Musical Cultures

This is conceived as a social studies unit, which addresses post WWII culture, and the effect of reconstruction on musical education. The musical cultures of Germany and Japan will be discussed and examined. The students will be exposed to changes in American education during the same period focusing on the inclusion of Jazz in the curriculum. The students will have read and explored events directly following WWII.

Activity one:

Jazz during the late nineteen forties.

Standards:

Social Science 18.A.2 Explain ways in which language, stories, folk tales, music, media, and artistic creations serve as expressions of culture.

Social Science 16.A.2.C Ask questions and seek answers by collecting and analyzing data from historic documents, images, and othe literary and non-literary sources.

Process:

1. Ask the students what they know about Jazz.

2. Ask the students what they want to know about Jazz.

3. Play the intro Ward and Burns' "Jazz a History of America's Music"

4. Ask students to describe what Burns Feels Jazz is, and its place in post WWII America.

5. Play "Take the A Train".

6. Respond to musical piece through creative drawing or abstract written definition.

7. Discuss student responses.

Materials:

Ken Burns and Geoffrey Ward's PBS documentary "Jazz a History of America's Music"

Count Basie "Take the A Train" mp3

Activity two:

Orff’s approach to teaching German folk music .

Standards:

Social Science 18.A.2 Explain ways in which language, stories, folk tales, music, media, and artistic creations serve as expressions of culture.

Social Science 18.B.2.B Describe the ways in which institutions meet the needs of society.

Social Science 16.A.2.C Ask questions and seek answers by collecting and analyzing data from historic documents, images, and othe literary and non-literary sources.

Social Science 15.A.2.B Describe how incomes reflect choices made about education and careers.

Process:

1. Introduce the students to the basic tenets of Orff Schulwerk.
2. Ask the students why Orff educated students in this manner. Exploring financial, political, and cultural reasons.
3. Allow students to explore Orff instruments.
4. Walk students through an Orff based lesson.
5. Ask students if this differs from how they were taught music, and discuss difference.
6. Allow students to compose their own works.

Materials:

Orff-Schulwerk

Studio 49 Orff instruments

Recorders

Activity three:

Suzuki’s approach to teaching Japanese musicians .

Standards:

Social Science 18.A.2 Explain ways in which language, stories, folk tales, music, media, and artistic creations serve as expressions of culture.

Social Science 15.A.2.B Describe how incomes reflect choices made about education and careers.

Process:

1. Introduce the students to the basic tenets of Suzuki.

2. Ask the students why Suzuki educated students in this manner. Exploring financial, political, and cultural reasons.

3. Play portion of Circle Round.

4. Discuss differences and similarities of all three musical cultures.

5. Students will respond to the Suzuki method by writing what they like or dislike.

Materials:

Video “Circle Round”