Teaching Sequence

Part A: Singing a Round
Part B: Exploring Counter Melodies
Reflection

Download and distribute this free booklet https://www.mtrs.co.uk/subscriptions/Downloads/support/vocal_activities.pdf.

Work through this resource material in the following sequence

Part A: Singing a Round

Step 1

As a class, sing a round/canon such as Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree or Non Nobis Domine.

Kookaburra Sits on the Old Gum Tree (6-2013) Critz Kids (https://youtu.be/1QDkhlGGk48)

Non Nobis Domine (https://youtu.be/JvJRyY2-bwY)

Step 2.

Ask students to define a canon. Next, ask students what the difference is between a canon and a round? (Nothing!)

Step 3.

Ask the class to listen to the following canon (a more complicated version of a canon/round) while listening for each reappearance of the main melody.

(https://youtu.be/OSdGW_HBrLE)

Step 4.

Ask the class if they already know any partner songs, i.e. two songs that can be sung together to create a counter-melody.

Sing some examples from https://www.mtrs.co.uk/subscriptions/Downloads/support/vocalactivities.pdf (in the latter part of the booklet). For example Wade in the Water and Sometimes I Feel like a Motherless Child OR Swing Low Sweet Chariot and When the Saints.

Academy Choir - Wade in the Water (Spiritual) (https://youtu.be/uiqQKZZo-Uc)

Sweet Honey In The Rock - Motherless Child (https://youtu.be/jFvDtzMpPM0)

Swing Low Sweet Chariot (https://youtu.be/l9VOlHc8Gcg)

When the Saints Go Marching In - Mormon Tabernacle Choir (https://youtu.be/r8tJthtX2G0)

Part B: Counter Melodies

Step 1.

Play the video below which highlights how some Fanfare finalists used counter-melodies to create layered compositions.

Fanfare Competition - Layered Compositions (https://youtu.be/KTVMP2wOtKQ)

Step 2.

To build on their skills in writing an attention grabbing fanfare for the competition, ask students to experiment with writing two melodies over the same chord progression that complement one another as counter melodies. Students could also try writing an imitation for voices or instruments as part of the fanfare.

Write the entire melody over one chord OR over alternating bars of tonic chord and dominant chord.

Here is an alternative activity for students who require extra support:

Ask students to record a short melody (original or from a simple song) into Garage Band using the Keyboard function. They are to create a second and third layer repeating the process to create a canon/round composition.

Optional Fun: Ask students to experiment with one of their melodies – play it backwards at the same time as forwards to create a counter melody!

For some contemporary versions from "Glee", follow this link.

Differentiated activities

Provisions for Learning Support: Instead of writing counter melodies from scratch, give students the option of finding two nursery rhymes or folk songs that work well together. Any two pop songs from the Axis of Awesome’s '4 chord song' skit will work as counter melodies or partner songs.

Axis Of Awesome 4 Chords - Amazing, Funny, Comedy, Singing, Just Brilliant (https://youtu.be/QpB_40hYjXU)

Instead of writing a melody in canon, ask lower ability students to invent a rhythm on untuned percussion that can easily be turned into a canon.

Homework and extension opportunities

Ask your students to listen to instrumental music this week and take note of unusual combinations of instrument timbres (e.g. metallophone and saxophone in unison, or harp and solo soprano creating harmonies). Some students may enjoy researching composers’ views on colours and key changes using the internet.

Ask students to study the details of the Fanfare Competition. Explain to students that they will be encouraged to write their own 30 second piece of attention grabbing music to enter into the competition (https://artology.org.au/fanfare/).

Fanfare Competition - Layered Compositions

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