| General Music should
be the most universal and constant segment of music education. Its primary
function is to provide every student with the key to the musical heritage of all
peoples. It is a phase of general education pursued throughout formal schooling
and beyond.
The primary result of general music is
heightened musical responsiveness so that the students are given the opportunity
to develop their aesthetic potential to the highest possible level through
expressive experience with music.
General Music is the study of music literature
approached by the following means:
1. Understanding many types of music
through guided listening, singing, playing instruments and moving to music.
2. Understanding and using music notation.
3. Understanding musical structures and
forms by analyzing musical examples.
4. Creating music by improvising,
composing and arranging music for voices, instruments, computers and
electro-acoustical instruments.
General Music develops musical skills and
understanding, not readily acquired through ordinary school or social
experiences. These skills and understandings have broad applications to the
enrichment of living.
GENERAL MUSIC TERMINAL COMPETENCIES
Goal I: The North Allegheny School
District Music Education will help every student to acquire skills in listening,
describing, reading, performing and creating in order to promote aesthetic
response.
Terminal Competency: High school students
who have completed the prescribed sequence of General Music courses should:
1. listen to music with understanding.
2. describe music verbally and/or
non-verbally.
3. read music notation.
4. perform music.
5. improvise and/or compose music.
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In General Music at North
Allegheny, we teach to the National Standards
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set forth in "Goals
2000".
- These standards are:
- Singing, alone and with
others, a varied repertoire of music.
- Playing instruments,
alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
- Improvising melodies,
variations, and accompaniments
- Composing and arranging
music within specified guidelines
- Reading and notating
music
- Listening to , analyzing
and describing music
- Evaluating music and
music performances
- Understanding the
relationships between music , the other arts, and disciplines outside
the arts
- Understanding music in
relation to history and culture
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At the
Middle Schools, General Music includes:
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(click on a
particular topic to see its description)
- African
Drumming
- Note
and Rhythm Reading
- Bell
Sets
Guitar
Keyboard
Lab
Opera
Instruments
of the Orchestra
American
Music - - Jazz
Musical
Theater
Program
Music
Rock
and Roll - - Popular Music
African
Drumming was
made possible because Ingomar Middle School was chosen as one of 20 pilot
schools in the United States and Canada use the "World Music Drumming
Curriculum". The "World Music Drumming Curriculum" was created by
Dr. Will Schmid, former president of Music Educators National Conference and
professor of music at the University of Wisconsin. The project was in
conjunction with Remo, Inc. who provided the pilot schools with African and
Latin American instruments. After the pilot project was completed, the
Curriculum was published by Hal Leonard Publishing. This curriculum addresses
all but one of the National Standards.
Note
and Rhythm Reading includes
a review of the rhthyms and notes learned in elementary school. It reviews the
treble clef notes and introduces the Bass Clef notes. Note and rhythm reading is
essential for playing bell sets, guitars, and keyboards.
Bell
Sets are
used primarily in Sixth grade to prepare students for playing keyboard
instruments later in the school year. It gives them a chance to practice reading
notes and rhythms and notes in the treble clef as well as improvising and
composing in various styles of music.
Guitars
are used as a tool to reinforce note and rhythm reading as well as accompanying
songs and creating and improvising music. Students must play melodies, chords,
improvise, and compose music using this instrument.
Keyboard
Lab is provided at no cost to the
school by Judy's Music. Each Middle School in North Allegheny
has been equipped with a lab that has 16 keyboards and a teacher master unit.
This provides students with an opportunity to work at their own pace and at
their own level. Each keyboard has a headphone set with a microphone that is
linked to the master unit. Students use note and rhythm reading in both the
treble and bass clefs.
Opera
is a unit taught in 6th grade. We use a curriculum that was created in
conjunction with Texaco and Music Educator's National Conference. The unit
includes students learning themes form well known operas and creating their own
puppet show opera.
Instruments
of the Orchestra is taught in 6th
grade and is a review of the orchestral instruments taught in elementary school.
It is taught in conjunction with the annual field trip to Heinz Hall to see an
Pittsburgh Orchestra concert created specifically for 6th graders.
American
Music - - Jazz follows the music and
music traditions that originated in this country or were influenced by music of
other countries but developed into music that became inherently
"American".
Musical
Theater starts with
minstrel shows and follows the history of musical theater through to the
musicals of today. It includes the in-depth study of one recent Broadway Show.
- Program
Music explores
music that paints a picture of creates an image in your mind's eye. Focusing
mostly on the composers of the Romantic era, it includes the study of some
the great Russian, and French Composers. Students Listen and describe music
form this style period.
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- Rock
and Roll - Popular
Music follows the history of rock and roll from its roots of gospel and
blues to Elvis to Hard Rock and ends with popular music of today. Students
evaluate and discriminate between styles and make qualitative judgements
about the music of these style periods.
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