Beginning Choir Gorman Learning Center (052344) Basic Course Information Title: Beginning Choir Transcript abbreviations: Beg Choir A / Beg Choir B Length of course: Full Year Subject area: Visual & Performing Arts ("f") / Music UC honors designation? No Prerequisites: None Co-requisites: None Integrated (Academics / CTE)? No Grade levels: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th Course learning environment: Classroom Based Course Description Course overview: Beginning choir class is for students who have an interest in singing and may or may not have prior experience in a choral setting. The purpose of the beginning choir class is to positively engage in the joy of singing while developing students conceptual understanding of vocal technique and music theory knowledge through practice, performance, and critical analysis. During the exploration of the historical and cultural context of choral music, students will develop their choral music vocabulary and deepen their connection between the written and performance forms of the language of music. Students will continue to explore and develop elements of self-expression through collaborative rehearsal showcased during class and in front of a live audience. The course also gives students the opportunity to listen to and evaluate recorded/live performances as a practice of self-assessment and reflection. Program Goals:
1. Develop a strong foundational knowledge of music theory. 2. Develop a strong foundational knowledge of vocal production and technique. 3. Gain skill and understanding of various styles of music through ensemble rehearsal and performance, listening and analysis, and individual practice. 4. Gain a diverse perspective on how the language of music works in different cultures around the world. 1. Principles of Music Theory The fundamentals of music theory are an equally important element in the study, practice, and performance of music including composition and improvisation. In weekly lessons, students will engage in the study and practice of music theory skills and concepts including the correct identification of notes, rhythms, time signatures, articulations, signs, symbols, dynamics and other basics. Beginning choir students will practice and explore music theory skills and concepts through various teaching strategies, worksheets, and lessons. In addition, beginning choir students will engage in the study of key signatures and will participate in a variety of exercises in games aimed at practiced recognition and understanding of the role of key signatures in music. Students will demonstrate their comprehension of music theory through regular rehearsal, performance, composition, and improvisation. 1. Vocal Practice, Technique, and Pedagogy Learning the proper methods to warm-up the voice and prepare mentally and physically is vital to quality sound production and longevity as a vocalist. Daily, students will spend a period of time practicing breath management exercises (motion, control, support) and various vocal exercises rooted in standard solfege (ie. scales, intervals, patterns) and chorales with a focused eye on vocal register and vowel placement. In addition, students will engage in active listening throughout the vocal warm-up exercises as a tool for self-improvement and articulation of next steps towards higher performance, effectively developing their individual and collective musicianship while building technical capacity with their vocal instrument. Furthermore, daily warm-up and practice routines provide regular opportunities for goal-setting and self-assessment throughout the year. Moreover, the various routines and practice procedures also allow students to access music more freely over a wide range of styles, effectively exercising and developing musical literacy and fluency in the language of music. Overall, throughout this unit, the principles of outstanding posture, maximum resonance, and mature pitch awareness will be critical guides for students as they develop vocal and choral excellence. In addition, the texts The Complete Choral Warm-Up Book by Robinson and Althouse will provide essential exercises, diagrams, and pedagogical perspective. Another essential part of this unit is focused on ear training and sight-singing. The text Music for Sight-Singing by Ottman and Rogers will also be used regularly to support sight-singing development and mastery. Exercises from the vocal
pedagogy books by Richard Miller will also be used to teach healthy vocal technique. Model practice and performance videos will also be incorporated to serve as visual and aural guides to help the instructor demonstrate the proper technique required to get the maximum results. 1. Performance Students will participate in a variety of performances throughout the year. Most performances will be informal showcases done in the classroom while the two main performances will take place at the end of the fall and spring semesters. The formal concerts will serve as a compilation of the skills students have obtained during their exploration and practice of ensemble music. Students will go through the motions of a dress rehearsal and experience firsthand what it is like to be a part of a live performance. During the dress rehearsal phase, students will learn about the various jobs and roles of needed to produce a successful performance and take turns signing up for various positions as small teams. The performance will be made up of a variety of groupings, ranging from solos to large groups, and feature students and faculty. Each piece will be designed and enhanced by the presence of a professional level lighting design and sound reinforcement. In addition, unlike the informal performances that occur in the classroom students will be performing in front of a live audience. Students will review recorded video material of themselves, and conference with their instructor in search of personal growth. 1. Music in Cultural Context By studying music from various languages and cultures from around the world, both from past eras and contemporary eras, students will organically gain an understanding both of the history of the choral tradition as well as how music affects and develops in individual cultures. Key Assignments: Assignment: Warm-up/Technique Routine: Description: Students will design a personalized warm-up routine that includes exercises for physical bodily warm-ups, vocal warm-up and technical exercises to increase breath support,
tone and range. Students will learn how to adjust their routines to fit their immediate vocal needs by keeping log each learning period of their current vocal warm-up routines. Students will also give a reflection at various periods throughout the year evaluating the efficacy of their routine. Assignment: Reflective Critiques Description: After watching a video or live performance, students will complete a written reflection that addresses the following: 1. Describe the performance as you see it what is your overall impression? Is it a good performance? Why? Why not? 2. Using terminology from the Performance Rubric, rate the performance using evidence and justification. 3. Pick one indicator in the Performance Rubric that you score the performance low for, and write a paragraph on how the ensemble can improve on this particular indicator, providing evidence and justification for each action step. Assignment: Cultural Context Research Project Students will be assigned a short choral piece from a specific culture, and will create a physical or digital presentation of the origins of their assigned work, answering the questions: Who wrote this melody? Who arranged it? What significance does this work have in the original culture? What significance does this work have to you, or to our culture? Has the meaning or significance changed over time? Performance Evaluation: Students will give an individual evaluation of a single performance of the whole group, using a rubric as well as written thoughts and opinions. Students must identify the positives, and must frame any criticism with a workable solution. Fall Festival/Spirit Week Performance: Students will participate in the annual Fall Festival, demonstrating and applying learned singing and performance techniques. Christmas Concert Performance:
Students will participate in the annual Christmas Concert, demonstrating and applying learned singing and performance techniques. Spring Musical: Students will participate in the annual Christmas Concert, demonstrating and applying learned singing and performance techniques. Teaching Methods: Teacher-centered approaches: demonstration, direct instruction/explicit teaching, drill and practice, call and response, compare and contrast, questioning, lecture, music theory, modeling, and showcase. Student-centered approaches: cooperative learning, discussion, discovery learning, call and response, scaffolding, differentiation, accommodations, modifications, goal-setting, self-assessment, self-assessment, and the regular process of student input regarding selection of performance material. Teaching Strategies: Do Now: Entry questions, review, or reflection to begin class. Spiraling of content, time restricted (encourages efficiency) Active practice: Practice worksheets, packets, and activities designed to build content knowledge by motivating students to practice a concept in multiple ways. Higher motivation leads to ambition, which leads to intrinsic pursuit of mastery. Students are required to complete each question and concurrently describe their process and elaborate on their reasoning to prove/defend their answers.
Quick-checks Un-announced quizzes for students to demonstrate content knowledge. Questions focus on explicit music theory skills and concepts including reasoning/process and emphasis on connections between concepts. Some Quick-checks are marked, not graded. Reflection Students regularly reflect and communicate next steps for improvement. Learning is ongoing and content spirals; therefore, students must be able to articulate what they know and what they do not know. Direct instruction mini-lessons Instructor mini-lessons and classroom demonstrations. Help students visualize and the principles they are learning on a daily basis by addressing the needs of visual learners. Students are asked to explain how what they are learning fits into the bigger picture of the Language of Music. Deductive structured notes assist in flow of information. Investigation before Explanation Students perform inquiry investigations of new material before receiving formal instruction. Following the investigation, students share results and teacher explains the correct answer when needed. Assessments: Peer Assessment Self-Assessment
Performance Assessment (using Vocal Performance Rubric) Progress Reflection Standards Addressed, Including but not limited to: Artistic Expression: Students will: 1. Read and perform various styles of Vocal music and be able to understand the underlying music theory. (1.1) 1. Transcribe standard melodies rhythmically and melodically when presented with them aurally. (1.2) 1. Analyze various works and describe them using the terminology of music. (1.4) 1. Identify various forms used in various Vocal music styles (ie. Classical, Gospel, Pop, Jazz, and Musical Theater). (1.6) Individual Expression: Students will: 2. Perform music in a Vocal Ensemble from various periods in culture and history, as well as contemporary works. (ie. Classical, Gospel, Pop, Jazz, and Musical Theater). (2.4)
Historical Context: Students will: 3. Perform Traditional Vocal compositions as well as popular music and other contemporary musical styles from various cultures. (3.4) 3. Identify and classify familiar pieces from each period in history. (3.5) Aesthetic Valuing: Students will: 4. Compare and contrast the musical styles of well-known figures in Vocal music and be able to defend their opinions using musical terminology and well-formed arguments. (4.1) 4. Describe how societal roles and functions of Vocal music have changed over time. (4.3) 4. Discuss the different methods used by various cultures to achieve a desired emotional reaction from the audience. (4.4) Course content: Unit 1 Unit 1: Vocal Fundamentals (4 weeks):
Students will be introduced to basic levels of various aspects of choral literature and vocal production. These aspects are posture, breath support, tone quality, blend and balance, and diction. Students will be taught ear training and sight singing skills. Intonation and listening activities will compliment ear training. Terminology and notation will also be taught in this six week unit as well tempo and dynamics. All of these fundamentals of music will be applied to choral literature presented during this unit. During this unit students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of vocal fundamentals while developing and performing a presentation in class. Students will be graded at their knowledge of tempo and dynamics as well as an overall understanding of vocal fundamentals while performing one or more song selections from the required list developed in this unit. Unit 2 Unit 2: Holiday Music (11 weeks): Students will be presented holiday music for the winter concert in December. Music will include a variety of genres and styles. Students will rehearse in sections in class and also rehearse outside of class for the concert. Vocal technique and stage presence will be instructed and modeled in this unit. Information on costuming and stage etiquette will be presented to each student depending on individual solos and parts. Guest artists and costume directors will provide visual presentations of what is expected for the concert. During this unit students will demonstrate an understanding of essential components in preparing for a performance. Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of stage presence and will be graded at their participation during the holiday concert. Students will also be able to display their understanding of proper concert etiquette for the winter concert in December. Students will develop their overall vocal growth while participating in holiday performances. Unit 3 Unit three: Traditional and folk music (6 weeks): Traditional music and folk music from all cultures will be presented in class through listening examples and modeling. Traditional/folk music will be defined and musical examples presented in class. Students will be presented a variety of rhythmic and vocal examples that are displayed
in many cultures around the world. This unit will encourage music/performing arts as an international language so as to be used to reach high risk, special needs, and English Language Learners. During this unit students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of essential components in preparing a performance of folk music from another culture. Students are given a rubric to follow in researching folk or traditional music. Students are required to create a two page single space typed report. All works will be cited. These reports will be presented along with a song example performed or played in class. Students learn to appreciate traditional music from cultures other than their own. Students learn to follow a rubric and complete a report. Unit 4 Unit four: Broadway Music (6 weeks): This unit will cover Broadway music from early Vaudeville to more recent Broadway musicals. Samples of Broadway musicals will be viewed, studied and performed. Composers such as Richards and Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, George Gershwin and Andrew Lloyd Webber will be researched through reading and worksheets. Students will learn tempo, breath support, diction and dynamics while rehearsing and performing Broadway music. Collaboration with the drama department will assist in preparing students beginning acting skills for their Broadway performance. This unit will help prepare the vocalist for performance on stage. Unit 5 Unit 5: Broadway Performance (6 weeks): During this unit students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of other essential components in preparing for a performance in the spring Broadway highlight show. Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of stage presence through performance in the annual spring musical. Some will participate in the chorus, some will attain individual roles through audition. Students will learn the elements of Broadway style singing, acting and dancing. Course Materials No course materials have been added to this course.