Music Literacy for All

Transcription

1 Music Literacy for All Developing Musically Literate Individuals in Performance-Based Ensembles J. Steven Moore, DMA

2 Research Data How Many Public Performances Does the Average H.S. Band Present Annually? 42!

3 Teaching Concepts How much time teaching musical concepts in rehearsal? Student teachers less than 1% Outstanding MS and HS directors less than less than 1%. College directors just over 3% All groups less than 2%. Source: Blocher; Teaching Music Through Performance in Band Vol. III.

4 What is the goal? Developing musically literate students. Outstanding performance ensembles. Are these goals mutually exclusive? Or does one enhance the other?

5 Grow Your Garden If each individual flower in the garden is healthy, you have a more beautiful garden. If every musician in the ensemble is musically literate, you have a more artistic ensemble.

6 What is Music Literacy? When we say music literacy what do we mean? What does the National Association of Schools of Music say about this topic? What does MENC, the National Association for Music Education say about this topic?

7 Literacy The condition or quality of being literate, especially the ability to read and write. Is this definition also applicable to music literacy? Should a musically literate person be able to read and write (compose) music?

8 What does NASM say? NASM General Standards in Musicianship: Musicianship is the body of knowledge, skills, practices, and insights that enables music-making at any level... every musician functions as a performer, listener, historian, composer, theorist, and teacher.

9 NASM Standards for a Liberal Arts Degree with a Music Major Musicianship is: 1. The ability to hear, identify, and work conceptually with the elements of music--rhythm, melody, harmony, and structure. 2. An understanding of compositional processes, aesthetic properties of style, and the ways these shape and are shaped by artistic cultural forces. 3. An acquaintance with a wide selection of musical literature, the principal eras, genres, and cultural sources. 4. The ability to develop and defend musical judgments.

10 NASM Competencies for All Degrees Scott Joplin Composition and Improvisation 1. Rudimentary capacity to create derivative or original music both extemporaneously and in written form. 2. The ability to compose, improvise, or both at a basic level in one or more musical languages....

11 National Standards for Music Education The national standards were created in MENC took the lead role, but they were developed with the input of thousands of music educators.

12 National Standards for Music Education 1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. 2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. 3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments. 4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines. 6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music. 7. Evaluating music and music performances. 8. Understanding the relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts. 9. Understanding music in relationship to history and culture. 5. Reading and notating music.

13 Another Way of Looking at the Standards Perform: sing and play Create: compose, arrange, and improvise Respond: evaluate and understand relationships in music, arts, history, and culture.

14 Show-Me Standards in Fine Arts 1. Process and techniques for the production, exhibition or performance of one or more of the visual or performed arts 2. The principles and elements of different art forms 3. The vocabulary to explain perceptions about and evaluation of works in dance, music, theater and visual arts. 4. Interrelationships of visual and performing arts and the relationships of the arts to other disciplines. 5. Visual and performing arts in historical and cultural contexts.

15 What does this mean in music? 1. Know the process and techniques to perform music. 2. Understand the principles and elements of music. 3. Know the vocabulary to explain and evaluate music. 4. Understand the interrelationships of the arts and other disciplines. 5. Understand music in historical and cultural contexts.

16 How can this be accomplished in band, orchestra, or choir? By designing a curriculum that is well-aligned, sequentiallybased, efficient, and based on the national standards.

17 Curriculum Alignment Chart (example) Steps Wk Events Keys in Method Theory Rhythms Repertoire Projects Assessments Eras Book Lessons (examples) Grading Period 1 1 F major Pretest Quarters March Unit Study Baroque 2 Bb major 1 Half, whole Chorale Style Composition 3 Eb major 2 Eighth Overture Improvisation 4 Review 3 Rests Tone Poem/Suite 5 C major Review Dotted quarter Symphony (HS) Intonation 6 G major 4 Review Novelty (JH) Adjusting Pitch 7 D major 5 Sixteenth Expression, Tests: 8 Concert 1 Review 6 Dotted eighth Note grouping Playing 1 9 Sightread Review Triplets Concept 2 Grading Period 2 10 Ab major Syncopation March Unit Study Classical 11 Db major 7 2/2 Chorale Style Composition 12 Gb major 8 6/8 Overture Improvisation 13 Honor Band Review 9 9/8 Tone Poem/Suite 14 A major Review 12/8 Symphony (HS) Musical Instruments 15 E major 10 Meter comp. Novelty (JH) Leadership 16 B major 11 Review Terms Tests: 17 Concert 2 Review 12 Slides Playing 2 18 Sightread Review Sheets Concept 2 Grading Period 3 19 Cb major Slides March Unit Study Romantic 20 F# major 13 Sheets Chorale Style Composition 21 C# major 14 Slides Overture Improvisation 22 Solo & Ens Review 15 Sheets Tone Poem/Suite 23 d minor Review Slides Symphony (HS) Tempo & Dynamics 24 State testing g minor 16 Sheets Novelty (JH) Symbols 25 c minor 17 Slides Jazz Styles Tests: 26 Concert 3 Review 18 Sheets Playing 1 27 Sightread Review Slides Concept 2 Grading Period 4 28 a minor Sheets March Unit Study Modern 29 e minor 19 Slides Chorale Style Composition 30 Festival b minor 20 Sheets Overture Improvisation 31 Review 21 Slides Tone Poem/Suite 32 f minor Review Sheets Symphony (HS) Conducting 33 f# minor 22 Slides Novelty (JH) Transposition 34 c# minor 23 Sheets Acoustics Tests: 35 Concert 4 Review 24 Slides Harmonic Series Playing 1 36 Sightread Posttest Sheets Concept 2

18 Curriculum Planner (1st 9 weeks) Week Events Keys Theory Rhythm Repertoire Projects Assessments 1 F Pretest March Unit Study 2 Bb 1 Chorale Composition 3 Eb 2 Overture Improvisation Review 3 Tone Poem or Suite C Review Symphony (high school) G 4 Review Novelty (middle school) Bowings Articulations Intonation 7 D 5 Expression 8 Concert 1 Review 6 Written test 1 9 Sight read 3 Review Playing test 1

19 Template for a Yearly Planner This is a template for yearly planner, not a recipe, blueprint, or prescription Each teacher must adjust to: student needs historical precedents teacher strengths and preferences community needs

20 Easy Steps to a Curriculum 1. Chart school and ensemble calendar. 2. Choose method book and organize key studies. 3. Schedule theory concepts and lessons. 4. Determine sequence & materials for rhythms. 5. Select repertoire. 6. Develop projects, including unit studies. 7. Schedule assessments. 8. Sequence & align the materials. 9. Post & distribute your plan.

21 Calendar Carefully consider how many performances are scheduled. Are there any areas that can be reduced? Are there additional opportunities? Are all performances helping to develop musically literate students? Service to the school and community are vital, but are they balanced? Are the performances correctly spaced and coordinated with the school calendar?

22 Key Studies Choose from among the many excellent methods available. Rotate methods. Avoid using the same method for all levels. Incorporate the following elements: 1. Scales (major and minor) 2. Scales in thirds NS 1 - Singing 3. Arpeggios 4. Technical studies 5. Chord progressions 6. Tuning exercises 7. Chorales Sing all exercises in solfege and/or numbers. National Standards for Music Education NS 2 - Performing NS 3 - Improvising NS 4 - Composing NS 5 - Reading NS 6 - Listening NS 7 - Evaluating NS 8 - Arts/Disciplines NS 9 - Culture/history

23 Theory Studies Notation (reading and writing) Rhythm Time signatures Key signatures Note recognition Intervals Major and minor scales Chords Chord progressions Symbols Terms Sequence is essential! National Standards for Music Education NS 1 - Singing NS 2 - Performing NS 3 - Improvising NS 4 - Composing NS 5 - Reading NS 6 - Listening NS 7 - Evaluating NS 8 - Arts/Disciplines NS 9 - Culture/history

24 Rhythm Studies Develop a comprehensive, sequential approach Consistent system and methodology Cognitive and psychomotor Isolate Rhythm slides Rhythm sheets Rhythm from the repertoire Rhythm Ruler Sound before symbol Repetition National Standards for Music Education NS 1 - Singing NS 2 - Performing NS 3 - Improvising NS 4 - Composing NS 5 - Reading NS 6 - Listening NS 7 - Evaluating NS 8 - Arts/Disciplines NS 9 - Culture/history

25 Repertoire Most important aspect of your curriculum Music choices should be an outgrowth of your curricular goals Align your repertoire with your rhythm and theory teaching Balance challenges and skills to create flow Consider repertoire in helping meet the national standards, particularly improvisation and composition Balance each concert Overture, chorale, tone poem, suite or symphony, concerto, march, novelty. National Standards for Music Education NS 1 - Singing NS 2 - Performing NS 3 - Improvising NS 4 - Composing NS 5 - Reading NS 6 - Listening NS 7 - Evaluating NS 8 - Arts/Disciplines NS 9 - Culture/history

26 Projects Unit Study Guides Composition Improvisation Expression, note-grouping, inflection Leadership Jazz and rock styles Intonation Transposition Terms and pronunciation Tempos and dynamics Acoustics Sight-reading NS 8 - Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts. NS 9 - Understanding music in relation to history and culture. National Standards for Music Education NS 1 - Singing NS 2 - Performing NS 3 - Improvising NS 4 - Composing NS 5 - Reading NS 6 - Listening NS 7 - Evaluating NS 8 - Arts/Disciplines NS 9 - Culture/history

27 Assessments Essential to any curriculum Helps the teacher more than the student Playing exams Written exams Grades are earned not given Communicate clearly with students, parents, administration National Standards for Music Education NS 1 - Singing NS 2 - Performing NS 3 - Improvising NS 4 - Composing NS 5 - Reading NS 6 - Listening NS 7 - Evaluating NS 8 - Arts/Disciplines NS 9 - Culture/history

28 Time on Tasks Task % Minutes per week Comments Key studies 20% 50 daily 10 or block 20 Theory and projects 8% 20 twice weekly for 10 min Rhythm studies 8% 20 twice weekly for 10 min Repertoire 64% 160 Assessments 0% 0 more fundamentals, less drill outside class or during project/rhythm time

29 Adapt Curriculum for Students in Band/Orchestra for Several Years Vary the method book for the ensemble each year Adjust individual playing exams for each grade level Adjust scale parameters in octaves, tempo, articulations Cycle music repertoire Vary project content on 2-4 year cycle Individualize projects by ability and interest

30 Align Curriculum Look for opportunities to sequence and align your instruction 6/8 theory - 6/8 rhythm slides - 6/8 march Address cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains

31 Marching Band and Jazz Band Are we developing musically literate students? Incorporate standards into all ensembles Good music education is important if it is indoors or outdoors/ straight or swing Develop music literacy with artistic and human values that will serve students well throughout their live Remember we are not teaching marching band, concert band, or jazz band--rather we are teaching people

32 Conclusion Music is a core function of the brain. Music can be one of the most meaningful experiences in person s life. Music education enriches learning and life for all students. Therefore it is even more critical that we embrace a comprehensive and sequential approach to band, orchestra, and choir. Music literacy for all