The following examples range from the beginning of my junior year through the end of grad school. They display my growth in content knowledge throughout my college career. The following example is a composition for 5th grade general music. During my elementary internship, my 5th grade students were able to learn this piece. This is one of my earlier arrangements, and therefore shows the beginning of my in-depth understanding of music. This piece can be modified depending on the knowledge and ability level of the class.
"Oh Haupt voll Blut und Wund" was arranged for my orchestration class. It is a more complicated piece than the previous, but further demonstrates my arranging skills. My arranging growth is obvious when comparing the previous example to this. While it was performed by collegiate musicians, my ability to arrange classical works for a larger ensemble is evident.
A middle school and high school lesson plan demonstrate my ability to work with groups of all ages well. Following each lesson plan is a rubric that was filled out by my university supervisor. They indicate my successful implementation of appropriate Standards of Learning, clear objectives, sequenced procedures, varied assessment, and modifications when needed.
My in-depth score analysis of "When the Wind Whispers" shows my understanding of band repertoire, and my ability to pinpoint areas that may require more attention during rehearsal. Score analysis is important in making rehearsals run smoothly and efficiently. Being prepared with an analysis of each piece we are learning will help the students become more successful.
The last example is a listening guide and lesson plan I used with a group of 6th graders to help them reach a deeper understanding of their concert music. My knowledge of score analysis and music content were used to create this listening guide. The students were able to listen to "Symphonie Fantastique" and find the similarities between it and one of their concert pieces. Afterward, students following the listening guide to identify the instrumentation of "Symphonie Fantastique".
