Beyond the Basics: Play the Recorder Above and Beyond B, A, and G

In this 4-week class, students will play the recorder while learning songs that expand their range beyond the beginner B, A, and G notes. Songs selected each month will feature notes lower than B, A, and G (low E and/or low D) and higher than B, A, G (high C and/or high D).

Students will also gain experience playing a wider range of rhythmic notation, including quarter notes [♩], half notes [𝅗𝅥], eighth note pairs [♫], whole notes [𝅝], their corresponding rests [𝄽, 𝄼, 𝄻], and dotted rhythms such as a dotted quarter [♩.] and dotted half notes [𝅗𝅥.].

Week 1 (November 25)
     - Review of B, A, and G
     - Explanation of high C breath flow, fingering, and note placement on staff
     - Introduction of song [Tenza, Tenza]
     - rehearsal of melodic motifs
     - demonstration of performance
Week 2 (December 2)
     - Explanation of low D breath flow, fingering, and note placement on staff
     - Introduction of song [Frog in a Bog]
     - Explanation of repeat signs in standard music notation
     - rehearsal of melodic motifs
     - demonstration of performance
Week 3 (December 9) 
    - Review of low D breath flow, fingering, and note placement on staff
     - Explanation of low E breath flow, fingering, and note placement on staff (including comparison with low D)
     - Introduction of song [Old King Glory]
     - Introduction of ties in standard music notation
     - rehearsal of melodic motifs
     - demonstration of performance
Week 4 (December 16) 
     - Review of high C breath flow, fingering, and note placement on staff
     - Explanation of high D breath flow, fingering, and note placement on staff (including comparison with high C)
     - Introduction of song [Festive Overture]
     - rehearsal of melodic motifs
     - demonstration of performance

JANUARY 2023 SECTION:
Week 1 (Week of January 2)
     - Review of B, A, G, high C and high D
     - Explanation of High E, High F# and High G: breath flow, fingering, and note placement on staff
     - Introduction of song [A Comical Fellow by William Bates]
     - rehearsal of melodic motifs for Verse 2 of A Comical Fellow
     - demonstration of performance
     - rehearsal of melodic motifs for Happy New Year to All People (French Folk Song)
     - demonstration of performance
Week 2 (Week of January 9)
     - Review of High E, High F# and High G: breath flow, fingering, and note placement on staff
     - rehearsal of melodic motifs for Verse 3 of A Comical Fellow
     - demonstration of performance
     - rehearsal of melodic motifs for [C-A-F-F-E-E] (German Folk Song)
     - demonstration of performance
Week 3 (Week of January 16) 
     - Introduction of concept [embouchure]
     - Review of High A: change in embouchure and change in breath flow compared with other high register notes; fingering, and note placement on staff
    - rehearsal of melodic motifs for Verse 1 of [A Comical Fellow]
     - rehearsal of melodic motifs
     - demonstration of performance
     - Introduction of song [The Kine Are Homeward Bound] (English Folk Song)
     - rehearsal of melodic motifs
     - demonstration of performance
Week 4 (Week of January 23) 
     - Introduction of concept [canon] and demonstration of [A Comical Fellow] played as a round
     - Introduction of song [Musica est donum optimi] by Orlando di Lasso (1532-1594)
     - rehearsal of melodic motifs
     - demonstration of performance

Every week will include the following:
 - Instructional videos, Instructional videos are kept short (5-10 minutes) to allow students time to absorb the content. Many week will hve more than one video in order to address additional concepts.
 - Demonstration video of the song played ONLY on recorder
 - Demonstration play-along video of the song played on recorder with an accompaniment track
 - "Performance" video of the song accompaniment track 
 - song sheet with notation
 - fingering chart including new notation