GCSE Program for Learning: Songs from the Musical Theatre

Program for Learning Aims To introduce and reinforce fundamental musical skills such as notation, theory and analytical listening, and to make make such skills both accessible and useful to all students. To begin the students preparation for their GCSE exam through the development of the above skills. To convey the salient development and continuity which is evident in the evolution of musical theatre. To explain and link the musical styles which have been important in the above: jazz, classical, popular music and future styles which may become inuential in the near future. To develop students composition, performance, listening and appraising skills and to provide opportunities for these skills to be put into use. To encourage group/ensemble work. Resources IWB/projector/laptop/speakers. Example leadsheets/scores - Suggested Sources: The New Real Book (Sher Publishing) Blank 32-bar composition frames. Revision Mind-map. Video and audio recordings from a range of musicals musicals. Suggested Sources: Youtube/DVD/CD Differentiation Primarily Outcome. Composition task can be differentiated by different examples/stimulus. Presentation task can be differentiated by giving groups different areas of focus. Cross-curricular Opportunities ICT - Extended use of keyboards. Use of Sibelius notation package. Research homelearning tasks utilising the Internet/other resources. English/Communication - Presentation task allows for pupils to work and present as part of a group. Learning Outcomes All students will gain a rounded understanding of musical theatre and develop their listening skills and general knowledge of music. Some students will gain more condence in their existing knowledge of music. Few students will apply new learning in the production of stylistic and idiomatic compositions. Lesson Summaries. 1. Introduction to unit and Musical Theatre 1.1. Aim: You will learn how and why music is used in musical theatre. 1.2. Content: Discuss the meaning of Musical Theatre. How is it different to other dramatic

forms such as lm and normal theatre. How is music used and why? Listen to a song from a reasonably modern musical (e.g. Little Shop of Horrors) and discuss observations focusing on the music and lyrics. Introduce the idea of different styles of musical (Book, Jukebox, Rock Opera etc.) and play examples, further break down into types of song (Solo, Duet, Chorus). Play contrasting examples of the same piece and ask what has changed musically and what does this make us feel? How to the lyrics and their delivery in different ways produce different emotions. [Video for 'But Not For Me' from Girl Crazy included - contrast with other interpretations: John Pizzarelli - After Hours; Diana Krall - The Look Of Love; Till Bronner - Chattin' with Chet; Ella Fitzerald - Songbooks.] 1.3. Home Learning: Research and summarise the history and development of musicals. Work around landmarks of Gershwin, Oklahoma! and Hair.

2. Popular Music and Jazz 2.1. Aim: You will learn about jazz and the relationship between popular music and musical theatre. 2.2. Content: Melodic dictation of example, diatonic, classical themes. What is popular music? discuss meaning and implication on its use in musical theatre. Brief introduction to jazz - What are the key musical characteristics? etc. Jazz and the popular song. Revisit previously studied piece But Not For Me with renditions by Ella Fitzgerald & Frank Sinatra. Discuss relationship between jazz performers and composers of popular song: Gershwin, Porter, Schwarz etc. Introduce 32 bar song form and concept of lead sheet notation. Revisit diatonic chords and add extensions. Introduce GCSE Composition mark scheme. 2.3. Students make a start on a 32-bar composition. Home Learning Continue work on composition. Research and summarise Rock Musicals and the use of rock/pop in musical theatre.

3. The Inuence of Rock Music 3.1. Aim: You will examine the effect of Rock and Pop music on musical theatre. 3.2. Content: Analytical listening- Students listen to a selected piece of music and write down

every facet of it they hear. Class feedback to teacher and a mind-map is constructed on the board. New terms and ideas are introduced and linked to their initial observations Revision of the term popular music. What type of music was popular in the 60s-70s? Introduce Hair and discuss how it shaped the direction of musical theatre. Play extracts and have students describe what they hear. Other inuential gures of the movement; Andrew Lloyd Webber etc. Discuss and model the salient musical characteristics of rock; verse/chorus (in comparison to 32-bar form), harmony (link to previous lesson on diatonic triad progressions) etc. Listening quiz based on previous learning. Required recordings: 'Jet Song' from West Side Story, 'Where Do I Go?' from Hair, 'Bring Him Home' from Les Miserable. Continue with composition task. 3.3. Home Learning Continue work on composition. Revise all learning to date in preparation for group presentation tasks.

4. Listening & Presentations 4.1. Aim: You will rene your listening skills and use them with your new knowledge about musicals. 4.2. Content: Analytical listening- Students listen to a selected piece of music and write down every facet of it they hear. Class feedback to teacher and a mind-map is constructed on the board. New terms and ideas are introduced and linked to their initial observations Discuss the idea of making assumptions based upon what is heard in music as a tool to focus listening, and linking observations to context. e.g. Rock instrumentation + verse/chorus structure = Rock Musical ergo, probably written in the 60s or 70s and will likely have a simple chord progression. Model with example or link to starter activity. Hand out listening/musicals mind-map and talk through. In groups, students receive a single track of music which they have to listen to and produce a short presentation about to the rest of the class. Teacher to assist and focus. Although groups must be of mixed ability, give more able pupils more advanced areas to focus on. Provide enough contrasting extracts from musicals for one per group. Suggested tracks: 'Oklahoma' from Oklahoma, 'Memory' from Cats, 'Going Down' from Hair, 'Ya Never Know' from Little Shop of Horrors, 'Bring Him Home' from Les Miserable, 'America' from West Side Story.

4.3.

Home Learning Continue work on composition.

5. Current and Future Directions 5.1. Aim: You will examine the current and future developments in musical theatre. 5.2. Content: Analytical listening. Play examples of Hip-hoperas and similar (In to the Hoods & The Bombity of Errors). Discuss the idea of revivals and how these new sub-genres can attract a younger audience. Recap over whole unit. Q&A Complete Self-Assessment Sheet.