Category: Secondary Curriculum

Secondary Curriculum – Pathway to a Piece: Lesson 1, Main 1: Active Bach Listening

Time: 15 minutes Group size: Whole Class/Individual Tag words: solo, violins, orchestra, notation, changes, texture, chords, structure, sketch, blocks, colours  Play the class the first movement of Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor. Tell the pupils that the piece is for two solo violins and a string orchestra. Watch with the animated notation: […]

Secondary Curriculum – Pathway to a Piece: Lesson 1, Main 2: Examining Scores

Time: 20 minutes Group size: Whole Class Tag words: examine, score, instrument, missing, improvised, harpsichord, continuo, favourite, sections, instrumentation  The class now examine the first few pages of the score. Ask the class – “which instruments are there on the score?” “Which instrument is missing?” (Ans: Harpsichord. The part is improvised in this music. Optional: […]

Secondary Curriculum – Pathway to a Piece: Lesson 1, Plenary: Discussion on Bach’s Violin Concerto

Time: 10 minutes Group size: Whole Class Tag words: listen, analyse, understand, inspiration, techniques, discussion, useful, composer  Teacher: tell the class that they have learned how to listen, analyse and understand a complex piece of music. This piece is going to be the inspiration for their original pieces, which doesn’t mean they will copy it […]

Secondary Curriculum – Pathway to a Piece: Lesson 1, Starter: Bach Listening

Time: 10 minutes Group size: Whole Class Tag words: composer, listening, learning, Bach, count, tune, melody, parts, violins, concerto, minor, movement Explain to the class that as composers, they need to start by listening to and learning from other music. The class will listen deeply and actively. They will get inside the music and try […]

Secondary Curriculum – Pathway to a Piece: Lesson 2, Main 1: Improvising on a D minor scale

Time: 15 minutes Group size: Whole Group Tag words: scale, minor, improvisation, improvising, backing track, rising, rhythm, rest, call and response  RESOURCE NEEDED: Pathway to a Piece 1, Project Examples Worksheet.doc Introduce the first phrase and ask the group to play it together. Remind them to count the beats rest, and to note the 2 […]

Secondary Curriculum – Pathway to a Piece: Lesson 2, Main 2: Group Improvisation

Time: 20 minutes Group size: Whole Group Tag words: scale, minor, improvisation, improvising, backing track, rising, rhythm, rest, call and response, develop, solo, vary, dynamics, articulation, harmony.  RESOURCE NEEDED: Pathway to a Piece 1, Project Examples Worksheet.doc, backing track 1 Tell the class that the improvisation is going to develop by moving to each person […]