Vocal Music Targets

Vocal Music Targets

​In this lesson we will answer these questions:

​1. What am I being graded on in choir?

​2. How are those grades decided?

​Vocal Music Standards

​4 major areas:

​Literacy

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​Technique

​Expression

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​Rehearsal/Performance

​Literacy

​What does it mean? Literacy is reading, writing, and comprehending music.

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How do we use it? ​In choir we focus on these three literacy skills:

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​rhythmic literacy

​melodic literacy

​score navigation.

Open Ended

Can you think of an activity we've done  in class where we practiced melodic literacy?

​Technique

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​What does it mean?​ Technique is the technical mechanics of how we sing.

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Breathing

Posture

Pitch

​Tone Color

​Vowels

How do we use it? ​​In choir we focus on several aspects of technique:

Open Ended

What are two aspects of technique that will be assessed in choir class?

Multiple Choice

5th hour choir is practicing the exercise "mah meh mee moh moo" and focusing on keeping space in the mouth, and corners of the lips inward. What technical skill are they practicing?

• Posture

• Phonation

• Vowels

• Breathing

Multiple Choice

6th hour choir is practicing expanding their lower ribs and belly while inhaling from the diaphragm. What technical skill are they practicing?

• Posture

• Phonation

• Vowels

• Breathing

​Expression

What does it mean?​ The mood, dynamics, style, articulation, and many other elements of music.​

How do we use it?

Dynamics, phrasing, and expression are all important to rehearse at every stage of learning a piece of music.​

​music history and culture

What does it mean?​ Each piece of music has a connection to the culture and time period it was written or performed.

How do we use it?

We sing music from around the world, and music written in a variety of styles and time periods. We talk about the cultural significance of different styles of music.​

​Rehearsal Skills

(We will cover "Performance" separately.)

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What does it mean? Rehearsal skills are what we practice to learn how to function as a member of an ensemble in a rehearsal setting.

How do we use it? As a member of our ensemble, it's your responsibility to...

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​​promote a positive culture

​follow norms and routines

​​be ready to sing