Visual_Musical+Representation+in+Orchestra


 * Teacher Name: ** Michael Burris
 * Subject/Grade: ** Symphony Orchestra (10-12)
 * Concepts/Skills/Values: ** Ensemble musical visualization
 * National Standards: **
 * ** 1. Sing ** || ** X ** || ** 2. Play ** || || ** 3. Improvise ** || || ** 4. Compose/Arr. ** || ** X ** || ** 5. Read/Notate ** ||
 * ** 6. Listen ** || || ** 7. Evaluate ** || ** X ** || ** 8. Related Arts ** || ** X ** || ** 9. History/Culture ** || || ||
 * ** 6. Listen ** || || ** 7. Evaluate ** || ** X ** || ** 8. Related Arts ** || ** X ** || ** 9. History/Culture ** || || ||


 * Behavioral Learning Objectives: ** Provided with proper pictures and music, students will be able to listen excerpts of //Marche Slave// while viewing a unifying picture for mental context. Students will then be able play that excerpt with a difference in their playing reflecting the mental image, to the satisfaction of the instructor.
 * Materials: ** Eight pictures, either printed, made by instructor, or projected using digital fomats, representing different sections of the piece. Sound recording of //Marche Slave//: from //Bernstein Conducts Tchaikovsky with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra//; //Marche Slave,// arr. Paul Herfurth (1943)
 * Sequence of Activities and Assessment: **

a. Play a tuning ‘A’ b. On a Bb major scale (key of //Marche Slave//) c. By route play triple-duple rhythm from measure 36 d. Play one note per measure, 2 octave 3. Tell brief description of historical context for //Marche Slave// a. Turks were killing Serbians b. Serbian-Turkish war breaks out c. Serbs were sure to lose, so Russia came to the aide of their fellow Slaves d. They still lost e. Piece was written for the injured Russians to boost patriotism

a. “Marching in the Dessert” b. project picture of scene, briefly describe what is pictured, then listen to recording from beginning to 1:16 c. Play excerpt (Beginning-C)

a. “Patriotism bolstering hope” b. project picture of scene, briefly describe what is pictured, then listen to recording from 1:16 to 1:32, then skip to 2:22-3:05 c. Play excerpt (C-mm 45)

a. “The Army of the Villain (Turks)” b. project picture of scene, briefly describe what is pictured, then listen to recording from 3:05-3:27 c. Play excerpt (mm 46- 53)

a. “Here Comes the Russians!” b. project picture of scene, briefly describe what is pictured, then listen to recording from 3:56- 4:26 c. Play excerpt (F- G)

a. “God Save the Tsar!” b. project picture of scene, briefly describe what is pictured, then listen to recording from 4:51-5:10 c. Play excerpt (J-K)

a. “Serbs/Russians Come to the Front Lines” w/ “God Save the Tsar” b. Project picture of scene, briefly describe what is pictured, then listen to recording from 7:32-5:10 c. Play excerpt (M-P)

a. “Both Armies Prepare for Battle” b. Project picture of scene, briefly describe what is pictured, then listen to recording from 8:11-8:30 c. Play excerpt (P-R)

a. “The Battle!” b. Project picture of scene, briefly describe what is pictured, then listen to recording from 8:30-end c. Play excerpt (R-end)

12. Play full run, assessing if students are playing music in a different, more unified way.

 * Teacher Effectiveness Reminders: ** This is a large lesson and could possibly take two days, if so, do not rush, and simply give students time to take in the ‘big picture’ of the piece.

//I have done a similar lesson and it is indeed a good way to help with the mood. My observer helped me realize after the rehearsal, however, that it would have been much more effective if we had taken a little bit of time with each picture to discuss exactly what in the music conjures such an image. This helps the students relate to things that they already know. "In a battle, cannons go off. Hey, maybe that's what that enormous bass drum hit in measure ..... is supposed to be!" That will make it more meaningful for the students. Zak

This is a cool lesson, Michael. I think my band students also struggle sometimes with what "big picture" the music is portraying. I agree with Zak that maybe along with showing each picture, the students could come up with corresponding words or phrases that describe the mood or feeling that the image evokes. By writing these words in their music, they will be more readily able to associate the picture with the music. I look forward to trying this with my students! April Buss// I loved that you included the pictures! The ideas are fabulous for relating arts and this allows for discussion and cross curriculum in english courses (through written responses) and even history or art history. You might incorporate any tricky rhythms into the warmup. Perhaps an idea to give your students for comparison would be through recording a "before and after." This would allow the students to hear the difference in their playing before and after viewing and reflecting on the pictures. You could also use this for students to create a written reflection for assessment. Fabulous work and I loved the plan. Very creative!

Amy Combs-Riede

//Fabulous lesson. In terms of housekeeping, I would actually omit the warm-up section from this lesson, as I don't think rhythm really fits into the big picture of your imagery lesson. I know a warm-up is a necessity, but I think it technically is a seperate lesson. It's nitpicky, but a non-music supervisor made that comment about a lesson I had the other week (it was really multiple lessons in one), and I don't want anyone else to unexpectedly encounter the same reaction from a future supervisor. While Amy's suggestion above regarding the warm-up is great, I would actually include it in a seperate lesson if I were officially writing this entire class lesson set out for someone reviewing it. I think Zak hit the nail on the head regarding relating images directly to musical devices, to give students some concrete connections to sounds. Dave Sanderson

Hi Michael. I'm curious as to how this lesson went for you! It looks really cool. I'm also wondering how long the ensemble has had the music. This is an excellent rehearsal plan and definitely explains quite a bit stylistically. It's also a great way for approaching different learning styles within the classroom. I might suggest adding some objective assessment afterward, maybe a quiz or worksheet - something to physically demonstrate the students' comprehension. It could cover not only history, but as Zak suggested, musical gestures that create the Russian school's style. Assessment like this could open doors to many more lessons utilizing the last few standards.

Chris W.

Great lesson Michael. It is really important that teachers realize that students today are learning through totally different stimuli. Technology has forced education on to the screen and out of the book. Visualizing the music offers students, and directors, the chance to see the music from a totally different perspective. The next step might be adding some sort of video, maybe even syncing it up with the music, if you have time. Be careful about the images you choose, some parents or administrators might view an image as "graphic". Great job. -DM//