Ms. DiIorio's Music Blog

Please answer the following questions as THOROUGHLY as you can. Use COMPLETE SENTENCES.

1. Discuss your choice of your favorite choral piece. Name it and tell why it was your favorite. Describe musical elements you especially liked (dynamics, expressiveness, phrasing, tone production, meaning of text, etc…)

2. Do the same for your LEAST favorite piece.

3. Which piece was the easiest for you to learn and sing? Why do you think so?

4. Which was the most difficult for you to learn and sing? Give musical reasons.
5. Which was the piece we performed the best? Why do you think so?

6. Which piece could have been performed better? How so?

THESE QUESTIONS ARE DUE by Monday, May 23rd for all chorus classes.

Langston Hughes

As you know, the text to “I Dream A World” was written by American poet Langston Hughes. Please view this video .

1. After reading about Langston Hughes (you choose a site to do the research), what may have occurred in his life that may have influenced him to write the poem “I Dream A World?”
2. Did you like the performance of the piece? Did you enjoy watching the video as you listened? Why or why not?
3. Comment on at least 3 aspects of the piece (dynamics, musicality, etc….).

This is due Friday, March 25, 2011 for ALL CLASSES.

Cori McClelland, Sam Tucker, Andrew Lelie, Robby Quinn

Congratulations to our four middle school singers who successfully auditioned and got into the New Jersey All State Honor Choir!!!

Please visit this site and read about Christopher Tin. What did you find interesting about the composer?

Next, visit this link. Did you enjoy the piece? Why or why not? What musical elements did you like/dislike (i.e. dynamics, tempo, musicality, expressiveness, etc…)? Did you like what the composer had to say? Why or why not?

Finally, visit this site. Do a bit of exploring. List 3-4 facts/interesting tidbits of information about the composer and/or Baba Yetu.

This is due FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11th for all chorus classes.

1. Make sure you know the definition of GOSPEL for the midterm. What is it?
2. What are the characteristics of gospel?

* View the following YouTube Video
:

3. Comment on the musicality of the performance. Did it look like the singers were having fun? Did the students have good vowel placement, good posture, good breath support, good sound, good intonation, good dynamic contrasts, etc….BE SPECIFIC!
4. Compare the first YouTube Video to this:

- Comment on the video (question 3)

5. Compare/Contrast each video. Which did you enjoy more? Why?

This is due by January 24th FOR ALL CHORUS CLASSES

What did you think of the Ithacappella assembly? What was your favorite part of the assembly? What did you GAIN from it? What did you not enjoy during the assembly? What did you think of the group? 5-6 sentences MINIMUM. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts/reactions.

THIS IS DUE MONDAY 7AM FOR ALL CHORUS CLASSES!

Please answer the following questions as THOROUGHLY as you can. Use COMPLETE SENTENCES.

1. Discuss your choice of your favorite choral piece. Name it and tell why it was your favorite. Describe musical elements you especially liked (dynamics, expressiveness, phrasing, tone production, meaning of text, etc…)

2. Do the same for your LEAST favorite piece.

3. Which piece was the easiest for you to learn and sing? Why do you think so?

4. Which was the most difficult for you to learn and sing? Give musical reasons.

5. Which was the piece we performed the best? Why do you think so?

6. Which piece could have been performed better? How so?

THESE QUESTIONS ARE DUE by Friday, December 17th for all chorus classes.

1. Do some research on Eric Whitacre. Please include in your post any websites, YouTube videos, interesting information, etc…you found about the composer, the piece, or virtual choirs.

2. What are your thoughts on a virtual choir?

3. Take a look at this website. Find anything interesting?? Any music of Eric Whitacre’s you particularly enjoyed as you were browsing?