MOG Staff Portfolio Research and Professional Development Opera Institute Summer 2009 – Spring 2010

Inquiry Question To what extent can the incorporation of the fundamentals of music into the Opera Institute curriculum enhance the sophistication of teacher composed works?

Objectives Cultivate participant awareness of musical concepts and ideas Explicit use of music fundamentals in composition/improvisation Encourage explanation of musical choices using selected vocabulary Begin to create a common musical language that can be used with students

Documentation Plan Objective: Cultivate participant awareness of musical concepts and ideas Acceptable Evidence: Visible change in how participants discuss and present ideas (discrimination of musical information presented aurally, ability to use music language in description and conversation and writing) Documentation Strategy: Pre/Post Assessment of participant reflections from arts experiences Pre/Post Annotated video documenting change in level of discussion Samples of written work (compositions, libretto revisions) over time that demonstrate use and understanding of music concepts and ideas

Documentation Plan Objective: Explicit use of music fundamentals in composition/improvisation Acceptable Evidence: Increase in use of written/spoken music language Increase in use and ability to use music fundamentals during improvisation Documentation Strategy: Pre/Post assessment of written work (compositions, libretto revisions) over time that demonstrate use and understanding of music concepts and ideas (asses using rubric) Video samples of participant improvisation to track meaningful use of music fundamentals

Documentation Plan Objective: - Encourage explanation of musical choices using selected vocabulary - Begin to create a common musical language that can be used with students Acceptable Evidence: Increase in use of selected vocabulary in discussion and writing Documentation Strategy: Pre/Post assessment: Annotated video samples tracking selected music language

Who to document HALO Group High Performing: Bev, Music Specialist Average Performing: Cristine, 5th Grade Gen. Ed, some music/theatre experience Low Performing: Kay, 5th Grade Gen. Ed, limited arts experience/new to Guild PD Other: Denise, Administrator, Guild PD experience, not comfortable with music

Music Fundamentals: Determining Selected Vocabulary Melody Rhythm Meter Tempo Dynamics Articulation Timbre

Fundamentals of Music Melody (pitch, high/low, melody, contour, mode) Rhythm (beat, note values, ostinato) Meter (feel, duple, triple, swing) Tempo (fast, slow, other) Dynamics (loud, soft, other) Articulation (smooth, detached, stressed) Timbre (qualities of sound)

Approaching the objectives Singing (with solfege and other systems) Notation (traditional and non-traditional) Improvisation Physicalization Active Listening Used traditional music vocabulary AND non-traditional vocabulary

Curriculum Sample: Day 1 Music Concepts and Skills Rhythm Focus: Duple Meter Use improvisation to explore duple feel Melodic Focus: Pentatonic Scale Improvisation Solfege/Numbers/Tone Ladder/Inner Hearing Repertoire to demonstrate musical concepts/skills: The Old Sow, Arkansas The Mocking Bird, Appalachian Folk Song Active Listening: Introduction to active listening Repertoire: Symphony for a New World, Movement II: Largo, Antonin Dvořák

Alternate Notation: Using non-traditional symbols to convey music concepts and fundamentals Pitch and Melodic Contour

Selected Comments from Participant Reflection: Pre-test What do you know about music composition with students? What are you able to do? Ask open-ended musical questions about how the character would express themselves & keep trying different tonalities, tempi, & styles (H) I need help with composition vocabulary. (L)

Selected Comments from Participant Reflection: Post-test I understand how I put the melody and rhythm on the text. I will be able to help the students to compose their lines. Also, I learned the timing of the singing, which character sings on which line with fully expression in his/her voice even if the person is not well trained is a must (H) Certainly the rhythm of the words to the charting to the choice of minor or major – But the composers always have the musical tools (what SCALE to choose?) to get me started. Still working on the musical impulses. (A) I feel like I can put a libretto to a tune and a beat. (L) Build their musical toolbox – have them sing together often – recognize the scales (major, minor, pentatonic) and choose that set of notes before you/them being to compose. (o)