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

2. 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?

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

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

9. 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)

10. 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

11. 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

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

13. 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)

14. 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)