Ethan Steber

MUS 3400

29 April 2022

Unit Plan

Central Focus

The High School Wind Ensemble students will learn to perform different pieces in the

appropriate styles for each genre. The students will learn how to recognize and evaluate

differences between each piece such as articulations and note length and be able to execute said

differences within each piece of music. The students will then demonstrate their understanding of

these concepts through rehearsals, playing quizzes, and written exams.

Repertoire

Alan Silvestri: A Night at the Movies by Alan Silvestri/arr. Michael Brown

● Key of Ab major, with several changes throughout the piece

Lux Arumque by Eric Whitacre, Grade 3

● Key of C minor and C major

Elements (Petite Symphony) by Brian Balmages

● Key of Eb major with harmonic changes in each movement

Wednesday, March 15th

● 25 minutes - introduction of each piece for this concert cycle. Listening to recordings of

each.

● 3-minute warm-up on a Bb major scale. Scale in unison and then in rounds (staggered

entrances every other note).

● 20 minutes - full sight read of the concert program

● 1 minute wrap up

Friday, March 17th

● 5-minute introduction of Focus Friday to the ensemble

Time Needed: 20 minutes

Materials Needed: Student Music, speaker, computer, whiteboard, projector
Learning Outcome: After listening to the teacher speak about basic V-I harmonic motions
and general Eric Whitacre, the students will be able to demonstrate their knowledge of
identifying these harmonic motions as well as identifying more information on the piece
with an 80% success rate
Formal Assessment Tool: See the end of the document
Personal Objective: I hope to be able to teach and demonstrate to the students what basic
V-I harmonic motions are, as well as show them how to research more information about
Eric Whitacre
Procedures
1. The teacher will welcome the students to class and ask the students to take out
their music and a pencil for today
○ The teacher will first begin by explaining what Tonic and Dominant chords are
and that they function to provide a structure for any given phrase.
○ The teacher will play several examples on the piano for the students to hear.
■ The teacher will then ask the students where they could have heard
progressions like this. Process Component: Connect, Synthesize and relate
 knowledge and personal experiences to make music. Anchor Standard:
Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
■ The teacher will play examples of this progression in both pop and
classical music to help the students identify these sequences. Process
Component: Plan, Make, and develop musical ideas for defined purposes
and contexts. Anchor Standard: Organize and develop artistic ideas and
work.
■ The teacher will provide feedback to the students if necessary and once
understanding is achieved, will move on to the next step
○ The teacher will show the students how to spell these chords on the whiteboard
■ G major to C major, Eb to Ab, D to G
■ The teacher briefly revisits how chords are structured and ask for
volunteers to build another chord on the whiteboard (use examples from
Lux Aurumque). Process Component: Analyze the structure and context of
varied musical works and their implications for performance. Anchor
Standard: Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.
■ The teacher will provide feedback and assist the students where necessary.
○ The teacher will then ask the students to draw their attention back to the projector
for how to research different topics related to Eric Whitacre
■ This will be accomplished by using his website and other credible sources
○ The teacher will then pass out the homework for the day and explain the
instructions
Closing: The teacher thanks the students for their active class participation today.
● 24 minutes of in-class group work time on assignment.
Monday, March 19th

● 10-minute warm-up on C major and C minor. Tune. Discuss similarities and differences

between each scale and then play each note slowly to discover the tuning tendencies of

each instrument.

● 6 minutes - run-through of Whitacre

 ● 20 minutes - deep dive up to rehearsal B. No horn solo. Focus is on tuning chords and

intonation between the ensemble.

● 11 minutes - Silvestri measures 1-27 focusing on correct notes and rhythms. Style

differences between this and Whitacre.

● 2 minutes - closer.

Wednesday, March 22nd

● 10 minutes - warm-up focusing on C major and C minor scales. Playing each scale in

unison. Tune. Scales in rounds.

● 5 minutes - review of Whitacre up to rehearsal B. Listening for tuning of chords.

● 20 minutes - deep dive into Whitacre Rehearsal B to Rehearsal E. Focus on ensemble

intonation and phrase shaping.

● 13 minutes - Water by Brian Balmages. Focus on Measures 26-35 for ensemble

articulations and style,

● 2 minute closer.

Friday, March 24th

● Focus Friday

● 10 minutes - Listening of Elements by Brian Balmages

● 20 minutes - lecture on introduction of symphonies and how symphonies are usually

played

● 19 minutes - group work on Brian Balmages worksheet

Monday, March 27th

● 5 minutes - review group work from Friday.

 ● 5 minutes - warm-up in Eb major. Unison scale, and then scale in rounds. Tune

● 25 minutes - Balmages complete run-through of movement 1, Air. Focusing on

articulations and style. Make sure it matches across the ensemble

○ If time, begin on movement 4.

● 12 minutes - Work on Silvestri focus on measures 27-83. Focus on staccatos and accents

on syncopated rhythms.

● 2-minute closer.

Wednesday, March 29th

● 10 minutes - warm-up with Eb major. Scale in unison and then in rounds. Tune.

● 25 minutes - Balmages movements 1 and 4. Focus on clean articulations, staccatos for

movement 1, and Accents for everyone in the ensemble in movement 4.

● 12 minutes - Whitacre, Rehearsal E to end. Focus on tuning each chord with a great

ensemble sound.

● 2 minute closer.

Friday, March 31st

● Focus Friday

● 5 minutes - Listening to Alan Silvestri: A Night at the Movies by Brown

● 20 minutes - lecture on introduction movie music and all its different uses. Popular styles

and composers will also be discussed

● 19 minutes - group work on Alan Silvestri worksheet

Monday, April 3rd

● 10 minutes - warm-up in Ab major. Scale in unison and rounds. Tune.

 ● 20 minutes - Silvestri measures 83-133 focusing on accompanying a soloist and playing

with great ensemble dynamics to achieve this.

● 17 minutes - Whitacre full piece with emphasis on dynamic contrast. Focus from

beginning to rehearsal C.

● 2-minute closer

Wednesday, April 5th

● 10 minutes - warm-up in C major and C minor. Scales in unison. Tune. Chorale.

● 25 minutes - Whitcare full piece emphasis on dynamics. Particular focus on Rehearsal C

to the end.

● 12 minutes - Balmages movement 3 focus on light and playful sound in 6/8. Also, focus

on dynamic contrast within this movement.

● 2-minute closer.

Friday, April 7th, and Monday, April 10 - No school (Easter Break)

Wednesday, April 12th

● 10 minutes - warm-up on Eb major. Scale in unison. Tune. Chorale.

● 20 minutes - review of concepts from movements 1, 3, and 4 in Balmages. Clean

articulations fast fingers, correct styles for each movement.

● 17 minutes - Whitcare - review of concepts and full run of piece with dynamic contrast.

Friday, April 14th

● 10 minutes - warm-up on Ab major. Scale in unison. Tune. Chorale

● 25 minutes - Silversti focus on measures 128 to the end. Focus on quarter-note triplets.

Clean and even subdivisions for each note.

 ● 17 minutes - Balmages movement 2 focuses on the cleanliness of runs and large dynamic

emphasis.

● 2 minute closer.

Monday, April 17th

● 10 minutes - warm-up on C major and C minor. Scale in rounds. Tune. Chorale

● 15 minutes - full run-through of Whitacre. Emphasis on dynamics and chordal tuning.

● 22 minutes - full run-through of Balmages. Endurance building exercise and articulation

focus.

● 2-minute closer.

Wednesday, April 19th

● 10 minutes - warm-up in Ab major. Scale in rounds. Tune. Chorale.

● 15 minutes - full run-through of Silversti. Focusing on playing with the correct style

between movie tunes.

● 22 minutes - Balmages movements 2 and 4. Movement 2 focus is chordal tuning.

Movement 4 focus is correct notes and rhythms as well as dynamics.

● 2-minute closer.

Friday, April 21st

● 10 minutes - warm-up Eb major. Scale in rounds. Tune. Chorale.

● 25 - Balmages movements 1 and 3. Focus on retention of styles and articulations. High

emphasis on dynamic contrast and articulations.

● 12 minutes - Silvestri measures 128 to the end. Focus on cleanliness once more of

quarter-note triplets.

● 2 minute closer.
Monday, April 24th

● 15 minutes - warm-up on C major and C minor. Chorale. Sight-reading exercises.

● 15 minutes - Whitacre - full run-through with checks and cleanings of dynamics and

intonation.

● 17 minutes - Silversti - measures 128 to the end to check for practice improvement then a

full run-through of the piece.

● 2-minute closer.

Wednesday, April 26th - In Performing Arts Center

● 10 minutes - warm-up on Ab major. Scale in rounds. Tune. Chorale.

● 20 minutes - full run-through and recording of concert pieces.

● 15 minutes - clean any specific areas that need improvement.

● 4-minute closer and transition back to the band room.

Friday, April 28th

● 15 minutes - warm-up on Eb major. Tune. Chorale. Sight-reading exercises.

● 10 minutes - provide comments from recording rehearsal.

● 15 minutes - Balmages cleaning any trouble spots from recording.

● 7 minutes - Silvestri cleaning from recording.

● 2-minute closer.

Monday, May 1st

● 15 minutes - warm-up on C major and C minor. Tune. Chorale. Sight-reading exercises.

● 20 minutes - Whitacre cleaning trouble spots from recording. Focus on intonation and

moving together as an ensemble. Full run-through.

 ● 12 minutes - Silvestri full run-through with any cleaning that needs to be done. Listening

primarily for accents to be played correctly.

● 2-minute closer.

Wednesday, May 3rd

● 15 minutes - warm-up on Ab major. Tune. Chorale. Sight-reading exercises.

● 15 minutes - Silversti full run-through with time to clean ensemble trouble spots.

Particularly where the melody is passed around between multiple sections.

● 17 minutes - Full run-through of Balmages. Focus on intonation, articulations, style, and

dynamics.

● 2-minute closer.

Friday, May 5th

● 10 minutes - warm-up Ab major. Scale in rounds. Tune. Chorale

● 20 minutes - full run-through of the concert program.

● 3-minute chop break.

● 14 minutes - spot check any necessary spots

● 2-minute closer

Monday, May 8th - In Performing Arts Center

● 5-minute warm-up on concert Eb major. Scale first in unison and then in rounds to focus

on tuning chord tones. Tune.

● 15 minutes for a full run-through of Balmages with time to spot check areas.

● 10 minutes for a full run-through of Whitacre with spot checks.

● 15 minutes for a full run-through of Silvestri with spot checks.

● 4 minute closer and transition back to the band room.

Wednesday, May 10th - In Performing Arts Center

● 5-minute warm-up on concert C major and C minor chorales. Tune.

● 15 minutes for a full run-through of Balmages with time to spot check areas.

● 15 minutes for a full run-through of Whitacre with spot checks.

● 10 minutes for a full run-through of Silvestri with spot checks.

● 4 minute closer and transition back to the band room.

Friday, May 12th - In Performing Arts Center

● 5 minute warm-up on concert Ab major scale in unison, then in rounds. Tune from 2

pitches.

● 20 minutes run through full program in concert order (Balmages, Whitacre, Silvestri).

● 20 minutes of spot-checking within each piece.

● 4-minute closer and transition back to the band room.

Sunday, May 14th - Concert Day in Performing Arts Center

Language Function

The language function that I chose is Compare/Contrast. I chose this function because

throughout this unit, it is my goal to have the students be able to compare and contrast each

different piece that the ensemble performs. In doing this, the students will learn how to evaluate

a piece of music for themselves, and learn how to recognize different dominant characteristics of

a piece such as style, articulations, and dynamics. Some of the activities that I will do in the

classroom to help the students meet this goal are things like asking the students to reflect on

different pieces that they are performing. I will have them compare and contrast each piece to

determine the differences between each piece. To have the students carry this skill to a deeper
level of understanding, I will have the students apply this knowledge to other pieces that they are

preparing to perform such as solos or small ensemble pieces.

Informal Assessment Strategies

Throughout this unit, I will be employing several different strategies to informally assess the

student’s progress. The main strategy that I will be using is questioning during rehearsal itself.

This questioning will be during spots in the rehearsal where the ensemble is struggling to decide

what style to play in a certain section. I will pose the question to the students asking them what

they feel is an appropriate style in this section. Once the students select a style, I will ask what

are some of the characteristics of this style, and how they can utilize these characteristics within

the piece. Another strategy that I will use specifically for Lux Aurumque is having the students

listen to the choral and band versions in class and determine what characteristics that the

ensemble can carry over from the choral arrangement to the band arrangement. This in-class

discussion will allow the students to make the connections between vocal and instrumental

music.

Formal Assessments

There are several different formal assessments that I will use for this unit. In addition to the

Focus Friday assessment that I will use when introducing Lux Aurumque, I will have similar

assignments for each Focus Friday presentations. These assignments will track the student’s

overall progress in understanding the background information behind each piece. I will also be

utilizing playing tests throughout this unit to verify that the students are performing with note

and rhythmic accuracy, as well as assessing to what degree the students are performing dynamics
and style. These playing tests will be at several times throughout the unit, and the students will

be assessed on similar sections. In doing this, the students will be able to show growth from the

first time playing a section similar to a pre-test, to the students being evaluated once the section

has been learned and mastered in the form of a post-test playing exam to demonstrate growth.
Focus Friday #1

Name_________________

1. List at least 3 different examples of V to I motions. (These can be examples

that we discussed in class or ones that you create yourself)

2. What is the purpose of Dominant to Tonic motions within a phrase?

3. When did Eric Whitacre write this piece, and for whom?

4. Was this piece originally composed for Symphonic Winds? If not, for what
ensemble was it originally composed?

5. List some other works for wind band from Eric Whitacre