm

Friday

-Listen to concert recording

-Evaluate performance on ISSMA judging sheets

-Discuss performance good and bad

-COOKIES for a job well done!

Warms- ups

-Many long tones, lip slurs

-Chorale 3, 4 – dynamic contrast, phrasing, breathing together

-All Scales and scale patterns

Week’s Objectives


· Students will be able to confidently perform all 4 concert pieces accurately.

· Students will comprehend all musical concepts taught through the concert music.

· Students will be able to evaluate their concert performance using an adequate musical vocabulary.

National Standards











-Plus run throughs and concert time

amwhitaker.weebly.com · Web view2018. 10. 12. · by David Holsinger (1:33) A Childhood Hymn. by...

Documents

Transcript of amwhitaker.weebly.com · Web view2018. 10. 12. · by David Holsinger (1:33) A Childhood Hymn. by...