Hello, and welcome to today's music lesson.

I'm Miss Mansell and I'm gonna be your teacher for today.

Let's get started.

Today's lesson outcome is "I can analyze a solo brass performance "and identify methods for refining "and polishing my own performance.

" Let's look at some keywords for today.

Attack: The start of a sound.

If a note has a clean attack, it means that it starts crisply and precisely.

Vibrato: A slight vibrating effect used to add expression to notes.

Balance: The relative volume of different parts or instruments.

Effective balance is where every part can be heard clearly.

Today's lesson is in two parts.

Part one is analyzing a solo brass performance, and part two is polishing a solo performance.

Let's get started with part one, "Analyzing a solo brass performance.

" When preparing a performance, it is important to continually analyze it to identify areas for improvement.

This analysis can focus on accuracy, so that's playing the correct notes, creating a fluent performance, and following performance directions; Technical control, so that's technique, intonation, and tone quality; And interpretation, That's using stylistic features, creating an engaging performance, and communicating well.

Let's apply this by analyzing a solo brass performance, focusing on its strengths and areas for improvement.

Listen to this performance and follow the score.

Which aspects of it are particularly effective?

Are there any areas for improvement?

Consider accuracy, technical control, and interpretation.

So have a listen to this performance now.

The performer plays very accurate pitches and rhythms in this performance.

There are a small number of minor errors, none of which impact on the fluency of the performance.

In this section, the performer plays an incorrect pitch.

Can you identify which one it is?

Have a listen to it.

Did you spot it?

In this section, they play a D instead of a D-sharp.

Compare this audio to the notation.

Can you spot the rhythmic mistake?

Have a listen.

What did you think?

Did you spot that they play one G instead of two?

The dynamics could be more accurate.

The notation includes lots of dynamic changes, but these are not always followed accurately.

Take this example.

How could the performer more accurately follow the dynamic markings?

What impact would this have on the performance?

Have a listen to the example.

They could make the dynamic changes clearer to create more contrast between phrases and to add more expression and emotion.

Which description does this performance fit best?

Does it have a high, medium, or low level of accuracy?

So let's have a look at the criteria.

For high accuracy, we're looking for accurate pitch and rhythm, with very minor slips not affecting fluency, and accurate use of performance directions.

A medium level of accuracy would look like mostly accurate pitch and rhythm, some noticeable errors slightly affecting fluency, and mostly accurate use of performance directions with some inaccuracies.

A low level of accuracy would look like many inaccurate pitches and rhythms, the performance lacking fluency, and little or no use of performance directions.

So which description does this performance fit best?

This performance best fits the high description.

The pictures and rhythms are accurate with only a small number of minor errors that don't affect the fluency of the performance.

The performance directions are mostly followed, though the performer could follow the dynamic changes more accurately to create greater dynamic contrast.

The performer projects clearly and confidently throughout the performance, with consistently good intonation.

The tone quality is very good with a clear mellow timbre throughout.

Faster passages of notes are played precisely and accurately with a consistent tone.

This shows that the player has a strong technique.

Listen to how precisely the grace notes, these are acciaccaturas, are played in this phrase.

Have a listen to them.

The start of a few notes, so that's the attack, is not clean, with a slight delay to the beginning of the note.

Having a clear attack in quiet dynamics is often a challenge on brass instruments, and this is one technical aspect that this player could refine further.

Listen to these two examples.

Can you hear the notes that don't start with a clean attack?

Have a listen to those two now.

Which description does this performance fit best?

Does it have a high, medium, or low level of technical control?

So let's have a look at the criteria for technical control.

For high level, we're looking at consistently good technique and intonation, a consistently good tone quality, and that the sound is well projected.

For a medium level, we are looking for some inconsistent technique and intonation.

It includes some moments of lower tone quality, and the sound is mostly well projected.

For the low level, it would sound like it has very inconsistent technique and intonation, many moments of low tone quality, and limited projection of sound.

This performance best fits the high description.

The technique, intonation, and projection are excellent.

While we noticed one or two minor inconsistencies in the attack of notes in quiet dynamics, these don't affect the overall impact of the performance.

This is an engaging performance, showing good stylistic understanding and expressive playing.

Listen to this section.

How does the performer make the melody expressive?

Have a listen.

They use subtle dynamic changes to give shape to the phrases.

They also use vibrato, remember that slight vibration of each note, to add expression.

This piece was originally a song in which singers would typically add vibrato, so the use of this technique suits the style.

It adds color and emotion to the melodic line, creating an engaging and emotive performance.

The brass player also communicates effectively with the piano player.

They're in time with each other, and the balance is generally very good, with the melody clearly audible above the accompaniment.

Listen to this section.

Can you hear how the performers have created effective balance between the parts?

These more subtle, interpretive, and expressive aspects help to create a refined and polished performance.

Which description does this performance fit best?

Does it have a high, medium, or low level of interpretation?

Let's have a look at the criteria.

For a high level of interpretation, it should show good understanding of the style, and engaging performance.

And the performer communicates well with other players, so it's a balanced, effective ensemble.

For a medium level, it shows some understanding of the style and many engaging moments, and there are some attempts at communication with other players that create a functional ensemble.

A low level of interpretation demonstrates little understanding of the style, the performance fails to engage the audience, and there is little communication with other players, so it's an ineffective ensemble.

This performance fits the high description.

The performance is highly expressive and engaging, showing good use of stylistic features.

The communication between players is effective, with accurate timing and good balance throughout the piece.

Let's do a check for understanding.

What is the purpose of vibrato?

Is it, A, to make it easier to play long notes?

B, to add expression to notes?

Or C, to make the intonation more accurate?

Which is it, A, B, or C?

Well done if you said B, "To add expression to notes.

" Let's do Task A.

Listen to the whole performance, following the score.

Write a paragraph, identifying strengths and detailed next steps to help this performer further improve.

So pause the lesson video now, and have a listen to the performance and write your paragraph.

How did you get on?

So for your paragraph, you could have included, for your strengths, expressive and engaging playing; very accurate pictures and rhythms; strong communication in the ensemble, creating good balance and timing; good tone quality, intonation, and projection.

For next steps, you might have identified addressing the minor errors in pitch and rhythm; creating greater dynamic contrast by following the dynamic markings more closely; or improving the attack of notes, making sure that it is always clean and precise.

Let's move on to part two of our lesson: "Polishing a solo performance.

" When reflecting on your performance, don't try to fix everything at once.

Choose one or two specific areas to focus on in each practice session, then move on to others once these have improved.

Prioritize areas that have the greatest impact on the overall performance, such as accuracy and fluency, projection, intonation, and tone, and expression and communication, including within an ensemble.

Once you have addressed those key aspects, consider refining and polishing your performance by working on stylistic features, including phrasing; expressive techniques, for example, vibrato; further improving tone quality, projection, and intonation; perfecting the balance with other players; engaging the audience through movement and stage presence.

When developing a performance, which of these is the most important aspect to address first?

Is it, A, engaging the audience through movement and stage presence, B, use of expressive techniques, or C, accuracy of pitch and rhythm?

Pause and have a think.

Well done if you said C.

The most important aspect to address first is accuracy of pitch and rhythm.

So let's do Task B.

Develop your performance by using the descriptors to help identify one or two areas for improvement and focusing your practice solely on those.

First, consider the key elements: Accuracy and fluency; Projection, intonation, and tone; And expression and communication, including within an ensemble.

Then consider polishing your performance by working on stylistic features, such as phrasing and expressive techniques, for example, vibrato; Further improving tone quality, projection, and intonation; perfecting the balance with other players; or engaging the audience through movement and stage presence.

And here's a reminder of the different criteria.

So here's accuracy, here's technical control, and here's interpretation.

So pause the lesson video now, and go and work on your performance.

How did you get on with your practice?

Reflect on your performance.

Answer the questions below to help you identify ways to further improve it.

Have you addressed the most important aspects of the performance?

That's accuracy, fluency, projection, intonation, tone, expression, and communication.

Is the performance expressive and engaging for the audience?

Have you considered the key stylistic features of the piece?

If playing with an accompanist, are you communicating well with each other?

Is the balance appropriate?

Can you identify any of these aspects you can work on to polish your performance?

What do you intend to focus your practice on next?

Let's summarize today's lesson.

When developing a performance, it is important to focus first on key aspects.

These include accuracy, fluency, projection, intonation, tone, expression, and communication.

To polish a performance, you can then focus on more subtle aspects.

These include stylistic and expressive features, balance, and engagement of the audience.

We analyzed a strong solo performance that demonstrated high levels of accuracy, technical control, and interpretation.

Thank you for joining me for today's lesson.