April 8, 2013

Grade 7:
This is practise week 9 in term 2; students should practise twice this week and have a total of 18 signatures on their Practise Record Sheet.
Our goals for this week are to finish learning all notes for "Guantanamera" and assess performances.
During the first class of the week, students will warm up and review measures 17-28 of "Guantanamera" which use 2 groups of instruments in the band to create a conversation. The remaining new section of the piece from measures 35-45 will be taught and the entire piece performed.
During the second class of the week we will review "Guantanamera" from beginning to end focusing on articulation (staccatto and tenuto) and dynamics in preparation for a playing text next week.. Students will learn about the final 3 musical elements: pitch, metre and form through listening. Students will complete journal question #4: As you listen to "Overture from William Tell" by Rossini, explain how the elements of music create a triumphant (victorious) mood.

Pitch:  (high like the sound of a bird, or low like the sound of a bear - NOT loud or quiet)
     high: Jazz Sujite for Flute, Flight of the Bumblebee (flute), Yanni's violins,
     low: Elephants, Flight of the Bumblebee (tuba) Sonic Boom, Tommy The Cat
Rhythm: the length of the notes (mostly long notes or short notes)
     long: Air on a G String
     short: Trepak
Form: the arrangement of long musical sections in a piece
     ABA - ternary form Fantasie Impromptu
     ABACA - rondo form   Guantanamera
     pop song form - verse, refrain, bridge (any pop song)

Homework: practise all measures of "Guantanamera" for a playing test next week and complete journal #4.

Grade 8:

This is practise week 9 in term 2; students should practise twice this week and have a total of 18 signatures on their Practise Record Sheet.

Our goals for this week are to improve our ability to read and perform music using proper counting of eighth notes (1+2+3+4+) and review the first (A) section of "I Feel Good". We will learn the remaining new measures - the second (B) section from measures 31-41. If time permits, we will begin Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know".

During our first class of the week, students will review counting in eighth notes and clap a variety of rhythmic patterns. They will apply this to measures 1-29 of "I Feel Good" in preparation for a test, and learn the next 12 measures of "I Feel Good". Incidental Music performances will continue.

During the second class of the week, students will be marked on the measures taught in "I Feel Good" and complete remaining Incidental Music performances. If time permits, we will begin "Somebody That I Used To Know".

Homework:   prepare for a playing test on "I Feel Good" and a clapping/written text next week on counting in eighths.