February 25, 2013

Grade 6
Our goals for this week are to record our arrangement of "J'entends Le Moulin" using our rhythmic ostinati on pitched and non-pitched percussion instruments and voices. We will also begin to learn "Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel" a spiritual arranged for choir.
During our first class of the week, students will review the instrumental and vocal parts for the song which was learned last week. Students will elect classmates who were most successful at improvising on their instruments as the final performers during the recording. The other students will form the unison choir and will sing during the recording.If time permits we will discuss the context of our new choir song "Didn't My Lord" and listen to a recording of it on youtube.
During our second class of the week, we will listen to our recording and discuss what the elements of the recording which were most successful and what might be improved. We will spend the remainder of the period beginning to learn vocal parts for the new choir piece.

Grade 7

This is week 5 in term 2. Students are reminded to practise twice this week. Our goals for this week are to learn how to use the creative process and Finale software to create a composition for two instruments.
During the first class of the week, we will take up our journal and check that all students have completed this assignment. Students will complete any outstanding performance tests and then will be introduced to Finale software. They will learn how to input notes and rests on the staff using a computer, and expressive markings such as articulation.
Once in the lab, students will receive a sheet indicating the success criteria for a composing assignment which will require students to create a duet using their Question and Answer composition.
During the second class, students will complete note entry and edit their work. Students will receive a copy of the new band piece "Anasazi" and should begin learning 8 or more measures.
Homework: practise Anasazi

Grade 8

This is week 5 in term 2. Students are reminded to practise twice this week.  Our goals for this week are to complete all preliminary activities which demonstrate an understanding of how the elements of incidental music are related to a film's action and composer's point of view. Students will receive instructions for a group composition for film.
During our first class, students will receive their Planet Earth assignments and performance test rubrics; the results of these two assessments will be discussed. Students will review what has been learned about background music and listen to some examples of movie themes which incorporate the 3 roles discussed (rhythmic, melodic and harmonic).
Students will watch 3 different versions of "Giraffe" in which each musical background communicates a different point of view. After receiving a composing worksheet and success criteria, students will view the 3 film clip choices for their composing project, consider which one they would like to compose, the message/point of view they want to share, and how their instrument might be used most effectively. If time permits, students will form groups and begin planning their composition.
Homework: complete composing 16 bars for your film clip and practise your melody.

February 19, 2013

Grade 6:
Our goals for this week are to continue our singing of the Quebec folk song "J'entends Le Moulin" and add a multi-layered ostinato to it.

During our first class of the week, students will complete any remaining performances of solos for "Mei Ming". Marks will be shared with students. We will review "J'entends Le Moulin" and work on singing in tune with a light head tone. We will discuss the types of sounds which might be used as an accompaniment. Students will take turns improvising ostinati and singing the first 4 or 5 verses of the song.

During our second class of the week, students will begin a new choral song (which is a spiritual) called "Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel". We will discuss the social and historical context for this song.

Grade 7:
This is practise week 4 in term 2.  Students should be practising twice this week outside of class and have 6 signatures on their Practise Record Sheet. Our goals for this week are to complete performances of duets and pentatonic groups, and to begin learning about the elements of music. We will focus on texture, tempo, dynamics, and timbres/tone colours.

During our first class of the week, students will receive a packet of information about the elements of music. Referring to their information packet, students will be asked to describe the texture tempo, dynamics, and timbres/tone colours of "Terpsichord Musarum" which was composed in the 1400s. They will perform song 46 in their book which was composed in the same era. For homework, students will answer the following question in their journals:
     Using musical terminology about the elements of music, describe the differences between 
     Renaissance dance music and the dance music we hear today.

During our second class of the week, students will be asked to share their journal question with the class, and the will review song 46. Any remaining duets or pentatonic performances will be performed.

Homework: Song 46 and journal question #2 above.

Grade 8:
This is practise week 4 in term 2.  Students should be practising twice this week outside of class. Our goals for this week are to demonstrate our musicianship by performing "Crusade" for a mark, and begin our incidental music composing project.

During our first class of the week, Students will be introduced to the incidental music composing project  by watching a short youtube video, They will discuss the message and elements, and then experiment with creating incidental music using a drone, rhythmic riff and melody.

During our second class of the week, students will continue any testing not completed during our first class.

Homework: prepare for the Crusade test.

February 11, 2013

Grade 6: Our goals for this week are to perform our pentatonic melodies as a solo for the class and add an ostinato to the performances. We will begin a group of new reading songs which will build on our understanding of do, re, mi, sol and la, and add low sol. These include "On the Banks of The Don", "John Kanaka", and "J'Entends Le Moulin".

During our first class we will perform our pentatonic solos. We will read and sing one of our new reading songs and add a pentatonic ostinato as an accompaniment.

During our second class we will complete any remaining pentatonic solos and begin a new choral score.


Grade 7: This is practise week 3 in term 2. Students should have 6 signatures for practise outside of class. Our goals for this week are to begin learning the minor scale and complete our Lunar New Year presentations (using the pentatonic scale) for a mark. Most grade 7 classes will only meet one time this week because of the PA day on Friday.

During our first class of the week we will begin with a scale warms up using the major and pentatonic scales. We will begin building a minor scale on the back of our major scale sheet, using our new note from song 37. Students will review song 39 (faster) and will then get into groups to perform their duets and Lunar New Year pentatonic rounds.
During our second class of the week we will continue our group performances and read through song 38 if time permits.
Homework: practise songs 38 and 39 (both parts) for speed, and prepare to play your pentatonic round.


Grade 8: This is practise week 3 in term 2. Our goals for this week are to perform all measures of "Crusade" accurately and expressively (with dynamics and articulation), and use our knowledge of the elements of music to select incidental music for a film.

During our first class of the week we will perform from measure 50 to the end completing the entire pieces. Some students will be asked to demonstrate their playing ability. We will finish the presentation on the history of incidental music in film.
During our second class of the week students will view a youtube video from the movie "Good Morning Vietnam" and predicting what the incidental music might be. They will then listen and discuss the impact of the actual music. The we will watch "Earth - the one video you need to see" without the incidental music. In partners, they will discuss some of the different messages it might  convey and the way elements would be used..  For homework, students will be asked to complete the worksheet which asks them to select appropriate music for the background of this video and explain/support their choice.
Homework: practise measures 1-end of Crusade with articulation and dynamics. Complete the "Earth" worksheet.

February 4, 2013

Grade 6: Our goals for this week are to continue building our reading skill using our sol-fa syllables as we create and perform a simple song using the major pentatonic scale, and performing ostinati to accompany our melodies. (The pentatonic scale is often associated with Oriental melodies.)

During our first class of the week, we review by echoing and reading patterns using do, re, mi, sol and la. Students will perform their melody for Mei Ming's song with their partner/group. We will view 2-3 youtube videos which show performances of traditional Chinese instruments and Chinese music for the New Year.
During our second class of the week, students will choose pentatonic patterns to create and sing their own melody. They will perform it as a solo.
If time permits, students will use pitched and non-pitched percussion instruments to create their own 8 beat ostinati which could be used as a background for their song. 

Grade 7: Our goals for this week are to continue to build our ability to play in parts on our instruments, and read and play fluidly from notation.

During our first class of the week, we will hear some duets from students who have prepared songs 26, 33 or 34. Then many students will perform their penatonic 8 beat melodies alone and in groups of 2 to 4 students for a mark.  New concepts used in songs 29, 37 and 39 will be introduced. 

During our second class of the week, students will review songs 29, 37, 39 and continue hearing duets from groups of students. The reverse side of the pentatonic composing sheet will be assigned.

Homework: students should be practising songs 29, 37 and 39. Students should be expanding their 8 beat composition to a 16 beat composition using the reverse side of their composing sheet.

Grade 8: Our goals for this week are to performing measures 28-49 of "Crusade", and
continue our study of incidental music by exploring examples of incidental music across the history of film.

During our first class of the week, students will hand in their Analysis of a Theme written work. We will review measures 1-28 and begin measures 28-49. Students will be expected to perform these measures for a quiz next class. In the time remaining, we will view a presentation on the history of incidental music for films.

During our second class of the week, we will review measures 1-28 and some students will be asked to demonstrate their ability to perform this section. We will then complete the presentation on the history of incidental music for film. Students will complete the class with an activity which asks them to discuss and predict how the elements of music will be used for a video from youtube. The actual music will then be played and the effect discussed.

Homework: practice "Crusade" measure 1-49