Subject Area- Instrumental Music___

New York State Standards:
National Standards for Music Education:
Performance Indicators:
Elementary: Grades 4-6
Secondary: Grades 7-12
Scope:
Sequence:
Methodologies:

Subject Area- Instrumental Music____Grade Level 4-12

Mission Statement: It is the mission of the Elba Central School District to actualize the phrase “Elba Equals Educational Excellence for Everyone.” We are committed to providing both quality and equity. Every student will have the opportunity to develop to the best of his/her ability.

Elba Standards: In addition to the knowledge and basic skills they need in order to participate in society, graduates of Elba Central School will develop:
1. Empowering skills: decision making, goal setting, creative thinking and problem solve abilities
2. Communication and social interaction skills;
3. Technological literacy;
4. Total wellness (social, physical, emotional health and self-esteem);
5. The values necessary to participate in society.
As a result of achieving these outcomes, our students will embrace lifelong learning.

New York State Standards:

New York State Standards:
1. Creating, performing and participating in the arts.
2. Knowing and using arts materials and resources.
3. Responding to and analyzing works of art.
4. Understanding the cultural dimensions and contributions of the arts.

National Standards for Music Education:

National Standards for Music Education:
1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others a varied repertoire of music.
3. Improvising melodies, variations and accompaniments.
4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
5. Reading and notating music.
6. Listening to, analyzing and describing music.
7. Evaluating music and music performances.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts and disciplines outside the arts.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Performance Indicators:

Performance Indicators:
- Studying and progressing on a primary instrument, using the guidelines set out by a standardized method book.
- Demonstrating the ability to read and interpret music of varying styles and cultures.
- Understanding the basic concepts of transposition and key in regards to their primary instrument.
- Demonstrating the ability to improvise over chords, both in notation and on their primary instrument.
- Using the voice to audiate difficult musical passages, and confirm their relationship with the rest of the piece.
- Knowing various composers throughout history.
- Discussing composers and their style in relation to the time period in which they worked.
- Providing feedback to musical performances, both pre-recorded and live.
- Showing a basic understanding of music theory and its application to performances.

Elementary: Grades 4-6

Elementary: Grades 4-6

Assessment	Acceptable Performance Level
Standardized Lesson books and material	Completion of Book 1 within the first two years of study
Concert Performance	Demonstration of proper etiquette, dress and response to music
Survey and feedback of performance/rehearsal	Answers are made in complete sentences, and show that thought and reflection have been given to both the questions and music
Recorded lesson material	Students will demonstrate, on tape, the ability to vocalize musical passages and discuss these performances

Secondary: Grades 7-12

Secondary: Grades 7-12

Assessment	Acceptable Performance Level
Standardized solo material, as indicated by the NYSSMA manual	Student will be able to perform, by the end of their fourth year of study, a NYSSMA solo of level 3 or higher
Survey and feedback of performance/rehearsal	Written answers demonstrate at least an understanding of the styles and techniques involved, as well as some of the expressive material included in the performance
Performance Final	Will show a mastery of the material, including expression and dynamics, performed from memory
Recorded vocalization	In rehearsal and lessons, students will sing difficult musical passages with at least 80% accuracy of notes and rhythms

Written test	Student will receive a passing grade of 60% or better on a written test about composers and performance practice
Theory	Having studied Elba’s music theory course, students will be able to pass a final exam (grade of 60% or better) on the material covered
Jazz Improvisation	Members of the jazz band, having worked with the group one year or more, will be able to follow basic Blues Chord Changes, and improvise a solo over these

Scope:

Scope:
Progressive course of study for students, beginning with a basic understanding of posture, breath support and sound and expanding to the demonstration of the ability to compose and harmonize the student’s own work and beyond. Using a sequence of approved lesson books, NYSSMA manual, teacher organized tests and curriculum, surveys, grading rubrics and audio observations.

Content Sequence	Performance Indicators	Performance Level
Written notation-reading and playing from a standardized method book	1B, 1C	2- Developing the second number in this box represents the level expected from secondary students 4-Mastery
Musical Interpretation-Playing music of various styles and cultures	1B, 4C	2-Developing 4-Mastery
Transposition- The relationship between the notes a student plays on their primary instrument and “Concert pitch”	3B	(Secondary students only) 3-Proficient
Key signatures – Notation and sound in regards to major and minor	3B	2-Developing 3-Proficient
Improvisation- Jazz band students only-introduction to chord progressions	1A,2A	(secondary students only) 2-developing

Performance-selections from the NYSSMA manual	1C, 1D	3-Proficient
Singing- Using the voice to help audiate difficult musical passages	1A, 4A	2-Developing
Music History- Composers and their styles	3D, 4B	2-Developing
Concert setting-etiquette	2E	3-Proficient
Concert review-oral feedback from students	3D	2-Developing
(secondary students only)Music theory-computer program	3B	3-Proficient

Sequence:

Sequence:
1. “Breeze Easy” Book 1 for the respective instrument.
2. Solo material: NYSSMA level 1 or 2.
3. “Breeze Easy” Book 2 for respective instrument.
4. Band Music of progressing difficulty.
5. Individualized lesson books from the Voxman, Weber or Rubank series.
6. Teacher organized performance finals.
7. Solo and Ensemble material, etudes: NYSSMA levels 3-6.
8. Jazz Theory and Improvisation using the Jamey Aebersold books.
9. “Music Theory”, a comprehensive computer program.

Methodologies:

Methodologies:
Concepts and skills initially developed through modeling of appropriate techniques, as well as audio demonstrations. Students will use written material, modeling and their own cognition to learn to hold and play correctly on a primary instrument. Teacher’s observations, written benchmarks taken from NYS Music Education Standards and expectations will define progress along the course of study. Advancing students will use self-reflection to further shape their course of study.