Supplementary activities with vocal repertoire in the music classroom and their application

213 SUPPLEMENTARY ACTIVITIES WITH VOCAL REPERTOIRE IN THE MUSIC CLASSROOM AND THEIR APPLICATION MARIYA YONKOVA Abstract: This research introduces the use of supplementary vocal music as a tool for developing creative tasks during music lessons in the Bulgarian general school system, Grades 1-10. As part of each academic year’s curriculum, several classes that involve practice or observation are introduced. They provide students with opportunities to present a variety of musical performances and creative endeavours, both internally at the school and externally through other youth collaborations. These supplementary activities not only support students ’academic development throughout the school year but also provide a supportive environment for music expression, both individually and in a group setting. Keywords: vocal music, singing, activities, supplementary, observation lessons, music classroom, performance, creative projects, Dalcroze, Orff Introduction: Vocal repertoire is an excellent tool for creating supplementary activities in the music classroom. It is versatile in genre, employing different musical expressions to depict texts and/or represent lyrical characters, such as leitmotifs, harmony, rhythm, tempo, dynamics, modes, scales, and textures. Due to the vast and unique landscape of this musical world, vocal compositions have unlimited potential to serve as a foundation for creating engaging, enjoyable activities for students in the music classroom. In the educational system around the world, activities such as movement, playing instruments, and participating in school stage performances are deeply embedded in the academic curriculum through the application of Dalcroze and Orff educational methods. In Bulgaria as well, these types of methods 214 are utilised with great success. However, the need for additional educational activities has increased significantly in recent years. This research aims to demonstrate the feasibility of implementing the activities mentioned above as subsidiary exercises alongside an additional vocal repertoire by following national curriculum guidelines, drawing on a study of vocal repertoire, academic and scientific findings, and relevant educational materials. Methodology: The research methodology encompasses an overview of relevant academic literature, educational materials, and validated teaching practices, all aligned with the curriculum of the Bulgarian general school system. This paper presents suitable approaches for establishing and implementing a variety of supplementary activities in the music classroom, Grades 1-10, through extended vocal repertoire. Discussion: Dalcroze eurhythmics is one of the most popular pedagogical techniques used in today’s music classroom. This method is known, applied, and researched by Bulgarian educators as well, and it is discussed in higher education lectures and practical exercises. By expanding on the application of this method, the author proposes an accessible learning approach to Dalcroze eurhythmics through simple exercises in movement, solfegе, and improvisation, supported by a supplementary vocal repertoire developed by the author of this research. In the early 20th century, Émile Jaques-Dalcroze, a Swiss educator, composer, and musician, created a music-teaching concept, usually taught in groups, based on rhythmic movements, ear training, and improvisation to express musical concepts. Through kinetic exercises, students learn basic musical structures in rhythm, metre, phrasing, and dynamics. According to Jaques-Dalcroze (1913, p. 37), eurythmic movement exercises are based upon two main ideas: “time is shown by movements of the arms, [and] time-values […] by movements of the feet and body”. Initially, students in 1st Grade 215 are given the simple task of marching around the space to a musical number, in this case, the author suggests using the music of The Triumphal March from the opera Aida by Giuseppe Verdi, as it corresponds to a quadruple metre with a time signature of 4/4 and consists of an A-B-A music form that introduces repeating patterns in the musical material. It also shows a wide dynamic range, presents the established instrument of the curriculum—the trumpet—and a mixed choir ensemble, and allows for expressive movements in the lyrical part of the composition. Teachers instruct the students to perform the strong beat with accented steps and arm movements. As the listening material unfolds, more instructional cues for movement are incorporated—stopping and starting, changing walking direction, switching limbs from left to right and vice versa, and adding extra accents. By repeating this exercise, students develop better motor control and learn basic movements corresponding to rhythm patterns, metric organisation, and the tempo. The solfege lessons of the Dalcroze method (1913, p. 36) primarily involve ear-training, “by giving the pupils an accurate sense of pitch […] and a feeling for tonality”. Here, teachers can use the stepping space exercise to associate pitch changes with spatial movements. Teachers can prepare the classroom for this activity by colour-taping the floor to represent the C major scale. Then, during lesson time, students are instructed to step forward for each pitch of the major scale they sing. For accuracy in singing pitch and tonality, the teacher can play the scale on the piano, using a digital app or an accurate sound recording. Students can repeat this exercise in ascending and descending scales until they obtain satisfactory coordination of movement and singing. Subsequently, a supplementary vocal repertoire is included in the solfege lesson. In this case, a prerecorded audio file of Mozart’s aria Vedrai, carino from the opera Don Giovanni is played. This aria is an excellent example of the C major scale. For the following exercise, students are divided into groups of 23. They stand within the outlines of the notes C, D, and E. Here, the aria’s first 2 bars will serve as a musical cue for the students. 216 When those bars are played, the teacher indicates with a hand gesture for students to bounce in place to the notes C, D, and E of the musical line. Next, as students become accustomed to the exercise, they can add different hand gestures for each note and sing the corresponding pitch. This exercise introduces a playful learning approach to solfege in a fun and accessible way. The third core component of the Dalcroze method, improvisation, involves a variety of movement activities incorporating voices, instruments, and sometimes role-play. Here, the task’s difficulty increases, but that need not discourage the pupils. In the music classroom, the teacher could introduce voice improvisation by singing or playing a pre-recorded audio file of Luigi Denza’s Funiculi, funicula. The teacher tells a brief story of the funicular (a type of cable railway) and initiates an associative word game for the students, incorporating movement and sound. The song is played next via the pre-recorded audio file, and the students move rhythmically with the music in a line representing a train. When the teacher suddenly stops the music, all students must remain immobile in place and make the sound associated with the funicular. The music begins again, and the human train game continues in 6/8, with 2 pulses per measure. The Orff Schulwerk is another leading music education methodology that many schools worldwide include in their curricula. This approach was developed in the 1920s by the prominent German composer Carl Orff, advancing students ’ musical abilities by engaging all the basic forms of music-making in a creative and enjoyable way. According to Frazee and Kreuter (1997, p. 20), singing or the use of “voice is the primary melody instrument [… where] melodic intervals are introduced in a careful sequence until the full pentatonic scale is assimilated”. In addition, Orff considers the entire body to be a percussive instrument and a tool for creating a variety of rhythmic patterns. He added instruments such as non-pitched percussion (drums, tambourine, triangles, shakers, scrapers), barred instruments (glockenspiel, xylophone, metallophone), and recorders to the classroom. Music utilised during lesson time could range from nursery rhymes, folk pieces, and popular songs to students ’ 217 unique and original compositions. The author of this research introduces exercises for musical collaboration between playing the wind instrument, the recorder, and a supplementary vocal repertoire. Since pentatonic scale is used as a primary tool for building, improving and performing, exercise applying popular songs such as Amazing Grace in G major (Hal Leonard Corp., 2018), Ode of Joy in G major, Jingle Bells in G major, When the Saints Go Marching In in G major (Pearson, 1990) and Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing in F major (8notes.com, n.d.), are suggested by the author of this research for students already familiar playing the recorder. For this exercise, students can be divided into two groups: the first singing the melody, the second playing a unison accompaniment. Adding variations of this exercise once the students are confident in their singing and playing can serve both educational and artistic purposes. There can be call-and-response between vocal and instrumental groups, developing a simple canon or adding expressive dance movements to the music. Supplementary activities in the form of mini-concert projects for students in grades 1-10 are a great addition to the general school curriculum. According to Gifford and Johnson (2015, p. 64), they are “low-stakes curricular events [… that help to] generate student excitement and cultural awareness in general music, bands, orchestras, and choirs in large and small programs alike”. Mini-concerts create a positive and safe environment for students by offering a valuable opportunity to showcase their musical interests and talents and to apply their knowledge of music. Those projects can be put into practice with the help of a teacher who leads the pupils through the preparation phase of the mini-concerts, encouraging their creativity, artistic expression, and musical ideas through assignment topics. Vital social skills develop in these scenarios, including teamwork, decision-making, leadership, initiative, research, and practical application of musical repertoire. Many schools worldwide have similar musical projects performed in a low-stress environment as part of their curriculum program. In Bulgaria, these types of performances are components of the 218 curriculum in specialised music schools; however, occasionally, we observe them being undertaken in general schools, organised by teachers and headmasters with great dedication to the arts. The author of this research suggests organising these miniconcerts as a supplementary activity for the music classroom 2 or at most 3 times per academic year, with goal-oriented rehearsal times spread out throughout each semester for no more than a quarter of an hour Grade 1-4; 20 minutes Grade 58 and half an hour Grade 8-10 per assignment group for 5-6 weeks during the practical lesson times. Each performing group is assigned homework to practice their project tasks and is required to keep a simple online log journal to record assignment efficiency and productivity, showing students' individual progress. The mini-concerts can be showcased during music observation lessons in the classroom or, if available at the school, at the end of each semester in an assembly room. By suggestion of Hatch (2023, p. 39), teachers can organise supplementary activities for mini-concerts through the application of the following modules: • part 1 - “ select, analyse, and interpret artistic work for presentation; • [… part 2:] develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation; • […and part 3:] convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work”. Part 1 involves critical thinking and consists of material selection, examination of chosen materials, and curriculumbased interpretation of the musical or interdisciplinary works. Part 2 deals with the practical application of music and artistic skills to established musical materials towards the final creative outcome set for the project completion. Part 3 consists of presenting a completed musical project and receiving feedback from peers for successful interpretation, engagement with the musical material, and contextual knowledge. Given that vocal music is the primary educational tool in the music classroom, the author of this research has developed a 219 dedicated supplementary vocal repertoire that can be implemented across a variety of learning settings. It is designed to assist in completing successful music classroom projects, such as mini-concerts, in which students are assigned different tasks that implement the knowledge they have acquired in Dalcroze Eurythmics and Orff Schulwerk. Here, the researcher shares a test case study for students in the Grade 5-7 miniconcert project. The supplementary vocal repertoire and corresponding tasks in this activity include creative and interpretative performance are discussed below. The first examples of vocal repertoire offer students the opportunity to apply Dalcroze Eurhythmics interpretation (including components of movement, solfege, and/or improvisation) to the selected musical materials. • 18th-century German art song (lied) Gretchen am Spinnrade, based on Goethe’s Faust, by Franz Schubert. The song depicts Gretchen (Margarete) sitting by the spinning wheel, lost in thought for her love of Faust. In this extraordinary example of Schubert’s mastery of the lied, the “rhythmic pattern of the spinning wheel and the treadle […] maintain the dramatic and emotional tension” (Kimball, 2006, p. 52). The vocal line follows Gretchen's emotional state through repetitive phrases, dynamic variety, and shifts between minor and major keys. • 19th-century Chorus of the Hebrew slaves, Va, pensiero, from the opera Nabucco by Giuseppe Verdi. One of the most beloved examples of opera chorus is this piece. It is characterised by “a slow, simple line articulated in long strains and underpinned by triplet pulsations” (Budden, 2008, p. 173). It portrays the enslaved Israelites longing for their homeland while exiled in Babylon and is set to text inspired by the Bible’s Old Testament, Psalm 137. The Chorus of the Hebrew slaves speaks of hope, faith, and the resilience of the human spirit. Even to this day, Va, pensiero is considered the unofficial anthem of Italy, symbolising national unity, strength, and cultural heritage. 220 The following examples focus on Orff-Schulwerk accompaniment interpretation using non-pitched percussion, barred instruments, and/or recorders. • The Phantom of the Opera - a song from the 20th-century musical theatre bearing the same title, composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber. This mega-musical combines a variety of compositional techniques from opera, musical theatre, and symphonic rock. The “title song sought to combine the accessibility of pop with the power of rock, while retaining a strong and flowing melodic line in keeping with the opera of the title” (Snelson, 2004, p. 75). Throughout the composition, the Phantom is depicted through a dark, descending chromatic scale that creates a menacing, dangerous atmosphere and reveals the character's emotional depth. Meanwhile, Christine’s character is infused with warm, clean, and lyrical melody, bringing out her purity and innocence. • The Korean folk song, Arirang, is part of UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This composition is regarded by some as “a national song that marks the beginning of Korean culture” (Kim & Chung, 2023, p. 78). While there are many versions of this song, the essence and emotional depth of the text and melody embody the spirit of unity, resilience, and collective memory in times of sorrow, longing, and hope. The next examples encourage the use of both the Dalcroze and Orff methods to depict lyrics through rhythmic movements, body percussion, and/or singing along to a selection of vocal excerpts. • Come Fly with Me is a 20th-century popular song by Jimmy Van Heusen (music) and Sammy Cahn (lyrics), performed by Frank Sinatra. The song is also the title track of one of Frank Sinatra’s concept albums from 1958. The composition is “a breezy invitation to take a world trip [… with] a combination of a memorable tune and a lyric that […] hung together well” (Frank Sinatra Anthology, 221 2006, p. 10). This upbeat music brings joy and spontaneity to the listeners, making them swing to the lively rhythm and experience the playful, adventurous spirit of the lyrical character. • The popular Bulgarian folk song from the Dobrudzha region, Изгряла е месечинка (The moon has risen), is yet another excellent example of a traditional music gem. Verka Siderova’s rendition of this song is regarded as one of the best versions to date, providing students with an opportunity to familiarise themselves with established folk music performers from the studied region (Ruskova, Ruskov, Bliznakova, & Lobutova, 2019, p. 63). The musical material is imbued with typical features of northeastern traditions, including refined melodic lines and repetitive structures that create an effortless, enjoyable singing experience for students of all ages. The lyrics evoke symbolic images of nature and the beauty of the lyrical heroine. The metre of 7/8 is a great example for rhythmic-based accompaniment exercise in the music classroom. Results: The research indicates that introducing supplementary activities involving vocal repertoire in the practical and observational classes of music lessons for students in the Bulgarian general education system yields numerous positive outcomes for their academic development. In addition to standard curriculum activities for movement, Dalcroze eurhythmics is suggested as a value-added activity. This aids students by improving their understanding of rhythm, developing musical expressiveness, and immensely assisting kinaesthetic learners of all ages. Regarding the application of playing instruments suitable for the music classroom, soprano recorders are introduced for accompanying vocal music in the elementary and middle school classes. In addition, tools for digital and virtual instruments are introduced in tech-integrated music classrooms. Forming supplementary ensemble performances on and off