Jazz: AMerican Music
In class, we have been learning about jazz and have begun to learn some jazz tunes. Below are some links about jazz history and more information about jazz:
- Groovin' to Jazz: This page has some great listening activities and examples of famous jazz songs and genres.
- Jazz History: Here is some information about how jazz fits into US history.
- Louis Armstrong Biography: Louis Armstrong was one of the first great jazz musicians who inspired many future musicians. Here is some information about his life. To hear more of his music, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyLjbMBpGDA
- Wynton Marsalis's Jazz for Kids: Wynton Marsalis is a famous trumpet player. Here is a CD he recorded that are all well-known children's song in a jazz style.
Vocal Harmony
In chorus, we have learned about four different types of vocal harmony: rounds, partner songs, vocal ostinatos, and chords. Do you know which recording is which kind of harmony?
Instruments Families
To learn more about band and orchestra instruments, click these links below:
- New York Philharmonic, New York, NY
- San Francisco Symphony Kids, San Francisco, CA
- Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Dallas, TX
- Philharmonia Orchestra, London, UK
- Arts Alive, Canada
- Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra: in this classical piece composed by British composer Benjamin Britten, you can hear each of the instrument families playing by itself.
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Musical Elements
In class, we learn what each musical element is and how to identify them in music. To review the elements, please click the button below:
Below are some examples of Theme and Variation. Each time there is a new variation, the composer changes the musical elements to change something about the theme. Listen to the following pieces of classical music to see if you can notice which musical element is changed in each version.
- Charles Ives: Variations on America: Watch out for the introduction in the beginning! The tune starts at 0:57.
- Franz Schubert: Piano Impromptu in B Flat
- Appalachian Spring: The Theme and Variations starts at 17:53, but I encourage you to watch the entire video of this unique version!
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Online Resources
Sight Singing Practice:
In music class, we have been learning how to sight sing (sing the music you see without hearing the sounds first). Here are some YouTube videos to help practice sight singing at home. For an extra challenge, try singing the notes you see before the video sings them for you!
In music class, we have been learning how to sight sing (sing the music you see without hearing the sounds first). Here are some YouTube videos to help practice sight singing at home. For an extra challenge, try singing the notes you see before the video sings them for you!
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN5vsSitLK0
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrPp01NoUHA
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_lcb0qL_q0
- Instrument Family Games: Instrument Families Football, Instrument Spin Off, Instrument Sound Quiz, Instrument World Search, Instrument Hangman, Instrument Concentration
- Note Reading Review Games: Staff Wars (Highly Recommended), Note reading practice, Treble Clef Note Rally, Treble Clef Word Warrior, Treble clef story, Listening to Rhythms, Rhythm Concentration, Rhythm Sound Match