Chorus Notebook

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 Table of Contents Home

Calendar
Handbook
Links
Vocal Growth and Performing
- Measurement
- Vocal Goals and Reflections
Sight Reading and Solfege
- Common patterns
- Pitches and Rhythm
- Sight Reading 101
Team Growth and Choral Elements
- Elements of the choral Ensemble
- Listening
- Reflections
 Calendar Home

❏ Wednesday, December 14th @ 7pm-

5/6th Chorus concert
❏ Student Arrival: 6:40
❏ Monday, May 22 @ 7pm- 5/6th Chorus
concert
❏ Student Arrival: 6:40
 Handbook Home

Welcome to Chorus!
You are now a valued member of the Transit Middle
school Chorus! We are so happy to have you and we are
so excited to watch your grow as a singer and team!
Here what you will accomplish this year:
1. Vocal Growth and Performing
2. Sight Reading and Solfege
3. Team growth and Choral Elements
How will you be graded?
Portfolio 50%, Concert 30%, Community Membership 20%
Submitted portfolio will include:
Vocal Growth
- 3 song/warm-up submissions and their pre
and post-grading reflections
Sight Reading and Solfege
- 3 Sight Reading submissions and their pre and
post-grading reflections
Team Growth and Choral Elements
- 4 Rehearsal listening and reflections
- 2 Concert Listening and Reflections
Links H
o
m
e
Vocal Growth and Performing Home

1. Measurements
2. Song/Warm-up Recordings
- Pre-Recording Goal
- Post- Reflection
- Teacher Rubric
3. Beginning of Year Vocal Goal
4. End of Year Growth Reflection
 Vocal Growth Notes and Goal Home

Vocal Growth Notes….

Posture:

Breathing:

Chest voice/ Head Voice:

Diction (Vowels and Consonants):

My goal this year as a singer is to….

 Vocal Growth Notes and Goal Home

Vocal Growth Notes….

Revisit your vocal Goal… has anything changed

with the knowledge you have now?
End of the year Vocal Reflection Home

How did you reach your vocal goals?

Are you proud of what you’ve accomplished?

What strategies did you use to work on your

goal?
 My VOCAL RANGE Home

DATE _______
Circle the pitches you can sing! You can also mark things like where notes
are uncomfortable, breathy, or where you need to change into your falsetto
or head voice.

My VOCAL RANGE
DATE _______
Circle the pitches you can sing! You can also mark things like where notes
are uncomfortable, breathy, or where you need to change into your falsetto
or head voice.
 My VOCAL RANGE Home

DATE _______
Circle the pitches you can sing! You can also mark things like where notes
are uncomfortable, breathy, or where you need to change into your falsetto
or head voice.

My VOCAL RANGE
DATE _______
Circle the pitches you can sing! You can also mark things like where notes
are uncomfortable, breathy, or where you need to change into your falsetto
or head voice.
 Song/ Warm-up Submissions Home

November Submission-
- Warm-up or Song:_____________
- In this submission I worked on….
- Submit song or warm-up here
- After listening to my performance I I
accomplished….. Next time I can work on….by
practicing…..
4 3 2 1

Explicit Vocal Student has expressed Student has Student has chosen Student did not
Goal their Vocal goal for this expressed their a vocal goal but choose a vocal goal
recording with vocal goal for this does not express it for this recording
explanation of their goal recording but does in their
not explain the pre-recording
reasoning reflection

Accuracy Student excelled the Student Student worked to Student is still

expectation of growth in accomplished include their vocal working toward the
their goal in this growth in their goal but lacks performance of
recording vocal growth in this consistency in their vocal goal
recording performance

Reflection of Student reflected on their Student reflected Student reflected Student reflected
Performance performance and on their on their on their
includes how they could performance with performance performance with
work on their goal further accuracy and without considering little or no through
honesty referring to their growth or to their growth or
their original goal progress progress
 Song/ Warm-up Submissions Home

February Submission-
- Warm-up or Song:_____________
- In this submission I worked on….
- Submit song or warm-up here
- After listening to my performance I I
accomplished….. Next time I can work on….by
practicing…..
4 3 2 1

Explicit Vocal Student has expressed Student has Student has chosen Student did not
Goal their Vocal goal for this expressed their a vocal goal but choose a vocal goal
recording with vocal goal for this does not express it for this recording
explanation of their goal recording but does in their
not explain the pre-recording
reasoning reflection

Accuracy Student excelled the Student Student worked to Student is still

expectation of growth in accomplished include their vocal working toward the
their goal in this growth in their goal but lacks performance of
recording vocal growth in this consistency in their vocal goal
recording performance

Reflection of Student reflected on their Student reflected Student reflected Student reflected
Performance performance and on their on their on their
includes how they could performance with performance performance with
work on their goal further accuracy and without considering little or no through
honesty referring to their growth or to their growth or
their original goal progress progress
 Song/ Warm-up Submissions Home

May Submission-
- Warm-up or Song:_____________
- In this submission I worked on….
- Submit song or warm-up here
- After listening to my performance I I
accomplished….. Next time I can work on….by
practicing…..
4 3 2 1

Explicit Vocal Student has expressed Student has Student has chosen Student did not
Goal their Vocal goal for this expressed their a vocal goal but choose a vocal goal
recording with vocal goal for this does not express it for this recording
explanation of their goal recording but does in their
not explain the pre-recording
reasoning reflection

Accuracy Student excelled the Student Student worked to Student is still

expectation of growth in accomplished include their vocal working toward the
their goal in this growth in their goal but lacks performance of
recording vocal growth in this consistency in their vocal goal
recording performance

Reflection of Student reflected on their Student reflected Student reflected Student reflected
Performance performance and on their on their on their
includes how they could performance with performance performance with
work on their goal further accuracy and without considering little or no through
honesty referring to their growth or to their growth or
their original goal progress progress
 Sight singing and solfege Home

1. Pitches and rhythm

2. Common patterns
3. Sight Reading 101
 Pitches and Rhythm Home

Pitch is: How ___________ or _________ a

sound is.

Rhythm is: How _________ or __________ a

sound is.

The combination of pitch and rhythm makes a

____________.

We read Melodies to practice the sounds that we

often hear in music. Your voice has memory so the
more often you sing and hear it, the easier it is to
read a melody. In this section we will practice
common pitch and rhythm patterns to learn
sight-reading from songs you know and songs you
don’t!
 Solfege Home

Solfege is the system we use to practice the sounds between

notes. We start with the regular Major Scale where the
pitches will alternate between _____ and _____ notes.

Depending on the key signature (b’s and #’s in

the beginning) the starting spot of “Do” can
change but the shape stays the same!

No matter what the pattern, you can use the solfege

scale as a word back to label your sight-reading- as
long as you know where “Do” is, just step between line
and space to label.
 Solfege Practice Home

Use this scale to label the example below:

(Hint: find the matching space or line from
the scale above)

Do

Do
 Solfege Patterns Home

Label the patterns below using F (bottom

space) as Do.

1. 2. 3. 4.

Do Mi Sol Do Ti re Mi do

5. 6. 7.

Do Mi Sol Sol Re Sol Sol Mi Do

 Solfege Patterns Home

Label the patterns below using F (bottom

space) as Do.

8. 9. 10. 11.

12. 13. 14. 15.

 Rhythm Patterns Home

1 2 1(+2) +

1 2 + 1 +(2+)

1 + 2 1 +2 +

1 + 2 + 1-2
 Sight Reading 101 Home

Du Du -de

1 2 +

1. Warm-up your scale (Key signature and time

signature included)
2. Identify/ Count Rhythm
3. Identify Solfege
4. Practice steps and skips
5. Add Rhythm Back in and Sing!
 Sight Reading Submission Home

October Submission

4 3 2 1

Accuracy Student performed Student performed Student performed Student performed

(student and vocal pattern or vocal pattern or vocal pattern or vocal pattern or
teacher) sight reading with sight reading with sight reading with sight reading with
consistent pitch mostly consistent some pitch little pitch accuracy
accuracy pitch accuracy accuracy

Solfege Student performed Student performed Student performed Student was not
(Student and with accurate with mostly with solfege able to use solfege
teacher) solfege syllables accuracy solfege syllables in the when performing
syllables correct shape but their sight-reading
off-set from one or vocal pattern
error

Error Identification Student was able Student was able Student was not Student was
(Teacher Only) to identify errors or to identify areas for able to identify unaware of any
room for growth in improvement in areas for growth or errors or areas for
their performance their sight reading errors in their sight growth in their sight
or vocal pattern reading or vocal reading or vocal
patterns patterns
 Sight Reading Submission Home

December Submission

4 3 2 1

Accuracy Student performed Student performed Student performed Student performed

(student and vocal pattern or vocal pattern or vocal pattern or vocal pattern or
teacher) sight reading with sight reading with sight reading with sight reading with
consistent pitch mostly consistent some pitch little pitch accuracy
accuracy pitch accuracy accuracy

Solfege Student performed Student performed Student performed Student was not
(Student and with accurate with mostly with solfege able to use solfege
teacher) solfege syllables accuracy solfege syllables in the when performing
syllables correct shape but their sight-reading
off-set from one or vocal pattern
error

Error Identification Student was able Student was able Student was not Student was
(Teacher Only) to identify errors or to identify areas for able to identify unaware of any
room for growth in improvement in areas for growth or errors or areas for
their performance their sight reading errors in their sight growth in their sight
or vocal pattern reading or vocal reading or vocal
patterns patterns
 Sight Reading Submission Home

March Submission

4 3 2 1

Accuracy Student performed Student performed Student performed Student performed

(student and vocal pattern or vocal pattern or vocal pattern or vocal pattern or
teacher) sight reading with sight reading with sight reading with sight reading with
consistent pitch mostly consistent some pitch little pitch accuracy
accuracy pitch accuracy accuracy

Solfege Student performed Student performed Student performed Student was not
(Student and with accurate with mostly with solfege able to use solfege
teacher) solfege syllables accuracy solfege syllables in the when performing
syllables correct shape but their sight-reading
off-set from one or vocal pattern
error

Error Identification Student was able Student was able Student was not Student was
(Teacher Only) to identify errors or to identify areas for able to identify unaware of any
room for growth in improvement in areas for growth or errors or areas for
their performance their sight reading errors in their sight growth in their sight
or vocal pattern reading or vocal reading or vocal
patterns patterns
 Elements of Chorus Home

1. Tone
2. Diction
3. Pitch
4. Musicality
5. Blend & Balance

Reflect: How does a Team work together?...

How does a chorus work together?

 Tone Home

Tone is the overall sound of your voice when singing with

correct posture and consistent air from a warm
breath.
Woah! That’s a lot! Let’s break that down!
Overall Sound with…
1. Correct Posture____________________________________
2. Warm Breath______________________________________
3. Consistent Air_____________________________________

Listen to the choir below and reflection on their Tone….

Reflect:
 Diction Home

Diction is the clarity of the lyrics being sung as a group

Woah! That’s a lot! Let’s break that down!

What makes our words clear?
1. Vowels_______________________________

2. Consonants____________________________

Listen to the choir below and reflection on their

diction….
 Pitch Home

The correct notes sung in tune to each other and any

other instruments.
Pitch= Notes Tune= Directly on pitch, not going too
high or too low
**Strongly influenced by your TONE! = Posture, warm
breath, consistent air
Why do we want good pitch?
1. Stay in tune as a chorus= Right on the note, not too
high or low
2. Builds for sight-reading ability= Reading new music
3. Audiate melodies before we hear them= Hearing the
music in your head

Listen to the choir below and reflection on their pitch….

 Musicality Home

Adding different dynamics (volumes), phrasing (when to

breathe), and tempos (speed) to make the music more
interesting
In order to achieve this, we combine our TONE,
DICTION, and PITCH!
Why do we want good musicality?- To make the music
interesting!
Dynamics:_______________________________
Phrase:_________________________________
Tempo:__________________________________

Listen to the choir below and reflection on their

Musicality….
 Blend Home

Blend is the sound of many singers together without

certain voices sticking out

In order to achieve this, we need to…

1. Listen to our neighbors &
2. Match their TONE, DICTION, PITCH, and MUSICALITY
3. Agree on what we want the music to sound like

Listen to the choir below and reflection on their Blend….

 Balance Home

When all harmonies and melodies can be heard at

the appropriate volume when singing together
In order to achieve this, we need to…
1. BLEND with our neighbors
2. Know the music!
3. Agree on the balance of the piece

Listen to the choir below and reflection on their

Balance….
 Rehearsal Reflection #1 Home

4 3 2 1

Vocabulary Reflection Reflection Reflection includes Reflection does

includes includes vocabulary not include
accurately used vocabulary based inaccurately used vocabulary
vocabulary on on the based on the based on the
the ensemble’s ensemble’s ensemble’s ensembles
performance performance performance performance

Areas of Growth Reflection Reflection Reflection includes Reflection does

includes the includes the areas for growth not include areas
ensemble’s ensemble’s areas unrelated to the for growth based
areas for growth for growth based ensembles on the
based on the on the performance and ensembles
ensemble’s ensemble’s with no justification performance
performance performance with for their response
with justification no justification for
for their their response
response

Strategies for Reflection Reflection Reflection includes Reflection does

Improvement includes includes exercises or not include
exercises or exercises or strategies to exercises or
strategies to strategies to improve the areas strategies to
improve the improve the areas of growth unrelated improve the
areas of growth of growth with no to the ensemble’s areas of growth
with justification justification performance in response to
the ensembles
performance
 Rehearsal Reflection #2 Home

4 3 2 1

Vocabulary Reflection Reflection Reflection includes Reflection does

includes includes vocabulary not include
accurately used vocabulary based inaccurately used vocabulary
vocabulary on on the based on the based on the
the ensemble’s ensemble’s ensemble’s ensembles
performance performance performance performance

Areas of Growth Reflection Reflection Reflection includes Reflection does

includes the includes the areas for growth not include areas
ensemble’s ensemble’s areas unrelated to the for growth based
areas for growth for growth based ensembles on the
based on the on the performance and ensembles
ensemble’s ensemble’s with no justification performance
performance performance with for their response
with justification no justification for
for their their response
response

Strategies for Reflection Reflection Reflection includes Reflection does

Improvement includes includes exercises or not include
exercises or exercises or strategies to exercises or
strategies to strategies to improve the areas strategies to
improve the improve the areas of growth unrelated improve the
areas of growth of growth with no to the ensemble’s areas of growth
with justification justification performance in response to
the ensembles
performance
 Concert Reflection #1 Home

4 3 2 1

Vocabulary Reflection Reflection Reflection includes Reflection does

includes includes vocabulary not include
accurately used vocabulary based inaccurately used vocabulary
vocabulary on on the based on the based on the
the ensemble’s ensemble’s ensemble’s ensembles
performance performance performance performance

Areas of Growth Reflection Reflection Reflection includes Reflection does

includes the includes the areas for growth not include areas
ensemble’s ensemble’s areas unrelated to the for growth based
areas for growth for growth based ensembles on the
based on the on the performance and ensembles
ensemble’s ensemble’s with no justification performance
performance performance with for their response
with justification no justification for
for their their response
response

Strategies for Reflection Reflection Reflection includes Reflection does

Improvement includes includes exercises or not include
exercises or exercises or strategies to exercises or
strategies to strategies to improve the areas strategies to
improve the improve the areas of growth unrelated improve the
areas of growth of growth with no to the ensemble’s areas of growth
with justification justification performance in response to
the ensembles
performance
 Rehearsal Reflection #3 Home

4 3 2 1

Vocabulary Reflection Reflection Reflection includes Reflection does

includes includes vocabulary not include
accurately used vocabulary based inaccurately used vocabulary
vocabulary on on the based on the based on the
the ensemble’s ensemble’s ensemble’s ensembles
performance performance performance performance

Areas of Growth Reflection Reflection Reflection includes Reflection does

includes the includes the areas for growth not include areas
ensemble’s ensemble’s areas unrelated to the for growth based
areas for growth for growth based ensembles on the
based on the on the performance and ensembles
ensemble’s ensemble’s with no justification performance
performance performance with for their response
with justification no justification for
for their their response
response

Strategies for Reflection Reflection Reflection includes Reflection does

Improvement includes includes exercises or not include
exercises or exercises or strategies to exercises or
strategies to strategies to improve the areas strategies to
improve the improve the areas of growth unrelated improve the
areas of growth of growth with no to the ensemble’s areas of growth
with justification justification performance in response to
the ensembles
performance
 Rehearsal Reflection #4 Home

4 3 2 1

Vocabulary Reflection Reflection Reflection includes Reflection does

includes includes vocabulary not include
accurately used vocabulary based inaccurately used vocabulary
vocabulary on on the based on the based on the
the ensemble’s ensemble’s ensemble’s ensembles
performance performance performance performance

Areas of Growth Reflection Reflection Reflection includes Reflection does

includes the includes the areas for growth not include areas
ensemble’s ensemble’s areas unrelated to the for growth based
areas for growth for growth based ensembles on the
based on the on the performance and ensembles
ensemble’s ensemble’s with no justification performance
performance performance with for their response
with justification no justification for
for their their response
response

Strategies for Reflection Reflection Reflection includes Reflection does

Improvement includes includes exercises or not include
exercises or exercises or strategies to exercises or
strategies to strategies to improve the areas strategies to
improve the improve the areas of growth unrelated improve the
areas of growth of growth with no to the ensemble’s areas of growth
with justification justification performance in response to
the ensembles
performance
 Concert Reflection #2 Home

4 3 2 1

Vocabulary Reflection Reflection Reflection includes Reflection does

includes includes vocabulary not include
accurately used vocabulary based inaccurately used vocabulary
vocabulary on on the based on the based on the
the ensemble’s ensemble’s ensemble’s ensembles
performance performance performance performance

Areas of Growth Reflection Reflection Reflection includes Reflection does

includes the includes the areas for growth not include areas
ensemble’s ensemble’s areas unrelated to the for growth based
areas for growth for growth based ensembles on the
based on the on the performance and ensembles
ensemble’s ensemble’s with no justification performance
performance performance with for their response
with justification no justification for
for their their response
response

Strategies for Reflection Reflection Reflection includes Reflection does

Improvement includes includes exercises or not include
exercises or exercises or strategies to exercises or
strategies to strategies to improve the areas strategies to
improve the improve the areas of growth unrelated improve the
areas of growth of growth with no to the ensemble’s areas of growth
with justification justification performance in response to
the ensembles
performance
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