LSO Children's Concert Lesson Plan The Composer Is Dead Music by Nathaniel Stookey, Book by Lemony Snicket Lesson by: Alex Wooten, Junior Music Education Student from Doane College Learning Focus Concepts: Listening: Basses and cellos in a waltz; Viola countermelody; Violin cadenza Play: Cello and bass pattern on Orff instruments Reading: ​
The Composer Is Dead ​
by Lemony Snicket Important Terms: Concertmaster, Cadenza, Countermelody, Cello, Bass, Viola Parts of a String Instrument: F hole, C bout, End pin, Fingerboard, Scroll, Tuning Pegs, Sound Post, Bridge Learning Outcomes: ­know the parts of a string instrument ­identify the basses and cellos in a waltz ­know the terms concertmaster, cadenza, cello, bass, viola ­identify the string instruments by their physical characteristics Lesson Objectives: The student will be able to identify different parts of the string instruments. The student will be able to know and play the bass and cello role in a waltz. The student will be able to define the words concertmaster, cadenza, countermelodies, cello, bass, and viola. The student will be able to differentiate between all of the string instruments. Anticipatory Set: ● Review the steps of the waltz and have students find a partner to dance to this version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOtAZnVlwfw ● Review the terms from last time: waltz, first violin, second violin ● Read page 11 (“The Cellos and Basses sighed....”) through page 14 (“'You all have very good alibis,' the Inspector said...”) of ​
The Composer Is Dead Learning Activities/Check for Understanding: 1) Review lesson objectives and outcomes with students 2) Remind students of the 1­2­3 pattern of a waltz 3) Ask students to identify who plays what in a waltz (violins­melody, viola­countermelody, cello and bass­accompaniment and 1­2­3 pattern) 4) Listen to the waltz that was in the previous lesson and identify the cellos and basses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBpQlMSPi1I 5) Play the 1­2­3 pattern on a bass xylophone for students to know what to play 6) Each student should be assigned either to a bass Orff instrument or a higher Orff instrument 7) Bass players will play only a C on the first beat 8) The other players will play an E and G on the 2 and 3 beats 9) Slowly practice each part together to create the 1­2­3 pattern 10) Split group into three groups: group 1 dances the waltz, group 2 plays the bass instruments, group 3 plays the higher instruments 11) Play around with this activity so everyone gets a chance to do each activity 12) Explain to students the following eight parts of a string instrument using a cello as an example: scroll, tuning pegs, fingerboard, bridge, sound post (on inside), F hole, C bout, endpin (only on cellos and basses) 13) Show example of how the string instruments are different, all by size (use this website: ) 14) Review how students should define cello, bass, and viola 15) Explain what a countermelody is with the term written up for students to see (countermelody:​
http://beginningstringswebsite.weebly.com/media.html​
second melody played at the same time as the main melody) 16) Play this example and have students listen for the viola playing the countermelody. You can hear the lower sounds of the viola and the sustained and syncopated pitches. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AIxi498oB8 17) Ask students to explain what a concertmaster is from the reading of the story (best violin player in the orchestra) 18) Tell students that the concertmaster sits next to the conductor and usually plays important parts in the music like cadenzas which are “fancy solo parts” 19) Have students listen to a cadenza: ​
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4HblApjDzs 20) Ask students what a cadenza means and who plays a cadenza normally 21) Tell the students: “The inspector needs your help. What are the clues that we can give the inspector about the violas, cellos, basses, and the concertmaster and what they were doing on the night in question? First write in your inspector book with pictures and words, then we will talk about your clues.” 22) Before the students leave the classroom, they need to share three things they learned or found interesting (not all students have to share; this is also similar to the inspector question) Materials, Resources, Bibliography: ­computer and speakers ­projector ready to show the size of each instrument ­cello (preferable but any string instrument will do) to show students the different parts ­vocabulary terms on separate note cards or on a bulletin board that can be added to ­prepare music online ­mark section of the book that is to be read to the class ­Orff instruments ready with all the bars removed except C on the bass instruments and E&G on the higher instruments https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOtAZnVlwfw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBpQlMSPi1I http://beginningstringswebsite.weebly.com/media.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AIxi498oB8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4HblApjDzs *Note* When listening to an example, you don't have to play the entire song for students to hear the important sections.