Writing? In Music?

1. Writing? In Music? Patty Welch West Irondequoit Central School District

2. Why I am here… • Why you are here…

3. Your classroom goals Thinking! Performing is an audio record of thinking-Writing is a visual and perhaps more private record of thinking

4. Think.

5. Common Sense: Your goals need to be embedded in your activities. • You choose concert literature to reflect the musical goals for your students. • Choose writing activities that do the same. • It’s only “busy work” in your classroom if you allow it to be.

6. For Students: Practice communicating! A Chance to communicate with you! Balance! A step toward multi-tasking Writing is proof of thinking! For You: Proof of thinking! Objective! See another side of your students! Great reference point for your teaching! A Chance for individual attention Why Write?

7. Design • Valuable- will it make their performance stronger? • Planned

8. MonthDay/DateTimeEvent Program Notes November Tuesday, 14th 7:30pm CB/SB Performance I.H.S. aud Concert Reflection January Fri-Sat, 12th& 13th TBA County Solofest at Nazareth Fri-Sat, 19th & 20th TBA County Solofest at Brighton February Tuesday, 27th 7:00pm Band Mania I (groups TBA) Peer Evaluation Wednesday, 28th 7:00pm Band Mania II (groups TBA) Peer Evaluation Music Therapy April Tuesday, 3rd CB only MCCC Performance Thursday, 5th SB only MCCC Performance Fri-Sat, 27-28th TBA NYSSMA solofest May Wed. 16th 7:30pm SB Performance I.H.S. aud Year end reflection Sat-Sun, 19-20 TBA Toronto Adjudication Monday 7:30pm CB Performance I.H.S. aud Year end reflection Sunday 27th 5:30pm Memorial Day Parade

9. September: Counting/rhythm focus October: Vocabulary intro Model rehearsal plan Sight reading- evaluations Solo auditions Solo Fest sign up November: Vocab quiz Program notes assignment Concert reflection December: X-tra curr. Christmas Sight reading- guided/graded January: Peer Rehearsals Composition beginning Sight reading- guided/graded February: Upperclass Review Music History-Medieval, Renaissance Sight reading- graded March: Music History-Baroque, Classical, Romantic Sight reading- graded Music Therapy-prepared questions In class Music Therapy Guest April: Music History 20th Century Sight reading- graded May: Sight reading- graded Review History Concert reflection Guest Composer-prepared questions Composition Composition Reflection Year End Reflection 1st Marking Period 1 Instrument specific 2 Rhythms/counting 3 Concert Literature 4 Vocabulary 5 Music/sightreading 2nd Marking Period 6 Sight Reading Ensemble Music 7 Theory- clefs/ledger lines 8 Intervals 9 Improvisation (I IV V V7 I) 10 ABA Form/motives 11 Composition Beg/Sight Reading 12 Composition Beg/Playing Exams 3rd Marking Period 13 Upperclass Composition Freshmen History 14 Medieval 15 Renaissance 16 Baroque 17 Classical 18 Romantic 19 20th Century 20 Music/Sightreading 4th Marking Period 21 Portfolio Listening Lit 22 Portfolio Performance Lit 23 Composition/Sightreading 24 Composition 25 Review 26 Playing Exam/Sight reading

10. Design • Valuable- will it make their performance stronger? • Planned • Complimentary • Flexible • Not necessarily original • Utilizes various styles • Sets up students for success

11. Rehearsal Plan Concert/Symphonic Band Rehearsal Plan • Alone-Listen to assigned piece. • Alone-List problem spots in music. [everyone date and write in next page notebook] • Big Group-Compare lists and determine top 3-5 items that need to be addressed in rehearsal (How much needs to be done by the group and how much needs to be addressed by the ensemble in rehearsal? Maximize your time!). [everyone date and write in next page notebook] • Big Group-Break into groups of 2-3 people and assign sections of the piece so that the entire piece is addressed. • Small Group-Design a rehearsal based on your section of your piece. (How do parts need to be broken down to fix them? How do you keep everybody busy, so no one gets bored and still gets work done?). [everyone date and write in next page notebook] • Big Group-Design the entire rehearsal, including a warm-up that might help prepare for what you have to do (ie. A scale in the key of your piece, rhythmic exercises using rhythms from the piece, tonguing exercises, etc.). [everyone date and write in next page notebook] • Big Group-Decide roles. At all times during the rehearsal, there will be someone guiding Mrs. Welch through the rehearsal and 1-2 people up front listening and evaluating whether the changes are being made appropriately- this will rotate as we get to the sections that each small group has worked on. • REHEARSE! Each piece will be given 1-2 rehearsals, depending on progress made. • At the end of the rehearsals, you will be asked to write a short paragraph on what did and did not work, with suggestions for improvement.

12. Design • Valuable- will it make their performance stronger? • Planned • Complimentary • Flexible • Not necessarily original • Sets up students for success • Utilizes various styles • Avoids the mundane • Thought provoking

13. Grading! Consider: • How much time you can devote to grading each paper • Not grading everything • Grading for credit • Use rubrics that are simple and easy to use The rubric used to score your assignment is as follows: 5= includes all of the criteria below 4= includes three of the criteria below 3= includes two of the criteria below 2= includes one of the criteria below 1= includes none of the criteria below, but does use proper grammar and spelling 0= includes none of the criteria below, and does not use proper grammar and spelling The Criteria: Writing includes composers name and basic biographical information (ie. birth/death, residence) Writing includes information about the inspiration for the composer to compose the piece (stories/anecdotes) Writing includes information about form: Are there musical ideas that are repeated? How do the different sections of the band play a role in this? The writer should give the listener something specific to listen for. Includes photocopy of one page from extra source used • Keeping it reasonable for the marking period/your deadlines

14. Contact Info: Patty Welch Patty_welch@westiron.monroe.edu Ph#336-0778 (contact info also found in School Music News on County Presidents page for Monroe County)