Anne McTighe Dr. Gevinson Teaching Reading 5/30/13 Exploring Graphic Notation Northwestern University Music Education Lesson 1 of 3 Overview: Before reading Treatise: Animated Analysis, students will work in groups to explore visual features of Cornelius Cardew’s score. They will be asked to describe how the visuals might be represented with sound. Groups will have the opportunity to present their page to the class. They will then be informed that they are looking at a musical score, and the teacher will engage students in an activity to define “graphic notation” based on what they saw. Illinois State Content Standards: o 25A, G1: Describe tempo(s), dynamic(s), and articulation(s) in an aural example using appropriate terminology o 25A, E8: Justify the selection of organizational and sensory elements to express a particular mood, emotion, or idea in an original composition with environmental sounds, body sounds, or classroom instruments o 26B, H1: Compare and contrast works of art in two or more art forms that share similar artistic components, themes, or subject matter Specific Objectives: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: o Describe visual features of Treatise by Cornelius Cardew and talk about how they would interpret them to create music (What instrument? What sound? How long? How loud? How high? Etc.) o Define “graphic notation” based on what they know from looking at Treatise Materials: o 6-8 copied pages of Treatise by Cornelius Cardew (see supplementary materials) o Whiteboard and marker o Device that can play .mp3 files aloud and a recording of The Storm from Burgmüller’s 18 Character Studies Op. 109 (Length 1:30) Sequence Est. Time: 7 minutes Procedures: 1. Prior to class, the teacher should select workgroups of ~3 people. 6-8 workstations should be set-up around the classroom. Each workstation should have a different page of the Treatise score. 2. Warm-up activity: Have students practice thinking about connecting music to visuals. Play a recording of The Storm by Burgmüller. Ask students to draw what the piece reminds them of. Discuss the activity briefly. Possible questions include: o Compare drawings with a partner. Assessment: Assess whether students can respond to music by creating visuals. Visuals should be intentional and representative of what the student hears. In discussion, students should be able to talk about the music using
Transcript
Anne McTighe Dr. Gevinson
Teaching Reading 5/30/13
Exploring Graphic Notation
Northwestern University Music Education Lesson 1 of 3
Overview: Before reading Treatise: Animated Analysis, students will work in groups to explore visual features of Cornelius Cardew’s score. They will be asked to describe how the visuals might be represented with sound. Groups will have the opportunity to present their page to the class. They will then be informed that they are looking at a musical score, and the teacher will engage students in an activity to define “graphic notation” based on what they saw. Illinois State Content Standards:
o 25A, G1: Describe tempo(s), dynamic(s), and articulation(s) in an aural example using appropriate terminology
o 25A, E8: Justify the selection of organizational and sensory elements to express a particular mood, emotion, or idea in an original composition with environmental sounds, body sounds, or classroom instruments
o 26B, H1: Compare and contrast works of art in two or more art forms that share similar artistic components, themes, or subject matter
Specific Objectives: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: o Describe visual features of Treatise by Cornelius Cardew and talk about how they would
interpret them to create music (What instrument? What sound? How long? How loud? How high? Etc.)
o Define “graphic notation” based on what they know from looking at Treatise Materials:
o 6-8 copied pages of Treatise by Cornelius Cardew (see supplementary materials) o Whiteboard and marker o Device that can play .mp3 files aloud and a recording of The Storm from Burgmüller’s 18
Character Studies Op. 109 (Length 1:30) Sequence
Est. Time:
7 minutes
Procedures: 1. Prior to class, the teacher should select
workgroups of ~3 people. 6-8 workstations should be set-up around the classroom. Each workstation should have a different page of the Treatise score.
2. Warm-up activity: Have students practice thinking about connecting music to visuals. Play a recording of The Storm by Burgmüller. Ask students to draw what the piece reminds them of. Discuss the activity briefly. Possible questions include: o Compare drawings with a partner.
Assessment: Assess whether students can respond to music by creating visuals. Visuals should be intentional and representative of what the student hears. In discussion, students should be able to talk about the music using
15 minutes
15 minutes
3 minutes
Are they similar? o What different approaches did your
classmates have? o What made you think of this
picture? o What do you think the title of this
piece is? 3. Divide students into groups and send them
to a workstation. Give them 15 minutes to discuss their page in groups. Questions to think about: o Describe your picture to someone
who cannot see it. What do you see? Think about features, mood, emotions, texture, etc.
o If you had to create a piece of music from this drawing, what would it sound like?
4. Come back together as a class. Have
groups present on their drawing. Summarizing question: o What similarities did you notice
between the drawings and/or sounds?
5. Inform students that they have actually been looking at a musical score that uses graphic notation. Ask students to help you define “graphic notation” for someone who has no idea what it is. Have students record their definition.
6. Questions to consider at home (to be
discussed at beginning of Lesson 2): o How does this notation system
differ from standard notation? o Why might composers have turned
to this?
familiar academic language (tempo, dynamic, instrumentation, mood, texture, etc.). Musical aspects should be connected to visuals. (Note: If this is the student’s first time doing this type of activity, reassure him/her that there is no correct answer. They should just draw whatever the piece makes them think of.) Assess whether students are able to connect their ideas about the score to what it sounds like. Students should assess multiple aspects of the score (texture, mood, emotion, dynamic, etc.). Students’ discussions should link visual characteristics with musical characteristics. If students are having trouble, pose questions for them. Some examples are: What are the most prominent features? How does it make you feel? How would round shapes versus angular shapes sound? Assess whether students can present their thinking and impressions. Responses should use academic language and connect visuals to sound. Assess whether students can make conclusions about what graphic notation is from the activities. It is okay if they have misconceptions. Record their thoughts and then revise the definition after reading Treatise: Animated Analysis of Treatise.
Thoughts for next lessons: In the next portion of the lesson, students will be asked to read and look closely at an
analysis of some of the features of Treatise. Students will complete a discussion web to help focus their thinking on elements of graphic scores and their connection to sound.
