Name That Tune--Concert Prep

For our last small group before a concert, we'll often play "Name that Tune."  First we rosin bows as I walk through the call time and concert details with the students.  Then, for "Name that Tune" I'll play a note or two or three of a part of one of their concert pieces.  Once someone correctly identifies the piece, I have students pull out their music to find the measure number(s) of the excerpt, and then we play the whole piece together and touch up whatever needs touching up.

A variation on this game is to make it rhythm only, and I'll clap a distinctive rhythmic pattern from each of their pieces.  Another variation (challenge) would be to include an excerpt or rhythm pattern that a different instrument plays--not a part that the specific kids in that small group play.

I'm often surprised by which students are quickly able to identify the concert piece--they're not always the strongest players--and the students like the game aspect of it (though we do not keep score in any way or recognize winners or anything).  It's also more of a fun way to review the different concert pieces than just playing through everything once more before the concert.

When we play through concert pieces on this day, I like to play a different instrument's part along with the students (like I'll play cello with a violin group or violin with a bass group etc.).  It helps to develop their chamber music skills and makes students more aware of what another instrument is doing while they're playing their part.  And there are always students surprised that I know how to play a different instrument than they're used to seeing me play :)  I also get students who look at the white board when they arrive and ask which song is "Name that Tune"...

At the end of this small group, we'll use a cloth to wipe the rosin dust off our strings and instruments so they're totally set to go for the concert, we'll get our music in concert order, and then I always ask which piece they're each most looking forward to performing at the concert.

What kind of lesson plans work well for you as you approach a concert?

Rounds by Ear

 As we near the end of the school year, I like to teach a round by ear to the second-year students.  Then in our final full orchestra rehearsals of the year, after the spring concert is over, we can play a two- or three-part round without the use of sheet music.  The orchestra has been invited to play at the end-of-the-year assembly in recent years, and everyone lined up in the front of the gym and performed one of these rounds first in unison and then in parts.  It was easy setup because I only needed chairs for the cellists--no stands required :)

Each of these are in the key of C Major, as that is the key we're focusing on during this time of the year, but the rounds could easily be transposed to the key of your choice.  Students do get the sheet music eventually, but ideally they don't need it by then; it's just for reference.  The sheet music documents include Alpha note versions at the end.

Music Alone Shall Live

• Word document
• PDF
• Audio files

Oh, How Lovely Is the Evening

• Word document
• PDF
• Audio files

Lachen

• Word document
• PDF
• Audio files

Enjoy!

D String Notes Packet--Audio Files

In keeping with my theme of updating supplements to include audio files, here are the audio files for the packet of music that uses notes on the D string.

• Audio files

And here's the link to the original post about this packet of music.

D Major Sheet: Audio Files for Accompaniment

After putting together the audio files for the Orchestra Expressions supplement, I thought this audio-file accompaniment would also benefit my second-year students, so I went ahead and typed up some Finale files to correspond with their first handout of the year (the D Major sheet).  For the rounds, I created a solo version with piano accompaniment and then a round version with all string sounds.  Some pieces were exported at different tempos (named either Andante, Moderato, or Allegro) to help students at different points in their learning.

• Table of Contents to D Major Sheet: Audio Files (with links)

Enjoy!

Orchestra Expressions Supplement: Audio Files for Accompaniment

To match up with the Orchestra Expressions supplement packet that I wrote, I whipped up some accompaniment parts on Finale and exported them as audio files.  I'm hoping that students will find these pieces more attractive to practice at home when they have a piano part to play along with.  Each track begins with the sound of a triangle to show the tempo and meter, and several give options for the tempo--either a slower practice tempo or one marked "fast!"

Enjoy!

Table of Contents to Orchestra Expressions Supplement Audio Files (with links)

Jupiter Arrangement

My students are learning an arrangement of "Jupiter" from The Planets by Gustav Holst, but I wasn't pleased with several aspects of it, so I arranged it myself for the next time I teach this piece.  This arrangement includes just the hymn part of "Jupiter," no introduction, and violins/violas have the melody while the cellos/basses have the harmony.  It's transposed to G Major, so low second fingers are needed, as well as E string notes for the violin (I put viola down an octave in those spots).  There are a few slurs for the upper strings and a few hooked bowings for the lower strings.  I did switch the original dotted eighths/sixteenths to even eighth notes, made the harmony part all arco instead of pizz., then arco, and I added some bow lifts that would not be in the original melody just to help students who might need an extra spot to regroup in case they get lost.

Sheet music (all PDFs):

• Jupiter score
• Jupiter parts

Audio (WAV files) to preview or for students to play along with to practice:

•  Jupiter score

Selected YouTube links:

• Chicago Symphony Orchestra
• BBC Orchestra with 2-piano score to follow along with
• National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain

Enjoy!

 

Now Playing Signs

Since I have such limited time with my students, I want to make the most of any opportunity to create a musical experience for them.  One such opportunity presents itself when students stop in the orchestra room before school to drop off their instruments and again at the end of the day when students pick them up to take home.  I try to always have music playing during these times to expose students to music of different composers and styles.  On the CD player cabinet, I have a magnetic sign that says "Now playing music by" along with the composer's name so students have an idea of what they're hearing as they walk by.  I tend to stick with the same composer for a week or two before switching it up.  This would also work for a composer-of-the-month theme or as a way to indicate what is being played as background music during in-class writing activities.

I had been using taped-on, hand-written labels, but this summer I had a lot of fun playing around with different fonts and color combinations with my mom's Cricut for these signs:

  

 

Looking forward to trying these out in the fall!