1. Expressive Elements

2. Expressive Elements The Concept All music is communicative It expresses or communicates something It can be communicating emotions, events, stories, and any mixture thereof. But the gist is that it always communicates something to the listener.

3. Expressive Elements-Definition Expressive Elements are the components of music or musical devices that help communicate emotion and mood to the listener. # In our class we will cover a few of the possibilities. # Dynamics and Tempo # We will also discuss music as a general expressive device.

4. Dynamics The term Dynamics is the musical term to describe volume in a piece of music. The volume of any given moment of music can communicate the mood or tone of the piece

5. Activity #1 For activity #1: # First Listen to the Copland’s Hoedown and answer the following in your word document for this Module. # Is it loud or soft? # What emotion or descriptive words would you use to describe it?

6. Activity #1-Continued Next, listen to the first 30seconds to a minute of Barber’s Adagio for Stings and answer the following in your word document for this module. Does it begin loudly or softly? What emotions or descriptive words would you use to describe it?

7. Activity #1 Continued Now listen to the rest of Barber’s Adagio for strings and answer the following in your word document for this module. What happens to the volume as you move through the piece? What does that do to the mood/character? What words would you use to describe it

8. Dynamics--Terminology Music/Musicians use special terminology and symbols for soft, medium and loud and variations thereof. Piano=soft and is depicted in music with a p Pianissmo=very soft and is depicted in music with a pp Pianississimo-very, very soft and is depicted in music with a ppp

9. Dynamics Terminology: Medium We can have both Medium Loud or Medium Soft in music Mezzo Forte= medium loud and is depicted in music with a mf Mezzo piano=medium soft and is depicted in music with a mp

10. Dynamics Terminology: Loud Forte=loud and is depicted in music with an F Fortissimo=very loud and is depicted in music with a FF Fortississsimo- very, very loud and is depicted in music with a FFF

11. Crescendo The term crescendo means to gradually increase volume or in other words get louder. It is depicted in music with a symbol that looks like a stretched out greater than sign.

12. Decrescendo Decrescendo means to gradually decrease volume or in other words get gradually softer It is depicted in music with a symbol that looks like a stretched out less than symbol.

13. Activity #2 Open the dynamic symbols chart and examine it for the symbols previously explained.

14. Activity #2 Continued Next, open the musical example and examine it. Here are some of the symbols as they would look in an actual piece of music. Don’t be intimidated by the notation just look for the dynamic symbols! Answer the following question: What dynamic symbols are in the piece of musical notation

15. Activity #2 continued Finally, listen to the audio file containing the music you have been looking at above. Follow along with the dynamic contour of the piece of music. Answer the following questions in your word document.

16. Activity #2 Discussion Questions What do think the message of the piece is----what do you hear? What do you think the piece is communicating? How do the dynamics effect what you hear in the music? In other words---how do the dynamics communicate the message of the piece? What other musical element for the elementary classroom are we utilizing with this activity?

17. The Answer: Music Listening

18. Music Listening Activity # 2 is also an example of music listening. Why do you think that is? In this case listening and thinking and writing about what you hear is a structured activity where you engage with the music and with listening to it.

19. Music Listening The musical element of musical listening is listening to music in a structured manner. It must be structured as a learning activity and not just Listening to music in the background. It is key that to be music listening their must be some kind of structured listening Activity

20. Music Listening Lessons Key ideas for creating a music listening lesson or incorporating music listening into other activities. Again—must be a structured listening activity Should be Active for students The best ones move from experiencing the music to something more cognitive. Students should be actively engaged in actually listening and learning something from the music.

21. Dynamic and Music Listening Example An example of both an Expressive Elements activity using dynamics and an example of a music listening lesson is a learning activity involving a famous piece of music by Franz Joseph Haydn.

22. Dynamic and Music Listening Example I begin by teaching the students the following text while tiptoeing in time gradually step, by step using direct instruction. (I do, we do) Tip-toe (step), tip-toe (step) Tip-toe (step) look (pause feet) Repeat: Tip-toe (step), tip-toe (step) Tip-toe (step) look (pause feet) Tip-toe (step), tip-toe (step) look (pause feet) look.

23. Dynamic and Music Listening Example Once students have mastered the movement, I step by step (phrase by phrase) teach them to sing the tune using direct instruction (I do, we do)

24. Dynamic and Music Listening Example Then we put the movement and singing together in place. Students then move around the room with the correct movement and correct timing singing the tune to the symphony. When students are successfully moving around the room we move with the recorded symphony and students identify why the Symphony is titled “The Surprise Symphony”

25. Dynamic and Music Listening Example The symphony is called “Surprise Symphony” because it is pianissimo until a very forte sound at the end of the portion used for this lesson

26. Dynamic and Music Listening Example Finally, we listen to the applicable portion of the symphony and follow along with a touch chart that depicts what students are hearing. Open the Surprise Symphony touch chart and view it now.

27. Dynamic and Music Listening Example Notice the touch chart is pictoral and the pictures clearly depict the movement and what is happening in the music. Also, notice that the pictures depict the rhythm of the piece of music---tip-toe, tip-toe, tip-toe look. # Touch charts are an extremely effective way of taking an idea from experience to cognition. In this case moving and experiencing the symphony to an informed and active listening of it.

28. Activity #3-Listening Lesson Idea For activity #3: # Describe an idea for a listening lesson that would relate to another area of core content. # Make sure it is active for students, and a structured learning activity from the music. # Write up your idea in the word document for this module.

29. Activity #4- Another Dynamic Example Activity For activity #4: Preview the discussion questions on the next slide Print the Grizzly Bear Chart Then watch and participate in the Grizzly Bear Song Video Clip Finally, answer the discussion questions in your word document for this module.

30. Activity #4 Discussion Questions # What dynamics do you hear in this song and label each with the appropriate musical symbol. # What happens from the beginning to the end of the song? Notate the musical symbol that would describe this in the actual piece of music. Describe how this is an example of musical dynamics and what do you think it communicates in the song? Did I use direct instruction? What was the teaching sequence? What core content areas might you use this activity to help enrich understanding for?

31. Using Dynamics in the Classroom Here are a few other ideas for using dynamics in the classroom: Use it for classroom management Finish a song with a very quiet dynamic and students will quiet and focused on you Use it to help teach appropriate classroom volume for different scenarios

32. Using Dynamics in the Classroom Use it to address science standards regarding different volumes

33. Using Dynamics in the Classroom Use it as an activity to emphasize important ideas Teaching main idea or note-taking to older students Do a guided activity where students make a loud sound when you come to an main idea and a soft sound when you come to a supporting detail

34. Activity Five For activity #5: Design an activity that incorporates both an aspect of core content (English, Social Studies, Science or Math) and dynamics into the activity. Give detailed description of the activity and outline a sequence of instruction. Post your activity to the expressive elements discussion forum Respond to at least 3 classmates postings. Make sure it is clear in your response that you have read the posting.

35. Expressive Elements: Tempo The other expressive element we will study is tempo.

36. Tempo-Definition Tempo refers to the speed of music The tempo or speed of a piece of music helps depict the mood or character of the piece For example, a fast speed might convey a bright, lively mood while a slower piece could convey a melancholy message. Different characters and moods help music communicate it’s message---whatever it might be

37. Activity Six For activity six: Listen to Nimrod from Elgar’s Inigma Variations and O’Fortuna from Carmina Burona by Carl Orff and answer the questions on the next slide.

38. Activity #6 Questions What is the tempo of each one? (slow, fast etcetera) What do you notice about tempo and the mood or character of the piece? What do you notice about the mood or character of the piece as the dynamic changes? How do you think tempo and dynamics related and how do they help communicate the mood or character of the music?

39. Activity #7 Using Tempo in Classroom For Activity #7: View the youtube clips of tempo related activities actually used in classrooms. Then write about how you might adapt and use tempo activities in your classroom to help reinforce core content….be creative!

40. General Musical Expression You can use music and it’s expressive elements to teach students about emotion, mood and personal expression.

41. Musical Expression Activities Here are some ideas for activities to help explore and teach musical expression. # Draw what you hear. # In this musical example select a number of clips of music of all different styles and characters. #Have or give students blank paper and colored pencils, markers crayons etc. #Then play short snippets of your selected musical clips and have students draw what they hear in the music or what it represents to them. #Finally, replay a bit of each example and have a guided class or partner discussion about what the music expressed to them.

42. Musical Expression Activities Another musical expression activities can help student identify and express or explore emotions. Emotion Cards Activity # In this activity give students pictures that depict all kinds of emotions--- excited, anxious etc. # Choose musical examples that represent each emotion # Play short snippets of the musical examples and have students use the emotion card to show what they think the music represents. # Then lead the class in a discussion about what the music means to them, why they chose the emotion card that they chose and a time that they perhaps felt that way.

43. Musical Expression Activities # Many classical songs are settings of poetry and are excellent depictions of the mood and events of the poem. You can use songs to help teach students to interpret poems. #

44. Activity #8 For Activity #9: # First open the PDF and read the lyrics to “Do You Hear the People Sing” from the musical Les Miserables. # Then listen and watch the audio, visual clip of the song # Finally answer the discussion questions listed on the next slide.

45. Activity #8-Discussion Questions How would you describe the mood of the song? Does it change? If so how and what expressive element helps depict the change? How does the music help you understand the lyrics?

46. Musical Expression/Emotions We can use music and the concept of musical expression to help teach students about their emotions.

47. Other Ideas for Using Expressive Elements in the Classroom # You could have students choose a song that they think reflects their personality and write about why they chose that song. # You could have students use various pieces of music to illustrate any story or even a research paper that they have written. # Another interesting and similar idea would be to have them choose music that depicts events in History.

48. Activity #9 Design your own activity for teaching students musical expression. It can/should incorporate other musical elements that we have learned so far. Write a detailed description of the activity. Share your activity with classmates via the tempo activity discussion forum Respond to at least 3 of your classmates activity postings.

49. In Conclusion Music communicates and is therefore an expressive medium. It can be used to help teach people how to express themselves and how to interpret tone, mood and emotion Two of the devices used to help music communicate are dynamics and tempo.

50. Quiz Time! Congratulations! You have completed module #5