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Grade 7 Music

The Grade 7 Music program introduces students to a variety of choral music styles, music history, media and composition.

All grade 7 students have the opportunity to perform in at least one main-stage performance.

Music is essentially something that stimulates the auditory nerves (hearing sense). But, music is perhaps one of the only stimuli, received to a single sense organ, which stimulates almost all of the brain in unique ways. A lot of “music” happens within the brain. Our interpretation is necessary for differentiating between music and noise.

No person perceives music in exactly the same way. Bearing this in mind, one can say that every person is uniquely motivated to listen to music. People will also have specific reasons to listen to music.

Some common reasons are:

  • Enjoyment

  • Special emotion

  • Structural parts of the song which are preferred (chorus, beat, etc.)

  • To fight boredom (after all, music stimulates the whole brain)

  • Social/Interpersonal bonding

You can do a more detailed analysis of your listening by downloading a "Listening Log":

Classical Era Listening Examples

Track 1: Symphony #5 in C Minor, 1st movement (Ludwig van Beethoven)

The Symphony No. 5 in C minor of Ludwig van Beethoven, Op. 67, was written between 1804 and 1808. It is one of the best-known compositions in classical music and one of the most frequently played symphonies, and it is widely considered one of the cornerstones of western music.

Track 2: A Little Night Music (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

Eine kleine Nachtmusik (Serenade No. 13 for strings in G major), K. 525, is a 1787 composition for a chamber ensemble by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The German title means "a little serenade", though it is often rendered more literally as "a little night music". The work is written for an ensemble of 2 violins, viola, and cello with optional double bass but is often performed by string orchestras.

Track 3: Surprise Symphony, Movement #2 (Joseph Haydn)

Oliver Mtukudzi (ZIMBABWE) was a Zimbabwean musician, businessman, philanthropist, human rights activist and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Southern Africa Region. Mtukudzi was considered to have been Zimbabwe's most renowned and internationally recognised cultural icon of all time. Oliver Mtukudzi passed away in January of 2019.

Track 4: Trout Quintet/Die Forelle (Franz Peter Schubert)

The Trout Quintet is the popular name for the Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667, by Franz Schubert. The piano quintet was composed in 1819, when he was 22 years old; it was not published, however, until 1829, a year after his death.

The Classical Era (1750 – 1820) falls between the Baroque and the Romantic periods. The best-known composers from this period are Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Franz Schubert. Ludwig van Beethoven is also regarded either as a romantic composer or a composer who was part of the transition to the romantic.

 

On a purely musical level, there was simply more to hum along to in the Classical period. Melodies and plain-old good tunes took over from complex polyphony (everything playing at once), and composers like Haydn and Mozart flourished because they were so good at writing them.

 

The second major development in sound in the Classical period was the expansion of the orchestra. In the Baroque period you could expect modest strings-only orchestras with occasional woodwind accompaniment and a harpsichord, but as woodwind instruments (clarinet, flute, horns, oboe etc) got better and more versatile, they managed to get their very own section in a standard orchestra.

 

When it comes down to it, the Classical period is the sound of delicate order gradually being taken over by emotion and indulgence. As time went on and musical experiments started to succeed, the sound got more and more Romantic - leading perfectly into the Romantic period that followed.

The overall goal of this project is to explore the lives of four major Classical Era composers.

Composer Jigsaw Part 1

  • Your task in the first assignment is to create a biography for one Classical Era composer. 

  • This composer will be assigned to you!!

  • Begin by filling in the blanks on the first page. 

  • You are then to write ten (10) facts in point form describing your composer. 

  • This is only part of the project – so be prepared!

Composer Jigsaw Part 2

  • This will be done in class - however, if you have missed any sessions, please complete the following form:

These worksheets are in your Grade 7 Course Package.

Please complete them and be ready to discuss your answers in class!

Every African community has its own music. The traditional music created by Africa's many peoples has always formed an important part of everyday life on the continent. In more recent times, popular music from around the world has blended with elements taken from traditional styles. In turn, African music has had a tremendous impact on music far beyond Africa's borders.

Track 1: Rirongere (Oliver Mtukudzi)

Oliver Mtukudzi (ZIMBABWE) was a Zimbabwean musician, businessman, philanthropist, human rights activist and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Southern Africa Region. Mtukudzi was considered to have been Zimbabwe's most renowned and internationally recognised cultural icon of all time. Oliver Mtukudzi passed away in January of 2019.

Track 2: One People, One World (Femi Kuti)​

Femi Kuti (NIGERIA) is a Nigerian musician. He is the eldest son of the great Afrobeat musician, Fela Kuti and the grandson of the political campaigner, women’s rights activist and traditional aristocrat, Funmilayo Ransome Kuti.

 

Femi Kuti began his career playing with his father’s band and in 1986 started his own band – establishing himself and an artist independent of his father’s massive musical legacy.

Track 3: Afirika (Angelique Kidjo)

Angélique Kidjo (BENIN) is a singer-songwriter, actress, and activist of Nigerian descent who is noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos. She is a powerful singer, advocate for human rights and an incredible human being.

In 2007, Time magazine called her "Africa's premier diva". Her musical influences include the Afropop, Caribbean zouk, Congolese rumba, jazz, gospel, and Latin styles; as well as her childhood idols Bella Bellow, James Brown, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Celia Cruz, Jimi Hendrix, Miriam Makeba and Carlos Santana. 

She has recorded George Gershwin's "Summertime", Ravel's Boléro, Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Child" and the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter", and has collaborated with Dave Matthews and the Dave Matthews Band, Kelly Price, Alicia Keys, Branford Marsalis, Ziggy Marley, Philip Glass, Peter Gabriel, Bono, Carlos Santana, John Legend, Herbie Hancock, Josh Groban, Dr John, the Kronos Quartet, Yemi Alade, Cassandra Wilson and Indonesia's pop star Anggun. Kidjo's hit songs include "Agolo", "We We", "Adouma", "Wombo Lombo", "Afirika", "Batonga", and her version of "Malaika". Her album Logozo is ranked number 37 in the Greatest Dance Albums of All Time list.

All students will be learning how to play the guitar...and everyone will be working at a different level!

This is okay.

All students will learn (or review) basic skills

and then apply this work in the performance of individual repertoire.
We will look at playing group songs later on in the course.

There are several protocols which must be followed,

therefore, the first order of business will be learning how to sanitize the instruments!

 

Let's get started!

Here is the first video in my "Basic Guitar" series:

How to Play Guitar: Getting Started

Chords and Progressions are the building blocks of all songs...reviewing them is essential!

Composing a SoundScape

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines soundscape as “a mélange of musical and sometimes non-musical sounds”. 
Canadian composer, R. Murray Schafer, defines a soundscape as being “any collection of sounds”, just as “a painting is a collection of visual attractions”.
In this activity, you will create your own soundscape inspired by the work of R. Murray Schafer.

Materials required

•    SoundScape Score (the visual representation of your “music”) – see picture below.
•    A variety of items which can be used to create sounds (piece of paper, tin foil, water bottle, pencil, etc.). Use your imagination.
•    Pencil or Pen
•    Piece of Paper
•    A Recording Device (optional)

Instructions

•    Look the score below. There are eight (8) distinct shapes in your score.
•    Brainstorm what each shape could sound like.
•    You may use body percussion, vocal effects and any other items found around the house in order to create sound sources for your composition.
•    You may compose your piece in whatever order you wish, this is, after all, your composition.
•    Once you have created sound for each section of your piece, practice it in order. Feel free to make changes and add to your soundscape.
•    You may choose to record the final product or share this with someone at home.

Your Score

Here are three videos which will continue your exploration of SoundScapes:

SoundScape Project Instructional Video

R. Murray Schafer (National Film Board): “Listen”

“The Musical Mind #2: R. Murray Schafer”

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