Minimalism

An engaging, practical scheme of work of 6 hour-long music lessons for ages 11-14, with plenty of activities involving performing, composing and listening. Included in the book are everything for both teachers and pupils: lesson plans and notes (including assessment sheet), worksheets and example composition. There are also audio/video links to YouTube. The project does not require knowledge of music notation, but there is an additional notation-based composition task for more advanced pupils. Objectives -To experience, through listening and performing, how a whole piece music can be created from one simple idea -To practise minimalist techniques through performing and composing -To listen to and analyse music by the minimalist composers John Adams, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Michael Nyman and Terry Riley Lesson Overview -Lesson 1 - Motif and Ostinato -Lesson 2 - Note Addition and Note Subtraction -Lesson 3 - Canon and Layering -Lesson 4 - Augmentation and Diminution -Lesson 5 - Phasing and Phase-Shifting -Lesson 6 - Class Composition/Performance 'in C' Subject-specific vocabulary -MINIMALISM - a style of music which started in the USA in the 1960s. It is characterised by simple, repetitive patterns which are transformed throughout the piece, using various techniques, including: oMotif - a basic rhythmic or melodic pattern oOstinato - a repeating pattern oNote Addition - gradually adding notes to a motif oNote Subtraction - gradually taking away notes from a motif oCanon - two or more parts performing the same motif but starting at different times oLayering - the process of adding or taking away parts (or layers) oAugmentation - the motif played in longer note values oDiminution - the motif played in shorter note values oPhasing - two or more parts gradually getting 'out of sync' with each other oPhase-shifting - two or more parts getting 'out of sync' by one beat at a time Assessments -Performing - Steve Reich's Clapping Music -Composing - minimalist piece for two instruments, based on a simple one-bar motif -Listening - listening exercise on Steve Reich's Electric Counterpoint