A Boy and a Girl

Conductor:​ ​Michael McCormick Ensemble Name:​ ​Chamber Singers

Composer/Arranger:​ ​Eric Whitacre Grade of Piece:​ ​HS

Learning Goals Technical Skills

● Music reading (solfege outside of
What Learners will: diatonic music)
Be able to do​: Singers in Chamber ● Intonation
Singers will perform their voice part on ● Diction
solfege with great intonation at a success ● Tone
● Text stress
rate of 85% or above. They will sing other
voice parts with a success rate of 70% or ● Phrasing
above. Singers will speak and sing the text
with appropriate syllabic stress, breath Musical Concepts
marks, cut offs, and entrances with a success ● Complex Harmony
rate of 85% or above. ● Dynamics
Understand​: Singers in Chamber ● Timbre
Singers will interpret and explain the ● Rubato
meaning of the text in writing, rehearsal, and ● Text-painting
performance. They will be able to apply the ● Meter change
meaning of the text to the music to influence ● Time signature change
their tone, tempo, and dynamics. Singers
will understand the reasoning for musical Empowering Musicianship
decisions and guidance given by the ● Connection of text and music
directors. ● History of Octavio Paz
Encounter​: Singers will perform this ● Stylistic integrity
piece for their fellow choir colleagues as
well as the public. They will write Process
reflections on the learning process and
performance experience. Partner:
Construct meaning​: Singers will 1. Singers will read poetry on their
appreciate the poetry both on its own and in own, then it will be read as a class.
the context of the music. Also, they will be Together, students will Think, Pair,
able to realize how the text may apply to Share for possible meanings of the
their own lives and personal stories. Singers text. Following, students will share
will see the impact that they have on the ideas with the entire choir.
middle school singers after they sing for 2. Ask students to then mark the poetry
them at the District Concert. with what dynamics, articulation,
and tone would go with each verse.
 Students will then share their
thoughts with a partner.
3. Students will then compare the
dynamics, articulation, and tone with
the markings that are in the sheet
music.
4. Listen to ​Voces 8 ​perform the piece
and have students decide if they
executed the musicality accurately to
what the composer indicated. Have
students also compare the recording
to their own markings on the poetry.
5. Have students discuss with a partner
what they think the biggest
challenges for the choir will be in
executing this piece to its fullest
potential.
Present
1. Send out singers into groups based
on voice part and have them work
out the first 13 measures on solfege
(C Major/Fixed Do).
2. Teacher will visit each group and
discuss how effective solfege is on
different measures. Should some
measures be observed as a different
“key”/key center?
3. Then seat singers in circles
according to voice part, and have
them use solfege as an entire choir.
Again, only do the first 13 measures.
4. For the following measures, allow
students to learn music on their own
during group work, homework, or in
practice rooms. They should be using
solfege while using a piano/piano
app to check to make sure they are
correct. Although, students should
not rely on the piano to learn their
part. While learning parts, students
should be observing and singing the
markings already written in the
score. Also, observing strict meter,
time signature, rhythm, and tempo
while learning parts.
5. Return the choir as a group in the
same way, in 4 circles. Allow section
leaders time to help correct problems
after singing the entire piece on
solfege as a choir.
6. Students speak text in strict rhythm,
circling words that are most
important in each verse. What words
make each verse special? Students
will then decide which syllables are
most important in each word. After,
with students, the teacher will decide
one set of circled words as to what is
most important/what should be
emphasized.
7. Using these circled words, sing the
first verse with strict tempo and
proper syllabic stress. Does it feel
like we should take more time with
any of these words? Should any of
the rests be longer or shorter? Why?
Where do we need to take a
collective breath vs. staggered
breathing?
a. Use this same method for
every verse.
8. Discuss with the choir how to
determine where breaths, lifts, and
staggered breathing should happen.
Allow singers to try different
options, and then discuss the pros
and cons of each. Make a “final
 draft” with students so that everyone
has the same markings.
9. Ask for suggestions from students on
how to influence the tone in the
choral sound. Using words that are
both concrete and abstract. Before
singing each verse, discuss which
kind of tone might be most effective.
Try different options for each verse
and again discuss the pros and cons
of each. Decide on final decisions
with consultation of the singers.
Personalize
1. Break the choir up into smaller
ensembles and allow each student to
conduct their group in small sections
of the piece. Have students discuss
how each performance was different.
What caused them to be different?
2. Write about a time that you have felt
love for another person and felt the
desire to be with them for the rest of
your life. Write about a time that you
enjoyed spending time outside and
relaxing with someone you love. If
you haven’t experienced these, write
about the love you have observed
from someone that you know, or that
you desire to experience some day.
Perform
1. Students will perform ​A Boy and a
Girl​ at the Spring Concert and in
competition/clinic.
2. After each performance, students
will reflect on not only their
musical/technical performance, but
the impact that they believe they had
on the audience. Following a clinic,
students will reflect on the advice
and guidance they were given by the
clinician and find ways to
incorporate that into how they are
already singing.
Assessment
Formative:
Discussion with singers, musical choices
made by singers, vocal performance in
rehearsal, writing assignments.
Summative:
Performances and reflections on
performances/clinics.
Integrative:
How did my instruction allow students the
freedom to make musical choices while also
acting as an ensemble? How did the
performance of the choir show the
musicianship of the individuals and not just
the conductor? How did the views of the
conductor change throughout the rehearsal
process? How did this piece contribute to
growth of the singers and conductor?