Movement in the Children’s Choral Rehearsal TCDA 2016 Convention July 22, 2016 Brent Gault Indiana University Jacobs School of Music [email protected] Repertoire: “Bim Bam” arr. Shirley McRae (Colla Voce 24-96530) “Seal Lullaby” Ruth Boshkoff (Santa Barbara SBMP 619) I. Movement in the Choral Rehearsal: ~ Music Literacy Goals ~Aesthetic Goals ~Focus and Attention Related Goals II. Sample Experience One: “Bim Bam” (Rehearsal Unit: Measures 9-20): ~Focus (“Yes” and “No” rhythmic chanting (echoing and then speaking the opposite) ~Rhythmic readiness (slide 1): Students echo-speak rhythm patterns as they step the beat around the room. Students then create 4-beat patterns as they step the beat. ~“Bim Bam” rhythm (slide 2): Students read the rhythm and then read while stepping. Students echo speak rhythms using the syllables from “Bim Bam” and then read the section with the text provided (slide 3). ~Melodic readiness (slide 4): Students echo sing patterns using the tone set from “Bim Bam.” Students then learn the melodic outline for measures 9-20 (slides 5 and 6) and sing showing contour with body movements (la=knees; ti=hips; do=stomach; re=shoulders; mi=head). Students sing as the teacher sings the melody so they can compare the two. ~“Bim Bam” melody: Students look at visual of measures 9-20 (slide 7) and listen as the teacher sings. Students repeat and sing. Students then stand and move, showing dynamic contrast (echo) between phrases 2 and 3. III. Sample Experience Two “Seal Lullaby” (Rehearsal Unit: Measures 2-10): ~Focus: Mirror Game (Students mirror leader’s movements) ~Rhythmic readiness (slide one): Students conduct as they echo rhythmic patterns found in the song. After conducting, students will sway as they echo and improvise patterns. ~“Seal Lullaby” rhythm (slide two): Students will conduct and speak the rhythm of measures 2-10 and then sway as they speak this section of the music. Students will look at the text and then speak the section with text as they sway. ~Melodic readiness (slide 3): Students will echo sing major patterns and then sing the major scale. Students will then compare this to the second scale on slide 3 (Mixolydian written comparatively). Students will sing patterns using this mode to prepare for the melody of “Seal Lullaby” and identify where they think the lowered 7 th can be found in measures 2-10. ~”Seal Lullaby” melody: Students will listen to the melody keeping the “wave” beat with the teacher: low-middle-high-middle low-middle-low-low low-middle-high-higher low-middle-low-low ~Students will move and echo one phrase at a time and then sing while keeping the “wave” beat.