Takin' It to the Streets

A Behind the Music Special
VH1 Music Studio
Cable in the Classroom

Lesson 1 

Musicians' Roles
The Modern Day Minstrel


Lessons for Middle and High School General Music Classes
Objectives 

 	Students will identify and describe the various roles that musicians fulfill.
	Students will recognize and identify various genres of music 


National Standards for Music Education 
Content Standards
7. Evaluating music and music performances.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts
9: Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

.

Materials
Videotape of Takin' It to the Streets
Television
VCR



Procedures


1. Tell students they are going to view a program about musicians who make their living 
performing on the streets.
2. Tell students that while these musicians perform on the streets, some have performed in other 
venues in other capacities. Have students take out a pencil and paper to note some of the varying 
roles--or jobs-- these musicians have filled as they watch the program.

3. View program Takin' It to the Streets.

(Teachers: Please conduct the following procedures at point in time during the video where you 
deem appropriate.   The program can be used in full or in part, depending on your curriculum 
needs.)

4. Ask students to identify the different genres of music shown in the film. Accept reasonable 
answers, including classical (violinists), popular or contemporary (Cagle Family), jazz (Doreen 
Ketchers & band), rock (Red Elvises). Also, accept folk, novelty (spoons), and such.

Compare and contrast the similarities and differences between the program's featured musicians, 
with the early day minstrel. 

5. Lead students in a discussion of roles these musicians have filled.
(Music students, performers, teachers, concert violinists, Chinese cultural commissar, 
construction worker, missionaries, immigrants, parents, grandparents, etc...)   

6. Discuss with students some of the reasons given by these musicians for performing on the 
streets. (Cash, applause, artistic freedom, self-satisfaction, audience response and access, 
provisions for family, reaching people, joy, self-expression, life-style, etc...)

7. Ask students to think of where music is performed in their community. Is there any performed 
on the streets? Can students think of any spontaneous place where musicians play?  Do most 
musicians in the community--amateur and professional‹ play in organized environments such as 
community bands, symphonies, quartets, church choirs, school groups, and the like? 

8. Assign students to identify and interview musicians in the community. Have them report to 
the class on their findings, including: the musicians' training, place of performances, musical 
style, "day" jobs, amount of practice and rehearsals, how old they were when they began 
studying or playing music, why they decided to become musicians, etc...

9. Invite local musicians to visit the class and discuss their respective roles as musicians. 

Extensions:

For instrumental or choral classes. Have students discuss reasons why their ensemble or 
group might perform in a public place. Accept reasonable answers, but lead students to think of 
community goodwill, school music advocacy, etc... Have students brainstorm about a public 
place their group could perform.   Students might choose to perform as a large ensemble, or in 
small chamber groups.  Have students create a plan to perform in one of the suggested places. 
Include in the plan the time and day, equipment needed, repertoire, inclement weather plan, 
transportation, permissions or permits, etc....

History and Social Studies Connections.  You may wish to coordinate with your school's 
history, government, or social studies teachers to find out when students study 20th century 
China or modern political and governmental powers. The video's third segment features Chinese 
violinist Ying Wei, former Cultural Commissar under the Chinese communist regime who, 
because of state censorship of certain music, stopped performing and earned a living as a 
construction worker for 30 years. This personal story illustrates the conflict of political 
oppression and artistic freedom that arose in China during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s.  
Have students research the Chinese Cultural Revolution, using Internet and library sources, and 
include two to three musicians or artists whose lives were changed by that government's policy, 
or dictatorial regimes in other countries. 


This lesson is adapted from Strategies for Teaching High School General Music, compiled and 
edited by Keith P. Thompson and Gloria J. Kiester (copyright 1997, MENC).


VH1, in partnership with Cable in the Classroom, collaborated with
 MENC: The National Association for Music Education to develop this series of lessons for 
VH1 Music Studio.