Intermediate

• Intermediate Division - Gr. 7 - 10 - Presentation No.1
• Intermediate Division - Gr. 7 - 10 - Presentation No.2
• Intermediate Division - Gr. 7 - 10 - Presentation No.3

Focus on: History of the different instruments in the group

• Duple and triple metre
• Dynamics (piano, mezzo, forte)
• Form - Rondo – ABACA, Theme and Variations, Song (verse)
  

During each of these presentations, the members of KSBQ will also be answering some of the questions to try to lead the students in the direction we would like to go. Sometimes the performers will answer the question correctly...some times incorrectly.

Concept: Duple and Triple Metre

1. Begin with John Williams’ Marches
2. Introduce group, individuals and what we play
3. What type of piece of music did we just play. All of the tunes in that medley were…marches.
4. How many beats per bar in a march? What is the metre?
5. There are 2 main types of metre in music….duple and triple. Almost all music is either is duple or triple metre.
6. Clap and tap in duple. Clap and tap in triple.
7. Most of music you hear on radio/cds/ipods etc is duple.
8. Now we’ll play a piece that you will probably not hear on the radio or ipods…but you have probably heard it before somewhere. If you know the name of it, keep it a secret.
9. Perform excerpts from Blue Danube. Name of tune? Heard it before? Was the metre duple or triple? What sort of dance would you do to that? Does anyone know what a waltz is?
10. Does anyone know any other tunes that are in triple metre.
11. Now we will perform a collection of Canadian Folk Songs (Newfoundland Sketch)

See if you can identify the tunes and what metre they are in. Name the tunes and identify the metre.

Concept: Piano, Mezzo, Forte

1. We will perform a piece of music written by J. Offenbach. You have heard this before somewhere. Identify what the metre is, perhaps what kind of dance but also listen for something else in the music that (in one section of the music) changes from one measure to the next.
2. Perform Orpheus in Underworld by Offenbach.
3. What changes were occurring every measure? (volume). What is the musical term to describe changes in volume?
4. How did we know to make those changes? What is another way musicians in a group know when to change dynamics? Conductor.
5. If you were a conductor, how would you indicate those changes? Arms/hands up and down for different dynamics.
6. Terms for those dynamics are: Piano, forte, mezzo. What language is that? Why? (music schools in Italy)
7. Show all students how to indicate changes in dynamices and then have a few Guest conductors to conduct the Quintet.
8. Perform Purcell Trumpet voluntary with guest conductors (simple up and down arm movements only).
   

 

Concept: Form – Theme and Variations, Rondo

1. We will now perform music that demonstrates how music can be organized. Cory plays Turkey in the Straw tune
2. How could you change that tune to provide a variation of it so that it sounds a little different, but is still recognizable as the tune. Fast, slow, different instruments, add notes, harmony.
3. Explain Theme and Variation
4. We will now perform Turkey in the Straw…Count how many different variations there are. Identify what changes have been made to the theme (you may want to keep track of this info with the person beside you in case it is too much to remember all at once.
5. After the performance... How many variations? How changed? What is the term used to describe the solo in the middle of the piece? (Cadenza)
6. Do you know of any other tunes that are like that?
7. Another form of music is called Rondo. What does that mean? (round)
8. The tune or theme is performed at the beginning (sometimes an introduction) then a different but similar tune is played and then we go back to original theme.
9. We will now perform music written by a famous composer. If you know the piece or the composer, keep it a secret. Listen to hear the main theme and the Rondo form and how many times the main theme is played.
10. Eine Kleine Nacht Music – Rondo
11. Who has heard that before? Name of composer? What instruments usually play that piece? How many times did the main theme appear?
    

Finale: When I’m 64 - Beatles

1. This music demonstrates yet another format for organizing tunes.
2. Listen to identify how many verses of the tune are played.
3. Who knows that tune? What was it? Composers?
4. How many verses?
5. Other music that the Beatles wrote?
   

Focus on:

• History and Construction of Instruments
• String, Woodwind, Brass, Percussion, Piano
• How technological advancement has influenced instrument manufacture and music. Glue for string insts. Bending metal tubes for brass, valves. Woodwind keys. Piano mechanism. Hide and plastic for drums. Electronic instruments, computers
• Breathing and Posture
• Physical requirements for sound production
• Equipment – instruments and chairs

 

Possible projects for students

• Videotape our performance and write a review of the music (research) and the quality of the performance.
• What was good about it? What could be improved?
• Research information on composers, the music, time period, manufacturing of instruments.
  

Topic: Use of instruments through history

1. Perform a piece of music from Medieval era.
2. Introduce group, individuals and instruments
3. Where was that music from? Style? Was it used for a particular situation? Medieval period – 1200 - 1450
4. Discuss how music was used. Most music was in church singing and organ. Dancing, accompany singing...Different Styles
5. What instruments were used then? (drums, strings, double reeds, other?)
6. What did instruments look like then?
7. Were there any brass instruments?
8. Perform - Susato Renaissance Dances
9. What piece of music was that? Again…mostly to accompany dancers or singers. Renaissance period 1450 - 1600
10. How were instruments made? Any changes from the Medieval era?
11. John talks about trombone and it's place in history, manufacture etc.
12. Perform Clarke Prince of Denmark’s March
13. Does anyone know that piece? Written by ? What historical period? – Baroque - Used for ceremony. Typically performed on or at....?
14. Larry/Wayne talks about trumpet
15. Perform Handel Hornpipe. Have you heard that before? What is it…Who wrote it…when. Used for a ceremony.
16. Cory talks about French Horn
17. Perform: Wagner – Ride of Valkyries. Heard that before? What is it? Who wrote it?…When? Used for?….
18. Sylvain talks about Tuba
    
    

Questions:

1. How have technological advancements influenced the manufacture of instruments and the type or amount of music being produced?
2. Is music easier to ‘get’ now? Downloading?
3. How do musicians earn a living?
4. How has this affected you?
5. Are some instruments made the same way now as they were 200 years ago? Why? Why not? Which ones?
6. Are there ‘new’ instruments in the past few years that were not around 30 years ago?

 

Topic: Physical requirements for performance

1. When we play our instruments, what must we do in order to play well? Posture (demo and describe). Breathing (demo and describe). Equipment – stands and chairs. Physical space?
2. Quality of instruments
3. Each person describes quality of instrument (approx. cost) What does a person listen for in a performance? Quality. Enjoyment of music. Dress code for performances.
4. Type of instruments
5. Style of music

Questions?

Finale: Buglers’ Holiday or something else up tempo.

Focus on:

• Characteristics of music from the Romantic Period - emotional content - difference between programmatic and absolute music
• Programmatic music tells a story (Peter and the Wolf, Great Gate of Kiev, When Johnny Comes Marching Home, Marche Militaire)
• Absolute music is music for music’s sake (Beethoven Rondo)
• Historical context of music listened to
• What was happening in Canada then? What was happening where the music was written?…Other places?
• Describe your responses to the music.
  

Topic: Music from the Romantic period, programme, absolute, historical context

1. Perform Great Gate of Kiev. - Moussorgsky
2. Introduce group, individuals and instruments.
3. Has anyone heard that piece of music before? What is it? Who? When?
4. It tells a story….programme music.
5. What was happening in Canada at the time this music was written?
6. There is also music that tells a story (is meant to conjure mental images) while there is also a narrator.
7. Does anyone know music that does this? (Peter and the Wolf)
8. Perform excerpts from Peter and the Wolf - Prokofiev.
9. Does there need to be a narrator for you to get an idea of what the composer meant to represent?
10. Perform March Militaire - Schubert. What music was that? Who? When? Does this music create any visual images in your mind or provoke any feelings?
11. We are now going to perform music that you have heard. Keep it a secret if you know what it is. What images does this music create for you? Feelings? What is the story?
12. Perform Mendelssohn’s Wedding March from Midsummer Night’s Dream.
13. What was that? Who? When? What images does it create for you? Feelings? Why? What play was that music written for?
14. Other music that has been written without a story in mind….just music for music’s sake is called absolute music. It is not meant to represent anything in particular…but it probably does promote an emotional response.
15. Perform other music by Schubert or Beethoven or Brahms that is not programme music.
16. Emotional response? Do you think this music told a story? Perhaps the composer did not intend to tell a story, but you found one in the music. Were your great grandparents alive when this music was written?
17. Does movie music tell a story? Does the movie soundtrack accompany the story? Does the soundtrack help the story become more intense or effective?
18. Perform John Williams’ Marches
19. What stories were being told? Could you see some of the movie in your mind while the music was being played?
    iii. Emotional response? What is the difference between a movie soundtrack and programme music from the romantic period. Is there a 19th Century equivalent to a movie soundtrack?
20. Opera music.
21. Perform Wagner ‘Here Comes the Bride’
22. Images? Emotion? What was happening in the opera at that point?
23. Perform other Wagner with Leitmotif.
24. What is the 20th or 21st Century equivalent to 19th Century Opera (other than movies) Stage musical
25. What stage musicals have you seen? Have you been in any? Does the music in those tell a story? …or is the story told through the song?
26. Les Mis, and J.C. Superstar are operas.
27. Perform some music from Phantom of the Opera.
28. If you were going to write music, how would you want it to make people feel? Why? What sort of music would you write? Instruments? Voices? Words?

Questions?

Finale: Perform - In the Hall of the Mountain King? or other movie music.