Inspired by Earth Choir
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can create and combine small vocal musical ideas (golden bricks) based around themes to structure a vocal piece.
Key learning points
- Programme music is music that has been inspired by something non-musical. For example, a story or a piece of artwork.
- Deep Field composed by Eric Whitacre is a symphonic work in four movements that is an example of programme music.
- A piece of music can be inspired and built from one small musical idea. Eric Whitacre calls this a ‘golden brick'.
- Music can be mapped as we listen to help us make sense of the musical journey and its structure.
Keywords
Programme music - instrumental music that aims to represent something non-musical, such as a story, picture, scene, idea or emotion
Musical map - lines, shapes, colours and symbols that represent the flow of the music
Golden brick - Eric Whitacre’s term to describe a small musical idea that is the core building block on which the whole piece is built
Structure - the way the music is organised
Choral - an adjective relating to music written for or performed by a choir
Common misconception
A symphonic work only uses instruments.
Whilst a symphony traditionally only used instruments of the orchestra, composers over time have diversified and introduced voices into symphonic works.
Teacher tip
Task A - You may wish to delve deeper with your class and see if you can find any Fibonacci relationships in the vocal melody. They are not necessarily meant to be there, but they are fun to find. E.g. 21st beat / 35 mapped out is the loudest. This is the golden ratio of this melody.
Equipment
Only required for extension activity - classroom percussion required to perform all four movements together.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
4 Questions
Q1.When we create vocal music, we use our ...
Q2.When a melody is ascending, it is ...
Q3.When a melody is descending, it is ...
Q4.A self-contained section of a large-scale musical composition, like a chapter in a book, is called a ...
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Deep Field composed by Eric Whitacre is a symphonic work in four movements that is an example of __________ music.
Q2.Match the musical element to its definition.
how loud or quiet the music is
the way the music is organised
how high or low a note is
the length of a sound or silence
Q3.Eric Whitacre finds a golden brick and uses this to create his music. What is a golden brick?
Q4.Why might we create a musical map?
To help you plan your 4 music lesson on: Inspired by Earth Choir, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 4 music lesson on: Inspired by Earth Choir, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 music lessons from the Compose and create: cosmic programme music unit, dive into the full primary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.