December 9, 2013

Grade 7 Goals: This week's goals are to finish performing our compositions, and use Finale software to professionally print our compositions. We will also expand our reading and playing skills performing songs which have notes "do" and "re"  from our method book. 

During our first class of the week, students will learn new notes "do" and "re" and add them to their scale chart. After a warm up, students will practise songs 19, 23 and 24 in the method book as testing is completed. A short demonstration of Finale software will be presented.

The second class of the week will be spent in the computer lab.  Students will use Finale software to print their compositions and compile a class song-book.

Homework:  practise songs 19, 23, and 24


Grade 8 Goals: This week's goals are to complete composing a Hymn by adding passing/decorative notes to their individual parts and perform it with the group. Students will also have time to practise Swingle Bells in preparation for a test next week.

During our first class of the week, students will learn how/where to add decorative notes to their hymn melodies. Each student will be expected to add passing notes in 2-3 places using the following rules:
     there may only be 4 beats of music in every bar
     chord tones must remain on beats 1 and 3 in every bar
     passing notes should lead to (connect) one chord note to another chord note, filling missing letter                names
     passing notes should occur at different places than other players
     passing notes should be playable
Students should practise their new melodies being careful to perform the rhythm of the passing notes accurately. When ready, they may perform their melodies together to create polyphony .  (A polyphonic texture means that the piece of music has many equally important melodies played at one time.)

During the second class of the week, students may pracitse their compositions in preparation for playing test next week. They may also work performing their hymn in their groups.

Homework: complete writing and learning to play your part of the Hymn. Practise "Swingle Bells" for a playing test.