Newton Public Schools mandates every 4th and 5th grader to be in a chorus because it is the best way to learn musical performance skills in a large group setting.
Framework Overview
Essential Question
How does a musician use sound, silence, and text to create an emotional experience for the listener?
Core Concepts
1. Singing:
Framework Overview
- Students will demonstrate the healthy use of the treble voice, using proper posture and breath management.
- Students are exposed to a wide variety of children's chorus literature from different cultures and time periods.
- Students become familiar with reading a choral octavo to develop big-picture literacy.
- Students gain confidence through rehearsal and performance and through learning of a few selected pieces of music per year.
- Students will demonstrate performance skills such as standing with confidence, singing in unison or harmony, and moving in a specified way based on the demands of the music.
- Students will evaluate their own performance in order to reflect and improve future performances.
Essential Question
How does a musician use sound, silence, and text to create an emotional experience for the listener?
Core Concepts
1. Singing:
- Unison singing
- Part singing
- Singing in rounds
- Polyphonic harmony
- Homophonic harmony
- Navigating a choral octavo
- Repeat signs
- Dal segno and Da Capo
- Coda
- First and second verses
- First and second endings
- Following the pitch direction of the melody
- Reading the appropriate vocal part
- Reading expressive directions such as dynamics, tempo markings, and articulation
- Posture: relaxed neck, strong legs, long spine, chin down, chest held high
- Breathing: abdominal breath, relaxed jaw, prepare each phrase with a breath
- Listening to the other singers around you and blending your voice with the group
- Singers will enter the risers in a prescribed, professional way
- Students will demonstrate focus and concentration while on stage (including between songs)
- Students will show confidence and competence in showing what they have learned
- Students will bow in a unified way
- Students will exit the stage appropriately and with pride