Week one - Composition Project

As a set up for this project students listened to "Help Me Rondo" by Jeanine (Levenson) Tesori.  (Found in the Silver Burdett Music Connection Grade 5 book. Copyright 1995 - yes 1995, its what we have at my school. But obsolete curriculum and the lack of funds for anything other than a Music K-8 subscription once a year is a topic for a different discussion.)  I like to use this piece because it isn't too long, its style is enjoyed by the students and it's written by a living, female composer.  Previously in the school year we studied Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Grieg, Saint-Saens, and Scott Joplin.  I want them to know anyone can be a composer and that Jeanine Tesori has won awards for her music.  I like to let them know that the singers they watch and listen to are not the only ones who can have success in the music industry.

Students do a focused listening for form then we have a discussion on what it is a composer must think about, include, and/ or write down in order to compose a piece like "Help Me Rondo."

The students create the list themselves - with some prompting if necessary. 

Here is some of what they come up with:

Melody - notes/ pitch and rhythm

Harmony

Form

Instruments/ Voices (if writing for voice the composer needs lyrics to write or work with)

The groupings of instruments (orchestra, big band, rock band, solo flute and piano etc...)

The audience the composer is writing for.

Tempo - fast or slow

Meter - 2, 3, 4, 6, mixed meter, etc...

Key - includes major keys vs. minor keys

Dynamics - loud and soft 

Does the composer want to paint a picture with the music, tell a story, make the audience feel something?

Is the music for something - like a play, movie, commercial, video game?

Some classes may add more but this is the general list.

The first step in this project is to form groups.  I like the students to choose their own groups to encourage them to work together better.  They can work in groups of 2, 3 or 4.  The first thing they do is consider the list above and start to come up with a strategy for their piece.  They are given a packet to begin their work on.  The first week is basically discussion and getting ideas on paper.

Here are a few examples of week 1 work: