Connecting Personal Experiences, Aesthetic Values, and Interdisciplinary Applications to Expressive Ensemble Performance

Procedure

[This lesson is centered on 'The Tempest' by Robert W. Smith]

Learning Task #1: Identifying and Associating Descriptors with Colors
1a. Create a slides presentation with each slide displaying a different solid color.
1b. Ask students to stand in front of their seats in the ensemble setting.
1c. Display one color at a time on the slides presentation.
1d. Each student takes turns identifying and sharing a one-word descriptor to associate with the color displayed for their turn (e.g., calm for light blue, vibrant for fuchsia, zesty for orange, etc.).
1e. Once a student has shared their descriptor, they take a seat. Display a new color on the slides presentation for each student until every student has shared a descriptor and is seated.

Learning Task #2: Identifying and Associating Descriptors with Images of Stormy Seas
[Follow the same sequence as Learning Task #1 but with the images of stormy seas.]
2a. Create a slides presentation with each slide displaying a different image of stormy seas.
2b. Ask students to stand again in front of their seats in the ensemble setting.
2c. Display one image at a time on the slides presentation.
2d. Each student takes turns identifying and sharing a one-word descriptor to associate with the image displayed for their turn (e.g., ominous, electric, impending, rocky, etc.).
2e. Once a student has shared their descriptor, they take a seat. Display a new image on the slides presentation for each student until every student has shared a descriptor and is seated.

Learning Task #3: Personal and Interdisciplinary Connections to Expression and Emotion in Music
[Student discussion to contextualize the previous two activities and consider elements of expression and emotion that are not explicitly written in the music.]
3a. Define "tempest" as a stormy wind or fierce storm.
3b. Ask students to describe any storms that they have experienced in the past. How do storms make you feel?
3c. Consider: Which elements are involved in a storm (e.g., wind, rain, lightning, thunder, etc.)?
3d. Discussion Questions: Do storms suddenly appear? Is it always raining in a storm? Does lightning ever cease?
3e. Connecting: Which musical devices might we use to emulate a storm? Why?

Learning Task #4: Listening Activity with Imagery
4a. Listen to the recording of The Tempest by Robert W. Smith without looking at the musical notation.
4b. Ask students to generate descriptors for the music through 1-2 listenings.
4c. Next, listen to the recording of The Tempest while looking at the musical notation.
4d. Using a graphic organizer, ask students to identify musical devices that contribute to the descriptors that they generated (e.g., dynamics, articulations, timbre, texture, rhythm, etc.).
4e. Project the images of the stormy seas from Learning Task #2. Ask students to identify images that match their descriptors and pair these images with each section of the music.

Learning Task #5: Interpretive and Expressive Performance of the Repertoire
5a. Project images of the stormy seas to match each section of the repertoire.
5b. Beginning with the introduction of The Tempest, represent the images that are projected through their expressive performance in connection with each section of the music. (e.g., they might begin with a boat on calm waters with an uneasy storm front approaching in measures 1-8 to match the sustained note durations, slurred articulations, and mezzo piano dynamics leading to a crescendo in measures 7-8).
5c. As the music and imagery develops, the goal is to create a unified, balanced progression of intensity through informed identification and implementation of musical devices.

Learning Task #6: Closing & Reflection
6a. Ask students to reflect on how the inspiration of "The Tempest" may have influenced Robert W. Smith's compositional approach.
6b. How do students' personal experiences inform their interpretation and expressive performance of the music?
6c. Which musical devices help to evoke the progression of a fierce storm?

Standards Code

MU:Cn10.1.E.5
MU:Cn10.1.E.8

Suggested Assessment

Diagnostic Assessments: Students' identification of descriptors for differing colors, imagery, and first listenings of The Tempest; Identification of musical devices that could emulate a storm.

Formative Assessments: Graphic organizer where students identify musical devices that contribute to the descriptors that they generated for the repertoire (e.g., dynamics, articulations, timbre, texture, rhythm, etc.); Interpretive and expressive performances of each section of the repertoire using a performance-based analytic rubric (Criteria may include musical elements such as pitch and rhythmic accuracy, dynamic contrast, slurred vs. staccato vs. accented articulations, appropriate balance of textures, etc.); Written or spoken responses to closing reflective questions in Learning Task #6.

Summative Assessment: Individual or collective performance-based assessments (solo playing on individual parts or full ensemble performance) of the musical devices used for interpretive and expressive performance of the repertoire. This could take place at the end of the unit or final performance of the repertoire using the same or similar performance-based analytic rubric and criteria from the formative assessment.

Enduring Understanding

The multidimensional system of music allows us to uniquely express and reflect upon ideas, opinions, aesthetic values, and human sentience. Musicians draw upon universal themes, disciplinary and interdisciplinary understandings, and life experiences to inform their creative expressions

Essential Question

1. How does music deepen our understanding of ourselves, promote creative expression, and
encourage productive collaboration?
2. What inspires and informs the creative work of musicians?

Notes/Resources/Accommodations

*This lesson is geared toward the novice and intermediate levels but could be adjusted for any level of proficiency.
*The Tempest is part of the Grade 1 Band Literature; however, similar approaches could be tailored across ensemble types, grade levels, and content/themes of repertoire.

Additional Instructional Ideas

*Students could use the interdisciplinary connections and musical devices in this lesson to compose their own music. Student compositions could be handwritten, input into notation software, or generated through a Digital Audio Workstation (such as BandLab). Encourage students to select their own theme and pair the music with imagery representing their music.

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