Ravi Shankar Symphony finale (excerpt) Primary KS2 2nd Level Classroom Lesson Plan Written by Rachel Leach Trailblazer Passionate sitar performer Ravi Shankar shared his love of Hindustani classical music by exploring it using the
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Presentation Transcript
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Ravi Shankar Symphony – finale (excerpt)
Primary / KS2 / 2nd Level Classroom Lesson Plan Written by
Rachel Leach<br>
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Trailblazer Passionate sitar performer Ravi Shankar shared his love of Hindustani classical music by exploring it using the instruments of a large western orchestra<br>
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Lesson outcomes After this lesson, pupils will be able to:
listen and reflect on a piece of orchestral music
create their own piece of music using instruments and voice
perform as an ensemble
learn musical language appropriate to the task<br>
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Curriculum checklist Learners will:
play and perform in ensemble contexts, using voices and playing musical instruments
improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the interrelated dimensions of music
listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory<br>
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Glossary of music terms<br>
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Lesson 1
Watching, listening and researching<br>
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Background – the composer Ravi SHANKAR
(1920–2012)
Indian musician and composer
Known as a sitar maestro
Brought Indian classical music to a western audience in the 1960s and was a huge influence on George Harrison from the Beatles, US composer Philip Glass and classical violinist Yehudi Menuhin<br>
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Background – the music Symphony – finale (excerpt)
This 2010 work is a cross between a symphony and a concerto – it has four movements like a symphony and a prominent concerto-like solo part for sitar
Much of the sitar part is improvised
Uses traditional Indian ragas (modes) rather than major or minor scales and keys
Towards the end, there is a vocal section which uses Indian drum syllables as text<br>
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Watch the orchestral performance<br>
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List the instruments you have seen in the performance
Draw one of these instruments (you can use the internet to see what they all look like)<br>
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Lesson 2
Ragas, drones and solos<br>
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Pat your knees quickly – this sounds like a ‘drone’ Hum a low sound too – a ‘vocal drone’<br>
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A RAGA is a scale used in Indian music Play notes from the Raga on a xylophone<br>
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Lesson 3
Two-note patterns<br>
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Warm up! Remember your drones from last lesson<br>
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Use these two pitches to play a game of ‘call and response’ Make up your own call and response – add words to help, if you like<br>
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Lesson 4
Vocalisation, Indian drum syllables<br>
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Warm up your voices! Raising left hand = long ‘hmmmmm’ sound
Raising right hand = short, horrible ‘urgh’ sound<br>
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Learn the Indian drum syllables that Shankar uses in his music Use these to make a class version of this tune, featuring: Singing
Woodblock pulse
Drone<br>
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Lesson 5
Massive coda<br>
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Listen to the Coda again, which is at the end of the piece.
You can hear: Raga running up and down
Pulse and spiky rhythms Massive coda<br>
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Three tasks! Pitched instruments: create a short section that wanders up and down the raga notes
Unpitched instruments: a constant, steady pulse, but other sound effects may be added
Fit these together to make your own Coda!<br>
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Lesson 6
Performance time!<br>
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Recap Improvised solos with drone
Call and response
Sung syllables
Massive Coda<br>
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Practise and perform!<br>
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Taking it further – cross-curricular activities MUSIC: Listen to traditional South Indian Carnatic music and see how it compares and differs from Ravi Shankar’s piece. Listen to how Ravi Shankar inspired the Beatles and American composer Philip Glass.
RESEARCH: Continue your research by taking a closer look at the other Indian instruments featured in a Carnatic orchestra, or instruments from other places around the world. Maybe someone in your class has family members who can play one of these instruments.
DANCE: Indian music is often danced to. Record your new piece and create a dance to go with it. Or choreograph Ravi Shankar’s piece.
UPLOAD: Show us what you’ve created! Submit your creative responses using our Uploader for a chance to be featured on the Ten Pieces website .<br>
