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Exploring
Instruments of the Orchestra |
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Sonority City - Cover and
Homework Activities |
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This unit develops
pupils’ knowledge and understanding about orchestral instruments and
families/sections of orchestral instruments.
Pupils learn about the construction, sound production and
timbres/sonorities of different orchestral instruments, the layout, grouping
and the instruments which belong to each section of a modern symphony
orchestra. Key to this unit is
pupil’s understanding of the terms: TIMBRE AND
SONORITY with a general introduction to the orchestra followed
by an investigation into one orchestral section or family per lesson through
listening and exploring and either ensemble performing, either pieces for
that particular section of instruments or by building up a “class orchestra”
using “Miniature March”, adding different sections each lesson towards a
complete “class orchestra” performance.
This unit is enhanced by
pupil’s being able to explore and perform on traditional orchestral
instruments “as a class orchestra”, but with an awareness of limitations on
resources, suitable keyboard voices can be used or any pupils who play
orchestral instruments could be encouraged to perform on these during lessons. There is an optional
lesson pathway to allow pupils to explore fanfares and the harmonic series
when looking at brass and percussion instruments in more detail. |
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Sonority City - Fanfares
(Brass and Percussion) Resources |
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Sonority City - DOITNOW
(Starters) and Plenary Activities |
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Sonority City - “DOITNOW”
Presentation Cutting down on printables, file
storage and media files, the “new look” Musical Contexts “DOITNOW” Sonority City lesson openers Presentation
contains a wealth (only two samples
shown here), of effective “DOITNOW’s” when delivering the Sonority City unit in just one place - all audio
and video files are embedded and there’s accompanying Teacher’s Notes in the
“slide comments” section. |
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Sonority City - Plenary
Review Activities A series of lesson reviews where
pupils review their learning and understanding. |
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Sonority City - Scheme of
Work and Lesson Pathways |
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Sonority City - Scheme of
Work and Lesson Pathways Includes Scheme of Work Overview,
Unit Learning Objectives, Learning Outcomes and Lesson Pathways. |
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Sonority City - Music
Theory and Graphic Score Dictation |
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Sonority City Theory
- Timbre and Sonority 4-page worksheet introducing pupils to timbre and
sonority in more detail referring to instruments of the orchestra and the
vast array of words that can be used to describe timbre and sonority. |
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Sonority City
Graphic Score Dictation Graphic Score dictation based on the opening of Copland’s “Fanfare for
the Common Man” Includes answers with audio example given on the above audio
file. |
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Sonority City -
Instruments of the Orchestra General Resources |
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Sonority City - Strings
Section/Family Resources |
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Sonority City - Woodwind
Section/Family Resources |
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Sonority City - Brass
Section/Family Resources |
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Sonority City - Percussion
Section/Family Resources |
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Sonority City - External
“Instruments of the Orchestra” Websites |
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Please feel
free to copy, modify, customise, personalise and use Musical Contexts resources for your own use, with your students and pupils, within your
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Sonority City - 5 Minutes
Silent Reading For teachers who prefer to begin
their lessons with quiet, focused openers.
All contain “Questions to Think About” which can also be used as Cover
or Homework tasks. |
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1. Strings 2. Woodwind 3. Brass 4. Percussion 5. Fanfares I 6.
Fanfares II |
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Key Words,
Concepts and Musical Knowledge |
Strings, Woodwind, Brass, Percussion, Tuned
Percussion, Untuned Percussion, Orchestra, Ensemble, Section/Family,
Conductor, Pitch, Timbre, Sonority, Arco, Pizzicato, Bow, Fanfare, Harmonic
Series. |
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Music Theory |
Words describing Timbre and Sonority. |
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Links to GCSE
Music |
Western Classical Tradition 1650-1910 Instrumental Music 1700-1820 The Concerto Through Time My Music Musical Forms and Devices Music for Ensemble |
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Listening to Fanfare
for the Common Man Listening questions based on Copland’s famous
fanfare. |
Four short differentiated Fanfares to perform. |
A Three-Part Fanfare with Imitation A short four-bar fanfare with Imitative
entries for three performers. |
The Last Post Performing and Fanfares
Composing Pack Includes a 3-player version, solo version and
scores for transposing instruments plus an Evaluation Sheet for Assessing The
Last Post Performances and a Composing and Evaluation Sheet for composing a
Fanfare for a Special Occasion or Event. |
3 Listening Questions based on “Fanfare for
All”, “Fanfare for the University of Lancaster” and “Olympic Fanfare”
Fanfares Audio 3 - “Fanfare for All”
Fanfares Audio 4 - “Fanfare for the University of Lancaster” |
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Comprehension questions on the Trumpets found
in the tomb of King Tutankhamun including an optional QR code link to a
YouTube video and a “Design your own Egyptian Trumpet” activity. Can be done without using ICT. |
Instruments of the
Orchestra Research Pupils research the background information to
questions relating to the four different sections/families of the orchestra. Requires ICT. |
Questions on the history and development of
the orchestra and the various sections and families. |
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Pupils colour in the different
sections/families and name the instruments found in a Symphony Orchestra
following directions. |
20 cards of orchestral
instruments to cut out for arranging the class into the layout of a Symphony
Orchestra |
Solo Instruments of
the Orchestra Listening Quiz 20 audio extracts of solo
instruments of the Orchestra for a general “name the instrument/section” quiz |
Listening to “Young
Person’s Guide to the Orchestra” Listening worksheet based on Britten’s
YPGO. Can be broken down into smaller
tasks over a number of lessons. |
Instruments of the
Orchestra Assessment Optional task to assess knowledge and
understanding from the unit. Contains
knowledge test and listening tasks.
Audio - Instruments of the Orchestra Assessment Listening Tasks |
Piano Accompaniment Piano Accompaniment to accompany and lead
“Class Orchestra” piece |
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Exploring the
Strings Section Worksheet General worksheet exploring the Strings
section/family of the Orchestra |
Ensemble Performing
(Strings) - “Viva la Vida” - Coldplay A great way to demonstrate the strings section
through popular music! Arrangement for Strings (actual instruments or
keyboard strings) of the opening riff and melody to “Viva la Vida”. Individual parts (with and without note names)
and Full Score. |
Solo Performing
(Strings) - “The Swan” from ‘Carnival of the Animals’ - Saint-Saëns Cello melody line of “The Swan” with and
without note names. |
BBC National Orchestra of Wales - The
Strings Good video to demonstrate the sound of the
strings section of the orchestra |
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Exploring the
Woodwind Section Worksheet General worksheet exploring the Woodwind
section/family of the Orchestra |
“Miniature March” -
Woodwind Parts Parts for Piccolo, Flute, Clarinet, Oboe and
Bassoon for “Class Orchestra” given with and without note names and a Full
Score |
Theme from “Swan
Lake” - Tchaikovsky Arrangement for Woodwind (Piccolo, Flutes,
Oboe (Solo), Clarinets and Bassoons: actual instruments or keyboard woodwind)
of the Theme from Tchaikovsky’s ‘Swan Lake’ with a 4-bar introduction. Individual parts (with and without note names)
and Full Score. |
BBC National Orchestra of Wales - The
Woodwind Good video to demonstrate the sound of the
woodwind section of the orchestra |
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Exploring the Brass
Section Worksheet General worksheet exploring the Brass
section/family of the Orchestra Brass Audio 1 - Brass Instruments
Listening Quiz |
BBC National Orchestra of Wales - The
Brass Good video to demonstrate the sound of the
brass section of the orchestra |
“Miniature March” -
Brass Parts Parts for Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn and
Tuba for “Class Orchestra” given with
and without note names and a Full Score |
“The Ride of the
Valkyries” - Wagner Arrangement for Brass (Trumpets, French Horns,
Trombones and Tubas: actual instruments or keyboard brass) of Wagner’s “The Ride of the Valkyries”. Individual parts (with and without note
names) and Full Score. |
“Gonna Fly Now” -
Theme from ‘Rocky’ Arrangement for Brass (Trumpets, French Horns,
Trombones and Tubas: actual instruments or keyboard brass) of the “Rocky”
theme tune with a short opening fanfare.
Individual parts (with and without note names) and Full Score. |
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Exploring the
Percussion Section Worksheet General worksheet exploring the Percussion
section/family of the Orchestra
Percussion Audio 1 - Tuned Percussion Instruments Listening Quiz
Percussion Audio 2 - Untuned Percussion Instruments Listening Quiz |
“Miniature March” -
Percussion Parts Parts for assorted classroom/orchestral
percussion (Timpani, Xylophones, Glockenspiel, Bass Drum, Cymbal, Triangle
and Tambourine) for “Class Orchestra” given with and without note names and a
Full Score |
Percussion
Instruments Cards (1) 24 Cards of images of
percussion instruments (no names) which can be cut up and used as a card sort
activity according to tuned/untuned or by timbre or playing technique. |
Percussion
Instruments Cards (2) Cards of percussion instruments together with
ideas of how these can be used including using a “Percussion Clock” |
BBC National Orchestra of Wales -
Percussion Good video to demonstrate the sound of the
percussion section of the orchestra |
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“Miniature March” -
Strings Parts Parts for 1st and 2nd Violins, Violas, Cellos,
Double Basses and Harp for “Class Orchestra” given with and without note
names and a Full Score |
“Spring” from ‘The
Four Seasons’ - Vivaldi Arrangement for Strings (actual instruments or
keyboard strings) of the opening of “Spring” from ‘The Four Seasons’. Individual parts (with and without note
names) and Full Score. |
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Theme from “New
World Symphony” - Dvorák Arrangement for Woodwind (Flutes &
Piccolo, Oboe, Cor Anglais (Solo), Clarinets and Bassoons: actual instruments
or keyboard woodwind) of the Theme
from “Largo” movement of Dvorák’s Symphony No.9. Individual parts (with and without note names)
and Full Score. |
‘Morning’ from “Peer
Gynt Suite” - Grieg Arrangement for Woodwind (Piccolo, Flutes,
Oboe, Clarinets and Bassoons: actual instruments or keyboard woodwind) of the
‘Morning Mood’ Theme from Grieg’s
‘Peer Gynt Suite’. Individual parts (with and without note names)
and Full Score. |
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Sound and video extracts of the different
Instruments of the Orchestra |
Phimharmonia
Orchestra (London UK) YouTube channel with lots of demonstrations of
solo orchestral instruments and orchestral performances |
Goldie and the Heritage Orchestra -
“Timeless” (Sine Tempore) The
official video (directed by Lyle Lindgren) of the first ever orchestral
performance of Goldie's 'Timeless'. Live at the Royal Festival Hall, London,
on Sat 14th June 2014 as part of the Meltdown Festival. |
Good website containing images and
videos of solo orchestral instruments with information on construction, sound
production and pitch range |
Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
(BBC Proms) Great performance with narration of
Britten’s “Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra” as part of the BBC Proms. |
Great interactive site for Instruments of the
Orchestra |
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New York Philharmonic Kids Zone Range of interactive games on Instruments of
the Orchestra |
Interactive way to see and hear instruments |
Play virtual instruments of the orchestra |
Meet the orchestra with Albert’s Band |
Listening Adventures
- Carnegie Hall YPGO |
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The Musical Contexts
“Sonority City” Instruments of the Orchestra Passport This 10-page A4 collated template can be
printed back-to-back (or enlarged to A3) forming a 20-page “Passport” for
students to research and ‘visit’ each section or family of the
orchestra. Pupils research orchestral
instruments from within each section or family of the orchestra, research key
words and terms relating to that section or family of instruments and listen
to and reflect on a piece of music (suggestions from the Western Classical
Tradition and Popular Music) for that particular family of instruments. There’s also space for pupils to research
the role of the conductor, the layout of the orchestra, the London Symphony
and Halle Orchestras, a reflection activity and a word search of key words
and terms. |
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“Sonority City”
Instruments of the Orchestra Passport - basic A4 on 20 pages version for
anyone having problems with printing. |