MUED 380

Siyahamba Orff Arrangement

Erin Dixon

Summary/Overview
This experience is designed based off of my own Orff arrangement of the traditional
South African folk song ‘Siyahamba’. Though it is not exactly clear as to what language
this song is in, it is suggested that is either Xhosa, Swahili, or, likely a combination of a
few South African languages. The text: “Siyahamba kukhanyen’ kwenkos” translates to
“we are marching in the light of God” in English. Because the mentioning of God could
potentially play a problem in some school districts, I decided to change the english lyrics
to “we are marching in the light of love” so that it is more universally accepting of any
cultures present in the classroom. This arrangement will be used to introduce the
concept of two voice parts, a melody and contrasting harmony, and will also expand on
the concept of syncopated and tied rhythms, rhythms common within the South African
culture.

Rationale:
Throughout this experience students will have the opportunity to develop and perform
the traditional South African folk song ‘Siyahamba’. This will be done so via a variety of
Orff instruments and layerings. LittleBits will also be used to allow student to create
their own color additions to the arrangement. Though there is a Little Bit melody written
in already, it is recommended that students play and create their own melodic pattern
with the LittleBits before the class begins performing the arrangement. Students will
also have the opportunity to respond to the music through a variety of locomotor and
nonlocomotor motions that are both mentioned and improvised throughout their learning
of the melody and lyrics. Though the arrangement is based off of a song in another
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Siyahamba Orff Arrangement
Erin Dixon

language, the language uses similar sounds found in the English language and will in
turn be exciting for students to learn rather than nerve wracking. After students have
had the chance, students will also have the opportunity to improvise their own rhythmic
or melodic patterns as well as discuss the musical traditions of the South African
Culture.

Standards:
K.5 The student will perform rhythmic patterns that include sounds and silences, using
instruments, body percussion, and voice.
K.7 The student will respond to music with movement, including 1. matching locomotor
and nonlocomotor movements to rhythmic patterns;

I Can Statements:
-I can perform various rhythmic patterns found in ‘Siyahamba’ via my voice and
pitched/unpitched instruments.
-I can keep a steady beat through a variety of locomotor and nonlocomotor movements.
-I can discuss rhythmic elements commonly found in the music of South African
cultures.
-FORWARD: I can play a rhythmic ostinato with on the drums while improvising a vocal
melodic pattern.
-BACK: I can keep a steady beat via body percussion OR I can sing the lyrics while
keeping a steady beat via moving around the classroom.

Materials and Visual Aids​​:

-Powerpoint, or some other innovative way of displaying the lyrics if visual modalities
are needed
-3-5 Glockenspiels (dependant on class size)
-3-5 Xylophones (dependant on class size)
-3-5 djembes or tubanos (dependant on class size)
-1 premium LittleBit set (if available, if not, select an iPad app)
-10-20 ribbons and or scarves
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Siyahamba Orff Arrangement
Erin Dixon

Detailed process​​:
Begin my making music/welcome​ (5 min)
-”Hello everyone! Come grab either a scarf or a ribbon and stand around the circle.
When I start singing, begin moving to the beat”
-Start singing the song in the native text, do so about 3-4 times.
-Switch to the first version of English text “we are marching”. Tell students “now begin
moving based on how we responding to the light of love”
-Sing each adaptation 2 or 3 times before switching to the next: walking, dancing,
running, jumping, skipping, etc.
-Finish by switching back to the native text and singing through twice before asking
students to sit in the circle.
Learning of native text​ (3 min)
-Pacing is really important here! Start by saying each phrase relatively slowly and be on
the lookout for those needed to go either slower or faster.
1st phrase: Siyahamba
2nd phrase: kukhanyen’ (speak the first and second phrase together)
3rd phrase: kwenkhos (speak the second and third phrase together before moving on to
speaking each phrase in one continuous line)
-Sing each phrase and follow the same process to add in singing if necessary
-Switch to english translation once or twice (or as many reps as necessary)
Learning of instrumental parts​ (12 min)
-Split students up into 4 groups: LittleBits, Glockenspiel, Drums, and Xylophone.
-Begin my instructing students in the LittleBits group to stay at this station to assemble
their melodic pattern to go with Siyahamba (assuming students have used this
technology in the past and understand how to get started). If this is not the case, be
ready to adapt and add time to address these understandings to the entire class.
-Walk group over to Glockenspiels
-Glockenspiels: will already be assembled so that the open fifths are easier to locate
and play. “Today you’ll be playing G and D for each measure except where you sing
the second “siyhamba kukhanyen” where you’ll play D and A twice. Address mallet
hand position or any questions as necessary.
-Walk group over to Xylophones
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Siyahamba Orff Arrangement
Erin Dixon

-Xylophones: demonstrate repetitive pattern and have options available and at the
ready if the pattern is either too hard or too easy for some students.
-Walk group over to drums
-Drums: teach by explaining the pattern as “low low high, low high low”.
Performing!!​ (8 min)
-”Let’s start with adding in the drums. Low low high low high low”
-Wait until the drums have settled in before moving on to Glockenspiels
-”Alright now let's add in this group” check to make sure each measure is correct before
adding in melodic pattern of the xylophones
-Do the same before adding in LittleBits or ipad melodic pattern
-Once everything has settled in start singing and go through each verse twice:
--Siyahamba
--Marching
--Walking
--Dancing
--etc.
-As students are performing as “is there anyone who’d like to grab a scarf and dance
instead?
-After each verse has been completed twice ask “Who would like to create their own
melody or rhythm first?” Demonstrate if necessary encourage creative expression.
-Each student who wants to improvise should have the opportunity to, so be mindful of
this when pacing.
-If time allows, students will also have the opportunity to rotate in a clockwise motion.
Discussion​ (2-3 min)
-”What did you think of the song?”
“What did you notice about the song?”
“What did you notice about the rhythm”
--Switch to the following guided questions if they haven’t been brought up
already
-”Where do you think it’s originally from?”
-”What language do you think it’s originally in”
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Siyahamba Orff Arrangement
Erin Dixon

-”What is this type of rhythm called”

-Throughout discussion eventually make clear:
Siyahamba is a traditional South African folk song likely in the language of Xhosa,
Swahili, or a combination of languages. The rhythms that we sang are called
syncopated rhythms and are often heard throughout the music of African and Caribbean
cultures.

Assessment:
● Observe students throughout the learning and engagement of Siyahamba and
assess based on the following criteria:

0 1 2 3

Student refuses to Student attempts to Student engages Student engages

participate or engage but does so well throughout the well throughout the
engage in any with multiple Orff performances arrangement and
meaningful way distractions, even with only a few even goes above
when showed how mistakes and beyond as to
to do so improvise over a
rhythmic ostinato

(A) (A+)

Extensions:
● There is also an exciting circle dance that goes along with this song, if the lesson
time frame is longer students could engage with this dance or create a new one
based off of their movements earlier in the class.
● The discussion could also be extended via method of sharing more examples of
rhythms commonly found in South African music or teaching this rhythms through
Bruner’s methods of enactive, iconic, and symbolic notations.
● Encourage students to create new alterations of the English text at home by
creating their own rhythmic ostinatos on various household items.

Adaptations:
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Siyahamba Orff Arrangement
Erin Dixon

○ Size: ​Provide options if necessary for instrument sizes. Have moldable

clay at the ready if students playing Xylophone/Glockenspiel cannot grip
the mallets well. Consider duration of some notes and have places of
pause available.
○ Color: ​Color code instruments based on Boomwhacker coloration:
■ G (dark green) D (orange) A (blue)
Place color coded tablets on the xylophone as well if necessary to make
clear the order of the melodic pattern. Each verse could also potentially
be color coded.
○ Pacing: ​As mentioned throughout the detailed process, pacing is very
important to observe especially because this arrangement focuses on
another language that could potentially be complicated for
kindergarteners. Allow plenty of time to slow done teachings and for
repetition as well if necessary.
○ Modality:
■ Aural: ​Call and response should be used to teach the song,
especially in regards to language. A recording of the arrangement
should also be made available and at the ready if there are any
confusions about the role of each Orff instrument.
■ Visual: ​Have lyrics available to display (electronically if possible) so
that the size can also be adjusted. Create another way to visualize
the instrumentation via methods of Bruner’s notation.
■ Kinesthetic: ​Though this is already in place, students can extend
their moving of the steady beat to just “moving”. Students could
also have the opportunity to practice the rhythm of the main
melodic line by means of body percussion.