Elegy for a Young American; Ronald LoPresti

Student Packet

Student Goals

1. After listening to a recording of the piece, students will describe emotions portrayed in the music. (standards 6, 7, 8, 9)
2. Students will sing and play the stepwise melody in measure one to 16 with the dynamic shaping and articulation listed. (standards 1, 2, 5)
3. Students will complete the accompanying WebQuest to learn more about the historical period and how it relates to the piece. (Standards 8, 9)
4. During class, students will listen to sections of a recording of the piece. Together we will diagram the section on the board. Upon completing the diagram we will play the newly drawn section. (Standards 2, 5, 6, 7)
5. Given a copy of their part students will correctly identify the intervals in a set amount of measures. (Standards 5, 6)
6. Students will keep a daily journal detailing the ensembles’ progress with the piece and where they feel we could improve. (Standards 6, 7, 8)
7. After the performance of the piece, students will complete the post performance critique. (Standards 6, 7, 8, 9)

Historical Background

This piece was composed because of the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Most people (if they had been born at the time) can tell you exactly what they were doing when JFK was assassinated on November 22^nd, 1963. The assassination of the youngest man ever elected to the presidency rocked both the country and the world. Many have tied the tragedy to the likes of the World Trade Center bombing on September 11^th, the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger or even the bombing of the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City.

On November 22^nd, 1963 as President Kennedy and his wife, Jackie, rode through Dallas in their motorcade, Kennedy was shot and killed. Many different conspiracy theories soon surfaced and many were brushed by the wayside. Lee Harvey Oswald was apprehended at the assassin but was shot and killed himself before he ever stood for trial.

WebQuest

Explore the WebQuest. We’ll speak more about it as a class.

Rhythm

Overall rhythm is not a major issue in this piece. I would like to draw your attention to one area though. The upper woodwinds must be careful of their eighth note rhythms and sixteenth note rhythms in measures 72-82.

Melody

A sheet has been attached with the opening melody written out for all instruments. We will play this melody together in order to get an overall feel for the piece.

Form

Form will be discussed in class. We will use a recording to help depict the form of this piece on the board. For further ideas, read your educational goals.

Practice Guidelines

1. Practice every day you eat.
2. Don’t practice the parts you can already play. Practice the parts that give you trouble.
3. Slow, relaxed practice brings out better results.
4. Always practice in the extreme portions of your register. (louds, softs, highs, lows)
5. Warm-up for ten minutes before you play.

Guided Student Analysis

Name________________________

Piece_________________________

Composer___________________________

Using your part fill out the following worksheet.

1. How many measures are in this piece of music?

2. What time signatures are found throughout this piece of music?

3. What is the initial tempo marking? Define the initial tempo marking.

4. What other tempo indicators are found throughout this piece? What do they mean?

5. List the measures with the most dramatic (more than two dynamic level shift) dynamic shifts.

6. Where is the main climax point in this piece of music? How do you know?

Student Wrap-up

Name___________________

Piece___________________

Composer_______________________

1. Did you enjoy this piece? Explain.

2. What portions of this unit helped you understand this piece the most? Why?

3. What portions of this unit do you feel were unimportant? Why?

4. How do you feel this piece went in relation to the recordings we listened to in class? Were there sections you would have played differently as an ensemble?

5. Did you feel like the location of this piece in the concert order was fitting? Explain.

Instrumental Music Performance - Individual : Elegy for a Young American
Teacher Name:
Student Name:     ________________________________________
CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Rhythm	The beat is secure and the rhythms are accurate for the style of music being played.	The beat is secure and the rhythms are mostly accurate. There are a few duration errors, but these do not detract from the overall performance.	The beat is somewhat erratic. Some rhythms are accurate. Frequent or repeated duration errors. Rhythm problems occasionally detract from the overall performance.	The beat is usually erratic and rhythms are seldom accurate detracting significantly from the overall performance.
Pitch	Virtually no errors. Pitch is very accurate.	An occasional isolated error, but most of the time pitch is accurate and secure.	Some accurate pitches, but there are frequent and/or repeated errors.	Very few accurate or secure pitches.
Dynamics	Dynamic levels are obvious, consistent, and an accurate intrepretation of the style of music being played.	Dynamic levels are typically accurate and consistent.	Dynamic levels fluctuate but can be discerned.	Attention to dynamic levels is not obvious.
Phrasing	Phrasing is always consistent and sensitive to the style of music being played.	Phrasing is usually consistent and sensitive to the style of music being played.	Phrasing is usually consistent and occasionally sensitive to the style of music being played.	Phrasing is rarely consistent and/or rarely sensitive to musical style.
Expression and Style	Performs with a creative nuance and style in response to the score and limited coaching.	Typically performs with nuance and style that is indicated in the score or which is suggested by instructor or peer.	Sometimes performs with nuance and style that is indicated in the score or which is suggested by instructor or peer.	Rarely demonstrates expression and style. Just plays the notes.
Note Accuracy	Notes are consistently accurate.	An occasional inaccurate note is played, but does not detract from overall performance.	A few inaccurate notes are played, detracting somewhat from the overall performance.	Wrong notes consistently detract from the performance.
Tone Quality	Tone is consistently focused, clear, and centered throughout the range of the instrument. Tone has professional quality.	Tone is focused, clear and centered through the normal playing range of the instrument. Extremes in range sometimes cause tone to be less controlled. Tone quality typically does not detract from the performance.	Tone is often focused, clear and centered, but sometimes the tone is uncontrolled in the normal playing range. Extremes in range are usually uncontrolled. Occasionally the tone quality detracts from overall performance.	The tone is often not focused, clear or centered regardless of the range being played, significanltly detracting from the overall performance.