Courses

Level 2 Course Descriptions

Curriculum

* Pedagogy - Technique and Improvisation:

This subject aims to develop competency in:

• Leading echo and question/answer exercises in all media,
• Teaching an original arrangement and a song,
• Improvising on melodic and non-melodic instruments in 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8 time over various borduns with various accompaniments ( I - ii, I - vi, +IV).

* Recorder:

Aims to develop:

• Skills on the alto (F) recorder,
• Ensemble playing skills,
• Improvisational skills in pentatonic and diatonic scales on soprano and alto recorders.

* Vocal:

Aims to develop:

• understanding of the physiology of sound production,
• competency in using handsigns to lead simple melodies and vocal explorations in doh and lah pentatonic,
• competency in improvising in doh and lah pentatonic over borduns,
• part independence when singing,
• sing and sign songs in Major Diatonic Scale.

* Literature, Orchestration and Analysis:

Aims to develop:

• ability to identify pitches in doh and lah pentatonic,
• ability to improvise and compose accompaniments and borduns to songs in doh and lah pentatonic,
• Skills in arranging and adding accompaniments to 2 chord pieces,
• Skills necessary to analyse a piece for its melodic and rhythmic content and possible uses for teaching purposes.

* Movement and Dance:

Aims to develop:

• understanding and use of elements of dance including Laban's,
• ability to read dance notation used in Orff materials,
• ability to teach a folk dance using limited verbal instructions,
• performance of folk dances,
• refinement of movement accompaniment with all media,
• exploration of musical forms - coda, form, solo/tutti, echo etc.

Summary of Assessment:

Prepared / Performed / Handed in

• Peer Teaching tasks: where participants lead the whole group in short activities to demonstrate their use of Orff processes in teaching a class. Three tasks including teaching a vocal or instrumental arrangement of a 2 chord song; teach an unaccompanied song using echo and chaining techniques; devise an activity to teach a concept using Orff techniques.
• Orchestration + Analysis: 2 arrangements to be handed in; analysis of a piece for its possibilities in teaching.
• Create a dance that demonstrates musical structures clearly.
• Write a sung ostinato to a melody.

Class Activities / Competencies Observed by Teacher:

• Use dance notation to work out and notate dances.
• Recorder: Play selected works demonstrating proficiency on alto recorder from low F to high D; improvise in doh and lah pentatonic.
• Vocal: Practise singing and signing in doh and lah pentatonic.