Music – 2nd Level: BBC Ten Pieces – Connect It – Lesson 4 (Orchestration 1)

Experiences and Outcomes:
I can sing and play music from a range of styles and cultures, showing skill and using performance directions and/or musical notation. EXA 2-16a

I can use my voice, musical instruments and music technology to experiment with sounds, pitch, melody, rhythm, timbre and dynamics. EXA 2-17a

Inspired by a range of stimuli and working on my own and/or with others, I can express and communicate my ideas, thoughts and feelings through musical activities. EXA 2-18a

I have listened to a range of music and can respond by discussing my thoughts and feelings. I can give and accept constructive comment on my own and others’ work. EXA 2-19a

Lesson Outcomes
After this lesson, pupils will be able to:

  • Listen and reflect on a piece of orchestral music
  • Invent their own musical motifs and structure them into a piece
  • Perform as an ensemble
  • Learn musical language appropriate to the task

Curriculum Checklist
Learners will:

  • Play and perform in ensemble contexts, using voices and playing musical instruments
  • Improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the interrelated dimensions of music
  • Listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory

Activities

Warm up. Begin once again in a circle and place a varied selection of percussion instruments into the middle of your circle. Remind your class of the following pattern from lesson 1:

  • Ask your class to keep this going and move their hands up to one ear and really listen to the sound.
  • Select a volunteer to come forward and choose an instrument from the selection that can make a similar sound. Try out several until everyone has agreed on the best choice
  • Explain that this is called ‘orchestration’ – the process of choosing which instrument plays which part of a piece. It is rather similar to colouring in a black and white picture.
  • Repeat this process

You will need more than one instrument to make all of these sounds. Again, keep trying out ideas until your class are satisfied that they have the perfect combination.

Continue working in this way until you have orchestrated all four patterns from lesson 1. Double up ideas so that everyone will has an instrument and a part to play.

Practise performing these patterns as follows –

  • Repeat each pattern four times
  • Move from pattern to pattern without a gap in between
  • As a four part canon
  • As a Mexican wave.

                        …just as you did in lesson 1 on body percussion.

Ask your class to decide on their favourite version (they might even like to invent a new structure) and write it down carefully. Also write down who played what. 

Finish this lesson by playing through your orchestrated piece one more time.

Additional resources and a more detailed lesson plan can be found here on the BBC Ten Pieces website;
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ten-pieces/KS2-anna-meredith-connect-it/zhyyb82