HIGH SCHOOL WIND ENSEMBLE

FULL-YEAR CURRICULUM

Mr. Alexander Meek

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Program Goals 3
Course Goals 3
Course Description 4
Course Objectives 4
Scope and Sequence 5
Performance Outline #1 (Fall Concert) 6
Performance Outline #2 (Holiday Concert) 8
Performance Outline #3 (Contest) 10
Performance Outline #4 (Spring Concert) 12
Sample Lesson Plan #1 7
Sample Lesson Plan #2 9
Sample Lesson Plan #3 11
Sample Lesson Plan #4 13
Assessment Rationale 14

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 PROGRAM GOALS

Students will become contributing, upstanding members of society.

Students will develop an appreciation for the expressive arts, including the time,
effort, and vulnerability put into them.

COURSE GOALS
To develop well-rounded musicians in the realms of performance, analysis, and
application.

To challenge students to engage with ideas and concepts outside familiarity.

To develop an understanding and appreciation of music from cultures outside

their own.

To explore the relationship between music and other areas of study, such as
language arts, history, mathematics, visual arts, etc.

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 COURSE DESCRIPTION
The Wind Ensemble is the premiere concert band at our high school. Students for this ensemble
are selected using a blind, recorded audition process. This ensemble will be exposed to a wide
range of classic, contemporary, and cultural works for wind band, and through that, develop
higher-order analysis, musicianship, and performance skills. The Wind Ensemble will perform
four concerts throughout the school year, two each semester. In addition to these, the Wind
Ensemble will travel to and perform at the Regional Music Festival, which takes place late
second semester.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
Students will…
 Generate musical ideas for various purposes and contexts.
 Select and develop musical ideas for defined purposes and contexts.
 Evaluate and refine selected musical ideas to create musical work that meets
appropriate criteria.
 Select varied musical works to present based on interest, knowledge, technical skill, and
context.
 Analyze the structure and context of varied musical works and their implications for
performance.
 Develop personal interpretations that consider creators’ intent.
 Evaluate and refine personal and ensemble performances, individually or in
collaboration with others.
 Perform expressively, with appropriate interpretation and technical accuracy, and in a
manner appropriate to the audience and context.
 Choose music appropriate for specific purposes and contexts.
 Analyze how the structure and context of varied musical works inform the response.
 Support an interpretation of a musical work the reflects the creators’/performers’
expressive intent.
 Support personal evaluation of musical works and performance(s) based on analysis,
interpretation, and established criteria.
 Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make music.
 Relate musical ideas and works with varied context to deepen understanding.

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 SCOPE AND SEQUENCE

FALL WINTER CONTEST SPRING

RHYTHM Variations on Chase the Illumination Irrational Joy
a Korean Folk Shouting
Song Wind
MELODY Redemption Sleigh Ride God of our Irrational Joy
Fathers
HARMONY Redemption Celtic Carol Country This Cruel
Musical Gardens Moon
Elements TEXTURE Variations on Celtic Carol Illumination Voodoo
a Korean Folk
Song
TIMBRE The Seal Low Arc of Country Voodoo
Lullaby the Sun Gardens
FORM Whip and Chase the God of our Irrational Joy
Spur Shouting Fathers
Wind
MUSICALITY The Seal Low Arc of God of our This Cruel
Lullaby the Sun Fathers Moon

FALL WINTER CONTEST SPRING

STYLES/GENRES Symphonic Symphonic Symphonic Non-
Folk Song Folk Song Dance traditional
Chorale Chorale Hymn setting Symphonic
March Jazz/Swing English Chorale
march Movie music
Musical HISTORICAL 1400s 1500s 1870s 1980s
Topics PERIODS 1950s 1950s 1970s 2000s
2000s 2000s 2000s
CULTURES Korean Irish/Celtic American Central
American American English American
Hollywood Western Ancient
European Greek
Hollywood

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 PERFORMANCE 1
Redemption—Rossano Galante
The Seal Lullaby—Eric Whitacre
Variations on a Korean Folk Song—John Barnes Chance
Whip and Spur—Thomas Allen/arr. Ray Cramer
SKILLS AND ELEMENTS  Form
 Rhythm o Theme and variation
o Sixteenth note patterns o March
o Transitions between duple o Through-composed
and triple meters  Musical Expression
 Melody o Soloistic versus ensemble
o Conjuct playing
o Disjunct o Articulations
 Harmony o Shaping
o Consonance o Dynamic contrast
o Dissonance  Styles/Genres
o Role in shaping the melody o Symphonic
 Texture o Folk song
o Homophony o Chorale
o Heterophony o March
o Polyphony  Historical Periods
 Timbre o 1400s
o Blending across sections o 1950s
o Creating a full ensemble o 2000s
sound  Cultures
o Playing within chamber o Korean
groups o American
o Hollywood
RATIONALE
In the first concert block of the year, emphasis will be placed not only on rhythm, melody, and
other basic components of musicianship, we will also begin to look at texture, timbre, and
expression. Redemption kicks this off by showcasing strident melodies and harmonies within a
movie music-esque setting, which should be easily graspable by students. This theme is carried
on through The Seal Lullaby, which also explores soloistic playing and the importance of musical
expression. Variations on a Korean Folk Song is a classic wind band piece that offers a unique
theme-and-variation format with exposure to traditional Korean culture. Finally, Whip and Spur
exposes students to a traditional march complete with fast tempos, drastic dynamic shifts, and
style changes.

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 SAMPLE LESSON PLAN 1
The Seal Lullaby—Eric Whitacre

OBJECTIVE: Students will create either short story that encapsulates the emotion(s) present in
The Seal Lullaby, justifying their creative decisions with examples from the music.

MATERIALS: Recording of the piece (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we1b5oItR48)

STANDARDS: MU:Cr3.2.E.IIa Share personally developed arrangements, sections, and short

compositions – individually or as an ensemble – that address identified purposes.

SEQUENCE
1. Students will play through a chorale based on the chord progression from “Fix You” by
Coldplay. Afterwards, we will discuss observations as a class (moods felt, chord qualities,
etc.).
2. Students will listen to a recording of “Fix You” and draw parallels between the two
pieces of music.
3. Students will play the chorale again, implementing observations and parallels. Those
who feel comfortable can improvise with passing notes throughout their parts.
4. Students will play through The Seal Lullaby. Using think-pair-share, students will discuss
their observations about the piece.
5. Students will share with the class what they observed about the piece, using specific
points in the music to back up their claims (i.e. “I felt sad at m. 39 because the chord
structure was also sad”). We will go back and play through these specific points as they
come up so that further discussion can develop.
6. Students will come up with a basic story that this piece could portray (think-pair-share).
7. A couple volunteers will share their stories.
8. Students will play through the piece one more time, implementing observations
discussed.

ASSESSMENT
Students will be asked to create a short story describing the arc of this piece, citing contextual
evidence found in the music. These will be graded on their ability to follow a cohesive storyline
with representative passages from The Seal Lullaby cited throughout the story. For example, “A
child’s cry clings to the tendrils of the cold night air (opening line, m. 1)”.

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 PERFORMANCE 2
Chase the Shouting Wind—Vince Gassi
Celtic Carol—Robert W. Smith
Miniature Suite, mvmt. IV: Low Arc of the Sun—Steven Bryant
Sleigh Ride—Leroy Anderson
SKILLS AND ELEMENTS o Evoking a certain mood or
 Rhythm color
o Triplets  Form
o 5/4 meter o Ternary
o Transitioning between o Rondo
different meters o Through-composed
 Melody  Musical Expression
o Conjuct o Shaping
o Disjunct o Dynamic contrast
 Harmony  Styles/Genres
o Consonance o Symphonic
o Dissonance o Folk song
o Ostinato o Chorale
 Texture o Jazz/Swing
o Heterophony  Historical Periods
o Polyphony o 1500s
 Timbre o 1950s
o Blending with like/different o 2000s
parts  Cultures
o Creating a full ensemble o Irish/Celtic
sound o American
o Western European
RATIONALE
The theme of this performance more closely resembles winter as a season rather than any
specific holiday. With that, it seeks to challenge the student’s understanding of texture and
timbre. Chase the Shouting Wind represents the harsh winds associated with wintertime,
portrayed through fast rhythms and tight harmonic/melodic structures. Celtic Carol touches on
the holiday theme through a Celtic lens, a culture that has become prevalent in popular media.
Low Arc of the Sun is themed after the Sun’s path through the sky during the colder months. It
is likely the most difficult piece on the program, because its complex chordal structure requires
a specific set of timbres to execute. Lastly, Sleigh Ride pays homage to a traditional wintertime
work, with recognizable melodies and sounds.

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 LESSON PLAN 2
Celtic Carol—Robert W. Smith
OBJECTIVE: Students will demonstrate

MATERIALS: PowerPoint presentation over Greensleeves and the Celtic culture

STANDARD: MU:Re8.1.E.IIa Support interpretations of the expressive intent and meaning of

musical works citing as evidence the treatment of the elements of music, contexts, (when
appropriate) the setting of the text, and varied researched sources.

SEQUENCE
1. “What is your favorite holiday tune? Why?” Two or three students will share their
answer.
2. Full run of the piece.
3. “There’s a certain folk song that this entire piece is based around. What is it?” Students
will reveal that the answer is “Greensleeves”.
4. We will play through the section that specifically states the Greensleeves theme.
5. “Does anyone know anything about Greensleeves? Or maybe the Celtic culture?”
6. Teacher will give a short presentation over the folk song and Celtic beliefs regarding the
holidays.
a. It will be structured like this: Greensleeves history, popular use, Celtic history at
a glance, Celtic beliefs/practices surrounding the holidays, and the tie in
between culture and folk song.
7. Students will be taken throughout the piece and specific Celtic components will be
identified and worked upon.
8. Students will be split up into five groups, each one given a different culture to research
in preparation for a presentation similar to the one I gave. Students will be expected to
find a song representative of their culture around the holiday time.
a. Cultures to be assigned: Indian, Ghanaian, Australian, Mexican, and Jewish.

ASSESSMENT
Student presentations will take place in class, and will be expected to follow the format I gave
and last no longer than ten minutes. Students will be graded on thoroughness in each category
and the ability to make the connection between culture and song. A smaller portion of the
grade will be over visual aesthetic and presentation skills.

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 PERFORMANCE 3
Illumination—David Maslanka
God of our Fathers—Claude T. Smith/arr. George Warren
Country Gardens—Percy Grainger

SKILLS AND ELEMENTS  Form

 Rhythm o Theme and variation
o Sixteenth note patterns o Through-composed
o Syncopation  Musical Expression
o Transition between triple o Soloistic versus ensemble
and duple meters playing
 Melody o Articulations
o Conjuct o Mood shifts
o Disjunct  Styles/Genres
 Harmony o Symphonic
o Consonance o Dance
o Dissonance o Hymn setting
 Texture o English march
o Homophony  Historical Periods
o Heterophony o 1870s
o Polyphony o 1970s
 Timbre o 2000s
o Blending across sections  Cultures
o Balance throughout different o American
contexts o English

RATIONALE
This concert block will be devoted mostly to exploring new styles of music and how to produce
them. Illumination is both a great opener and introduction to the works of Maslanka, a
composer who fits great amounts of emotion into every facet of his pieces. Students will have
to pay particular attention to rhythm, blend, balance, and expression to execute this piece. God
of our Fathers will serve as the big piece. It presents numerous opportunities for soloistic
playing and style changes, while using different thematic elements throughout. Lastly, Country
Gardens is a standard by one of the wind band greats. Grainger’s compositions take on a very
unique style, one that will require detailed group and individual analysis in order to pull off.
Despite this concert’s relatively shorter length, I intend to use it as a means to foster more
independent, higher-order thinking. This program represents what we would take to festival.

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 LESSON PLAN 3
God of our Fathers—Claude T. Smith/arr. George Warren

OBJECTIVE: Given mm. 43-62 of God of our Fathers, students will identify and demonstrate the
stylistic identify of this musical selection within the context of their like parts and piece as a
whole.

MATERIALS: Recording device, speaker

STANDARD: MU:Pr4.2.E.Ia Demonstrate, using music reading skills where appropriate, how
compositional devices employed and theoretical and structural aspects of musical works impact
and inform prepared or improvised performances.

SEQUENCE
1. Student seating will be rearranged into like parts based on mm. 43-62 (melody, brass
ostinato, horn/alto sax, and bass line, purpose of this will not be revealed). We will play
through the section both times.
2. “Why did we rearrange this way?”
3. “What part do each of you contribute in this section?”
4. Students play through the first time. “Those who didn’t play, what did you notice about
the way your part was played?” Write on the board.
5. Have each group discuss how they want their part to be played. They should come up
with at least three defining characteristics of your part (i.e. space in between each note,
m. 59 being the high point, etc.). This will take several minutes.
6. Give them 3-4 minutes to rehearse as groups.
7. Play through section second time only.
8. Students rearrange themselves to sit in a random seat, next to somebody not with their
like part. Play through both times, record the rep.
9. Play recording back to students. Go through each suggestion written on board. Discuss
whether the suggestion was retained or changed.
10. This process can be repeated for each section of the piece as time allows.

ASSESSMENT
Students will submit videos of themselves performing mm. 43-62, second time only. This part
will be graded not only on their ability to perform with note accuracy, intonation, and tempo,
but also on their ability to implement the stylistic comments we suggested in class. Students
will also be asked to perform a section that contains different stylistic elements. This part will
be graded on a completion basis only, but feedback will provided in response.

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 PERFORMANCE 4
Voodoo—Daniel Bukvich
This Cruel Moon—John Mackey
Miniature Suite, mvmt. V: Irrational Joy—Steven Bryant
SENIOR CHOICE
SKILLS AND ELEMENTS  Form
 Rhythm o Ternary
o Sixteenth note patterns o Rondo
o Syncopation o Through-composed
o Triplet patterns  Musical Expression
 Melody o Articulations
o Conjuct o Shaping
o Disjunct o Dynamic contrast
 Harmony o Timbre contrast
o Consonance  Styles/Genres
o Dissonance o Non-traditional
o Role in shaping the melody o Symphonic
 Texture o Chorale
o Heterophony o Movie music
o Polyphony  Historical Periods
 Timbre o 1980s
o Blending across sections o 2000s
o Blending within chamber  Cultures
groups o Central/South American
o Creating different timbres at o Ancient Greek
appropriate times o Hollywood

RATIONALE
This program serves two primary purposes: to foster independent listening and analysis, and to
reward students with engaging literature. Voodoo relies on theatrics in addition to its musical
components. For instance, the piece is intended to be performed memorized in the dark,
utilizing flashlights and sound effects to create a soundscape similar to that of a Central
American rainforest. This Cruel Moon is a slower work by Mackey that relies on its harmonic
structure just as much as other components. The piece can also serve as a cross-curricular
connection with language arts, as it is based off of the tale of Odysseus. Bryant’s Irrational Joy is
an indirect peek into the movie music genre, as it arguably pays homage to La La Land. Again,
the harmonic structure will be the primary focus. Lastly, seniors will be given the chance to pick
the final piece on the concert as a reward for their upcoming graduation. They will have access
to my music library as well as online resources, so long as it is approved by me.

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 LESSON PLAN 4
Miniature Suite, mvmt. V: Irrational Joy—Steven Bryant

OBJECTIVES: Students will identify and outline comparisons between visual and musical
mediums by creating a music video for Irrational Joy.

MATERIALS: La La Land “Someone in the Crowd” clip

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7RmBgq4tT4), recording device.

STANDARDS: MU:Re7.2.E.Ia Explain how the analysis of passages and understanding the way
the elements of music are manipulated inform the response to music.

SEQUENCE
1. Students will watch the clip from La La Land that contains the song “Someone in the
Crowd”. Think-pair-share will be used to discuss what happened in the video and music.
2. We will discuss as a class these observations and correlations between the two.
3. Students will identify characteristics that contribute to the overall mood of Irrational Joy
(i.e. fast, bouncy melody). They will be written on the board.
4. Students will play through the piece.
5. “What kind of activity does this piece make you think of?” Think-pair-share.
6. Students will get 4-5 minutes to research a video that the piece could fit as a
background track to.
7. A couple videos will be shown to the class on a volunteer basis. Specific sections of the
music will be identified as best representative of the clip, and played by the ensemble.
Teacher will make stylistic comments as needed.
8. A full run of the piece will be made with these changes in mind. This will be recorded.
9. Teacher will assign the assignment.

ASSESSMENT
Students will create a music video for Irrational Joy, using a clip they find off the Internet as the
visual component and the in-class recording as the audio component. The audio may be
trimmed or clipped, so long as it fills the entire length of the video. Students will be graded on
the appropriateness of the connection between video and audio, as well as aesthetic
presentation of the video itself. Students will also be graded on a one-page rationale that
contains the rationale for their creative decisions.

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 ASSESSMENTS

In-Class Discussion
This type of assessment will naturally be the most frequently used assessment tools. From
engaging with concepts to discussing expectations for a piece of music, discussion is a great tool
to gauge your students’ understanding quickly. Discussion strategies can be utilized in a variety
of ways, such as think-pair-share, small group collaboration, or entire class feedback. This way,
your future instruction can be shaped by the results of this kind of assessment.

Presentation
Used specifically in Program 2, presentations are a great way to test the students’ ability to
research information and draw connections on their own. These types of assessment intend to
give the power of learning over to the student, while allowing them the opportunity to become
the teachers when they give the presentation.

Video Submission
Perhaps one of the more objective methods of assessment, students will be asked periodically
throughout the year to submit video recordings of various musical passages/skills. This is a
great way to give direct feedback to the student (opportunities for this are rare enough as it is)
as well as monitor individual and collective mastery of concepts. Students would then use
rubrics to assess themselves.

Creative Projects
On the other side of the coin, creative projects (such as the ones found in Programs 1 and 4)
can be used to measure how deep student understanding of concept is. Mastering the technical
aspects of a concept is one thing, but applying them to a broader idea requires an entirely
different, more advanced engagement approach. Students could also grade their own projects
using a teacher-generated rubric, with their scores being combined with my own.

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