Binkard+Lesson+Plan+for+Band

Teacher Name: Andrew Binkard Date: 22 February 2008

Subject/Grade: Freshman Concert Band

Focus Concepts/Skills: Awareness of other parts, rhythmic cohesion, rehearsal etiquette and effectiveness

National Standards (check all that apply): 1. Singing 2. Playing X 3. Improvise 4. Compose 5. Reading X 6. Listening X 7. Evaluating X 8. Related Arts 9. History/Culture

Learning Objectives: Students will be more aware of other parts Students will possess greater ability to use other parts as reference points Students will be more sensitive to how their own playing affects those around them Students will be denied the opportunity to easily talk and goof off with those around them, forcing them to experience what a more effective rehearsal feels like

Sequence of Activities: This diagram will be utilized to set up the ensemble before rehearsal begins. This configuration is the core of the lesson. (I realize I misspelled saxophones). ￼

The winds will be set up in straight rows, with each person as far apart as space will allow (a minimum of four feet). The arrows indicate which direction each block will be facing.

A few notes about this configuration: -Some of the sections usually relegated the back of the ensemble, away from the conductor, are now close and can be better heard. -The focus is not on the conductor anymore, but on the members of the ensemble. Nonverbal communication among the ensemble is now mandatory. -The “melodic woodwinds” (flute/clarinets) are now at the back and the traditional loudest brass (trumpets) will be forced to play in a manner so that they can hear the melodic woodwinds. -The sparse spacing will cut down on students’ ability to talk to each other during rehearsal.

2. The rehearsal will proceed as normal. Normal warm-up procedure will be followed. During the rehearsal, I will pick apart sections in the piece on which I am working (“Beauty and the Beast”) and concentrate on independent parts that work across the ensemble. In this arrangement, there are several instances where there the brass have the melody with a rhythmic subdivision of the melody in the woodwinds. Rehearsing this way, with the students’ sounds headed right towards each other, I believe the brass and woodwinds will do a better job of listening across to each other.

Assessment:

Progress will be graded on an ongoing basis, evaluated on a 1 (no demonstrated proficiency) to 5 (highly proficient) scale in categories dealing with the criteria of blend, balance, intonation, and participation.

//I think this is a very good lesson to get the band listening to other sections. Here are a few suggestions you can add. You didn't mention anything in here about doing a warm up before going straight into the piece. If you wanted to, you could create a warm up that would hit your focus areas. For instance, if rhythm is one of the areas you want to focus on then take a rhythm from the piece the majority of the ensemble has at some point and have them play it up and down a scale. A couple of your other focus areas are listening to who has the moving part or melody and classroom management. These two can be helped at the same time. You might be able to turn this into a student oriented game. Play through the piece section by section. Tell the students they have to listen for who has the moving part or the melody. Make them give you the answer. If no one can tell you, then play that section over till someone can tell you. This way the students stay focused. If you are worried about the same students answering all the time then after you stop playing give them a few seconds to write it down on then call on someone to give you the answer. This way you are holding them accountable for their participation in class and they have to stay focused because they never know when they are going to get called. This should help with keeping a nice focused rehearsal. :) edited by: Stacy Hahn.//