Understanding Primary Music

Session 2:

Introduction to composing and performing

Listening and appraising to improve compositions

Aims:

1. Explore the potential of music to support children’s development.

2. Develop a range of strategies for supporting vocal development.

3. Explore the use of instruments in simple composition.

4. Evaluate different approaches for recording music in the form of notation.

5. Understand the role of listening and appraising in improving compositions.

Music: Its role in developing the whole child Discuss why your chosen piece of

music is special to you. How does this support the idea of facilitating the development of the whole child?

Link to Every Child Matters and other reading of research into music and children’s development.

Introduce call and response in context of children’s verbal interactionshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JmA2ClUvUY

Create a short musical excerpt using a combination of:-‘nonsense syllable sounds’ e.g. zip zap-short snatches of melody / other vocal sounds-body percussion patternsDevelop a response and teach this to the classPerform and appraise

Approaches for supporting vocal development: call and response

Approaches for supporting vocal development: Rap

Children find it difficult to maintain a steady beat e.g. stepping rhythmically while chanting a rhyme. This skill can be developed through rap for older children.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears rap http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StIasECMqcc&feature=related

Sister Act rap http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBg0fVd4n_w&feature=related

Composing a rap

Version 1 Create a rap for a well known children’s story

that has repeated elements.

Version 2 Create a rhythmic pattern to use as an

ostenato: repeated phrase or repeated vocal percussion

Develop a repeated rap message on a single note or untuned (ie speaking voice)

Create a jingle

 Create a short advertising slogan and compose a simple tune

Sheila’s wheels http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3jNd63cHA0 We buy any car http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXiJBp7HK5o Coca cola jingle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5ULzR6-UZ8

Exploring percussion instruments 2

Compose a whole class piece:- with 4 beats to a bar - lasting 8 beats- each small group performs after the

previous one finishes – develop a smooth transition

Why use sound effects?

Graphic notation

What are the purposes for recording music in written form?

What are the advantages and limitations of graphic notation?

Look at the examples on pages 3-6 of Session 2 Resource Pack – use ideas from these to develop your own form of graphic notation

Group composition Listen to the composition developed by the children: http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/stomp-rhythm-and-dance/

10185.html 

Compose a piece of music using untuned percussion:- base the composition on an ABA structure- with 3 or 4 beats in a bar Use graphic notation to record the piece Think about each of the musical elements e.g.

dynamics during the composition process

Improving compositions: encouraging children to talk about music

Talking about music facilitates evaluating and improving of compositions

Role of the teacher:- Modeling talking about music- Facilitating talk through open questioning- Scaffolding discussion by supporting through

providing necessary vocabulary

Independent study task

Familiarise yourself with a range of percussion instruments that you will meet in school and think about the different ways you could play them

Find a resource online to help you do this.