Meredith Casey

University Band (Purple)

Lesson Plan 2/13/20
The Unwritten Music
Time Limit: 45 min.

I. Ensemble Goals:
a. Playing confidence in the B section.
b. Discover dynamic control/phrasing.
c. Listening to yourself, section, and ensemble intonation.
II. Personal Goals:
a. Talk less. Do more.
b. Smaller pattern sizes.
c. Less fidgeting on the podium.
III.Procedures
Warm-Up (15 min)
1. (4:48 or less) Turn on music for background/atmosphere/tempo
2. Hindu posture exercise
a. Stand in the middle, ensemble face inward
b. 8 counts per posture hinge
3. In/Out breathing
a. 4 cts in/out, then 8 cts in/out (phrasing)
4. Turn off music, display Tonal Energy Tuner on projector
5. (3 min) Concert Bb long tones
a. Cued
b. Play Bb drone on app, keep on
c. Hum, then sing tonic
d. Slow quarters (perc play too, low stick height)
e. Listen to pitch, turn off, hum then sing again
6. (3 min) Dynamic exercise
a. Bb scale ascend/descend with 5 dynamic levels (indicated by
baton, NOT TALKING)
b. 1​st​ time, listen to yourself
c. 2​nd​ time, section
d. 3​rd​ time, ensemble
Acclaim ​(30 min)
Macro 7. Focus on 49-60, under tempo, melodic line phrasing
8. Add as much as 23-60 if possible
9. Leave tuner on screen the entire time, use metronome starting sections
Micro 10. Play 49-60 once
11. Harmony parts (sax, horn, tbn, bar, tuba, bsn, perc not mallets)
a. Must be able to hear melody, light background style
12. Melody parts (fl, ob, cl, tpt, bells), everyone else sing
 a. Where is the goal? Talk with your section and agree on a spot (15
sec), harmony can do this too. What unwritten things does the
music imply?
b. Play your ideas, do something different
c. 2 ideas for the whole ensemble?
13. Everyone play 49-60
a. 1​st​ normal, 2​nd​ move seats, sit by another instrument that shares
your part
14. Play 39-49
a. What was different about that section? (much softer/delicate)
b. Quietest section of the whole piece, write it down
c. Melody passed around fl, ob, then sax and horn, then tpt and bells)
15. Play 39-60, aim for huge contrast between sections
16. IF TIME, “Look at m. 23-39. Discuss with your section how the phrases
and dynamics can be changed to make this section unique.”
17. Play 23-39
Macro 18. Leave time for full run-through (4 min)

3 Assessment:
a. Were there noticeable dynamic shifts in the B section?
b. Improved note accuracy in the B section?
4 Evaluation/Reflection
a. Did they play more than I talked?
b. Did my conducting reflect the expressiveness I asked the ensemble to perform?