Ninth– Twelfth Grades

Standards, Learning Expectations, and Performance Indicators

Course Description:

Vocal music is a course that seeks to give students in grades 9-12 experience in the study and performance of a diverse repertoire of vocal/choral music. Three levels of instruction are included in the following framework. This plan allows for a total of four years of vocal/choral classes. The course will include instruction in proper vocal technique, musicianship skills, and the cultural and historical context of choral literature. The course will encourage self-expression through performance and creation of music.

Content Standard 1.0: Singing

Students will sing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

Learning Expectations:

The student will

Performance Indicators:

• explore singing with expression a varied repertoire of vocal literature;
• display correct vocal production;
• explore diction appropriate to the style of vocal literature;
• proficiently perform two-part music in an ensemble.

• apply expressive style and vocal techniques to vocal literature;
• sing alone using correct vocal production techniques;
• apply correct diction in selected literature;
• proficiently perform three-part music in a variety of ensembles.

• employ expressive style and technical accuracy appropriate to the genre and historical period of the music being performed;
• apply correct vocal production techniques throughout an extensive vocal range;
• distinguish between the variants of English diction appropriate to various vocal styles and apply them to music in performance, as well as illustrate ability to sing in a variety of languages with appropriate diction for each language;
• proficiently perform four-part music in a variety of ensembles.

Sample Performance Task:

Students will sing a solo and/or ensemble performance of English, Italian, German, or French art songs. Assessment will be based on teacher evaluation of performance.

Integration/Linkages:

Language Arts, Foreign Language, Science (Anatomy), History, Theater, District Music Standards, State Music Standards, National Standards for Arts Education, Professional Singer.

Content Standard 2.0: Playing Instruments

Students will perform on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

Learning Expectations:

The student will

Performance Indicators:

• experiment with various melodic instruments as to sound and capabilities;
• experiment with timbres of various rhythmic instruments.

• apply knowledge of instruments to play simple melodic phrases;
• apply knowledge of rhythm instruments to play simple rhythmic patterns.

• appropriately employ melodic instruments in the performance of a choral composition;
• appropriately employ rhythmic instruments in the performance of a choral composition.

Sample Performance Task:

Play a rhythmic ostinato on tambourine in performance of an African-American gospel piece. Assessment will be based on teacher evaluation of performance.

Integration/Linkages:

Instrumental Music, District Music Standards, State Music Standards, National Standards for Arts Education.

Content Standard 3.0: Improvising

Students will improvise melodies, variations, and accompaniments.

Learning Expectations:

The student will

Performance Indicators:

• perform a non-notated rhythmic accompaniment to a melody;
• improvise a simple variation to a familiar song;
• improvise accompaniments.

• perform a non-notated melody;
• improvise an appropriate variation within specified guidelines;
• apply short accompaniment passages to a selected song.

• perform a non-notated descant or cadenza in a stylistically appropriate manner;
• employ a variety of techniques to improvise an appropriate variation;
• perform a non-notated accompaniment in a stylistically appropriate manner.

Sample Performance Task:

Perform vocal jazz literature requiring improvisational technique. Assessment will be based on teacher evaluation of performance.

Integration/Linkages:

Music History, Music Theory, District Music Standards, State Music Standards, National Standards for Arts Education, Jazz Musician

Content Standard 4.0: Composing

Students will compose and arrange music within specified guidelines.

Learning Expectations:

The student will

Performance Indicators:

• create an obbligato figure to a familiar song;
• develop a non-notated vocal warm-up;
• arrange songs into a medley.

• create a descant for a song;
• create a vocal warm-up using a descant;
• arrange a medley using specified guidelines.

• construct a stylistically appropriate descant, obbligato, or ostinato;
• develop vocal warm-ups appropriate for a specific aim;
• arrange stylistically appropriate medleys.

Sample Performance Task:

Design a warm-up to practice melismatic singing. Assessment will be based on effectiveness of the vocalize in improving melismatic singing.

Integration/Linkages:

Music History, Music Theory, Math, District Music Standards, State Music Standards, National Standards for Arts Education, Composer/Arranger

Content Standard 5.0: Reading and Notating

Students will read and notate music.

Learning Expectations:

The student will

Performance Indicators:

• explore notation in choral music with a difficulty level of 3;
• examine terms, signs, and musical symbols in a choral music score;
• apply sight-reading skills in choral music at a difficulty level of 3;
• examine notation of vocal parts using standard symbols;
• explore non-standard notation in choral music.

• interpret notation of choral music with a difficulty level of 4;
• interpret terms, signs and musical symbols at a proficient level in a classroom setting;
• apply sight-reading skills in choral music at a difficulty level of 4;
• apply standard symbols and signs to choral notation;
• vocally demonstrate non-standard notation in a classroom setting.

• accurately interpret notation in choral music with a difficulty level of 5 in a performance context;
• interpret terms, signs and musical symbols accurately in a choral performance context;
• sight-read accurately and expressively choral music at a difficulty level of 4 or above;
• use standard notation accurately in dictation exercises and/or composition or arranging;
• vocally demonstrate non-standard notation in a choral performance context.

Sample Performance Task:

Perform choral music compositions using vocal scores. Assessment will be based on accuracy of interpretation of the vocal score.

Integration/Linkages:

Music Theory, Math, Technology, District Music Standards, State Music Standards, and National Standards for Arts Education.

Content Standard 6.0: Listening and Analyzing

Students will listen to, analyze, and describe music.

Learning Expectations:

The student will

Performance Indicators:

• explore choral literature to identify musical elements, forms, expressive devices, and compositional techniques;
• examine use of musical elements in a recorded work;
• examine use of timbre, melody, and harmony in works of similar genres;
• examine music recordings of a variety of musical styles and genres.

• distinguish the use of musical elements, forms, expressive devices, and compositional techniques in choral literature at a proficient level;
• distinguish the use of musical elements in a recorded work at a proficient level,
• proficiently differentiate use of timbre, melody, and rhythm in works of similar genres;
• categorize music recordings according to styles.

• accurately describe the use of musical elements, forms, expressive devices and compositional techniques in rehearsal and/or performance literature;
• accurately describe the use of musical elements in recorded literature;
• accurately assess the use of timbre, melody, rhythm, harmony, and form in works of similar genres;
• inventory and correctly classify music from a variety of styles and genres.

Sample Performance Task:

Assemble a portfolio of recordings listened to and classified. Assessment will be based on accuracy and completeness of portfolio.

Integration/Linkages:

Social Studies, Language Arts, Technology, Music History, Music Theory, District Music Standards, State Music Standards, National Standards for Arts Education.

Content Standard 7.0: Evaluating

Students will evaluate music and music performances

Learning Expectations:

The student will

Performance Indicators:

• identify elements for evaluation of personal participation in a choral performance;
• identify musical elements for comparison of choral performances with similar or exemplary models;
• identify aesthetic qualities of a given choral work.

• develop criteria for evaluation of personal participation in a choral performance;
• develop criteria for comparison of choral performances with similar or exemplary models;
• examine musical means used to create the feelings or emotions in a choral work.

• develop and utilize an appropriate rubric for evaluation of personal participation in a choral performance;
• develop and utilize an appropriate rubric for evaluation of ensemble in a choral performance as compared to other groups or exemplary models;
• appropriately evaluate a choral work’s aesthetic qualities by explaining musical elements used to create that aesthetic.

Sample Performance Task:

Students will design a rubric for evaluation of individual performance in an adjudicated venue. Assess the rubric's appropriateness for the particular situation and the student's skill in using the rubric by comparing the individual student scores with those of the entire class.

Integration/Linkages:

Language Arts, Math, Science, Technology, District Music Standards, State Music Standards, National Standards for Arts Education, Music Critic

Content Standard 8.0: Interdisciplinary Connections

Students will understand relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.

Learning Expectations:

The student will

Performance Indicators:

• identify basic elements common in the arts;
• identify characteristics of art forms within a particular historical period or style;
• determine which disciplines are related to music;
• identify technological developments utilized in creating, producing, and listening to music;
• determine the role of music in today’s environment.

• examine the use of basic elements common in the arts;
• determine how characteristics are displayed within each art form within a particular historical period or style;
• determine how various disciplines are related to music;
• appropriately assess the influence of music technology on the creation of, production of, and listening to music;
• discuss the impact of music in today’s environment.

• compare and contrast the use of basic elements in all the arts at a proficient level;
• construct a comparison between two or more art forms within one historical context;
• accurately assess the relationship of principles and subject matter of disciplines outside the arts to those of music;
• accurately evaluate the influence of music technology on the creation, production, and distribution of music;
• thoroughly evaluate the impact of music on today’s environment.

Sample Performance Task:

Develop a set of guidelines to prevent hearing loss at rock concerts. Assessment will be based on completeness of guidelines.

Integration/Linkages:

Language Arts, Math, Science, Technology, Social Sciences, Fine Arts, History, District Music Standards, State Music Standards, National Standards for Arts Education.

Content Standard 9.0: Historical and Cultural Relationships

Students will understand music in relation to history and culture.

Learning Expectations:

The student will

Performance Indicators:

• identify characteristics of musical genres, styles, historical periods and cultures;
• identify various American music genres;
• identify stylistic features that define choral works.

• link characteristics of musical genres, styles, historical periods and cultures to selected choral literature;
• explore the origins of various American music genres;
• link stylistic features to aesthetic and historical traditions.

• accurately differentiate selected choral literature into genres and styles and historical periods or cultures;
• thoroughly compare various American music genres and their origins;
• correctly inventory the characteristics of a given choral work to classify its aesthetic tradition and its historical or cultural context.

Sample Performance Task:

Propose a concert program of choral music demonstrating influences of narrative poetry on vocal music. Each programmed title should contain program notes denoting the source of the poetry used in the song and the extent to which the poetry influenced the composed music. Assessment will be based on design of program and accuracy of program notes.

Integration/Linkages:

Social Studies, Language Arts, Technology, District Music Standards, State Music Standards, National Standards for Arts Education, Musicologist