BethAnn Hepburn, FMEA 2016

Croaking or Singing?

Developing Vocal Part Work in the Elementary Music Classroom

Vocal Exploration: Early Elementary

Encourages exploring different types of voices: speaking/singing.

Explores dynamic ranges.

Varies pitch and head and chest voices.

Helps students to sustain sounds.

Example: The Story of Old Blue

Developing Partwork Tonic Drone and Simple Melodies: Early Elementary

Example: Johnny on the Woodpile: Purposeful Pathways Book 1, ©MIE Publications 2012 Used

with Permission

PATHWAY to PARTWORK: Speech to UTP

Break down the song to rhythm first, then add text.

Turn the last measure of the poem into an accompaniment ostinato.

Two-part speech. PATHWAY to LITERACY: Practice so, mi, la, do

Review rhythm and text.

Read solfege. Practice with hand signs. Utilize solfege ladder.

Sing song with text. Lead students into discovering that “fence” and “cents” are more beautiful when you let the tone go on longer. Introduce half note, converting the quarter note and rest into a half note.

PATHWAY to PARTWORK: Melody with ostinato

Teach ostinato by rote.

BethAnn Hepburn, FMEA 2016

Utilize Canons & Rounds Example: Cannon Canon

It is helpful to younger singers to use Canons that have movement against a more

stagnant rhythm when performed in canon, they have a hard time when parts are too

close together harmonically if they move with parallel rhythm as well.

When you sing a canon it goes so so … When you clap a canon it goes (clap) (clap)…

When you move a canon it goes (motion k, motion s etc) Students can make up additional ways to perform the canon.

BethAnn Hepburn, FMEA 2016

Adding Descants for Beginning Harmony to Familiar Folk Songs

BethAnn Hepburn, FMEA 2016

Utilizing Solfege & Hand Signs to Develop Partwork & Harmony

Up-Hill from Purposeful Pathways, Book 3 BethAnn Hepburn & Roger Sams

©MIE Publications 2015 Used with Permission

PATHWAY TO Pitch: Solfa hand sign follow

Referencing the solfa tone ladder, students sing the solfa for hand signs that you show. (simultaneous imitation)

Divide the class in half; half the class follows your left hand solfa hand signs and the other half follows the right. Begin with unison and then have one group sustain a pitch while the other group moves melodically. Example:

TEACHER TALK: Two hand signs at once

As a teacher you will be doing two hand signs at once. This may take practice before you get

in front of children.

PATHWAY TO Literacy: 4 h$ 2 2. la, do re mi so

BethAnn Hepburn, FMEA 2016

Students read the rhythm of “Up-Hill,” with all anacruses removed, using rhythm syllables of your choice.

Students read the melody (without anacruses), using solfa and hand signs.

Students read the melody (without anacruses) from the staff, using solfa and hand signs.

BethAnn Hepburn, FMEA 2016

Explain that adding the text requires the addition of anacruses. Model singing the song with the text, while the students follow the notation.

Students sing the song with text with you. Students sing the song with text, without support.

PATHWAY TO Partwork: 2-part singing

BethAnn Hepburn, FMEA 2016

Help the students to notice that the text is a series of four questions with answers. Point out that the musical form is also question and answer.

(a b a b c d c d)

Ask the students to identify similarities and differences between the two sections of the song, comparing and contrasting a b a b with c d c d.

Students sing the questions and you sing the answers. Trade parts. Divide the class in half, singing questions and answers to each other. Trade parts.

BethAnn Hepburn, FMEA 2016

Model singing the questions, followed by singing the “oo” mi-so-mi part, softly. Introduce the concept of piano (soft) for the “oo.”

Students sing the top line with you. Students sing the top line and you sing the bottom line. Divide the class in half and sing in two parts. Trade parts.

BethAnn Hepburn, FMEA 2016

Layered Melodic Ostinato

Teeth, Lips & Tongue: Diction Development Exploring Consonants

Pelican Chorus: from Purposeful Pathways, Book 3 BethAnn Hepburn & Roger Sams

©MIE Publications 2015 Used with Permission

PATHWAY TO Vocal Diction: Enunciating Consonants

Teacher Talk: Diction

Enunciation practice is essential for developing good diction. Guiding students through the various

types of consonants by distinguishing the placement of the lips, teeth, and tongue is key. Labial

consonants (produced with the lips) and dental consonants (produced with the tongue and teeth)

are physically different than sounds that are combinations of these placements, like a voiceless

consonant as in the letter “f.” Palatal consonants are further back in the mouth, as the tongue

contacts the palate, as with the letter “k.”

Practice of the labial consonants, using echo imitation.

p p p p

b b b b

p b p b

m m m m

BethAnn Hepburn, FMEA 2016

m p m b

Practice dental and labial/dental consonants, using echo imitation.

n n n n

s s s s

s n s n

f f f f

f s f s

Practice palatal consonants, using echo imitation.

k k k k

Qu Qu Qu Qu

j j j j

k j k j

Play with words from the song text, using echo imitation.

Ploffskin Ploffskin Ploffskin Ploffskin

Pluffskin Pluffskin Pluffskin Pluffskin

Ploffskin Pluffskin Ploffskin Pluffskin

Kings and Queens Kings and Queens

Pelican jee Pelican jill

Throats and Chins Throats and Chins

Plumpskin Ploshkin Plumpskin Ploshkin

BethAnn Hepburn, FMEA 2016

Blending Diction & Melodic Ostinati, and Descant

Example: Marching Song Crooked River Choral Project, Roger Sams