Teacher: M. Lipton Subject: String Orchestra Grade: 9-12 Month: September
Big Ideas / Enduring Understandings
· Music‐making is one of the oldest, most intimate and basic forms of communication and cultural expression.
· Reading and notating music are essential to music literacy.
· Educated music listeners learn to describe, analyze and evaluate music and music performances as an expressive art form.
· The skills, techniques, elements and principles of music can be learned, studied, refined and practiced.
Essential questions
· Why and how do people create music?
· How do people play an instrument?
· How is music analyzed and understood?
· How and why is music performance evaluated?
Standards / Content / Skills / Assessments9.1.12.B: Recognize, know, use and demonstrate a variety of appropriate arts elements and principles to produce, review and revise original works in the arts.
9.1.12.G: Analyze the effect of rehearsal and practice sessions.
9.1.12.A: Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities (duration, intensity, pitch, timbre, composition, form, genre, harmony, rhythm, texture). / Tone Quality
Scales
Technique
Intonation
Attack & Release of Notes
Articulation / · Identify required elements to produce a good tone on a wind instrument:
1. Good Posture
2. Bow Pressure on String
3. Speed / Length of Bow Used
4. Proper Bow Grip
5. Rosin on Bow
· Major Scales: C, F, G
· Perform scales individually and in ensemble warm-ups.
· Identify key signatures verbally and in writing.
· Write key signatures on music staff.
· Understand whole and half step construction.
· Development of technique required for each instrument though scale exercises, method books and ensemble repertoire.
· Development of proper bow stroke technique with regard to wrist, forearm and upper arm motion.
· Understand and execute shifting to 3rd and 5th positions as required by scales and ensemble repertoire.
· Identify good and bad intonation between two instruments.
· Understand terminology: Flat (too low), Sharp (too high).
· Explain / demonstrate how to adjust intonation via finger placement / adjustment on strings.
· Instrument tuning procedure.
· Demonstrate understanding and proper use of bow to attack and release pitches on instrument.
· Understand and perform varied articulation styles including: legato, tenuto, staccato, accent, marcato, detache, martele loure and spiccato during ensemble warm-up and rehearsal. / · Perform scales and other warm-up exercises with good tone quality characteristic of the instrument.
· Verbal quizzing of students on key signatures.
· Perform scales in rehearsal warm-ups.
· Class rehearsal observation
· Individual / small group performance assessments.
· Performance of unison scales and warm-up exercises.
· Pitch matching in ensemble rehearsals.
· Ensemble tuning procedure.
· Observation in ensemble warm-up.
· Observation in ensemble rehearsal.
· Small group performance assessments.
· Ensemble warm-ups and rehearsal.
Reflection:
Teacher: M. Lipton Subject: String Orchestra Grade: 9-12 Month: September (pg. 2)
Dynamics
Rhythm
Sight-reading
Ensemble Repertoire
Ensemble Seating Audition / · Understand dynamic markings from soft to loud (pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff).
· Crescendo, Decrescendo, Diminuendo
· Respond to dynamic markings in ensemble warm-up and ensemble music.
· Understand and use the “Number” counting system for rhythm (1e+a).
· Perform as a group and individually exercises in “Basic in Rhythm” using the counting and clapping method.
· Perform isolated rhythm examples from the ensemble repertoire during warm-up or ensemble rehearsal.
· Identify musical elements to be reviewed prior to sight-reading a piece of music: key signature, meter, tempos, tempo changes (rit., accel., fermata etc.), repeats, solos, melody, dynamics, difficult passages, key changes, accidentals, articulations / bowings.
· Sight-read musical selections in rehearsal.
· Application of all content skills in the rehearsal and performance of the ensemble repertoire.
· Individual performance assessment of musical skills for placement in ensemble seating. Audition to include assigned piece, scales and sight-reading. / · Ensemble warm-ups.
· Ensemble rehearsals.
· Individual and group performance assessment.
· Repertoire sight-reading in rehearsals.
· Teacher observation during rehearsals.
· Concert Performances.
· Teacher scoring on audition rubric.
Reflection:
Teacher: M. Lipton Subject: String Orchestra Grade: 9-12 Month: October
Big Ideas / Enduring Understandings
· Music‐making is one of the oldest, most intimate and basic forms of communication and cultural expression.
· Reading and notating music are essential to music literacy.
· Educated music listeners learn to describe, analyze and evaluate music and music performances as an expressive art form.
· The skills, techniques, elements and principles of music can be learned, studied, refined and practiced.
Essential questions
· Why and how do people create music?
· How do people play an instrument?
· How is music analyzed and understood?
· How and why is music performance evaluated?
Standards / Content / Skills / Assessments9.1.12.B: Recognize, know, use and demonstrate a variety of appropriate arts elements and principles to produce, review and revise original works in the arts.
9.1.12.G: Analyze the effect of rehearsal and practice sessions.
9.1.12.A: Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities humanities (duration, intensity, pitch, timbre, composition, form, genre, harmony, rhythm, texture). / Tone Quality
Scales
Technique
Circle of 5ths
Conductor / Ensemble Communication
Sight-reading
Articulation
Dynamics
Intonation / · Ongoing skill development: demonstrate proper bow techniques to produce a good tone quality in ensemble warm-ups and rehearsals.
· Major Scales: C, F, G
· Ongoing skill development per September.
· Development of technique required for each instrument though scale exercises, method books and ensemble repertoire.
· Development of proper bow stroke technique with regard to wrist, forearm and upper arm motion.
· Understand and execute shifting to 3rd and 5th positions as required by scales and ensemble repertoire
· Understand the construction of the Circle of 5ths.
· Construct the Circle of 5ths.
· Elements of communication between conductor and ensemble: Tempo, Dynamics, Articulation, Phrasing / Expression, Cues.
· Basic conducting patterns for all meters in ensemble repertoire.
· Importance of watching the conductor.
· Ongoing skill development per September.
· Ongoing skill development per September.
· Ongoing skill development per September.
· Ongoing skill development per September. / · Teacher observation during rehearsal activities.
· Verbal quizzing of students on key signatures.
· Perform scales in rehearsal warm-ups.
· Individual assessment of scale performance by teacher.
· Class rehearsal observation
· Individual / small group performance assessments.
· Verbal class discussion
· Written quiz.
· Observation during ensemble warm-up and rehearsal.
· Small group performance assessments.
· Repertoire sight-reading in rehearsals.
· Ensemble warm-ups and rehearsal.
· Ensemble warm-ups.
· Ensemble rehearsals.
· Pitch matching in ensemble rehearsals.
· Ensemble tuning procedure.
· Written quiz.
Reflection:
Teacher: M. Lipton Subject: String Orchestra Grade: 9-12 Month: October (pg. 2)
Rhythm
Practice Guidelines
Ensemble Repertoire / · Ongoing skill development per September.
· Practice for Success Procedure:
1. Choose a “Problem Spot”
2. Slow Down! Find a mistake free tempo.
3. Set the metronome.
4. Play the “Problem Spot” two times in a row mistake free.
5. Play the “Problem Spot” expressively two times in a row mistake free.
6. Inch Forward . Gradually increase tempo.
7. Jump Back. Reduce tempo to fix mistakes.
8. Put the “Problem Spot” back into the music.
9. Record the final successful temp.
· Understand the importance of frequent and consistent practice intervals.
· Application of all content skills in the rehearsal and performance of the ensemble repertoire. / · Individual and group performance assessment.
· Class discussion.
· Written quiz.
· Teacher observation during rehearsals.
· Concert Performances.
Reflection:
Teacher: M. Lipton Subject: String Orchestra Grade: 9-12 Month: November
Big Ideas / Enduring Understandings
· Music‐making is one of the oldest, most intimate and basic forms of communication and cultural expression.
· Reading and notating music are essential to music literacy.
· Educated music listeners learn to describe, analyze and evaluate music and music performances as an expressive art form.
· The skills, techniques, elements and principles of music can be learned, studied, refined and practiced.
Essential questions
· Why and how do people create music?
· How do people play an instrument?
· How is music analyzed and understood?
· How and why is music performance evaluated?
· How does music reflect as well as shape history and culture?
Standards / Content / Skills / Assessments9.1.12.B: Recognize, know, use and demonstrate a variety of appropriate arts elements and principles to produce, review and revise original works in the arts.
9.1.12.G: Analyze the effect of rehearsal and practice sessions.
9.1.12.A: Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities (duration, intensity, pitch, timbre, composition, form, genre, harmony, rhythm, texture).
9.2.12.C: Relate works in the arts to varying styles and genre and to the periods in which they were created (e.g., Bronze Age, Ming Dynasty, Renaissance, Classical, Modern, Post-Modern, Contemporary, Futuristic, others).
9.2.12.A: Explain the historical, cultural and social context of an individual work in the arts
9.3.12.A: Explain and apply the critical examination processes of works in the arts and humanities. / Tone Quality
Scales
Technique
Intonation
Conductor / Ensemble Communication
Rhythm
Practice Guidelines
Balance and Blend / · Ongoing skill development per Sept. / Oct.
· Major Scales: C, F, G, Bb, D,
· Chromatic Scale
· Ongoing skill development per Sept./Oct.
· Ongoing skill development per September / October.
· Ongoing skill development per September / October.
· Listen and work to adjust intonation within and across sections of the ensemble.
· Ongoing skill development per October.
· Ongoing skill development per October.
· Ongoing skill development per October.
· Discuss and understand the concepts presented by the “Balance Pyramid”.
· Understand the importance of individual musicians listening and adjusting their volume to achieve proper ensemble balance and a good blend of sounds both within sections and across the ensemble.
· Performance of warm-up exercises to demonstrate and provide listening opportunities to hear and adjust the balance and blend of the ensemble. / · Teacher observation during rehearsal activities.
· Verbal quizzing of students on key signatures.
· Perform scales in rehearsal warm-ups.
· Record scales individually for teacher assessment.
· Class rehearsal observation
· Individual / small group performance assessments.
· Pitch matching in ensemble rehearsals.
· Ensemble tuning procedure.
· Observation during ensemble warm-up and rehearsal.
· Small group performance assessments
· Observation during ensemble warm-up and rehearsal.
· Small group performance assessments.
· Individual and group performance assessment.
· Class discussion.
· Written quiz.
· Listening during ensemble warm-ups.
· Group discussion and assessment of balance / blend results in rehearsal and recordings of ensemble.
Reflection:
Teacher: M. Lipton Subject: String Orchestra Grade: 9-12 Month: November (pg.2)
Expressive Elements
Historical, Cultural and Stylistic Elements
Musical Form
Ensemble Repertoire / · Develop an understanding of musical phrase structure and its role in musical expression.
· Use of crescendo / decrescendo as part of musical phrase.
· Dynamics and articulations as related to the expressive performance.
· Discuss historical, cultural and style period aspects of compositions and composers. Identify stylistic elements specific to this period, composer, culture or style of music.
· Discussion of compositional forms as they relate to the repertoire being rehearsed (Fugue, Rondo, Theme and Variation, etc.)
· Application of all content skills in the rehearsal and performance of the ensemble repertoire.
· Critical response / assessment with regard to the elements of a quality musical performance. / · Critical listening and evaluation of performance of ensemble repertoire in rehearsal to identify successful expressive performance.
· Group discussion of the historical, cultural and stylistic elements of the repertoire.
· Written quiz / essay.
· Class discussion / identification during rehearsals.
· Written quiz.
· Teacher observation during rehearsals.
· Concert Performances.
· Class discussion.
· Critical listening using evaluation form.
· Written critique of performance.
Reflection:
Teacher: M. Lipton Subject: String Orchestra Grade: 9-12 Month: December
Big Ideas / Enduring Understandings
· Music‐making is one of the oldest, most intimate and basic forms of communication and cultural expression.
· Reading and notating music are essential to music literacy.
· Educated music listeners learn to describe, analyze and evaluate music and music performances as an expressive art form.
· The skills, techniques, elements and principles of music can be learned, studied, refined and practiced.
Essential questions
· Why and how do people create music?
· How do people play an instrument?
· How is music analyzed and understood?
· How and why is music performance evaluated?
· How does music reflect as well as shape history and culture?
Standards / Content / Skills / Assessments9.1.12.B:
Recognize, know, use and demonstrate a variety of appropriate arts elements and principles to produce, review and revise original works in the arts.
9.1.12.G:
Analyze the effect of rehearsal and practice sessions.
9.1.12.A: Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities (duration, intensity, pitch, timbre, composition, form, genre, harmony, rhythm, texture).
9.1.12.C:
Integrate and apply advanced vocabulary to the arts forms.
9.2.12.C: Relate works in the arts to varying styles and genre and to the periods in which they were created (e.g., Bronze Age, Ming Dynasty, Renaissance, Classical, Modern, Post-Modern, Contemporary, Futuristic, others).
9.2.12.A: Explain the historical, cultural and social context of an individual work in the arts
9.3.12.A: Explain and apply the critical examination processes of works in the arts and humanities. / Tone Quality
Scales
Technique
Intonation
Conductor / Ensemble Communication
Balance and Blend
Dynamics
Music Vocabulary and Symbols / · Ongoing skill development per previous months.
· Major Scales: Bb, D
· Chromatic Scale
· Ongoing skill development per previous months.
· Ongoing skill development per previous months.
· Ongoing skill development per previous months.
· Listen and work to recognize and fix intonation problems within and across sections of the ensemble.
· Ongoing skill development per October.
· Ongoing skill development per November.
· Continue to enhance students’ ability to focus on elements outside of their part / section.
· Ongoing skill development from previous months.
· Reinforce exaggerated response to dynamic markings leading to enhanced expression in repertoire performance.
· Understand all tempo markings, general musical terms and symbols used in the ensemble repertoire. / · Teacher observation during rehearsal activities.
· Verbal quizzing of students on key signatures.
· Perform scales in rehearsal warm-ups.
· Record scales individually for teacher assessment.
· Class rehearsal observation
· Pitch matching in ensemble rehearsals.
· Ensemble tuning procedure.
· Observation during ensemble warm-up and rehearsal.
· Small group performance assessments.
· Critical listening during ensemble warm-ups and repertoire rehearsal.
· Group discussion and assessment of balance / blend results in rehearsal and recordings of ensemble.
· Critical listening and assessment of dynamics as they relate to the expressive effect of the performance.
· Class discussion and observation
· Written quiz.
Reflection: