Welcome to the 2019-2020 Kodály Basic Musicianship course
Jenny Laine Jamie
Katie Curtis Nico Marissa
Grace Mark Huimei Kavone
Aakriti Orko Wendy Jessalyn
Alexis Sara Claire Seth
Sofia Emily Sam Katie
Cathy for fun
Caldara Canon #33
Caldara Canon #34
Chord Progression Canon
Karow #206
Kathleen Allan who is a Professor here at Western:
Her version of "Livin on a Prayer" - Fabulous!
Jenny teaching her Dad solfege and saxophone!
Jenny Laine Jamie
Katie Curtis Nico Marissa
Grace Mark Huimei Kavone
Aakriti Orko Wendy Jessalyn
Alexis Sara Claire Seth
Sofia Emily Sam Katie
Cathy for fun
Caldara Canon #33
Caldara Canon #34
Chord Progression Canon
Karow #206
Kathleen Allan who is a Professor here at Western:
Her version of "Livin on a Prayer" - Fabulous!
Jenny teaching her Dad solfege and saxophone!
Our first tasks and recordings
Check out Jenny (above) thinking through how she found the pitches!
Wendy's recording and reflection:
It took me a few attempts to get a recording that I was satisfied with. Even then, there are still some things about this recording that I think I could improve. For instance, I think I could do a better job in regards to my breath control. Some of my Dos were a little bit wobbly because I was fighting to get to the end of the phrase at that point. A few of my Mis also start a little out of tune, but slide back into the right tuning. I think my vowel changes when I sing Mi sometimes, and that effects the tuning (my throat feels like it closes a little when I sing Mi). By the third entrance, I can really hear myself trying to shape the phrases using dynamics, especially during the third line near the end of the recording, and next time I should strive to do that more throughout the entire canon. I am proud of how my last Dos sound pretty in tune with each other. I think one of the most difficult things about singing this canon, is starting off the first line. Since it is so exposed (there are no other voices singing alongside it), it took me a lot of takes to try to get the tuning and syllables to sound the way I wanted them to sound. It reminded me a little of playing a Mozart piece on the piano; since his pieces tend to have a really exposed sound, if the first notes aren't articulate enough/light enough/sound the way I really want them to sound when playing Mozart, it messes the whole piece up for me. Overall, I think this assignment was a lot of fun! I sing in a choir at school and I am used to listening to and singing with a lot of other people's voices, so it was interesting to focus on my own voice and harmonize with it.
It took me a few attempts to get a recording that I was satisfied with. Even then, there are still some things about this recording that I think I could improve. For instance, I think I could do a better job in regards to my breath control. Some of my Dos were a little bit wobbly because I was fighting to get to the end of the phrase at that point. A few of my Mis also start a little out of tune, but slide back into the right tuning. I think my vowel changes when I sing Mi sometimes, and that effects the tuning (my throat feels like it closes a little when I sing Mi). By the third entrance, I can really hear myself trying to shape the phrases using dynamics, especially during the third line near the end of the recording, and next time I should strive to do that more throughout the entire canon. I am proud of how my last Dos sound pretty in tune with each other. I think one of the most difficult things about singing this canon, is starting off the first line. Since it is so exposed (there are no other voices singing alongside it), it took me a lot of takes to try to get the tuning and syllables to sound the way I wanted them to sound. It reminded me a little of playing a Mozart piece on the piano; since his pieces tend to have a really exposed sound, if the first notes aren't articulate enough/light enough/sound the way I really want them to sound when playing Mozart, it messes the whole piece up for me. Overall, I think this assignment was a lot of fun! I sing in a choir at school and I am used to listening to and singing with a lot of other people's voices, so it was interesting to focus on my own voice and harmonize with it.
Check out Sara, Kavone and Jenny's tribute!
Huimei's gorgeous musicianship and exemplar reflection!
Throughout this exercise I found it difficult to maintain the correct intonation and after listening to the final recording I found it is true that intonation is diminished especially going into notes after rests or harmonizing the same note as other voices due to the nature of hearing and recording the exercise. Having to record singing itself is a difficult task because the goal of accuracy is set higher than singing in real-time. I found that harmonizing with sounds from earbuds is also different, and more difficult, than with harmonizing and tuning to other people. The intonation of the same notes not being perfectly in unison bothered me the most, but also hearing the various opening G of the canon vary slightly every time made the task a little frustrating. In terms of musicality I tried to phrase and incorporate dynamics but due to the repetitive nature of a canon, it seems that the recording as an overall piece lacked a direction because while one voice headed somewhere else, another voice would come in with a very similarly phrased opening. For next time I think it would be important to consider the canon as a single piece and be mindful of the direction of the voices when overlapped.
Throughout this exercise I found it difficult to maintain the correct intonation and after listening to the final recording I found it is true that intonation is diminished especially going into notes after rests or harmonizing the same note as other voices due to the nature of hearing and recording the exercise. Having to record singing itself is a difficult task because the goal of accuracy is set higher than singing in real-time. I found that harmonizing with sounds from earbuds is also different, and more difficult, than with harmonizing and tuning to other people. The intonation of the same notes not being perfectly in unison bothered me the most, but also hearing the various opening G of the canon vary slightly every time made the task a little frustrating. In terms of musicality I tried to phrase and incorporate dynamics but due to the repetitive nature of a canon, it seems that the recording as an overall piece lacked a direction because while one voice headed somewhere else, another voice would come in with a very similarly phrased opening. For next time I think it would be important to consider the canon as a single piece and be mindful of the direction of the voices when overlapped.
"The Sethgorian Chant" Reflection: This video was really difficult for me to do. I struggled with trying to make everything perfect which was really hard to strive for and it think it had a negative affect. I’m generally happy with the final result. I thought the intonation wasn’t terrible but it could definitely improve. It felt flat in the lower register and perhaps sharp in the higher register and it is something I can definitely work on for next time. I found that a lot of my effort went into counting and making sure everything lined up but I did try to add dynamics and a slow ritardando at the end of the piece. For fun at the end I stuck in an “amen” cadence because to me the recording I did sounded like a chant and I wanted to have a little fun.
Check out this week's assignment. Nicolas could write a pop song with this progression!
His Reflection: For this week's homework, we were given the task of choosing 4 chord progressions and singing it in a 3-part canon along with a bass line!
I chose I-iii-IV-V! Sorry, no resolving. This was a cool experience and I learned that I really enjoy the iii chord! When I got to hear everything together it was very fun! I choose to sing in F major which is usually fine for me but I felt like today might have been an off day because I didn't want to scream the high do. There are still some tuning issues but I found recording the bass line first and hearing that while recording everything else was very helpful! I am curious to hear how the iii chords would sound like a major III chord in a minor key!
His Reflection: For this week's homework, we were given the task of choosing 4 chord progressions and singing it in a 3-part canon along with a bass line!
I chose I-iii-IV-V! Sorry, no resolving. This was a cool experience and I learned that I really enjoy the iii chord! When I got to hear everything together it was very fun! I choose to sing in F major which is usually fine for me but I felt like today might have been an off day because I didn't want to scream the high do. There are still some tuning issues but I found recording the bass line first and hearing that while recording everything else was very helpful! I am curious to hear how the iii chords would sound like a major III chord in a minor key!
Here is his solfege and chord structure
Orko thinking through the sounds of a deceptive progression!
And there is nothing more gloriously and joyfully uplifting than to listen and watch Kavone!
The task was to video the sight singing process from beginning to end and then reflect on the process. It is totally worth watching Jamie's video from beginning to end!
While I was away the BELOVED TA - Laura Curtis - had them conducting and singing!
And..... Here come the Beatles Covers - Beginning with Aakriti!
And..... Here come the Beatles Covers - Beginning with Aakriti!
Sara and her fabulous harmonies and an amazing reflection!
Kavone covering Blackbird!!
THIRD ANNUAL HOLIDAY SOLFEGE SING ALONG!!! BEST EVER! We had students join us from the previous two years as well as drop in first years to sing along! How fabulous is that! Students sang and conducted - beautifully!
Huimei singing each modes up and down the scale
Sara singing BEAUTIFULLY and how crazy brilliant is this clip!?! Haydn canon #106 in the Classical Canon book
FINAL ASSIGNMENTS: Hearing and singing chord progressions in the moment. Orko (a musicians musician): His reflection towards the end is EXACTLY the goal of this class!
Grace has total SKILLS!!!
Jenny- as she thinks through and hears so carefully!
Watch Huime think in the moment - finding that do right off the bat as the anchor tone and going from there!
AND NOW WE BRING YOU THE FINAL COVERS - WHAT A GREAT YEAR IT HAS BEEN!
KATIE'S COVER OF MR SANDMAN (rumor suggests you listen to this sped up to 1.25
Jamie's cover of Lonely - these chords are gorgeous and the top re of the melody so so lovely!
Curtis's cover of The One that Got Away - So lush!
Wendy's cover of Everything Stays - BEAUTIFUL!! (From Adventure Time)
Aakriti's' STUNNING cover of Send my Love
Marissa's cover of Take me Home - So beautiful!!
Orko- Our consummate wind-band devote - covering a Percy Grainger piece! And, as usual, an in-depth reflection
Huimei!! WOAH! I was never as clever as these students are! Listen to this! 芒种 by 音阙诗听
Seth - I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say - Glorious and creative arrangement
Grace and her mashup of Unsteady/Apologize! The care and time she took with this!! Fabulous
Nico taking on the Temptations- and someone should!
