On our Nearpod presentation last week, the fifth graders had the opportunity to ask more questions about Jazz. I promised that I would answer them here, so here you go!
1. I want to know more about the Jazz method/How do you play Jazz?
Jazz is based on improvisation, or taking a melody you know and mixing it up a bit. You can change the rhythm, add or take away notes, change the key, or anything else to mix up the melody.
2. How big was Jazz?
Jazz popular all over the world. It is notably popular in Australia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Cuba, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Malawi, Netherlands, Poland, South Africa, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
3. Who were some of the great performers?
This is an awesome question. There are so many amazing Jazz performers. The Smithsonian Institution has put together a great website with biographies and audio clips.
Jazz Performers
4. Who was the first Jazz group?
The Original Dixieland Jazz Band
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
My Favorite Composer
We started Composer of the Month this week, and after all this time, someone asked who my favorite composer is.
My favorite composer is Bach. JS, to be more specific. Lots of his sons were composers as well. I don't know how I came to love his music, but my first instrument was the violin. Bach wrote a lot of neat stuff for violin. He also had a really cool way of intertwining melodies and making a simple pattern sound really complex.
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| Johann Sebastian Bach |
A close second favorite composer is Tchaikovsky. I love his violin concerto and Serenade for Strings. He was inspired by folk music in writing his compositions, so if you listen closely and know some Russian folk songs, you can hear them.
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| Peter Ilyitch Tchiakovsky |
Who is your favorite composer so far?
The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
Over the past few weeks, most grade levels have had a chance to use the Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra. Here are some other facts:
-This piece was written in 1946. It was for a documentary about the orchestra for children.
-There is an introduction which features each family of instruments by themselves.
-There are 13 variations. Each variation features a instrument by itself.
-The composer, Benjamin Britten, was from England. He enjoyed playing Ragtime music. He wanted to be a farmer, but did not have enough money to start farming, so he became a dentist.
-Britten wrote music for movies, Operas, and for the radio. Remember, there was no television for most of his lifetime.
You can listen to the piece by section here:
Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
Question: How would Britten have known about Ragtime music if he was living in England?
-This piece was written in 1946. It was for a documentary about the orchestra for children.
-There is an introduction which features each family of instruments by themselves.
-There are 13 variations. Each variation features a instrument by itself.
-The composer, Benjamin Britten, was from England. He enjoyed playing Ragtime music. He wanted to be a farmer, but did not have enough money to start farming, so he became a dentist.
-Britten wrote music for movies, Operas, and for the radio. Remember, there was no television for most of his lifetime.
You can listen to the piece by section here:
Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
Question: How would Britten have known about Ragtime music if he was living in England?
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| Benjamin Britten |
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
All that Jazz!
Fifth graders have been learning about Jazz.
Here are some bonus facts about Jazz:
1. The Original Dixieland Jazz Band is the first Jazz group to record themselves. They started recording in 1917.
2. Jazz was also called Jas or Jass.
3. Jazz originated in New Orleans, but was also very popular in Chicago, California, and New York, Kansas City, Brazil, and Cuba.
Bonus question: I talked about a jazz performer who's music is featured in the movie WALL-E. Do you remember the name of the performer or the name of the composition?
Here are some bonus facts about Jazz:
1. The Original Dixieland Jazz Band is the first Jazz group to record themselves. They started recording in 1917.
2. Jazz was also called Jas or Jass.
3. Jazz originated in New Orleans, but was also very popular in Chicago, California, and New York, Kansas City, Brazil, and Cuba.
Bonus question: I talked about a jazz performer who's music is featured in the movie WALL-E. Do you remember the name of the performer or the name of the composition?
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Guess what?
Do you know what that is?
It's a box of recorders! Bring your recorder next week.
How many of you are going to try to get your black belts this year?
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Recorders!
Recorders should be in this week! I know that you like to play them, but do you know their history?
Recorders were one of the first woodwind instruments. They were used in a lot of the music composed from 1300-1700. They come in a lot of different sizes and tunings. We play a soprano recorder that is tuned to the key of C. Some of you are about to learn the Alto recorder, which is a larger recorder and it is tuned in the key of F. That means that the pitch do is F (re is G, mi is A, and so on.)
As the transverse flute (the flute that we hear in orchestras today) became better-designed, composers started using it instead of the recorder. Unlike a lot of instruments that were popular a long time ago, people still play the recorder professionally.
If you really like playing the recorder, the flute or the clarinet might be a good choice of instrument to play in middle school.
Bonus question: What are the pitches in the F pentatonic scale?
Recorders were one of the first woodwind instruments. They were used in a lot of the music composed from 1300-1700. They come in a lot of different sizes and tunings. We play a soprano recorder that is tuned to the key of C. Some of you are about to learn the Alto recorder, which is a larger recorder and it is tuned in the key of F. That means that the pitch do is F (re is G, mi is A, and so on.)
As the transverse flute (the flute that we hear in orchestras today) became better-designed, composers started using it instead of the recorder. Unlike a lot of instruments that were popular a long time ago, people still play the recorder professionally.
If you really like playing the recorder, the flute or the clarinet might be a good choice of instrument to play in middle school.
Bonus question: What are the pitches in the F pentatonic scale?
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