Tonality
At the beginning of the musical journey for children or young learners, tonality of classical music can be complicated and ambiguous. This exercise enables children to understand the concept of tonality in musical expression.
Skill Level
any levels for musical studies
beginner in piano practical
Equipment Required:
3 - 6 keyboards / digital pianos with AC adaptors
3 - 6 headphones, with 3 - 6 jack adapters
electricity & electricity sockets (for outdoor classroom without electricity, there are portable pre-charged keyboards available on the market)
music playing devices and ideally a small loudspeaker
4 - 8 chairs
3 - 6 tables for keyboard or keyboard stands
Printed copies of the music sheets provided in Step Two below.
Listening Exercise
Mini-Ensemble of Moonlight Sonata
Group Size
3 - 6 students
Listening Exercise
4 classical pieces about the moon are selected for this exercise:
Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven
One of the Nocturnes by Chopin
Clair de Lune by Debussy
Silver Clouds Chasing the Moon (traditional)
In the first 20 minutes of this module, ask the students to get seated in a circle of chairs, and listen together to the opening portion (first 2 - 3 minutes) of each of these 4 music pieces.
In between listening to each piece of music, the teacher must encourage the students to start talking about their feelings about the musical expression, and facilitate such discussion among the students. This is essential in supporting the children to affirm their own musical senses and verbally communicating about them.
If this space is blank, Spotify may not be enabled in your region yet. Please use another music service or play the pieces from your piano.
Mini-Ensemble of Moonlight Sonata
For young beginners who have started playing piano within 1-2 years, it can be a struggle for them to play complicated arrays of notes displayed on the stave. It is however essential to develop sight reading skill as part of the musical foundation.
In addition to the above knowledge concern, this mini-ensemble excise is also designed to enable the children to play the music in a group so they can build on their teamwork and leadership skills.
To achieve these goals, the first few bars of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata have been broken down into different parts for pianos / keyboards in this set of rearranged music sheets. Each student is therefore playing a simplified version of the music.
Each page takes about 10-20 minutes to teach and learn across separate lessons. While learning their own part, each student can wear a headphone for a moment of concentration and practicing. Children can play together towards the end of each lesson with the headphones unplugged.
Extension to Topics in Climate Change
Coping with Hot Nights
Global warming has resulted in chronic increase of hot nights in regions such as South China. The traditional music Silver Clouds Chasing the Moon was originally composed by musicians in the South China back in those days when air conditioning was not a household appliance as common as today.
Would listening to it help you feel cool and release tension or even anxiety in the unbearable heat? It is time to think about how to enhance resilience and wellbeing through music in adapting to the changing climate.
If you encounter any technical and teaching-related problems in trying out this plan, or if you would like to work with us to develop other innovative curriculum, please get in touch with us via our email hello@ecomuse.co.uk
Comments and feedback are welcome.