Concert Choir Practice and Assessment
Rebecca Rhodes
rebrho@bhasd.k12.pa.us
Brandywine Heights High School
TI:ME Technology Areas Addressed:
Notation
Sequencing
CAI
Internet
Level:
High School
Class:
Choral
Equipment:
Finale or similar notation program(used to create the music), software sequencer such as Digital Performer (mac) or Cakewalk Home Studio (win), looping software such as GarageBand2 (mac) or waveform audio editor such as Sound Studio
GarageBand2 is recommended due to ease of use.
Duration:
30 Minutes
Prior Knowledge and Skills:
Choir music has been rehearsed to the extent that the student is able to sing with accompaniment or with other voice parts, if a cappella.
Students have learned to use GarageBand2 or similar program to create a new track, solo and mute tracks, record their performance, and save as a file.
MENC Standards Addressed:
MENC 1: Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
MENC 5: Reading and notating music.
MENC 6: Listening to, analyzing and describing music.
MENC 7: Evaluating music and music performances.
Materials:
Computer, headphone, microphone, software installed on computer, choir music
Objectives:
At the conclusion of the lesson, the student will have recorded their voice singing their choir music with the accompaniment or other voice parts, and will have saved the file. The instructor will assess the performance at a different time.
Procedures:
The instructor will use Finale or sequencing software to create the voice parts and/or accompaniments, and will save the music as an audio or standard midi file. This music will be transferred to GarageBand2. GarageBand2 is used because it is easy for students to understand and use quickly and efficiently.
Students will obtain their choir music, open GarageBand2 on their computer, obtain headphones and microphone.
The student will open the file of the music they choose to perform.
The student will create a new track within this file, and save the file under their name. The student will rehearse their part, while making use of “solo” and “mute” options to sing with and without other voice parts and accompaniment. Finally, the student will mute all other voices except the accompaniment, and will make a recording of their performance. If the music is a cappella, the student will mute their own voice part, keeping the other voice parts unmuted, and will record their voice part.
The student will save the file under their name, for assessment by the instructor.
Evaluation:
The instructor will assess the performance based on the accuracy of the performance of the music. A performance rubric has previously been given to the student.
Feedback will be given to the student.
Follow Up:
Student may continue to rehearse and re-record the performance until the deadline has been reached.
Small groups of students may use the software to rehearse during group lessons.
Items to Purchase:
Computer
Headphones and microphone
Software
Choir music
When budget should be submitted:
Nine months prior to new school year
