Independent+Band+Parts

This is a lesson for a high school concert band, but could also be applied in a middle school ensemble setting. This starts off with the students playing certain sections of the music, followed by the students moving by rows, playing the same starting sections, and then moving at total random sitting next to someone without the same instrument or part, and then playing those same sections again. This is about a 20 minute lesson, but could extend longer if needed.

For this lesson I used a piece called "Red Covered Bridge". It is a medium level and is a slower piece, with a lot of full band sections. The standards that we hit are mainly play and listen.

Assessment: I will assess the students by if they have the same quality of sound as when they started class in their original seats. Getting used to a new seat definitely won't happen, but they should still be able to listen across the band for the melody and adjust as needed.

5 minutes - Briefly run through meas. 15-45 and 79-end. Remind them to focus on balance between sections and across the band, like we have addressed before

3 min. - Have students grab their music and books and move sections to different seats, last row in the front, middle row in the back, first row in the middle.

1 min - play through chorale #1 to get them used to their new seats and the new sound of the band

4 min. - Play through the same sections as from the beginning of class. Remind them about the "soup and salad" type of balance. (balance vs. individual sections standing out)

3 min. - Tell students to look at the persons sitting next to them and all of the people in their section, grab their music and give them one minute to move to a new seat and not next to the students previously mentioned. (move students as needed)

1 min. - Play through chorale #1 to get them used to their new seats and the new sound again

4 min. - Play through the same sections as before, reminding them to listen across to their part .Play again as needed.

This lesson will cause a lot of talking and general excitedness. If you preface their moving with short instructions as well as give them a time limit of how long to move places, they will do just that. The purpose to have the students be independent on their parts and be able to hear new things they may not have been listening to before.