Chord Substitution Song:
- Choose a popular song that you would like to change. Choose a song of which you know the melody well.
- Analyze your song for the melody and the chord progression.
- Use the knowledge of triads that you have learned in class to help you substitute chords which compliment the melody but do not change the melody.
- Passing tones are allowed, however, be sure that all long tones land on chords which have that tone in them.
-This will make the song sound very different, however, it will give you a further understanding of how chord progressions and melodies co-exist.
- Perform your song for the class.
Lyric Analysis Project: (Click Here)
Noise/Sound Recording Composition
- Create a composition using Garageband or Audacity using only your body to create noises, begin to manipulate the noises to create different sounds.
- Composition will reflect on different compositional techniques such as form and structure, tempo, articulation, creative process.
Garageband Composition
- Create a composition using an instrument or Garageband to create your background music.
- Compose lyrics and a melody to fit into your given background music. Pay attention to format and structure choices, articulation, tone, lyric structure etc.
Music and Your Culture Project/Unit:
- Students will choose how to demonstrate and show their music to their society and culture.
- Students will work individually or in groups to bring their music to their community.
- Examples of this could include, - Recording a CD for Christmas Gifts to their families. Organize and perform concert in the community (Christmas Concert or some other theme) Develop a newsletter or way to communicate with the community about music in our community (concert review, or a letter to the newspaper etc.)
Important/Iconic person in music history:
- Do a research project on a very influential person in music history (choose from a list from the teacher).
- Gather information from a range of reliable sources on music history, composers and musicians, technical and/or aesthetic criticism, and analyze the impact of significant individuals or groups from a variety of cultures or communities on various genres of traditional, commercial, and/or art music (e.g., the impact of composers and/or musicians such as Hildegard von Bingen, Robert Johnson, Glenn Gould, the Beatles, Ali Farka Touré, Evelyn Glennie, or Yo-Yo Ma on various genres; the influence of composers such as Anil Biswas, Tan Dun, Ennio Morricone, or John Williams on film scoring)
A Capella Group arrangement Unit:
- In groups of more than 4, students need to select and arrange their own a capella version of a pop song of their choice.
- Students will learn how to divide the parts and work as a group to make it sound full and an adequate representation of the song.
- Students will watch The Sing Off and other shows that demonstrate the style of vocal music.
- Songs will be worked on and refined. Ultimately groups will record their vocal arrangements of the songs.
Performance Portfolio Unit:
- Students will choose and learn a selection of music that would meet the requirements of an audition.
- At least One Classical RCM type of piece prepared and performed
- At least One Jazz Standard with Improvisation prepared and performed
- At least One Pop Song of their choice prepared and performed.
Final Performance Task: (Click Here)
- Recital Like performance, after school in the evening.
- Recital will be comprised of the songs prepared in the performance portfolio
- Students will be asked to sing three pieces of contrasting tempos and genres. One of these songs must be a Classical (RCM type piece) the second a Jazz song (with improvisation and the third a Pop Song of their choice.
- The performance of these pieces will be judged on the basis of technique, interpretation, performance skills and overall presentation.
- Ear Test and Theory Test will be included in written exam.