The directors of musical ensembles select music to perform at their concerts for a variety of reasons. They might choose pieces that appeal to audiences with a common interest, they might choose pieces that offer similar or contrasting listening experiences, the pieces may develop the audience's musical understandings, or the pieces may share a common purpose. There are many reasons that music pieces are selected. In this activity, the students will explore concert programs of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
This activity was created as a result of the Arts COS Resource Development Summit.
Music directors organize concert programs in a variety of ways. In this activity, students will examine how the elements of music and expressive qualities are used within music selected for performance to contribute to the overall structure and intent. They will explore how music directors bring together music from a variety of cultures, styles, historical time periods, or genres to form a cohesive program. This lesson will prepare them to create their own concert programs.
School-based music ensembles perform concerts at various times during the school year. In this activity, students will create a program for an upcoming concert by one of their school's ensembles. Students will compare and contrast how the elements of music and expressive qualities are used within the music selected for performance to contribute to the overall structure and intent of the concert. In creating the program document, students will also address the specific purpose of the concert, interests of the audience, and the educational experience of the event.
