Music:

This week we will be exploring orchestral percussion instruments. Choose one or two of these activities to explore through the week:

• WATCH - Mr. DiFabio’s Instrument Spotlight Video about Orchestral Percussion
• WATCH - Watch these two videos to hear what different Drums and the Xylophone sound like!
• LISTEN - Listen to Radetzky March by Johann Strauss. As you listen, think about the following:
  • Do you hear the cymbals crashing?
  • Can you find the steady beat?
  • Can you march to the steady beat? Jump? Tiptoe?
  • What is another way you can move to the music?
• LISTEN & FOLLOW - As you watch and listen to the Can Can Percussion Listening Map, follow along. Each symbol represents a different percussion instrument! Can you hear how they sound different?

Happy exploring!

Music:

This week we will be exploring orchestral percussion instruments. Choose one or two of these activities to explore through the week:

• WATCH - Mr. DiFabio’s Instrument Spotlight Video about Orchestral Percussion
• LISTEN - Listen to Radetzky March by Johann Strauss. As you listen, think about the following:
  • Do you hear the cymbals crashing?
  • Can you find the steady beat?
  • Can you march to the steady beat? Jump? Tiptoe?
  • What is another way you can move to the music?
• LISTEN & FOLLOW - As you watch and listen to the Can Can Percussion Listening Map, follow along. Each symbol represents a different percussion instrument! Can you hear how they sound different?

Happy exploring!

Music:

This week we will be exploring orchestral percussion instruments. Choose one or two of these activities to explore through the week:

• WATCH - Mr. DiFabio’s Instrument Spotlight Video about Orchestral Percussion
• LISTEN - Think about the different sounds you hear as you listen to A Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra: Percussion.
  • FOLLOW & POINT - Listen again! This time follow along by pointing to the instruments on this Listening Map.
  • FOLLOW & PLAY - Listen again! If you have percussion instruments at home, you may follow the “Play Along” suggestions at the bottom of the map.
  • MOVE - Listen again! Try clapping and stomping along to the music!
• LISTEN - Listen to Radetzky March by Johann Strauss. As you listen, think about the following:
  • Do you hear the cymbals crashing?
  • Can you find the STEADY BEAT? Can you march to the steady beat? Jump? Tiptoe?
  • What is another way you can MOVE to the music?
  • For an extra challenge, watch the video and try to clap along with the bouncing cricket conductor!
• LISTEN & FOLLOW - As you watch and listen to the Can Can Percussion Listening Map, follow along. Each symbol represents a different percussion instrument! Can you hear how they sound different?

Happy exploring!

Music:

Choose one or two of these activities to explore throughout the week:

• WATCH - Mr. DiFabio’s Instrument Spotlight Video about Orchestral Percussion

Take a look at the different types of percussion instruments that are used in the orchestra. If you were to play a percussion instrument, think about which one you would choose to play!

• WATCH - Green Bean’s Music - Percussion Instruments
• WATCH - Percussion Instruments for Kids - Demonstration and Sounds of Best Percussion Instruments

These percussion instruments are from all over the world. Can you see how some of these instruments resemble each other? Percussion instruments are played by hitting and scraping.

You can hit a percussion instrument three ways.

1. You can hit the instrument with your hand or foot — such as congas, bongos, djembe, tabla, doumbeks, or cajons.
2. You can hit the instrument with some kind of implement — such as a stick, beater, mallet. Snare drums, bass drums, triangles, xylophone, vibraphones, bells, chimes, and cowbells.
3. You can hit the instrument with itself — like crash cymbals, claves, slap sticks, maracas, shakers, rattles, or rhythm sticks.

Here’s a fun video and activity that you can do at home! You can create your own percussion instruments using things that you can find in your house! You can make maracas, a rain stick, a tambourine, and a drum! You might need a parent or an older brother/sister to help you.

• WATCH & CREATE - 4 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS THAT YOU CAN MAKE - Crafts you can do anytime!

Happy exploring!

Music:

Choose one or two of these activities to explore throughout the week:

• WATCH - Mr. DiFabio’s Instrument Spotlight Video about Orchestral Percussion
• WATCH & FOLLOW - View this short listening map that features the Timpani. Listening Map of “Also Sprach Zarathustra” by Composer Richard Strauss (1:25)

As Mr. DiFabio noted in his video, many orchestral percussion instruments are used in film. At times, orchestral percussion instruments are used as part of the score; other times they are used for sound effects. This is an example of orchestral percussion used in a film score. It’s part of the same theme you heard above.

• WATCH - Watch the opening to 2001: A Space Odyssey (1:39) which made this Richard Strauss theme famous in 1968. Do you hear the orchestral percussion instruments?
• WATCH - Now, listen to a longer version of “Also Sprach Zarathustra” by Opera North called 2020: An Isolation Odyssey (5:25) where 40 musicians play a virtual version during UK lockdown. In this video, you can see the percussionists playing their instruments up close. Please think about the following questions as you listen:
  • Can you spot the timpani in this version of “Also Sprach Zarathustra?”
  • How many timpani drums are being played by the percussionist?
  • What other percussion instruments do you see in this recording? Can you name them?
• LISTEN - Cymbals are featured in the following clip: Tchaikovsky – Percussionist with Cymbal (0:37)
• LISTEN - Bass Drum, Triangle, Cymbals and Timpani are featured in this last orchestral clip: The Folsom Symphony plays the El Toreador by Bizet (2:30)

Happy exploring!

Music:

Choose one or two of these activities to explore throughout the week:

• WATCH - Mr. DiFabio’s Instrument Spotlight Video about Orchestral Percussion

Once you’ve watched Mr. DiFabio’s Instrument Spotlight, please check out the clips below. One of the clips shows how orchestral percussion instruments can be used in a musical score. The other clips focus on creating sound effects for silent and motion picture films. Learn about different orchestral percussion instruments used to bring transportation, weather, animal, comedy and horror film sounds to life. Finally, listen to some everyday items, used by Foley artists to create different sounds for film.

• WATCH & LISTEN - “Also Sprach Zarathustra” by Opera North called 2020: An Isolation Odyssey (5:25) where 40 musicians play a virtual version during UK lockdown.
  • Most of you will recognize this orchestral piece. You will see the percussionists playing some of the orchestral percussion instruments you saw in Mr. DiFabio’s video. What instruments do you see?
• WATCH - Sound Effects of the Silent Film Era, Nicholas White (4:51)
• WATCH - Vintage Sound Effect Artist for Silent Films, Nicholas White (2:37)
• WATCH - Instrument that produces sound in horror movies! Foley Artists (1:25)
• WATCH - The Magic of Making Sound (6:32)

Happy exploring!

Take your music learning further with these great resources:

• TED ED - [LINK] Here’s a playlist of all the TED ED talks about music on YouTube. These are best used by upper elementary and high school students.
• Mario Paint Composer - [LINK] This site enables students to create their own 8-bit music that sounds like it’s from an actual Super Nintendo video game. Students can also download their song as an mp3 to keep or to share. A great music writing site for all ages.
• Folk Ways - [LINK] A great site for upper elementary to high school students interested in world music!
• DSO Kids - [LINK] Dallas Symphony Orchestra website for students of all ages. It has pages for different composers and instruments including video and audio clips. Also has activities for students including coloring pages, practice tips, and ideas for making your own instrument.
• Classics for Kids - [LINK] Classical music for elementary music. Site includes music and information on composers, quizzes, games, and activities students can do at home.
• Brain Pop - [LINK] Great video resources about musical genres, making music, and MORE! Great for elementary - middle school.
• Teoria - [LINK] Ear training and theory resources for more advanced students.
• Rhythm Randomizer - [LINK] Here students can practice reading rhythms. Students can choose different note and rest values and the site will randomly generate new sight-reading exercises.