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MUED 376: Choral Music, Materials & Techniques

MIDTERM EXAM
Suggested Due Date: October 30, 2018 - midnight

NAME: Journee Smith DATE: October 30, 2018

GENERAL DIRECTIONS: help each other, share ideas, strategies
and definitions!

Part I: From O% to 100% in

10 Rehearsals of 15 Minutes:
One Suggested Sequence of Rehearsal Threads

Directions:
● Take the piece you are doing for VMRC and design a full
lesson sequence as indicated below, based on a fifteen-
minute rehearsal.
● Modify each class as needed from this template. Add or
delete activities and chunks as needed.
● Do not do a Direct Instruction Script for this
assignment, only outline the activities and chunking that
will complete each rehearsal thread.
● Be creative and include lots of kinesthetic and learning
experiences.
● Please spend no more than 40 minutes on this part of
the exam
● Please feel free to work with others on this exam! Share
answers,

Rehearsal 1 – “Hook” and introduction to the piece (rote

introduction, and rote to note in the music.)

Time: (2/2/15) Activity 1: Introduction and Rehearsal Threads

Chunk 1: Welcome: Good Morning VMRC! The piece we will be working on

today is: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. My rehearsal threads today are:
learning the melody of the piece.

Chunk 2: use solfege and hand signs for important tone sets in the melody and
have them repeat after me

Transition statement: *possible feedback on maintaining open vowels while

singing the solfege, Let’s move on to singing the melody.

Time: (3/5/15) Activity 2:

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Chunk 1: Because I am aware of the community of VMRC, many of them

might already be aware of the song itself. Winding it forward: I will sing the
first
line on solfege while they respond singing on “nu.”

Chunk 2: Sing the second line on solfege and they repeat on “nu.”

Chunk 3: They sing both lines on text.

Chunk 4: Diction

Transition statement: Now that we have the melody for the verses, let’s move
onto the melody in the refrain.

Time: (3/8/15) Activity 3:

Chunk 1: I will sing the melody with solfege. And they repeat on “nu”

Chunk 2: Depending on how they do, I will sing either on solfege or “nu” and
then they will respond using text.

Chunk 3: Diction

Transition statement: Now that we have learned the melody and diction of the
song, let’s put it the verses and refrain together.

Time: (5/13/15) Activity 4:

Chunk 1: They sing the entire song together.

Chunk 2: Sing the song in round for a challenge! First two groups.

Chunk 3: Sing the song in 3 part rounds.

Chunk 4: Sing the song in 4 part rounds. (This is meant to help each section
bond and find their own strength in their part before moving on to learning the
harmony of the piece. If it becomes too challenging, we can wind it back by
only
doing two part rounds or by having each voice part sing a particular line and
then move onto the next section to complete the line.)

Transition statement: Amazing job you all! Let’s close it off by singing through
the song in unison one more time.

Time: (2/15/15) Activity X: Learning Summary

Chunk 1: Sing through the song one more time in unison.

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Rehearsal 2 – Section A - mapping melody, harmony and text

Time: (2/2/15) Activity 1: Introduction and Rehearsal Threads

Chunk 1: Welcome: Good Morning VMRC! Please turn to page 7 in your

music folder. My rehearsal threads today are: to review the melody and learn
the
harmony’s in Section A

Chunk 2: Sing the melody of the entire song.

Transition statement: Let’s learn the alto harmony! Everyone pretend to be an

alto.

Time: (4/6/15) Activity 2: Alto A Section

Chunk 1: tone set using solfege and hand signs

Chunk 2: sing the first half of the first line on solfege and have them repeat on
“nu”

Chunk 3: sing the second half of the first line on solfege and have them repeat
on “nu”

Chunk 4: sing the entire line on “nu” and have them repeat on text (wind it back
by having them respond with “nu” and then on text)

Chunk 5: Sopranos sing the melody while everyone else pretends to be an alto.

Transition statement: Now let’s move on to the basses!

Time: (4/10/15) Activity 3: Bass A Section

Chunk 1: tone set using solfege and hand signs

Chunk 2: sing the first half of the first line on solfege and have them repeat on
“nu”

Chunk 3: sing the second half of the first line on solfege and have them repeat
on “nu”

Chunk 4: sing the entire line on “nu” and have them repeat on text (wind it back
by having them respond with “nu” and then on text)

Chunk 5: sopranos sing the melody, altos sing their part while tenors and basses
sing the bass part

Transition statement: Tenors are up next!

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Time: (4/14/15) Activity 4: Tenor A Section

Chunk 1: tone set using solfege and hand signs

Chunk 2: sing the first half of the first line on solfege and have them repeat on
“nu”

Chunk 3: sing the second half of the first line on solfege and have them repeat
on “nu”

Chunk 4: sing the entire line on “nu” and have them repeat on text (wind it back
by having them respond with “nu” and then on text)

Chunk 5: Everyone sings their own voice part.

Transition statement: We all officially know our own voice parts for this song.

Time: (1/15/15) Activity X: Learning Summary

Chunk 1: sing the A section through on separate voice parts and then go right
into Refrain on the melody

Chunk 2: sight sing Refrain on voice parts and then sing A section on
harmonies (In this order to end the rehearsal strong!)

Rehearsal 3 - Review Section A and repeat it in all the

sections that are the same throughout the piece

Time: (2/2/15) Activity 1: Introduction and Rehearsal Threads

Chunk 1: Welcome: Good Morning VMRC! Please turn to page 7 in your

music folder. My rehearsal threads today are: to review the A section and learn
the refrain of the piece

Chunk 2: sing some tone-sets in solfege in each voice part and have them
repeat back on “nu”

Chunk 3: Sing the harmonies in A section and melody in Refra

Transition statement: Let’s learn the alto part in the Refrain.

Time: (3/5/15) Activity 2:

Chunk 1: tone set using solfege and hand signs

Chunk 2: sing the first half of the first line on solfege and have them repeat on
“nu”
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Chunk 3: sing the second half of the first line on solfege and have them repeat
on “nu”

Chunk 4: sing the entire line on “nu” and have them repeat on text (wind it back
by having them respond with “nu” and then on text)

Chunk 5: Everyone be an alto except for sopranos on melody line and sing the
Refrain.

Transition statement: Let’s move on to the bass section!

Time: (4/9/15) Activity 3:

Chunk 1: tone set using solfege and hand signs

Chunk 2: sing the first half of the first line on solfege and have them repeat on
“nu”

Chunk 3: sing the second half of the first line on solfege and have them repeat
on “nu”

Chunk 4: sing the entire line on “nu” and have them repeat on text (wind it
back by having them respond with “nu” and then on text)

Chunk 5: Everyone be a bass except for altos and sopranos! Sing on your own
parts.

Transition statement: And last, but not least, tenors!

Time: (5/14/15) Activity 4:

Chunk 1: tone set using solfege and hand signs

Chunk 2: sing the first half of the first line on solfege and have them repeat on
“nu”

Chunk 3: sing the first half of the first line on solfege and have them repeat on
“nu”

Chunk 4: sing the entire line on “nu” and have them repeat on text (wind it
back by having them respond with “nu” and then on text)

Chunk 5: sings on separate voice parts the refrain

Transition statement: Let’s add the A and B sections together!

Time: (1/15/15) Activity X: Learning Summary

Chunk 1: sing the A and B sections together

Rehearsal 4 - A and B Sections - text and diction

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Time: (2/2/15) Activity 1: Introduction and Rehearsal Threads

Chunk 1: Welcome: Good Morning VMRC! Please turn to _______________

in your music folder. My rehearsal threads today are: to review the diction of
both the A and B section

Chunk 2: Sing the entire song on text.

Transition statement: Now, let’s learn the diction of the refrain.

Time: (3/5/15) Activity 2:

Chunk 1: speak the first half of the refrain correctly and have them repeat

Chunk 2: speak the second half of the refrain correctly and have them repeat

Chunk 3: add both parts of the refrain together and speak with them

Chunk 4: have them speak the refrain without me

Chunk 5: have them sing the refrain with correct diction

Transition statement: Time to review the diction for the Verses.

Time: (4/7/15) Activity 3:

Chunk 1: Verse 1: speak words incorrectly first and have them repeat it in the
incorrect way, then speak them correctly and have them repeat them in the
correct way

Chunk 2: sing verse 1 with the correct diction

Transition statement: Let’s learn verse 2

Time: (3/10/15) Activity 4:

Chunk 1: Verse 2: speak words incorrectly first and have them repeat it in the
incorrect way, then speak them correctly and have them repeat them in the
correct way

Chunk 2: sing verse 2 with the correct diction

Transition statement: Let’s learn verse 3

Time: (3/13/15) Activity 5

Chunk 1: Verse 3: speak words incorrectly first and have them repeat it in the
incorrect way, then speak them correctly and have them repeat them in the
correct way

Chunk 2: sing verse 3 with the correct diction

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Transition statement: Let’s sing the entire song using the correct diction for both
the verses and the refrain.

Time: (2/15/15) Activity X: Learning Summary

Chunk 1: Sing entire song with correct diction

Rehearsal 5 – Review B for corrections, link A and B Sections,

singing long chunks, review for meaning and expression

Time: (6/6/15) Activity 1: Introduction and Rehearsal Threads

Chunk 1: Welcome: Good Morning VMRC! Please turn to page 7 in your

music folder. My rehearsal threads today are: Focusing on the dynamics of the
piece to emphasize the text while transferring the correct diction into our muscle
memory.

Chunk 2: Complete some warm-ups that work on dynamics: sing refrain

without looking at the page and only focusing on me for dynamics

Chunk 3: Take out their pencils and mark where the dynamics change.

Transition statement: Let’s sing only the verses of the piece back to back to
show the contrast between verses.

Time: (5/11/15) Activity 2:

Chunk 1: sing verse 1 at mf

Chunk 2: sing first half at mp and crescendo at the end of the phrase

Chunk 3: sing verse 3 at p

Transition statement: Beautifully done! Let’s transfer these dynamics into the
refrain.

Time: (1/12/15) Activity 3:

Chunk 1: Sing the refrain with the correctly marked dynamics.

Transition statement: Let’s put the entire song together with the correct
dynamics!

Time: (3/15/15) Activity X: Learning Summary

Chunk 1: The choir sings the entire song together with the correct dynamics in
mind.
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Chunk 2: Winding it forward: The choir sings the dynamics without me

showing it to them (This will help the singers to listen to each other and be their
own leaders)

Rehearsal 6 - What’s different or new?! Sections C & D &

perfecting tone

Time: (5/5/15) Activity 1: Introduction and Rehearsal Threads

Chunk 1: Welcome: Good Morning VMRC! Please turn to page 7 in your

music folder. My rehearsal threads today are: Balance and Tone while
transferring dynamics from last rehearsal

Chunk 2: Complete a warm-up using different vowels.

Transition statement: Let’s transfer this clear tone into our song.

Time: (7/12/15) Activity 2: Verse and Refrain Blending

Chunk 1: Verse 1: sing on the “ah” vowel to match the dynamic of mf and
bring
clarity to their blend

Chunk 2: Verse 2: sing on the “loo” vowel to match the dynamic of mp and
bring
clarity to their blend

Chunk 3: Verse 3: sing on “vv” to remind them of breath support for p and
maintain that same placement in their tone

Chunk 4: Refrain: sing the refrain without any consonants

Transition statement: Let’s transfer these ideas into the entire song!

Time: (3/15/15) Activity X: Learning Summary

Chunk 1: Sing the entire song with blending of vowels and dynamics and
diction!

Rehearsal 7 - Review what’s different (Sections C & D) or new

and link to A and B sections, if time, sing all the way through

Time: (3/3/15) Activity 1: Introduction and Rehearsal Threads

Chunk 1: Welcome: Good Morning VMRC! Please turn to page 7 in your

music folder. My rehearsal threads today are: To work on memorization.

Chunk 2: sing through the entire song with reading the music

Chunk 3: Sing the refrain without looking

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Transition statement: Let’s move onto verse 1!

Time: (4/7/15) Activity 2:

Chunk 1: read first half of verse 1 on their own

Chunk 2: sing first half of verse 1 without music

Chunk 3: read second half of verse 1 on their own

Chunk 4: sing second half of verse 1 on their own

Chunk 5: sing all of verse 1 memorized

Transition statement: Let’s move onto verse 2!

Time: (3/10/15) Activity 3:

Chunk 1: read first half of verse 2 on their own

Chunk 2: sing first half of verse 2 without music

Chunk 3: read second half of verse 2 on their own

Chunk 4: sing second half of verse 2 on their own

Chunk 5: sing all of verse 2 memorized

Transition statement: Onto verse 3!

Time: (3/13/15) Activity 4:

Chunk 1: read first half of verse 3 on their own

Chunk 2: sing first half of verse 3 without music

Chunk 3: read second half of verse 3 on their own

Chunk 4: sing second half of verse 3 on their own

Chunk 5: sing all of verse 3 memorized

Transition statement: Let’s sing the entire song memorized!

Time: (2/15/15) Activity X: Learning Summary

Chunk 1: Winding it back: Have basses and altos read the music while sopranos
and tenors sing memorized for the first verse, first refrain and half of verse two,
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then switch and let sopranos and tenors read music while basses and altos sing
the rest of the piece memorized. Repeat switching sections.

Chunk 2: Sing the entire song memorized with support from the teacher if
needed!

Rehearsal 8 - Sing all the way through, improving and

perfecting tone and adding reminders about meaning

Time: (3/3/15) Activity 1: Introduction and Rehearsal Threads

Chunk 1: Welcome: Good Morning VMRC! Please turn to page 7 in your

music folder. My rehearsal threads today are: to discuss the meaning of this
piece and sing with meaning

Chunk 2: Sing the entire song.

Transition statement: Let’s talk about the history of this song.

Time: (2/5/15) Activity 2:

Chunk 1: Review the history of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Transition statement: Let’s look at the text.

Time: (4/10/15) Activity 3:

Chunk 1: Read the text of the piece.

Chunk 2: Give an example of text painting that occurs within the piece.

Chunk 3: Ask them what text painting they notice in the piece.

Transition statement: Sit back and drink some water!

Time: (4/14/15) Activity 4:

Chunk 1: tell them a story of what this song means to me

Chunk 2: have them share stories if they would like

Transition statement: Let’s sing this song with these meanings in mind (If you
are having a hard time relating to this song, sing it through the perspective of
one of your peers’ stories!)

Time: (1/15/15) Activity X: Learning Summary

Chunk 1: Sing the song with meaning.

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Rehearsal 9 – Buzzwords to deepen expression, tone, and

sophistication

Time: (3/3/15) Activity 1: Introduction and Rehearsal Threads

Chunk 1: Welcome: Good Morning VMRC! Please turn to page 7 in your

music folder. My rehearsal threads today are: to work on buzz words and
transfer everything we have learned these past few weeks into the piece

Chunk 2: sing the piece with meaning like last rehearsal

Chunk 3: Think back on the stories that we discussed together last lesson. What
images come to mind? Draw mini images in certain sections as a reminder of
the meaning.

Transition statement: Let’s add some buzzwords as a unifying connection to the

piece.

Time: (4/7/15) Activity 2:

Chunk 1: Come up with buzzword for verse 1

Chunk 2: Come up with buzzword for verse 2

Chunk 3: Come up with buzzword for verse 3

Chunk 4: Come up with buzzword for refrain

Transition statement: Let’s sing the entire song with these buzzwords in mind.

Time: (5/12/15) Activity 3:

Chunk 1: Sing with buzzwords in mind.

Chunk 2: give each section a verse to sing with the meaning of the buzzword
and for the other sections to listen-- they come together on the refrain

Chunk 3: tenors on verse 1

Chunk 4: altos on verse 2

Chunk 5: basses on verse 3

Chunk 6: sopranos on verse 1

Transition statement: Let’s sing the piece one more time together.

Time: (3/15/15) Activity X: Learning Summary

Chunk 1: Piece sung with all transfers completed and meaning to the full
potential.
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Rehearsal 10 - Run Fix Run

Time: (1/1/15) Activity 1: Introduction and Rehearsal Threads

Chunk 1: Welcome: Good Morning VMRC! Please turn to page 7 in your

music folder. My rehearsal threads today are: to sing with full transfer of
everything we have learned

Transition statement: Let’s sing through the piece!

Time: (5/6/15) Activity 2: Verse

Chunk 1: Sing through the piece once.

Chunk 2: Stop to clean anything in the verses.

Transition statement: Let’s clean anything in the refrain.

Time: (3/9/15) Activity 3:

Chunk 1: Sing through the refrain.

Chunk 2: Stop to clean anything in the refrain.

Transition statement: You all have been amazing musicians! Let’s sing the song
one last time before our final performance!

Time: (6/15/15) Activity X: Learning Summary

Chunk 1: Sing through the song with all transfers!

Any extra rehearsals?

Digging deeper, working on tone, breathing, meaning,
expression, sophistication

Part II: PHILOSOPHY STATEMENTS LIST
Directions: Pick 10 out of the 20 philosophy statements below
and define them in 1-3 sentences.
Please spend no longer than 20 minutes
on this portion of the exam.
Philosophy Statement
97% of what you teach is who you are.
Be the Music.
Controlling the environment that in turn
controls us.
Creating the culture that in turn creates the
community.
Cultivate FLOW and the culture will GROW!
Curricularize the social and deliver highly
effective music curricula.
Everything is related to everything.
If it is meant to be, it is up to me.
JAHEES? SHRED’M!
Learning occurs at the intersection of the
academic and the social.
Meet your students where they ARE, not where
you think they should be.
Positives come and go, negatives accumulate.
The Concert is the Celebration of What Has
Already Happened.
What is your agenda?
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Definition
It’s not about the conductor. It’s about the
music. Every intention should be for the music.
The teacher has the power to create a positive
learning environment for their students. A
positive learning environment is one in which
students feel comfortable enough to express
their full creativity and to ask questions and to
learn.
Each learned experience can be transferred to
another. Take knowledge that you learn from
one experience and apply it to another!
The power is in my hands. Accomplish your
goals by taking action. What’s meant to be isn’t
just going to come naturally, it will come
through dedication and hard work.
Know your students. Forcing students into
where they should be no longer makes the
experience about the students. It makes it about
the teacher, and this is not the point of
education. Knowing and understanding your
students as well as meeting them where they are
creates a healthy and positive learning
environment.
Keep the classroom a positive environment.
For the concert, we are showing the audience
what we have learned and how we have grown
as musicians. We are celebrating our education
and experiences from the music we have
learned.

When you know better, you do better.
Where ever you go, there you are.
Who am I to judge?
Who claps for you?
Who do you want to be when you grow up?
You don’t know what you don’t know!
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Learn from your mistakes. Continue to educate
yourself and always strive to be better than the
day before.
We all have a history and a story. All we can do
is learn from each other and our owns stories to
make the world a better place.
Stay educated. Always strive to learn more and
more. Both the teachers and students are the
heart of the education system, which is
constantly changing as society changes. In
order to remain in alignment with our growing
world, we must continue to learn not only for
our students, but with our students.