Improvising & Composing with Familiar Rhythms, Drums & Barred Instruments | MMB Music

Overview

Hans Poser, in his 1970 article, “The New Children’s Song,” called for an educational approach to music that would be a place “where the child’s personality would find room to grow in creative and independent work.” Musical experiences created by children provide a rich context of learning where the elements of music combine with social and emotional development. These songs are not only created by children, but become performance material for an audience that is primarily children.

The main material is an idea based on the rhythmic composition of Gunild Keetman. This composition is extracted from Rhythmische Ubung, the book of rhythms. As it should be, the books serve as models for student creations. Working with the simple idea of rhythmic counter, students engage in a journey that will combine more complicated melodic elements to compose a rhythmically driving piece that toys with the mysteries of the coming spring. Ostinati, a fun combination of bass bar and drum accompaniment, provide a playful texture that enhances the quality of the text and the student creations. From these experiences, critical analysis, rhythmic reading, and notation easily find their place in the classroom.

Drumming, speech, compositions, and xylophones provide the students with material needed for concrete music learning and creating. Synthesizing these materials will provide an aesthetic experience that is joyful and meaningful to teacher and students while the fundamentals of music are utilized. These fundamentals are presented in new and varied forms through the media of movement, choral speech work, instruments, and song. As with any experiences with the Schulwerk, the possibilities are fueled by the imaginations of the teacher and the students.

Objectives

Rhythm: Students will identify, compose, read, and perform 16-beat rhythms containing quarter notes, eighth notes, sixteenth notes, syncopation, and quarter rests.

Melody: Students will compose and perform melodies using the Dorian Mode.

Harmony: Students will accompany themselves using a tonic drone bass.

Texture: Students will perform pieces with two ostinati accompaniments.

Form: Students will identify, compose, and perform AABC phrase form. Students will identify and construct an overall arching form that includes Introduction, rondo, canon, and coda.

View full curriculum