Non-Chord Tones and Women Composers

Content Area: Music Theory

Grade Level: Grade 10
Dates: February 5-7, 2018
Instruction Time: Three 40-minute class periods (120 minutes total)

Central Focus:
The central focus and purpose of the learning segment is to have students label, identify, and
explain non-chord tones within the context of music by female composers. In this lesson
segment, tenth graders are introduced to non-chord tones for the first time. Within this central focus,
students will explore the purpose and function of non-chord tones in western music. This will include
identifying each type of non-chord tones, how to compose simple examples of non-chord tones on a staff,
and how to identify non-chord tones within a variety of musical excerpts.

National Music Standards (Composition/Theory):

• MU:Cr3.2.C.IIIa: Share music through the use of notation, solo or group performance, or technology,
and demonstrate and explain how the elements of music, compositional techniques, and processes have
been employed to realize expressive intent
• MU:Pr4.3.C.IIIa: Develop interpretations of works based on an understanding of the use of elements
of music (including form), compositional techniques, style, function, and context, explaining and
justifying how the interpretive choices reflect the creators’ intent
• MU:Re7.2.c.IIIa: Analyze aurally and/or by reading the scores of musical works the elements of music
(including form), compositional techniques and procedures, relating them to aesthetic effectiveness,
style, mood, and context; and explain how the analysis provides models for personal growth as
composer, performers, and/or listener
• MU:Re8.1.C.IIa: Develop and support interpretations of varied works, demonstrating an
understanding of the composers’ intent by citing the use of elements of music (including form),
compositional techniques, and the style/genre and context of each work
• MU:Cn10.0.IIIa: Demonstrate how interests, knowledge and skills relate to personal choices and intent
when creating, performing and responding to music
• MU:Cn11.0.IIIa: Demonstrate understanding of relationships between music and the other arts, other
disciplines, varied contexts, and daily life

New York State Arts Standards:

• Anchor Standard #2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
• Anchor Standard #5: Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation
• Anchor Standard #7: Perceive and analyze artistic work
• Anchor Standard #8: Interpret meaning in artistic work
• Anchor Standard #9: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
• Anchor Standard #11: Investigate ways that artistic work is influenced by societal, cultural, and
historical context, and, in turn, how artistic ideas shape cultures past, present, and future

Materials and Resources:

• Classroom speakers
• Roll-out white board
• Expo dry-erase markers
• Recordings of each composition available on YouTube
Printed Materials (all teacher-made):
• Non-Chord Tones Reference Sheet #1
• Non-Chord Tones and Women Composers Worksheet #1
• Non-Chord Tones Reference Sheet #2
• Non-Chord Tones and Women Composers Worksheet #2
• Non-Chord Tones Reference Sheet #3
• Non-Chord Tones and Women Composers Worksheet #3

Lesson #1 Objectives:
• Students will review elements of harmonic analyses in major and minor keys by writing roman
numerals and cadence types on the white board and in individual notebooks, and explaining their
defining and elements and structure through class discussion.
• Students will define the elements and organization structure of passing tones, neighbor tones,
suspensions, and retardations by completing “Non-Chord Tone Reference Sheet #1.””
• Students will label, identify, and explain instances of passing tones neighbor tones, suspension, and
retardations by analyzing the musical excerpts by women composers in “Non-Chord Tones and Women
Composers #1.”
• Students will be relate non-chord tones to performance practice and female composers of the western
musical tradition by completing the worksheet, “Non-Chord Tones and Women Composers #1” and
discussing their observations as a class.

Lesson #1 Procedure:
1) Bell-Ringer: as a class, students will review “big or little” roman numerals for harmonic analyses in
major and minor keys through class discussion, with students taking turns writing roman numerals on
the white board.
2) As a class, students will review types of cadences. Students will take turns writing each type (Authentic,
Plagal, Half, Deceptive) with other discrepancies (perfect, imperfect) on white board. In this activity,
students will build off of peer responses, and will be asked to explain the defining elements of each
cadence by the teacher.
3) The teacher will introduce non-chord tones in the context of female composers, and hand out Non-
Chord Reference Sheet #1. In this primary introduction, the teacher will explain differentiating
between chord tones and non-chord tones in music, and its direct relation with the harmonic analysis
of a score.
4) The teacher will model playing a non-chord tones against blocked chords, so students are more easily
able to understand non-chord tones from an aural perspective.
5) As a class, the teacher and students will complete the first page of Non-Chord Tone Reference Sheet
#1, discussing the defining qualities of a non-chord tones, particularly the direction, resolution, and
direction of resolution. The teacher will also reinforce the vocabulary words “step” and “leap” in
relation to the central focus.
6) The teacher will introduce an aural understanding of passing tones by playing a clip of Nadia
Boulanger’s “Petit Canon” from Trois Improvisations. Students will follow along with the score as they are
listening.
7) Independently, students will identify at least one passing tone on the score excerpt from “Petit Canon.”
Students will then share their findings with the class, and peers will discuss any salient elements of the
analysis that stuck out to them. This will also function as a good moment in the lesson for the teacher
to clarify any questions students may have on the new concepts covered thus far.
8) As class, the teacher and students will complete the neighbor tone reference section of Non-Chord
Reference Sheet #1 and discuss the defining elements of upper and lower neighbor tones as well.
9) The teacher introduce an aural understanding of neighbor tones by playing clip of Rebecca
Clarke’s Sonata for Viola and Piano, Movement I, as students follow along with reading the score.
10) Independently, students will identify neighbor tone on score of Rebecca Clarke’s Sonata for Viola and
Piano, Movement I.
11) Through class discussion, students will share their findings of neighbor tones in the score for Clarke’s
sonata.
12) As a class, the teacher and students will complete suspension reference section of Non-Chord
Reference Sheet #1 and discuss the defining elements of suspensions.
13) The teacher will introduce suspensions by playing Clara Schumann’s Sie liebten sich Beide, Op. 13
No. 2 (mm. 10-15), as students follow along with reading the score.
14) Students will independently identify suspensions on score of Sie liebten sich Beide.
15) Through class discussion, students will share specific instances of suspensions in the score of Sie liebten
sich Beide that they were able to identify and label.
16) As a class, the teacher and students will complete retardation reference section of Non-Chord
Reference Sheet #1 and discuss defining elements of retardations.
17) The teacher will introduce retardation by playing clip of Amy Beach’s Minuet Op. 36 No. 1, as
students follow along with reading the score.
18) Students will independently identify instances of retardation found in the score excerpt from Beach’s
Minuet.
19) Through class discussion, students will share their finds of neighbor tones in the score of Beach’s
Minuet.
20) As a closing activity, the teacher will prompt students to continue to reflect on the importance of non-
chord tones in the context of female composers.

Lesson #2 Objectives:
• Students will apply new knowledge and skills from Lesson #1 instruction by identifying the four
examples of non-chord tones displayed on the white board in their class notebooks, and reviewing the
answers as class.
• Students will review elements of harmonic analyses in major and minor keys by writing roman
numerals and cadence types on the white board and in individual notebooks, and explaining their
defining and elements and structure through class discussion.
• Students will define the elements and organization structure of passing tones, neighbor tones,
suspensions, and retardations by completing “Non-Chord Tone Reference Sheet #1.””
• Students will label, identify, and explain instances of passing tones neighbor tones, suspension, and
retardations by analyzing the musical excerpts by women composers in “Non-Chord Tones and Women
Composers #1.”
• Students will be relate non-chord tones to performance practice and female composers of the western
musical tradition by completing the worksheet, “Non-Chord Tones and Women Composers #1” and
discussing their observations as a class.

Lesson #2 Procedure:
1) Bell-Ringer: students will independently identify, in their notebooks, the four examples of non-chord
tones displayed on the white board when the enter the classroom. Students will be instructed to
explain their answers by also identifying the approach and resolution of each example.
2) As a class, students will review answers for bell-ringer activity. This will act as a brief review of
objectives from Lesson 1.
3) The teacher will aurally introduce an example of an appoggiatura by playing recording of “Die
Mainacht” by Fanny Mendelssohn, as students read through the attached score.
4) The teacher will hand out “Non-Chord Tone Reference Sheet #2” and “Non-Chord Tones and
Women Composers #2” as students review their answers from the bell-ringer activity.
5) As a class, the teacher and students will complete the appoggiatura section of “Non-Chord Tone
Reference Sheet #2” and discuss the defining elements of an appoggiatura.
6) The teacher will introduce an aural understanding of an appoggiatura by playing Fanny
Mendelssohn’s “Die Mainacht.”
7) Students will independently identify and label instances of an appoggiatura in the score of Fanny
Mendelssohn’s “Die Mainacht.”
8) Through class discussion, students will identify and explain instances of an appoggiatura in the score
of “Die Mainacht” by Fanny Mendelssohn.
9) As a class, the teacher and students will complete the pedal point section of “Non-Chord Tone
Reference Sheet #2.”
10) The teacher’s instruction will develop students’ aural understanding of pedal point by playing
“Barcarolle,” Op. 123 No. 8 by Cécile Chaminade.
11) The teacher will outline the pedal points of the composition by playing the pedal point on the piano
with the played recording. Through this, students’ understandings and interpretation of a pedal point
will expand.
12) Students will independently identify and label instances of a pedal point in the score of “Barcarolle,”
Op. 123 No. 8.
13) Through class discussion, students will identify and explain instances of a pedal point in the score of
“Barcarolle,” Op. 123 No. 8 by Cécile Chaminade.

Lesson #3 Objectives:
• Students will report on the background of composer Andrea Ramsey and the context of her
composition “I Lift My Voice” by responding to and discussing the prompts on page 1 of the worksheet
“Non-Chord Tones and Women Composers #3.”
• Students will organize defining qualities of each type of non-chord, including the abbreviation,
approach, resolution, and direction of resolution by completing and discussing the Non-Chord Tone
Review Chart, on page 2 of the worksheet “Non-Chord Tones and Women Composers #3.”
• Students will develop and support personal interpretations of Andrea Ramsey’s “I Lift My Voice,”
involving non-chord tones, by performing the work, completing a complete harmonic analysis of the
score, and discussing questions on the work’s context and compositional elements.
• Students will reflect on the historical and cultural implications non-chord tones featured in compositions
by women composers by responding to and discussing the final three questions of the assessment, on
page 3 of worksheet “Non-Chord Tones and Women Composers #3.”

Lesson #3 Procedure:
1) As students enter the room, the teacher will instruct them to take a copies of “Non-Chord Reference
Sheet #3” and “Non-Chord Tones and Women Composers #3,” and place them under their chair
until after completing the bell-ringer exercise.
2) Bell-Ringer: students will independently identify, in their notebooks, the four examples of non-chord
tones displayed on the white board when the enter the classroom. Students will be instructed to
explain their answers by also identifying the approach and resolution of each example.
3) As a class, the teacher and students will complete the anticipation, escape tone, and changing tone
sections of “Non-Harmonic Tone Reference Sheet #3” (entire worksheet).
4) Teacher will ask a variety of students to explain the elements of anticipations, escape tones, and
changing tones through open discussion and peer assistance.
5) With explicit teacher instruction, students will complete the first page of “Non-Chord Tones and
Women Composer #3” to introduce Andrea Ramsey and her piece, “I Lift My Voice.”
6) Students will listen to a recording while reading the score of “I Lift My Voice.”
7) Students will develop an aural understanding of “I Lift My Voice,” by performing the song as a class
with teacher accompaniment on the piano.
8) Independently, students will complete the assessment, “Non-Harmonic Tones Reference Sheet #3.”
9) As a class, students will participate in an open forum on non-chord tones in the context of female
composers. During this time, the teacher will prompt students to share their reflections from “Non-
Chord Tones and Women Composers #3.” Through this, students will be able to make connections.

Accommodations for Individual Differences: (i.e., exceptionalities, ethnic, racial, gender,

socioeconomic, language, learning styles, and religion)
Although each student in the class is a part of the school’s Academy of Visual Performing Arts, each
student demonstrates a variety of musical and educational backgrounds. As stated in her IEP, one student
requires extra time for class assignments, and requires more frequent check-ins throughout class to ensure
that she is on-task and understanding the material. In all three lessons of the learning segment, students
are consistently shifting their engagement by rotating between quiet, independent and class
discussion.This accommodation is built into the lesson plan so as I check in on each student’s progress as
the class period continues, I am able to check her progress frequently in a welcoming manner.

Student Assessment:
Questions provided verbally and checking worksheets throughout class as they are completed will serve as
informal, formative assessment throughout the class period. For formal, summative assessment I will be
grading the worksheets, “Non-Chord Tones and Women Composers #3” based on a numerical
breakdown evident on the sheet, in addition to assessment feedback sheets on students’ overall
performance and responses.