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Scope and Sequence
Bands Department
Denver School of the Arts
2006, 2007, 2008
Dave Hammond, Director
INTRODUCTION TO SCOPE AND SEQUENCE
BAND DEPARTMENT – DENVER SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
A scope and sequence describes what is covered in a curriculum -- the order in which information is presented along with an idea of the progression from one level of ability to another. ,Although band classes remain labeled the same from year to year the curriculum unfolds differently every year based on the dynamics and variables in the department.
Overall school focus, department direction and event calendar will affect the dynamics of the department. It may be influenced heavily by outside socio-political events, national disasters or other events not in the control of the department, school or district. Dynamics of the department are influenced by parental support levels, availability of funding sources and by unforeseen opportunities that may present themselves.
There are variables in the students involved. Each year a different combination of students are thrown together and asked to be highly successful. Many times these students have common musical objectives, sometimes not. Some years the grade levels are dispersed evenly throughout seven grades, most years there is a great unevenness in age and in level of ability. Depending on individual student ability, an ensemble might be very advanced one year, making different events and travel possible and desirable; other years staying local, spending budgets on practicing artists, and advocating for district and school events are the priorities.
It must be said that this document does not contain how to teach the curriculum. This is only a list of hopeful ingredients that a good year in the department will focus on and an idea of what the sequence might be. The manner in which information is disseminated depends on many factors. One of the largest priorities is building an appropriate, supportive and positively competitive atmosphere in the band area. This environment is reciprocated throughout the instrumental music department and reflected in the overall music department. To reach its full potential, the school must then support the atmosphere created and maintained in the music department. Other factors include exact individual, small and large group expectations applied at the right time, appropriate level of music and suitable companion projects throughout the year, the appropriate number and quality of events for which to set goals by, the adherence to specific behavior expectations and team dynamics, and the appropriate number and quality of music faculty and staff for delivery. Along with all of this, the delivery has to be individualized to suit the needs, learning styles and personality of each student in the department.
The sequence many years depends on actual student strengths and weaknesses, event and/or travel schedule, opportunities with visiting artists, invitations to special festivals or competitions, and other unforeseen and planned events.
MUSIC IN THE
DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Standards, as they have been defined locally and nationally are broad, non course-specific activity suggestions to enhance student achievement in music. They do not, as commonly misunderstood, give any achievement benchmarks for teachers to assess their student’s ability. The music curriculum used in the Denver Public Schools is based on Colorado Model Content Standards for Music adopted in November 1997 and revised in 1999.
Denver Public Schools Content Standards for Music Education:
1: Students will sing or play on instruments a varied repertoire of music, alone or with others.
2: Students will read and notate music.
3: Students will create music.
4: Students will listen to, analyze, evaluate, and describe music.
5: Students will relate music to various historical and cultural traditions.
THE BAND MAJOR AT THE
DENVER SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
The basis of the core band music curriculum at Denver School of the Arts is described above; however, the content standards used at the school are expanded to include those developed by the Music Educators National Conference. These give further depth in the areas of vocalization, improvisation and composition.
National Standards For Music Education
1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
5. Reading and notating music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
7. Evaluating music and music performances.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
ART STANDARDS AND ANNUAL THEME
To add to the standards-based education of DSA students, the art faculty has identified the following artistic standards that will guide art curriculum.
1. Explore/Pursue difference between subjective and objective opinion.
2. Explore/Pursue impact of art on history and history on art.
3. Explore/Pursue the concept of truth and beauty through art.
4. Explore/Pursue art’s role in a diversity of societies and cultures.
5. Explore/Pursue controversial art and censorship.
6. Explore/Pursue legitimacy of personal emotional response to art.
The DSA faculty has also decided on an annual theme approach to every year’s entire curriculum. This year the theme will be “elements”. This theme will affect delivery of content and offer cross curriculum opportunities.
Concert Band Major
•Performance
1) Students will receive remedial training in basic note reading in treble and bass clefs.
2) Students will receive basic training in rhythm and basic level 1 and 2 subdivision.
3) Students will perform a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 9 major scales.
4) Students will learn the correct fundamentals of:
a) tuning and intonation
b) characteristic instrument sound
c) posture and breath support
d) instrument maintenance
e) tone production and definition of pitch
5) The student will learn the basics of critique, appropriate terminology and concepts.
6) The student will learn to spell major scales up and down in tempo..
7) The student will learn the basics for good performance, stage presence and how to handle stage anxiety.
8) The student will perform level 2.5-3 level band music throughout the year.
9) The student will learn compositional influences.
10) The student will be introduced to artful description through music.
•Music Theory
1) The student will learn the grand staff.
2) The student will learn the relationship of the grand staff to the piano keyboard.
3) The student will learn basic notational skills:
a) treble and bass clefs
b) basic note heads
c) whole, quarter, eigth notes and corresponding rest values
d) beaming eighth notes
e) stem direction
4) The student will study basic interval relationships and how they correlate mathematically
5) The student will learn basic triads: major and minor
6) The student will learn band instrument transposition from concert.
7) The student will learn simple transposition.
8) The student will learn relative and parallel minor key relationships.
9) The student will experiment with melody composition.
•Leadership
1) The student will be introduced to the concept of team as it applies to:
a) the concert band
b) the student's section
c) the student's chamber group
d) the student's responsibilities and behavior in a group
2) The student will be introduced to the band section ranking system based on ability.
3) The student will study how to audition better through regular chair auditions and chair challenge auditions.
4) The student will be introduced to the concept of being an advocate for the arts and arts education.
5) The student will be introduced to the concept of positive attitude and how attitude can positively effect performance, ultimate outcomes and success.
6) The student may have the opportunity to represent the school in a district or state-wide festival and/or competition.
Wind Ensemble Major
•Performance
1) The student will be working at the beginning of all semesters on level 3-4 band literature increasing their ability to sight read and perform.
2) The student will have to perform level 4-5 level solo literature for the chair audition.
3) Overall, the student will be working towards a higher level of performance through
a) Learning to read in all major and minor keys.
b) Increasing range on their instrument.
c) Increasing their understanding of dynamics and inner-line dynamic contrast.
d) Increasing knowledge of rhythm and subdivision in simple and compound time signatures.
e) Learning to sing their written part accurately.
d) Striving for a more beautiful sound.
4) The student will be learning critique and the appropriate terms and concepts with which to critique musical performance.
5) The student will be learning how to spell, perform and transpose all major and minor scales.
6) The student will be working on sight reading starting with level 3 and moving on to more difficult passages.
7) The student will work on tone and definition of pitch.
8) The student will extend their knowledge of beauty in sound as it applies to the ensemble through balance, blend and a unified approach to articulation, intonation and dynamic application.
9) The student will compare and contrast the concept of beauty in music with this concert in other art forms.
10) The student will continue to expand their own performance abilities and working on stage presence and how to handle stage anxiety.
•Music Theory
1) The students will review major keys signatures and learn relative and parallel minor relationships.
2) The student will learn how to identify intervals.
3) The student will learn how to identify quality of intervals.
4) The student will learn the mechanics of triadic quality.
5) The student will learn to spell major and minor triads.
6) The student will be introduced to 4-note chords and their qualities.
7) The student will learn basic tonic, subdominant and dominant qualities of diatonic chords.
8) The student will continue to learn how to notate music in a professional manner so that the music the student writes is easily read and understood.
9) The student will learn to compose simple melodies and be able to harmonize them.
•Music Appreciation
1) The student will learn to identify varying styles of music correctly.
2) The student will learn to know basic cultural and ethnic derivations of popular styles of music.
3) The student will have been exposed to music from other countries.
4) The student will have discussed the importance of music within the society.
5) The student will have discussed the importance of the artist as leader in society.
6) The student will continue to learn and discuss compositional influences.
•Leadership
1) The student will be asked to demonstrate the concept of team as it applies to:
a) the wind ensemble
b) the student's section
c) the student's chamber group
d) the individual responsibilities and behaviour expectations for a successful group
2) The student will continue to participate in section ranking system based on ability.
3) The student will audition better through regular chair auditions, chair challenge auditions, other auditions for extra-curricular or honor ensembles.
4) The student will be asked to demonstrate being an advocate for the arts and arts education.
5) Through high pressure and high stress performance situations, the student will be asked to demonstrate an attitude of positive professionalism in order to affect success.
6) The student will have the opportunity to represent the school, district and perhaps state in local, state and national festivals and competitions.
Graduating Senior
• Performance
1) The graduating senior will have been an active member in band and be able to perform level 4-6 band music on their main instrument.
2) The graduating senior will have performed level 4-6 solo classical literature (excerpts) on their main instrument.
3) The graduating senior will be able to sight read level 3-4 band music with little to no mistakes, level 3-4 solo classical literature with minimal mistakes.
4) The graduating senior will be able to critique performance of group or soloist using appropriate language and concepts.
5) The graduating senior will have had experience performing solo, chamber group and in large ensemble.
6) The graduating senior will be able to play all major scales.
7) The graduating senior will be able to play all minor natural scales, know and identify harmonic and melodic minor scales.
8) The graduating senior will be able to sight read intermediate rhythms in simple and compound time signatures.
9) The graduating senior will be able to describe beauty in sound as it relates to western music.
•Music Theory
1) The graduating senior will identify all major and minor keys signatures.
2) The graduating senior will identify all intervals within an octave.
3) The graduating senior will identify all rhythmic durations and their respective subdivisions.
4) The graduating senior will identify triadic qualities of major, minor, augmented and diminished.
5) The graduating senior will identify dominant - tonic relationships in basic harmony structures.
6) The graduating senior will be equipped with notation skills that will allow her music to be read and understood in a professional manner.
7) The graduating senior will have had some experience composing melodies and harmonizing those melodies.
•Music Appreciation/History/Ethnomusicology
1) The graduating senior will be able to identify varying styles of music correctly.
2) The graduating senior will know some of the musical characteristics of historic eras in which music is categorized: baroque, classical, romantic and 20th century.
3) The graduating senior will know basic cultural and ethnic derivations of popular styles of music.
4) The graduating senior will have been exposed to music from other countries.
5) The graduating senior will have discussed the importance music plays within the society.
6) The graduating senior will have discussed the importance of the artist as leader in society.
•Leadership
1) The graduating senior will understand the importance of team work.
2) The graduating senior will understand the concept of "leading from within."
3) The graduating senior will have discussed and understood some of the responsibility of the artist in society.
4) The graduating senior will have become a leader inside the Wind Ensemble, chamber groups and other school groups.
5) The graduating senior may represent the school in district, state and/or national honor bands, festivals and competitions.
6) The graduating senior may represent the school in extra-curricular ensembles.
7) The student will be asked to demonstrate the concept of team as it applies to:
a) the wind ensemble
b) the student's section
c) the student's chamber group
d) the individual responsibilities and behaviour expectations for a successful group
8) The student will continue to participate in section ranking system based on ability.
9) The student will audition better through regular chair auditions, chair challenge auditions, other auditions for extra-curricular or honor ensembles.
10) The student will be asked to demonstrate being an advocate for the arts and arts education.
11) Through high pressure and high stress performance situations, the student will be asked to demonstrate an attitude of positive professionalism in order to affect success.
•Senior Project
Seniors in the Band department are asked to conceive of, plan and execute a project that meets the approval of the director. Senior projects can include but not be limited to: composition, performance production, music instruction, planning/instruction, research.
The graduating senior will produce a senior project meeting the following criteria:
1) Completed within the time constraints given by the director.
2) Be a project which was initially conceived by the student.
3) Be a project approved by the director.
4) Be a project which takes into consideration the student's future.
5) Be a project in which the student takes an active leader role.
6) It is critical that the senior use leadership skills learned in the program; working with students and instructors in a respectful and professional way.
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