Project+Sketch

In High School, students are allowed to take certain electives that interest them. I can recall taking a Music Theory elective my senior year of High School. In this class we learned about the different styles and genres of music, dating back to the Renissance and Boroque periods of music. For this project sketch my students will go in depth with the types of generas of music. They will study the musical styles of the Baroque period, the Renaissance period, Classical period and the Romantic period. Students will get into small groups of 3 or 4 and each group will be assigned a time period. I will have them research the time period using computers and music books from the liberary. I will have them identify composers of that era and give a brief description of their music and composing style. Along with finding a composer and that composers writing style, students will also have to identify one modern day composer who writes similar to a past composer. Meaning, using the information they gather students will have to research a modern day composer who uses similar elements of composition in his/her works. Students will then try communicating via email with these modern day composers and ask them a series of questions much like an interview as to their composing style and its similarities to past musical works. Students will give a ten to fifteen minute presentaion on the information that they found to the entire class. Information such as the time span of their particular musical period, important composers, any historical backround that would have an effect on the music being composed such as revolutions or war and finally an explination as to why that particular era ended. Students will confide in their social studies books as well as outside resources to find geographical information that pertains to their musical era. They will be given the option of putting together a power point presentation, handouts and lecture or any other type of useful learning tool they desire. Finally, students will perform a piece of music of their time period this way each student can hear how each musical genre was different.