Middle School Intermediate Orchestra

Musical Element: Performance

&nbs= p; The musical element of performance includes all of the various aspects of producing so= und, from rehearsing, to listening, to polishing and performing. For the purposes of the Curriculum= Web, it will include any facet of making music that is not covered by Theory or History.

Objectives: The students will…

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Rehearsal Skills

Learn appro= priate rehearsal skills necessary to succeed in a large group performing ense= mble (materials and equipment in class; on time, ready to rehearse; positiv= e, active participation; respectful of all group members, regardless of a= bility; mark music as discussed in rehearsal; demonstrate responsibility of the individual to the ensemble)
Demonstrate= good habits in terms of instrument care (assemble, clean and store instrume= nt properly; tighten and loosen bow; use rosin properly)

Practice Skills

Demonstrate awareness of individual practice skills (using a quiet room, practicin= g on a regular basis)
Demonstrate= use of relevant warm-up material
Demonstrate problem-solving strategies (e.g. slow practice, isolating difficult sp= ots, varied repetition)

Tone

Demonstrate correct posture
Demonstrate correct instrument carriage
Demonstrate correct hand positions
Demonstrate ringing pizzicato
Demonstrate straight bowing

Identify instrument specific problems that would lead to poor tone (crooked bow= ing, incorrect bow placement relative to the bridge, incorrect arm weight)<= o:p>

Demonstrate appropriate bow placement, weight, and speed

Balance/Blend

Identify the melody line or moving line in a composition

For exampl= e, in a piece of sheet music, students would be able to identify that at rehearsal letter B the violas have the main melody<= /li>

Identify if= parts are melody or accompaniment

For exampl= e, in a piece of sheet music, students would be able to identify that as a violin, at rehearsal letter B they are playing an accompaniment part<= o:p>

Adjust performance dynamic with teacher assistance so melody and accompaniment lines are balanced

Intonation

Demonstrate correct left hand finger placement and spacing
With and wi= thout teacher assistance, match unison pitches in first position by adjusting hand/finger placement
Identify and perform “beatless” sound in pa= irs
Tune with f= ine tuners

Articulation

Perform not= es with proper attacks and releases
Perform mel= odic lines using pizzicato, down bow, up bow, hooked bowing, ties, slurs
Perform mel= odic lines with staccato notes
Perform mel= odic lines with legato or full value notes
Perform mel= odic lines with accented notes

Technical Facility

Demonstrate ability to perform the following one octave major scales and arpeggios= :

D, G, C

Learn to pe= rform the following one octave major scales and arpeggios:

F, Bb, A

Learn to pe= rform the following one octave minor scales and arpeggios:

a, e, d

Demonstrate slides/shifting motions
Perform dou= ble stops with one open string
Demonstrate mastery of an appropriate level technique book

Expression

Perform mel= odic lines in four different dynamic levels: p, mp, mf, f=
Perform mel= odic lines with crescendo and decrescendo/diminuendo
Play music = with bow lifts
Play music = with four measure phrases
Perform mus= ic with ritardando, accelerando, A Tempo=

Music reading and Sightreading

Identify no= te names on the staff (including relevant ledger lines) relevant to their instrument
Identify no= te names that their fingers are playing on each string =
Maintain st= eady pulse and tempo when reading music
Use a syste= m of counting to decipher rhythms
Learn to co= unt with subdivision
Correctly interpret and perform the following:

Note value= s: sixteenth, eighth, quarter, half, whole, dotted half, dotted quarter<= o:p>
Rest value= s: eighth, quarter, half, whole, dotted quarter
Triplets
Syncopation (eighth-quarter-eighth)
Block rest= s

Demonstrate= a system for sightreading (e.g. S.T.A.R.S.)<= o:p>

Performance Skills

Demonstrate= appropriate concert behavior at school concerts
Explain the different expectations for performer and audience etiquette at jazz concerts, rock concerts, formal classical concerts
Demonstrate appropriate times to applaud
Demonstrate appropriate type of applause

Resources:

Teacher model=

Terms:

phrase – a natural division o= f the melodic line, comparable to a sentence of speech

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dynamics – the loudness and quietness of sound

ensemble – a group of musicians that perform as a unit

fine &= #8211; word that indicates where a song ends

tempo markings – indications of the speed of the song

harmony - The sounding of two or more tones simultaneously; the vertical aspect of music

Unit Assessment:

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T= eacher observation and singing tests are both ongoing assessment tools, since the concepts are taught throughout the year.

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For the Teacher Checklist, click here.

For the Performance Rubric, click here.

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