7/27/2019 Atlantis+Lesson+Plan

1/3

Amanda GardierLesson Plan: Atlantis by Anne McGinty

Terms and Definitions:

Mezzo Forte: Medium loud.

Motif:A reoccurring musical statement that appears throughout the piece.

Objectives:

As a result of this rehearsal, students will be able to: Aurally identify excerpts of a melody. Maintain a consistent performance and stylistic interpretation of a melody

including dynamics, articulation, and overall phrasingacross the entire

ensemble.

Standards:

National Standard for Music Education:

Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.(NS2)

Listening to, analyzing, and describing music. (NS6) Evaluating music and music performances. (NS7)

Materials:

Podium Baton

Procedure:

1. Ask the ensemble to play and sustain a concert F at a mezzo forte dynamic. If theensemble does not achieve a rich, mezzo forte concert F, provide feedback and

cue the note again until the ensemble achieves the desired tone quality. If studentsare not familiar with the term mezzo forte, explain that it means medium

loud.2. Tell the ensemble that you will cue a concert F again, but that you will

periodically ask particular instruments to cut out. The ensemble must maintaina consistent dynamic and tone quality, which means that some instruments may

have to play louder when others stop playing.3. Cue a concert F. Once a mezzo forte dynamic is achieved, ask for the trumpets

and trombones to stop playing. If the concert F sounds softer, use a nonverbalhand signals to cue the rest of the ensemble to play louder.

4. If the ensemble reaches/maintains the mezzo forte dynamic, tell the woodwinds tostop playing and ask for the brass section to play. Use nonverbal hand signals to

cue the brass to play louder or softer to maintain the mezzo forte dynamic. 5. Reverse the roles and ask only the woodwinds to play. Use nonverbal hand

signals to cue the woodwinds to play louder or softer to maintain the mezzo fortedynamic.

6. Ask only the tubas to play. Use nonverbal hand signals to cue more or less sound.

7/27/2019 Atlantis+Lesson+Plan

2/3

7. Ask only the clarinets to play. Use nonverbal hand signals to cue more or lesssound.

8. After cutting off the clarinets, ask the ensemble what adjustments had to be madein order to maintain the mezzo forte dynamic the entire time? Is a full-ensemble

mezzo forte the same as a clarinet mezzo forte?

9.

If the students do not provide the response, explain that the full-ensemble blowinga mezzo forte will always be louder than any smaller instrument combination ifthey are using the same amount of air. To maintain the loudness and richness of

the full-ensemble sound, students must play louder when some instruments dropout.

10. Tell the students that this skill will come in handy when rehearsing Atlantis.Ask the students to take Atlantis out of their music folders.

11. First, ask just the trumpets to play from measure 12 to measure 20. Conduct atabout 110 bpm.

12.Tell the ensemble the trumpets just played the basic melody of the piece. Therest of the song is structured around that basic motif. Explain that a motif is a

reoccurring musical statement that appears throughout the piece.13.Next, ask the ensemble to find measure 37.14.Ask the ensemble to play from measure 37 to measure 45. Tell the ensemble to

listen closely for the melody and warn them that it bounces around between

instruments.15.Conduct the ensemble through this section at about 110 bpm.16.Ask the students to raise their hand if they think they are playing part of the

melody in measure 37. Only the trumpets should raise their hands. Ask the

students the same question for each measure (37-45). Per measure, it should betrumpets (m. 37); low brass and low woodwinds (m. 38); clarinets and flutes (m.

39); trumpets (m. 40); trumpets, alto saxophones, and French horns (m. 41);everyone (m. 42); trumpets (m. 43); low brass and low woodwinds (m. 44).

17.Tell students that they will play through the section again, but ask them to onlyplay when they have part of the melody. Tell students to mimic the articulation

and dynamics of the instruments that play before them. The objective is for themelody to sound consistent and smooth as if one instrument were playing it the

entire time.18.Conduct the ensemble from measure 37 to measure 45. Cue each instrument when

they have part of the melody.19.If the dynamics and articulation are not consistent, provide feedback for each

instrument section as necessary. Play the section again in the same style. 20.Once the playing style sounds more consistent, ask the full ensemble to play

measure 37-45 together again. Conduct the ensemble from measure 37 to measure45. If needed, provide feedback regarding the accompaniment, remind them that

they are supporting the melody and not drowning it out.21. If time allows, ask the ensemble to find measure 20. Ask the entire ensemble to

play and conduct the ensemble from measure 20 to measure 29.

22.Ask students who plays the melody in measures 20 and 21. The clarinets, altosaxophones, and trumpets should raise their hands. Ask who plays the melody inmeasures 22 and 23. The flutes, alto saxophones, and trumpets should raise their

7/27/2019 Atlantis+Lesson+Plan

3/3

hands. Ask who plays the melody in measures 24-28. The trumpets should raisetheir hands. Tell the low brass and low woodwinds to bring out their part in

measure 23 and tell saxophones to bring out their part in measures 27 and 28.23.Ask students to only play when they have the melody, and conduct the ensemble

from measure 20 to measure 29.

24.Ask students what is different in this section compared to measure 37-45.25.If the students do not provide the response, explain that larger groups ofinstruments play the melody together in measures 20-24. Ask students who this

impacts their personal dynamics.26.Ask the full ensemble to play measure 20-29 and conduct the ensemble through

the section.27.Ask the low brass and low woodwinds if they thought that the melody sounded

consistent in this section.28.Provide feedback and rehearse the section again if necessary.29.Although the low brass and low woodwinds do not play the actual melody in

measure 23, ask them to bring their part out in that measure.

Assignment:

Ask students to mark their musicwith pencilevery time they play part of themelody.

Assessment:

Informal Assessments: Ask students to identify where they play part of the melody. Observe whether or not students make the appropriate dynamic and articulation

adjustments so that the melody is consistent.

Ask students to analyze the differences between measures 20-29 and measures37-45.

Ask students to evaluate the consistency of the melody.