Balance+and+Blend+Edited+Lesson

Nathan Kaiser


 * Subject/Grade**: Wind Ensemble (grades 10-12)


 * Focus Concepts/Skill**s: Blend


 * National Standards**: 1. Sing 2. Play 5. Read/Notate 6. Listen


 * Learning Objectives**: The students will be able to define blend and demonstrate an understanding of this concept (e.g. factors, how to adjust it correctly) by performing it correctly throughout the lesson and in a final run-through at the end of class.

flowing).//
 * Sequence of Activities**: Begin the lesson with Warm-Ups, most from their warm-up book "Foundation for Superior Performance."
 * Warm-Ups:**
 * Long Tone Exercise #2 //(this is simply an exercise where all instruments blow long tones to get the blood flowing, embouchures working, and breath


 * Technical Exercises in Concert B-flat. //(These exercises include the major and minor scales as well as sequencing exercises, such as thirds.)//


 * Take some time before the next warm-up (concert F around the room) to explain what blend is. Find out what the students know first.


 * Have two students in one section (in this case it was the tenor saxes), demonstrate bad blend and then good blend.


 * Discuss with the students the different factors affecting blend and how they themselves can adjust using their ears.


 * Now have different pairs of instruments work on blending sounds together...start within sections, but branch out to include instruments from different sections. Have students rate how the different pairs are blending and then offer suggestions to improve blend between them.

within themselves, but more importantly, the entire ensemble strive to blend together. Each section needs to enter smoothly and together so as not to interrupt the flow and overall blend of the previous section used. The idea is to make it the concert F sound like one continuous uninterrupted pitch that sounds the same all the way throughout.//)
 * Concert F around the room. In this exercise one section plays a concert F for 8 counts and then another section enters immediately after they finish. Start with the Tubas and move from lowest instruments of the band all the way up to the highest. //(The trick is to make each section blend


 * Function chorale #3. //(This function chorale uses written scale degree #'s instead of written notes to display what pitches the students should play.//.

students sing their parts.
 * Experiment with the balance and blend during this chorale, including having high voices or middle voices as the prominent voice of the chord. Have


 * Rehearsal of a Piece:**
 * Apply these concepts to "Pageant" by Persichetti.

Start at pick ups to **mm.** **290-End** Focus on Blending these chords ** mm. 289-290 ** : Work on the transition between two tempos. ** mm. ** **280-End:** make sure blend between the two themes simultaneously presented is correct. Have students assess and tell what needs to be corrected. ** mm. ** **270-280:** Focus on blending the sustained chord between hrn., sax, bassoon, bass cl.; make sure people with the theme here are following correct articulation/dynamics. Ask the students to rate how well they did the first time they played it, and again after they have worked on improving the blend. ** mm. 260-270 ** : Pay close attention to blend in mm.263 & 264 btwn. Brass and W.W.; make sure blend in mm. 266-269 is good as well as the interlocking parts are together. ** mm. 250-260: ** Work on blending the antiphonal sections here; especially chords between brass
 * mm. 240-250: ** rehearse brass and w.w. separately (if time)

during the rehearsal.
 * Before the end of the period, have the students play a run-through of a large section of music, including the parts that were worked on specifically


 * Assessment**: The students will be informally assessed (Formative type). Most of my assessment comes form watching and listening to the students throughout the lesson to determine whether they are playing their parts correctly and, in this case, with correct balance and blend. Some of my assessment comes from asking the students direct questions about balance and blend to see what they know and what/if they have learned or understand what I have taught. Finally, students will be assessed in a final run-through of a larger section of music (including the section rehearsed during the period).