A+Lesson+in+Breath+Support+and+Pitch+Discrimination

- Stretch, massage 2. Vocal Warm Up - Engine Revving Exercise - “Rev” with hands and voice, lip trilling. Imitating sound and volume increase of an engine will help students improve ability to sustain notes and improve tone due to strength built by subglottic pressure and even breath distribution that’s required to imitate this sound. - Ask students what the characteristic sounds or sound changes are used or needed for an engine. (rise and fall in pitch, crescendo’s/changes in dynamics) - “Rev” engines of a “Harley”, “Yamaha”, “Dirt Bike”, etc.(slow speed/pitch, medium speed/pitch, high speed/pitch) - Repeat exercise on [u], [o],[e], and [a] – make sure they are using the changes in dynamics (just like the engine but without the lip trills. Make sure students are aware that vowels are pure and as unified as they possibly can be without specific pitches being sung. 3. Ear Training/Pitch discrimination activity - Review Major Scale and intervals with Solfege and numbers - Students will listen to pitches played and try to discern what interval is being played one by one. Pitches played first ascending or descending separately, and then pitches played simultaneously. - Optional Step - (Students split into two teams. Each team will sing one pitch assigned by instructor, either the tonic or another pitch to create the interval. Sing on “Loh”.) - Students split in to 3 teams and choose one person to play intervals on the piano which the other team will have to discern. They will also choose one representative to give answers. 1 interval discerned correctly will earn the team 1 point. First team to get to 10 points wins the game and will be rewarded at a later time. If interval is answered correctly, the other team not playing the interval will have a chance to get a point. If both teams get it wrong, the team playing the interval must tell us what the interval was that their team decided to play. IF the team playing the interval cannot tell us correctly what interval they are playing they will have 1 point deducted from their score. // 4. //// Bridge Over Troubled Water // - Give instructions on which parts of the song will be sung. MM. 12 – 34 everyone on melody until parts break at 24. - Review parts from MM. 24 to 34 separately. Remove consonants and sing with vowels only to work parts. - Everyone sing solo at B up until pickups to MM 52 then split into parts again. - Ask students to ask what interval(s) is (are) being sung specifically at MM 60 and 61. Sing separately with sopranos and bass, and alto and bass. - (optional if time permits) Continue with everyone on unison melody at C up to MM 79 where students will all speak the parts to learn rhythm. Have students tap beat on their laps. Review incorrect spots (rhythm) as needed. || - Sing from beginning to 23, stopping on random notes for 2nd line to check accuracy of pitches especially on chromatic line. Check dynamic. - Continue at MM 23 singing all staccato or very short - Continue singing to MM 79, stop at MM 87and ask them what interval they are singing. - Continue singing to MM 95, stop and ask what interval is being sung. - Continue to end of song. ||
 * ** Subject/Grade: ** || High School Chorus ||
 * ** Concepts/Skills/Values: ** || Breath support/distribution, Dynamic contrast, Aural Skills: Intervals and Pitch Discrimination ||
 * National Standards (check all that apply): **
 * **X** || ** 1. Sing ** || **x** || ** 2. Play ** ||  || ** 3. Improvise ** ||   || ** 4. Compose/Arr. ** || **X** || ** 5. Read/Notate ** ||
 * **X** || ** 6. Listen ** || **X** || ** 7. Evaluate ** ||  || ** 8. Related Arts ** ||   || ** 9. History/Culture ** ||   ||   ||
 * **X** || ** 6. Listen ** || **X** || ** 7. Evaluate ** ||  || ** 8. Related Arts ** ||   || ** 9. History/Culture ** ||   ||   ||
 * ** Behavioral **
 * Learning **
 * Objectives: ** || Students will develop aural skills and discern intervals within a major key and identify similar intervals within //Bridge Over Troubled Water//. Students will demonstrate proper breath distribution to allow for singing long phrases and dynamic contrast. ||
 * ** Materials: ** || Octavos: //Bridge Over Troubled Water//, //The Rhythm of Life// ||
 * ** Sequence of **
 * Activities and Assessment: ** || 1. Stretch & Physical Warm Up
 * || // 5. //// The Rhythm of Life // (Time Permitting)