Asia Pacific International School
Hawaii
The Recital
Authors: Andrew Peeler
Grades: 5-12
Subjects: Music
Timeline: 5/6 weeks
Essential Question
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How do performers select repertoire? How does understanding the structure and context of musical works inform performance? How do performers interpret musical works? How do musicians improve the quality of their performance?
Project Description​
This project was about taking the introductory (or advanced depending on the student) material that had been learned and directing it toward an upcoming campus-wide, community-included evening recital. Some students worked on just notes on the first two strings of the guitar, while others utilized all the strings and much more complex musical elements. Main themes/takeaways in the project included the importance of quality practice, the value of having others listen to your practice, the value of recording yourself and listening to your own practice, and of seeking to communicate musical ideas to an audience. This project also gives the students much exposure to a rehearsal environment where there individual preparation is tested by and measured against those of others. In preparation for the performance, the students also had several in-class performances as mock recitals.
Project Extensions and Real World Connections:
The greatest real-world extension is the principle of quality practice. Regardless of what objective is being pursued, the attainment of that objective will require qualities or abilities that do not come about over night. They might not even come about in a week, a month, six months, or a year, depending on the goal. Students who engaged in this project will take with them a trackable measure of progress backed by an ethic of practice that says, "Great players do not practice until they get it right. Great players practice until they do not get it wrong."
Reflections (student and teacher)
The students need to take more charge of more things that I assign to them. For example, having someone lead the decorating of the room for that evening recital. Another student could have led equipment transfer the night of the recital. One student could have led the advanced group as a sort of section leader. In short, more student leadership. Because of the all the recordings, cutting down on the number of recordings each student does would help me manage time. Also, e-mailing home when recordings were not being completed needed to be done more consistently. Some students were given the option of choosing to be in the beginner group or advanced group based on previous experience and/or current musical ability. I allowed more leeway than I should have. I had people in both groups that would have been better suited in the other.
Standards Addressed:
MU:Pr4.1.H.8a Describe and demonstrate how a varied repertoire of music that includes melodies, repertoire pieces, and chordal accompaniments is selected, based on personal interest, music reading skills, and technical skill (citing technical challenges that need to be addressed), as well as the context of the performances MU:Pr4.2.H.8a Identify prominent melodic, harmonic, and structural characteristics and context (social, cultural, or historical) in a varied repertoire of music that includes melodies, repertoire pieces, and chordal accompaniments selected for performance, including at least some based on reading standard notation. MU:Pr4.3.H.8a Demonstrate and describe in interpretations an understanding of the context (social, cultural, or historical) and expressive intent in a varied repertoire of music selected for performance that includes melodies, repertoire pieces, and chordal accompaniments. MU:Pr5.1.H.8a Apply teacher provided criteria to critique individual performances of a varied repertoire of music that includes melodies, repertoire pieces, and chordal accompaniments selected for performance, and identify practice strategies to address performance challenges and refine the performances.
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Products and Exhibition
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This project culminated in an evening guitar recital on November 9, where students, faculty, and parents were in attendance.