African Drumming Patterns

African drumming patterns

This unit of work was taught in the second half of the Autumn term with Year 4.

The element foci were duration and structure, understanding the use of ostinati in African drumming music and then applying this to their own rhythmic compositions. The children responded enthusiastically to the musical examples chosen for listening focus – Sim Pa and Soweto from the CD – African Heartbeat.

Curriculum teaching time mainly focussed on the development of the skills, as the children’s previous experience was limited, but by the end of the unit, groups of children in the class were able to perform a short rhythmic piece using 3 or 4 ostinati based word patterns.

Resources:

African Heartbeat CD: Castle Pie, Castle Music 5-038456-101229

Banana Splits A & C Black ISBN:0-7136-4196-7

(CD: 0-7136-4650-0)

Ring-a-ding-ding A & C Black ISBN: 0-71364616-0

Whoopsy-diddley-dandy-dee Univ. Edition ISBN: M-008-05809-7 MUSIC UNIT BRAINSTORM

Title/Context: African Percussion Patterns Year Four

Quality Musical Experience : Performance of Patterns piece of music Listening to Sim Pa and interpreting music through dance

Elements: STRUCTURE - identify development of musical ideas, similar but not same DURATION - consolidate understanding of 2, 3 and 4 metre

Skills: 1b maintain rhythmic and melodic ostinati as accompaniment in 2, 3 and 4 metre 2a improvise longer rhythmic patterns, building repertoire of patterns and sequences 2b experiment with repeating and re-ordering sound patterns and sections of pieces 1 Controlling sounds through singing and playing – performing skills Clapping in 2, 3 & 4 metre, accenting first beat, identifying changes in metre Pass the Pebble – feeling the beat (Whoopsy diddely . . .) Nanuma – chant and ostinato game Banana Splits – chant Dipidu – greeting song, changes between 3 & 2 metre, clap steady beat, in groups splitting first beat from others, clapping with partner Singing – Swing Low – add accompaniments based on word rhythms

2 Creating and developing musical ideas – composing skills accompanying songs with rhythmic/melodic ostinati (Swing Low) develop own chant to perform from Swing Low Improvise patterns in Q/A, fill in the gap, around the circle Pattern Piece composition – melodic ostinato, rhythmic ostinato, use repeats and develop ideas into “similar but not the same” patterns

3 Responding and reviewing – appraising skills Listening to Soweto – discuss improvisation, clap steady beat, join shaker pattern, improvise over top Listening to Sim Pa – develop dance sequence Vocabulary pattern repetition ostinato same/similar rhythmic melodic

4 Listening and applying knowledge and understanding role of repetition/similarities of ideas in developing patterns in music (also Ostinati) Musical Examples African Heartbeat – track 10 – Sim Pa – Surutu Kunu track 11 – Soweto (percussive mix) – Armand Frydman & Denis Hekimian

Use of ICT: tape record composition for self appraisal

Performance opportunity: share compositions with other Year 4 classes/Wing Assembly MUSIC UNIT OF WORK

Year Group: Four Term: Autumn (Two) Title: African Percussion Patterns LEARNING OBJECTIVES ACTIVITIES SPECIFIC EVALUATION of ASSESSMENT Understanding Element(s): (including differentiation) OPPORTUNITIES LEARNING (Paragraphs 4a/b) Pass the Pebble - steady beat/simple pattern (W.D.D p32) Structure - identify development of Learn Chant - Bananas, clap ostinato accompaniment, add untuned 1b musical ideas, similar but not same percussion instruments (B.S p8) Duration - consolidate understanding of Nanuma - play as echo first, add a short improvised rhythm 2, 3 and 4 metre pattern, add rhythmic/melodic ostinato (B.S p34) Rhythmic Ostinati - use 3 and 4 metre rhythm square, perform as 2b Developing Skill(s): class, group work to compose own, use to accompany singing (Paragraphs 1, 2 and 3) Sing - Swing Low Sweet Chariot, add action pattern, then 1b 1b maintain rhythmic and melodic rhythmic ostinati derived from words of song. Develop own group ostinati as accompaniment in 2, 3 and 4 chants from words. Learn melodic ostinato (F, C, D, C) and metre perform song with both patterns (R-D-D p36) 2a improvise longer rhythmic patterns, Listen - to Soweto, discuss beat and improvisation, clap along 2a building repertoire of patterns and with steady beat, join shaker pattern, use as a backing track for sequences own improvisations 2b experiment with repeating and re- Improvise - Q/A phrases (partner/teacher), around the circle 2a ordering sound patterns and sections of adding to previous ideas, fill in the gap during chant/ostinato. pieces Quality Musical Experience(s): Pattern Piece - revisit Swing Low Chants, transfer words into 2b Performance of Pattern Piece rhythm patterns using untuned percussion instruments, add simple Interpreting “Sim Pa” through dance melodic ostinato (using C, D and F). Encourage use of repetition and modification of patterns where appropriate. Applying Understanding: Perform to class and tape record. Listen and evaluate verbally. (Paragraphs 4b/c/d) Dance - listen to Sim Pa, talk about repetition in music. Teach 2b To understand the role of repetition short dance sequence, in groups, extend and modify dance steps. (including ostinati) in building up Sequence should be repeated after 32 beats maximum. Share with patterns in music and the effect it has on class. the music. Vocabulary: Repertoire/Resources/ICT: Performing Opportunity: pattern repetition ostinato Banana Splits (B.S) , Ring-a-ding-ding, (R-D-D) - A&C Black Pattern Piece to class/in Wing same/similar rhythmic melodic Whoopsy-diddley (W.D.D) - Universal Edition assembly CD - African Heartbeat , CD Player Classroom Instruments Dance interpretation of Sim Pa