Vocal Development
Level I
 Utilize the singing voice as distinct
from the speaking voice.
 Match pitch in one’s own range.
 Sing with breath support.
 Sing with proper body alignment.
 Sing with a free tone.
 Sing with round/tall vowels.
 Sing with a healthy vocal tone.
 Sing with loud and soft dynamics in a
healthy manner.
Level II
 Sing both staccato and legato.
 Sing with carefully enunciated words.
 Sing with loud, medium, and soft
dynamics in a healthy manner.
 Sing with understanding through the
period of voice change.
Level III
 Sing with various dynamics in a
healthy manner.
 Sing with correct phrasing and
appropriate expression.
Music History and Interdisciplinary Application
6th grade
 Discuss the historical and cultural
background of the works performed by
the ensemble.
 Identify similarities and differences in
the meanings of common terms used in
the various fine arts.
 Describe in simple terms the
similarities and differences of music
from different time periods:
Renaissance, Baroque, Classical,
Romantic, Contemporary
 Demonstrate an understanding that the
music one listens to or performs is
often a reflection of the culture in
which the music was created.
7th grade
 Identify aurally by title and composer a
repertoire of compositions that
represent a variety of musical styles.
 Develop an appreciation for music
from time periods other than one’s
own.
8th grade
 Compare and contrast the music and
cultures of several time periods and
regions of the world.
 Identify major genres of music of the
style periods.
GRADE 6
GRADE 7
GRADE 8
BEAT
Steady Beat
Steady Beat
Steady Beat
METER
Accent, Mixed Meters
6/8 and ¾
Meter in 2/2 and 4/4
Meter in 2, 3 and 4
Combined Meters
Changing Meteres
Conducting patterns
Changing meters as an
expressive device
DURATION
Duration values
Dotted Rhythms
Two against three
Relative Durations
Dotted Rhythms
Triplets
Syncopation
Duration values
Dotted Rhythms
ties, syncopation
RHYTHM PATTERNS
Common Rhythm Patterns
Dotted Rhythm Patterns in
6/8
Layering Patterns
Polyrhythms
Ostinatos
Ostinatos
Layered Ostinatos
Cross rhythms
PITCH
Range
Register
Range
Register
Range
Register
MELODIC CONTOUR
Contour as a tool for
analysis
Contour as a tool for
analysis
Contour as a tool for
analysis
STEP/LEAP
Movement by steps, leaps,
Movement by steps, leaps,
intervals as they affect
Movement by steps, leap
intervals as they affect
RHYTHM
MELODY
repeats
melodic development
melodic development.
PATTERNS
Melodic Sequence
Melodic Repetition
Manipulation of pitches as
compositional devices;
inversion, transposition
imitation, repetition
Manipulation of pitches as
compositional devices:
inversion, transposition,
imitation, repetition
PHRASES
Melodic Phrases
Repetition/Contrast
Repetition/Contrast
Phrase Construction and
development
Repetition/Contrast
Transformation
TONALITY
Scales/Tonality
Scales: Major/Minor
Cadence
Pentatonic Scales
Scales/Tonality
Whole and half steps
Pentatonic Scales
TEXTURE
Cordal Harmony
Parallel 3rd and 6th’s
Modulation
Relationship of Texture and
harmony
Harmonic Styles; parallel,
contrary motion,
countermelodies
Monophonic
Polyphony
Homophony
CHORDS
Construction of triads
I, IV, V7 Chords
I, v7 (minor)
Major/Minor Triads
Chord Patterns
Blues progression
Accompaniment Styles
Major/Minor Chords
Chord progressions
HARMONY
Ostinatos,
Rounds, Partner Songs,
Canon, Counterpoint
Descants
Ostinatos,
Rounds, Partner Songs,
Canon, Counterpoint
Countermelodies
Ostinatos,
Rounds, Partner Songs,
Canon, Counterpoint
Countermelodies
HARMONY
Countermelodies
TONE COLOR
VOCAL SOUNDS
Variety of vocal styles of
opera, musical theater and
popular singers
A cappella singing
Vocal Blending
Vocal Qualities of various
style periods
Vocal qualities of male and
female voices
INSTRUMENTAL SOUNDS
Ensembles; Bands
Individual Instruments
Familes of Orchestral
Instruments
Tone colors from different
countries
Tone colors of jazz, pop
Individual instruments
Tone qualities of different
periods
Electric tone colors
Individual instruments
Repetition/Contrast
Sectional forms: AB, ABA,
rondo
theme and variations
Composite Forms; opera,
musical theater
Sectional Forms:
AB, ABA, rondo, AABA,
AABCC
Form of a jazz composition
Sectional Forms:
AB, ABA, rondo, AABA,
AABCC, minuet and trio
sonata allegro
Vocal forms:
Recitative, aria
Music Styles from many
times and cultures
Style differences determined
by rhythm, melody, tone
color
Music from diverse cultures
Style differences determined
by rhythm,
tone color
Focus on:
Program music, jazz, African
Music from diverse cultures
Style differences determined
by rhythm,
tone color
Focus on Historical styles:
FORM
FORM
EXPRESSIVE
QUALITIES
STYLE
music, oratorio, opera
opera, jazz, musical theater
DYNAMICS
Appropriateness of dynamic
choices: p, f, mf, cresc.,
decresc.
Effects of changes on
overall expressive content
Effects of changes on
overall expressive conter
TEMPO
Appropriateness of Tempo
choices: Moderato,
Accelerando, ritardando,
maestoso
Effects of changes on
overall expressive content
Effects of changes on
overall expressive content
ARTICULATION
Use known articulation
indications
Select and use stylistically
appropriate articulation
Identify and perform
staccato, legato
articulation
Describe legato and
staccato articulation
GLOSSARY
A
Accent, accordion, aria,
articulation, arranger
Accelerando, accent, alto,
articulating, a tempo, atonal
music, augmentation
ABA form, absolute music
B
Band, bass clef, bebop,
big band, blues
Bar line, blend, blues scale,
brass family
Ballad, bar lines, baroque
style, bitonality
C
Cambiata, canon, chamber
music, changed voice,
chord, coda, countermelody,
countersubject
Call and response, chord,
c major scale, conductor,
contrast, courante, cresc.
Calypso, canon, chamber
music, compound meter,
consonance, crescendo
D
Disco, duo-pianists,
dynamics
Diction, dominant chord,
dorian mode, dotted note,
dulcimer, duple meter
Decrescendo,
development, dissonance,
dotted quarter note
E
Envelope, episode
Eighth note
Episodes, etudes,
expressionism
F
Flat, forte piano, fugue
Form, f, ff
Fermata, free form
G
Grand staff
H
Half step, harpsichord
Half rest, homophonic
Harmony
I
Instrumentation, interval,
introduction, inverted chord
Imitation, innovation
Irregular meter
Gospel
J
Jazz
K
Key signature
L
Legato, lyricist, lyrics
M
Major scale, marcato,
mazurka, melodic contour,
minor scale, motive, musical
march form
Madrigal, march, measure,
melodic rhythm, meter
signature, mixolydian mode,
monophonic
Minimalism, modulation,
MIDI, MIDI interface, motive
N
New wave
Natural
Neoclassical
O
Opera, orchestra, organ
Orchestration
Oratorio, ostinato
P
Pedal point, piano, pitch,
prepared piano
Partner songs, pentatonic
scale, percussion family,
polyphonic
Phrase, pipe organ,
pizzicato, polyrhythmic,
program music
R
Relative minor, rock n roll,
root
Range, register,
Renaissance, repetition,
rondo, root, round
Ritornello, romantic style,
retrograde, ritardando,
S
Scale, sharp, stretto,
subject, swing, syncopation,
synthesizer
Score
skipwise motion, staccato,
staff, stepwise motion, string
family, subdominant chord,
Salsa, serial music,
sonato-allegro, strophic
form, symphony
T
Tala, tempo, texture, tie,
tonal center, tone color,
treble clef, triad, trio
Tempo, theme and
variations, tonal music, triple
meter, twelve bar blues
Ternary form, texture, tone
color, twentieth century style
Key tone
U
Unchanged voice, unison
V
Verse-refrain form
Variation, vocable
W
Whole step
Woodwind family