Wright Advanced Vocal Ensemble

6th Grade Choir (First year students)

Breath:  Students will observe and practice the basic mechanics of breathing to maximize the potential of the singing voice.

Vowel Shapes: Students will form and deliver appropriate vowel shapes to create a unified sound within the ensemble.

Consonants: Students will articulate the proper use of consonants in a singing ensemble.

Posture: Students will demonstrate appropriate posture to support their voices together.

Placement/Projection: Students will focus their voice to possess an accurate tone quality.

Pitch: Students will listen to match appropriate pitches within the ensemble.

Dynamics: Students will be able to understand and demonstrate differences in dynamics in the music.  

These dynamics include ff, f, mf, mp, p, pp, crescendo, and decrescendo.

Time Signature:  Students will be able to understand and read songs written in 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, and 6/8 meter signatures.

Staff Markings for Voice:   Students will be able to identify in the score and read from their appropriate part.  Treble clef will be used for both parts.

Rhythm:   Students will be able to read and understand the value of whole, half, quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes and their corresponding rests.

Note Names:   Students will be able to identify note names on the treble clef.

Solfege: Students will practice various exercises in choir to strengthen the ability to sing intervals of pitch accurately.

Pitch Intervals: Students will focus on intervals primarily on the pentatonic scale and within an octave in their singing range.

Rhythm: Students will read rhythms with whole, half, quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes and dotted notes with their corresponding rests.

Staff Markings: Students will read, understand, and perform excerpts of music on the Treble Clef staff.

7th/8th Choir

Breath: Students will understand, demonstrate, and apply proper breathing techniques during rehearsal and lessons.

Vowel Shapes: Students will understand, demonstrate, and apply appropriate vowel shapes to create a unified sound within an ensemble and as an individual.

Consonants: Students will understand, demonstrate, and apply proper use of consonants in a singing ensemble and as an individual.

Registration: Students will understand, demonstrate, and apply proper techniques to transition between appropriate registers.

Tone Quality: Students will understand, demonstrate, and apply proper techniques to create a resonant, warm, and clear tone.

Posture: Students will demonstrate appropriate posture to support their voices together.

Placement/Projection: Students will demonstrate a healthy, focussed tone within the ensemble and as individuals.

Pitch: Students will match appropriate pitches within the ensemble and as individuals.

Balance/Blend: Students will be able to create a balanced tone and volume within the ensemble.  

Range: Students will track their range periodically throughout the year and work to create an appropriate, comfortable range.

Maturing Voice/ Voice Change: Students will understand how their voice will change and how to focus their voices in a healthy manner.

Dynamics:   Students will be able to understand and demonstrate differences in dynamics in the music.  

These dynamics include ff, f, mf, mp, p, p, pp, crescendo, and decrescendo.

Time Signature:  Students will be able to read and understand songs written in 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, and 6/8 meter signatures.

Key Signature: Students will be able to identify the major key with the use of the circle of fifths of any given piece of music.

Staff Markings for Voice:  Students will be able to identify in the score and read from their appropriate clef.  

Treble for girls and bass for boys.

Rhythm:  Students will be able to understand the value and read whole, half, quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes and their corresponding rests.

Note Names:   Students will be able to identify note names on their clef.   Treble for girls and bass for boys.  

Phrasing: Students will be able to understand and demonstrate the shaping of a musical line.

Standard Notation Symbols:  

Students will be able to identify and define symbols for articulation, phrasing, and expression.  

These symbols include staccato, legato, no breath, accent, Coda, D.C. al Fine, ritardando, and fermata.

Solfege/Pitch: Students will use solfege as a tool in choir and in lessons to strengthen the ability to sing intervals of pitch accurately.

Students will identify and demonstrate all of the hand signs.

Students will be able to understand how to identify solfege on the staff by identifying the key signature.

Students will also use “Sing at First Sight, Level 1” and “90 Days to Sight Reading Success.”  

Students will sing excerpts a cappella.  (Without the aid of the piano)

Rhythm: Students will read rhythms with whole, half, quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes and their corresponding rests.

Staff Markings: Students will read, understand, and perform excerpts of music on their appropriate staff.  Boys will read bass and treble clef.  Girls will use Treble clef.