2nd Grade Week 7 -- Che Che Koolay/Improvisation

"Che Che Koolay" is a call and response song from Ghana. In call and response the leader sings, plays or moves a phrase at a time and everybody else echoes them. It is typical of many African songs that this way of learning is also incorporated into how the piece is ultimately performed.

This makes call and response and excellent way to learn improvisation by providing a context for short improvisational ideas. As can be seen in these pictures the kids all took turns being the leader and have the rest of us try to echo them, first using body percussion and the using the drums. They had a great time!

4th Grade Week 6 -- Streets of Laredo

This week we returned to our discussion of the text of song lyrics, as prelude to breaking into song writing teams and writing original songs. Using the cowboy ballad "Streets of Laredo" as a frame, the students created their own lyrics with the rhythmic and rhyming structure of the existing song. All five classes did a wonderful job! Students were then put into teams of two or three and asked to write a four line poem using one of several basic themes.

This was also the week that finally got around to putting some of the 4th graders excellent work on my bulletin boards.

Homework -- complete your four line poem/lyric with your partner or partners.

2nd Grade Week 6 -- Ise Oluwa

Friday's lesson began with the Nigerian song "Ise Oluwa." This slow song in 6/8 is a perfect vehicle for exploring some basic techniques for playing the gourd drums. Of course the most fundamental lesson about drumming to respect your instrument and your fellow musicians.

We also spent a little learning to read drum music. In drumming this means being able to "read" the silences as well.

4th Grade Week 5 -- Melodic Contour

Today in 4th grade music we began to student the way melodies are constructed, by focusing on melodic contour -- contour in melody refers to the rising and falling of a pitch sequence, but as we discussed in class, contour can also refer to lines we see in the world around us. The kids had a lot of fun learning a song that emphasized contour -- "Wibbleton to Wobbleton" and got to experiment with how contour lines can overlay the musical staff -- a prelude to creating their own melodies.

Homework: Develop a four bar line of contour and use it as the basis for a drawing

"Tallis Cannon" - 2 Part Canon

Hey Recorder Cats -- here's Tallis Canon again as a 2 part canon. This is where we will be going with this piece next week, so try playing along or maybe even add a third part!

Recorder Ensemble -- "Tallis Canon"

Hey Recorder Cats -- here is a video reviewing the song we began in ensemble on Friday. Check it out, but remember I also want you to use the sheet I gave you to work on your sight reading.

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