Why Music Matters

Listen to the following you tube clip. Choose a simple melody such as Mary Had a Little Lamb, Happy Birthday, Hot Cross Buns, etc and create the same experiment that Jack Stamp used in this clip. Add up the number of notes to be played and multiply the total by .05. Make that many wrong notes and demonstrate the correct and incorrect way to play the music. You shall prepare a demonstration for the class and show us the importance of one of the 5 main ingredients for a successful performance. The five main ingredients are:
Tone quality
Right note
Right rhythm
Intonation
and
Interpretation.

Demonstrate the correct way to play the melody and choose one of the 5 main ingredients to play incorrectly. You will be graded on your presentation using the following rubric:
A - clean melody that is clearly understandable / Dressed for the presentation / demonstrated the lack of one of the 5 main ingredients / adequately prepared the presentation by practicing on your instrument / presentation 4 - 6 minutes.

B - clearly identified the melody / preparation is evident / demonstated the lack of one of the 5 main ingredients / presentation no less than 4 minutes

C - produced a melody on your instrument / some preparation evident / attempted to do the experiment / 2 -3 min.

D - 95% of the melody is identifiable / no prepartion or practice / presentation no less than 3 min.

F - 50% of the melody is identifiable / no preparation / did not use a simple melody / presentation is less than 3 min.

The Klaxon

Southern University Marching Band

The Only Jazz Oboist I know - Yusef Lateef

Classic jazz makeup assignment: Rehearsals and performance are much like research assignments that require careful planning and preparation by ALL team members. When a musician in a band or orchestra misses a rehearsal or performance, the team is not able to gel as a cohesive unit. You must first pledge to not miss any more rehearsals or performances unless you have an emergency or schedule conflict 30 days prior to the perfomance date. Find a you tube clip of a professional musician playing your chosen instrument. You must be able to explain the musicians tone quality and why it is professional. You should be able to describe the selected clip in terms of the 5 main ingredients for a superior performance. Your presentation should last no longer than 4 minutes. You may use Powerpoint, slides, or printed report. If you choose a written report, it shall be no less than 800 words using Times New Roman 12pt font. All lines shall be double spaced. Your name, class (BLK____), Instrument, and your parents signature. All make up work assignments are due 5 days past the date of the performance. (Ex Concert Jan 2 / Assignment Due Jan 7)

Dave Brubeck Quartet 1961

This is a well known modern jazz tune which is often referred to when illustrating the 5 / 4 time signature. What other popular post modern tunes do you know that could illustrate compound or complex time signatures?

A Study in Pedal Tones

Concert Festival Assessment

Using the following youtube clips, grade the following bands as if they were the same group using the judges sheets you recieved in class. Remember the five main ingredients for a successful performance and give two suggestions for improvement for every criticism. The assignment is due on Tuesday in class.

God of Our Fathers arr. Dr. Diane Bish

Diane Bish had a show on PBS which highlighted her traveling the world playing the greatest of all instruments. Explain why the organ is the grandest of all instrments.

Fairest of the Fair - John Phillip Sousa

Flight of the Bumblebee

So you say a marching band can't play Flight of the Bumblebee for halftime?


Here is a better recording.

Americans We - Henry Fillmore

What instrument did Henry Fillmore play?

Barnum and Bailey's Favorite

Karl King's best-known composition has to be Barnum and Bailey's Favorite. This march has the power to conjure up the whole magnificent scene of the old tent circus -- all the aromas, all the sounds, all the sights, and, of course, the circus band. King wrote this march for the thirty-two-piece Barnum and Bailey Circus Band in 1913 at the request of the director. King was twenty-two at the time and was preparing to join the band as a euphonium player. The euphonium can be heard in a rousing countermelody. His use of the word 'favorite' in the title proved quite appropriate, as a 1980 international music survey ranked this march fourth in the top 140 marches.

Them Basses by Getty H. Huffine

Them Basses March is by far the best-known march by Kentucky-born composer
Getty H. Huffine. Other marches, also with interesting bass parts, include his Basses On The Rampage, Triple Cities, and The Bearcat. Subtitled, “A March in which the basses have the melody throughout,” it is a test of scale aptitude by all the members of the band. The quick circus tempo of the march challenges players with major and chromatic scales throughout the piece. The march itself is an answer to the age-old student musician question, “Why do I have to learn my scales?

This is the Eastern High School Band I remember!!!!

Rhosemydre

LISTEN TO THEM VIOLAS!!!!!!!!

NSU playing In Storm and Sunshine

In Storm and Sunshine March - Due Date June 1, 2010

If you are reading this assignment, allow me to say Congratulations for being in the first performance of the "Virtual 100" The purpose of this band is:
1. To strive for producing excellent tone quality in everything we play.
2. To represent our school and community in an excellent manner.
3. To share the love of music with future generations.
4. To maintain our band numbers to 100 warriors or more giving 100 percent.

Your assignment is to listen to this recording of In Storm and Sunshine. Describe your part in at least 250 words. Give the name of your instrument, the composer, the performing group, a comparison of the music to the listener's perception. How would you describe the melody? How much at home practice would it take to master this piece of music? What experience have you had practicing this music? Handwitten papers are to be neat with the proper heading and English writing mechanics. Misspelled words will not be tolerated. You must use your best handwriting. Illegible papers will not be graded. Typed papers should have the proper heading using 12 pt font Times New Roman. If the document is emailed, I recommend you use Word 2003 and 2007. You may want to obtain a read receipt with the email. This homework assignment is worth a test grade. The quality of your homework time spent on the assignment will determine the quantity of the Test grade. This assignment is due June 1, 2010.

Die Wacht Am Rhein Marche

The Spartan Legion 1995

I remember being in this band. We performed this show 3 times that day. After this performance we headed to Nansemond River High School in Suffolk.

A MAGNIFICENT SOUND