Myles Matalavage

Multi-genre Research Project

READ 420
#1 Song/Piece Analysis
In this activity, a song or piece of music is played for the class.
The students then write a response to the music. This assignment is
straightforward, but allows for a vast amount of differentiation. It can
be done with beginning students who can write about how the piece
made them feel, or be done with more advanced students who can
begin to discuss aspects such as instrumentation and tonality.
Example:
Advanced:
I very much enjoyed listening to the finale of Mahlers second
symphony. His melodies were surprisingly complex harmonically, with
much unexpected chromaticism. My favorite part was the canon of the
main melody in the brass towards the end. It created the perfect
triumphant ending to the symphony.
Beginner:
I really liked this movement of Mahlers second symphony. It was very
fast and exciting. The woodwinds played lots of fast notes and the
brass played really loud.
Example:
#2 Practice Journal
A practice journal is a helpful tool for students to make their
practice time more effective and is also rather straightforward. After
practicing each day, they write a short entry about what went well and
what didnt go well. This allows them to write in an informal way (which
I know I always preferred) and to identify patterns in their playing and
habits.
-Maybe I shouldnt eat so much Bojangles before I practice.
-If you need faster air to play higher, you need slower air to player.
Wish I had thought of that three years ago.
-Need to isolate more of the intervals in the Weber Concertino.

#3 Recording Archive
This is a new activity to promote confidence in music students. In
this activity, students record a specific piece they have been working
on. They will do this once a week for four weeks. At the end of the fourweek period, they will compare the recordings and make a chart of
what improved. Format is flexible for the chart but a T would
probably be easiest.

s#4 Composer Biography

It is difficult to play a piece stylistically accurately if you do not
know much about the composer of the piece. Knowing when and where
the composer lived, what types of ensembles they wrote for, and why
they wrote music. Students will write a short biography of a composer
of a piece they are playing.
Johannes Brahms was a German composer born in the spring of
1833. Brahms enjoyed much of his early success in Vienna where he
became the director of a choral group known as Singakedemie . His
work with group, along with the death of his mother, led to the writing
of A German Requiem. This piece is considered Brahms best work,
and one of the best pieces of music from the 19th century. By the 70s
he was successful enough to become conductor of the Vienna
Philharmonic for three seasons. Brahms also wrote Symphonies,
chamber music, and virtuosic concertos.

#5 Creating a personal schedule

Something many high school students struggle with is time
management and holding themselves accountable. Creating a daily
schedule is a great way to make sure that you get done evrything you
need to do every day and fit in time for practicing, doing homework,
and having fun.

Digging Deeper into Songs: A Writing Activity. (2005, February 1).

Retrieved February 24, 2015, from http://iteslj.org/Lessons/AholaSongs.html
This source is a lesson plan that could be used in a music class, English
class, or almost any other class. The lesson involves writing an analysis
to song lyrics. Incorporating these ideas is the basis of this project, so I
thought it would make an excellent example.
Feret, A. (n.d.). Literacy Skills in Music Class: Tool for Preservice
Teacher Growth. Visions of Research in Music Education. Retrieved
February 12, 2015, from http://wwwusr.rider.edu/~vrme/v15n1/visions/Literary Skills in Music Class.Feret
and Smith.pdf
This journal article takes an in depth look at using language skills as a
lens to look at learning in music classes. Incorporating music into all
subject (and all subjects into music) is something I care about and this
article has much helpful information.
Riley, S. (2012, July 17). Integrating Music and Literacy. Retrieved
February 12, 2015, from
http://educationcloset.com/2012/07/17/integrating-music-and-literacy/
This article digs deep to find many connections between literacy and
music. This covers obvious connections such as lyrics in music but find
more subtle connections such as storytelling techniques in
programmatic pieces without lyrics as well.
Tarbert, K. (2012, January 1). Learning Literacy through Music.
Retrieved February 13, 2015, from
http://oneotareadingjournal.com/2012/learning-literacy-through-music/
This article takes a look at productive ways to help music class
increase literacy skills without cheapening making music for musics
sake. While it is always great to make interdisciplinary connections, it
is important to make sure the class being taught is not lessened
because of it and this article is quite helpful in this regard.
Us Chronicle. (2012, October 13). Interjections School House Rock
(Video File). Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=YkAX7Vk3JEw
School House Rock is a well known series of videos that use catchy
songs to teach concepts in other content areas. This particular video
uses lines from Handels The Messiah which is one of those most

important and well known pieces of its time, making it easily usable in
a music, or literary class.