Refining and polishing an ensemble performance
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can analyse how an ensemble performance is refined and apply strategies to improve my own ensemble performance.
Key learning points
- Refining and polishing are essential for a successful ensemble performance.
- Even strong performances can be improved by focusing on consistency, fluency and expressive control.
- This requires careful listening, coordination and shared musical understanding within the ensemble.
Keywords
Balance - the relative volume of different parts or instruments; effective balance is where every part can be heard clearly
Expression - how performers use musical elements such as dynamics, tone and phrasing to communicate emotion and character
Fluency - ensuring the performance feels natural and continuous
Common misconception
Once the ensemble performance is accurate, the performance is finished and doesn't need further refinement.
Even with accurate notes and rhythms, a performance can still lack fluency, balance and expression.
Teacher tip
Encourage pupils to prioritise highest impact refinements, focusing on fluency, balance and cooridnation across the ensemble rather than small individual inaccuracies.
Files needed for this lesson
take a tarabooka (group version) 228.81 KB (PDF)
take a tarabooka - performance exemplar 1.97 MB (MP3)
Download these files to use in the lesson.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Why is timing important in an ensemble?
Q2.What is the term for the relative volume between the different parts in an ensemble.
Q3.What is the term for how smoothly a performance flows without hesitation?
Q4.Which of these should performers do if a mistake happens during the performance?
To help you plan your 11 music lesson on: Refining and polishing an ensemble performance, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 music lesson on: Refining and polishing an ensemble performance, 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 4 music lessons from the Ensemble performance unit, dive into the full secondary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.