 | VH1 Storytellers for Save the Music Starring Billy Joel
Lessons for High School General Music and Choral Classes
Lesson 3 of 3 |
Note to Teachers: Before showing the videotape to your classes, please review for possible objectionable language.
Objectives
Students will sing in small and large groups expressively, with a uniform sound when performing both the printed arrangements of a song and when performing with a pre-recorded or live popular accompaniment.
Students will compare and contrast the similarities and differences between a written musical score and a live and/or recorded performance of the piece.
Students will provide descriptive analysis of a musical performance. National Standards for Music Education: Content Standard 1--Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music; Content Standard 3--Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments; Content Standard 4-- Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines; Content Standard 5--Reading and notating music; Content Standard 6--Listening to, analyzing, and describing music; Content Standard 7--Evaluating music and music performances
Materials
- VH1 Storytellers Billy Joel videotape
- Television and videotape player
- Popular CD and sheet music for a popular song, preferably one written by Billy Joel
- Recording of the selected popular song
- Audio-playback equipment
- Audiocassette recorder, microphone, and blank tape
- Performance evaluation sheets
Prior Knowledge and Experiences
- Students have studied music theory.
- Students can follow piano and vocal score.
- Students have discussed the art of song arranging.
- Students are familiar with the selected popular song.
Procedures
- Hand out copies of the performance evaluation sheet at the end of this lesson, or have students prepare their own.
- Have students view Segment 3 of VH1 Storytellers Billy Joel tape and, using their evaluation sheets, evaluate the performance of "Honesty" by a member of the audience.
- Discuss the students' evaluation of the performance.
- Demonstrate for students how the karaoke system with television monitor works. (At your discretion, explain that this kind of singing originated in Japan and that business and professional associates there often dine together and then sing for each other. Westerners who do business in Japan are frequently at an advantage if they are comfortable singing.)
- Review with students their discussion of the art of song arranging.
- Ask students to examine the score of the selected popular song, sing the song together with keyboard accompaniment, and identify its musical features (for example, dynamics and tempo markings).
- Have students listen to the recording and note the differences between the recording and the printed score by circling the appropriate places on the score as they listen. Discuss with students what those differences are.
- Have students sing the song together from the printed score. Then ask students to sing it in small groups, concentrating on listening to each other and achieving a uniform sound. Also, have them give attention to executing dynamics and tempo or other expressive markings uniformly to improve their ability to sing as an ensemble. Encourage the listeners to offer suggestions for improving the performance.
- Have students listen to the popular arrangement of the song and then sing it in small groups using the recorded accompaniment. Ask students which version of the song they prefer and why.
- Distribute the performance evaluation sheets and discuss the components of a good singing performance, with particular attention to ensemble skills. Record the class as they perform the version that most students prefer. Then play the tape for the class and have each student use the evaluation sheet to rate the class performance. Discuss the evaluations.
Indicators of Success - Students identify the musical differences in the printed and recorded arrangements of the song.
- Students demonstrate good ensemble skills, including singing with a uniform sound and executing expressive markings uniformly.
- Students sing the song with expression and technical accuracy.
- Students evaluate musical performances thoroughly and if asked to give written descriptions, analysis are specific, using musical terminology.
Follow-up
Have students sing other songs with both recorded and live accompaniments and continue to improve their ensemble skills.
Have students sing individually with accompaniment, giving them the opportunity to improve their singing technique and confidence level.
Performance Evaluation
SELECTION TITLE_________________________________________
TONE
Good Support___
Lack Support___
Free, Full, Rounded Tone___
Thin or Breathy Tone___
INTONATION
In Tune___
Out of Tune___
BALANCE
All Parts Balanced___
Instrumental Overpowers___
Vocal Overpowers___
TECHNIQUE
Adequate Breath Support___
Inadequate Breath Support___
Pitches Accurate___
Pitches Not Accurate___
Good Posture___
Poor Posture___
INTERPRETATION AND MUSICAL EFFECT
Mood Was Effective___
Mood Not Effective in Singing or Body Language___
Dynamic Contrast Evident___
Dynamic Contrast Not Evident___
Phrasing Well Done___
Phrasing Not Appropriate to Text___
Tempo Was Appropriate___
Tempo Not Appropriate___
DICTION
Open Mouth, Pure Vowels___
Vowels Pinched or Tight___
Consonants Clear, Energetic___
Consonants Need Emphasis___
OTHER FACTORS
Comment on Stage Presence, Energy, Facial Expression, Music Selection
_________________________________________________________
The lesson is adapted from Strategies for Teaching High School General Music, compiled and edited by Keith P. Thompson and Gloria J. Kiester: 1997 ( MENC: Reston, Va.). The evaluation sheet is adapted from Strategies for Teaching High School Chorus, compiled and edited by Randal Swiggum: 1998 ( MENC: Reston, Va.).
VH1, in partnership with Cable in the Classroom, collaborated with
MENC: The National Association for Music Education to develop this series of lessons.
National Standards for Music Education
- Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
- Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
- Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
- Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
- Reading and notating music.
- Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
- Evaluating music and music performances.
- Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
- Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
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