MISC LINKS

National Standards for Music

As part of the Goals 2000: Educate America legislation, National

Standards for the Arts have been published for the four fine arts -

dance, music, theater, and visual arts. These standards specify what students

should know and be able to do by graduation from high school in each of

the four arts with a specialization in one of them.

Content Standard 1: Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire

of music

Grades K-4

• 
  
  sing independently, on pitch and in rhythm, with appropriate timbre, diction,
  
  and posture, and maintain a steady tempo



• 
  
  sing expressively, with appropriate dynamics, phrasing, and interpretation



• 
  
  sing from memory a varied repertoire of songs representing genres and styles
  
  from diverse cultures



• 
  
  sing ostinatos, partner songs, and rounds



• 
  
  sing in groups, blending vocal timbres, matching dynamic levels, and responding
  
  to the cues of a conductor

• 
  
  sing accurately and with good breath control throughout their singing ranges,
  
  alone and in small and large ensembles



• 
  
  sing with expression and technical accuracy a repertoire of vocal literature
  
  with a level of difficulty of 2, on a scale of 1 to 6, including some songs
  
  performed from memory



• 
  
  sing music representing diverse genres and cultures, with expression appropriate
  
  for the work being performed



• 
  
  sing music written in two and three parts

• 
  
  sing with expression and technical accuracy a varied repertoire of vocal
  
  literature with a level of difficulty of 3, on a scale of 1 to 6, including
  
  some songs from memory

Proficient

• 
  
  sing with expression and technical accuracy a large and varied repertoire
  
  of vocal literature with a level of difficulty of 4, on a scale of 1 to
  
  6, including some songs performed from memory



• 
  
  sing music written in four parts, with and without accompaniment



• 
  
  demonstrate well-developed ensemble skills

• 
  
  sing with expression and technical accuracy a large and varied repertoire
  
  of vocal literature with a level of difficulty of 5, on a scale of 1 to
  
  6



• 
  
  sing music written in more than four parts



• 
  
  sing in small ensembles with one student on a part

Grades K-4

• 
  
  perform on pitch, in rhythm, with appropriate dynamics and timbre, and
  
  maintain a steady tempo



• 
  
  perform easy rhythmic, melodic, and chordal patterns accurately and independently
  
  on rhythmic, melodic and harmonic classroom instruments



• 
  
  perform expressively a varied repertoire of music representing diverse
  
  genres and styles



• 
  
  echo short rhythms and melodic patterns



• 
  
  perform in groups, blending instrumental timbres, matching dynamic levels,
  
  and responding to the cues of a conductor



• 
  
  perform independent instrumental parts while other students sing or play
  
  contrasting parts

• 
  
  perform on at least one instrument accurately and independently, alone
  
  and in small and large ensembles, with good posture, playing position,
  
  and good breath, bow or stick control



• 
  
  perform with expression and technical accuracy on at least one string,
  
  wind, percussion, or classroom instrument a repertoire of instrumental
  
  literature with a level of difficulty of 2, on a scale of 1 to 6



• 
  
  perform music representing diverse genres and cultures, with expression
  
  appropriate for the work being performed



• 
  
  play by ear simple melodies on a melodic instrument and simple accompaniments
  
  on a harmonic instrument



• 
  
  perform with expression and technical accuracy a varied repertoire of instrumental
  
  literature with a level of difficulty of 3, on a scale of 1 to 6, including
  
  some solos performed from memory

Proficient

• 
  
  perform with expression and technical accuracy a large and varied repertoire
  
  of instrumental literature with a level of difficulty of 4, on a scale
  
  of 1 to 6



• 
  
  
  perform an appropriate part in an ensemble, demonstrating well-developed
  
  ensemble skills



• 
  
  perform in small ensembles with one student on a part

• 
  
  perform with expression and technical accuracy a large and varied repertoire
  
  of instrumental literature with a level of difficulty of 5, on a scale
  
  of 1 to 6

Content Standard 3: Improvising melodies, variations, and

accompaniments

Grades K-4

• 
  
  improvise "answers" in the same style to given rhythmic and melodic phrases



• 
  
  improvise simple rhythmic and melodic ostinato accompaniments



• 
  
  improvise simple rhythmic variations and simple melodic embellishments
  
  on familiar melodies



• 
  
  improvise short songs and instrumental pieces, using a variety of sound
  
  sources, including traditional sounds, nontraditional sounds available
  
  in the classroom, body sounds, and sounds produced by electronic means

• 
  
  improvise simple harmonic accompaniments



• 
  
  improvise melodic embellishments and simple rhythmic and melodic variations
  
  on given pentatonic melodies and melodies in major keys



• 
  
  improvise short melodies, unaccompanied and over given rhythmic accompaniments,
  
  each in a consistent style, meter and tonality

Proficient

• 
  
  improvise stylistically appropriate harmonizing parts



• 
  
  improvise rhythmic and melodic variations on given pentatonic melodies
  
  and melodies in major and minor keys



• 
  
  improvise original melodies over given chord progressions, each in a consistent
  
  style, meter, and tonality

• 
  
  improvise stylistically appropriate harmonizing parts in a variety of styles



• 
  
  improvise original melodies in a variety of styles, over given chord progressions,
  
  each in a consistent style, meter, and tonality

Grades K-4

• 
  
  create and arrange music to accompany readings or dramatizations



• 
  
  create and arrange short songs and instrumental pieces within specified
  
  guidelines



• 
  
  use a variety of sound sources when composing

• 
  
  compose short pieces within specified guidelines, demonstrating how the
  
  elements of music are used to achieve unity and variety, tension and release,
  
  and balance



• 
  
  arrange simple pieces for voices or instruments other than those for which
  
  the pieces were written



• 
  
  use a variety of traditional and nontraditional sound sources and electronic
  
  media when composing and arranging

Proficient

• 
  
  compose music in several distinct styles, demonstrating creativity in using
  
  the elements of music for expressive effect



• 
  
  arrange pieces for voices or instruments other than those for which the
  
  pieces were written in ways that preserve or enhance the expressive effect
  
  of the music



• 
  
  compose and arrange music for voices and various acoustic and electronic
  
  instruments, demonstrating knowledge of the ranges and traditional usages
  
  of the sound sources

• 
  
  compose music, demonstrating imagination and technical skill in applying
  
  the principals of composition

Grades K-4

• 
  
  read whole, half, dotted half, quarter, and eighth notes and rests in 2/4,
  
  * and 4/4 meter signatures



• 
  
  use a system (that is, syllables, numbers or letters) to read simple pitch
  
  notation in the treble clef in major keys



• 
  
  identify symbols and traditional terms referring to dynamics, tempo, and
  
  articulation and interpret them correctly when performing



• 
  
  use standard symbols to notate meter, rhythm, pitch and dynamics in simple
  
  patterns presented by the teacher

• 
  
  read whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth and dotted notes and rests
  
  in 2/4, *, 4/4, 6/8, 3/8 and alla breve meter signatures



• 
  
  read at sight simple melodies in both the treble and bass clefs



• 
  
  identify and define standard notation symbols for pitch, rhythm, dynamics,
  
  tempo, articulation, and expression



• 
  
  use standard notation to record their musical ideas and the musical ideas
  
  of others



• 
  
  (for choral/instrumental ensemble/class) sight-read accurately and expressively,
  
  music with a level of difficulty of 2, on a scale of 1 to 6

Proficient

• 
  
  demonstrate the ability to read an instrumental or vocal score of up to
  
  four staves by describing how the elements of music are used



• 
  
  (for choral/instrumental ensemble/class) sight-read accurately and expressively,
  
  music with a level of difficulty of 3, on a scale of 1 to 6

• 
  
  demonstrate the ability to read a full instrumental or vocal score by describing
  
  how the elements of music are used and explaining all transpositions and
  
  clefs



• 
  
  interpret nonstandard notation symbols used by twentieth-century composers



• 
  
  (for choral/instrumental ensemble/class) sight-read accurately and expressively,
  
  music with a level of difficulty of 4, on a scale of 1 to 6

Grades K-4

• 
  
  identify simple music forms when presented aurally



• 
  
  demonstrate perceptual skills by moving, by answering questions about,
  
  and by describing aural examples of music of various styles representing
  
  diverse cultures



• 
  
  use appropriate terminology in explaining music, music notation, music
  
  instruments and voices, and music performances



• 
  
  identify the sounds of a variety of instruments, including many orchestra
  
  and band instruments, and instruments from various cultures, as well as
  
  children's voices and male and female       voices



• 
  
  respond through purposeful movement to selected prominent music characteristics
  
  or to specific music events while listening to music

• 
  
  describe specific music events in a given aural example, using appropriate
  
  terminology



• 
  
  analyze the uses of elements of music in aural examples representing diverse
  
  genres and cultures



• 
  
  demonstrate knowledge of the basic principals of meter, rhythm, tonality,
  
  intervals, chords, and harmonic progressions in their     yses of music

Proficient

• 
  
  analyze aural examples of a varied repertoire of music, representing diverse
  
  genres and cultures, by describing the uses of elements of music and expressive
  
  devices



• 
  
  demonstrate extensive knowledge of the technical vocabulary of music



• 
  
  identify and explain compositional devices and techniques used to provide
  
  unity and variety and tension and release in a musical work and give examples
  
  of other works that make similar uses of these devices and techniques

• 
  
  demonstrate the ability to perceive and remember music events by describing
  
  in detail significant events occurring in a given aural example



• 
  
  compare ways in which musical materials are used in a given example relative
  
  to ways in which they are used in other works of the same genre or style



• 
  
  analyze and describe uses of the elements of music in a given work that
  
  make it unique, interesting, and expressive

Grades K-4

• 
  
  devise criteria for evaluating performances and compositions



• 
  
  explain, using appropriate music terminology, their personal preferences
  
  for specific musical works and styles

• 
  
  develop criteria for evaluating the quality and effectiveness of music
  
  performances and compositions and apply the criteria in their own personal
  
  listening and performing



• 
  
  evaluate the quality and effectiveness of their own and others' performances,
  
  compositions, arrangements, and improvisations by applying specific criteria
  
  appropriate for the style of the music and offer constructive suggestions
  
  for improvement

Proficient

• 
  
  evolve specific criteria for making informed, critical evaluations of the
  
  quality and effectiveness of performances, compositions, arrangements,
  
  and improvisations and apply the criteria in their personal participation
  
  in music



• 
  
  evaluate a performance, composition, arrangement, or improvisation by comparing
  
  it to similar or exemplary      s

• 
  
  evaluate a given musical work in terms of its aesthetic qualities and explain
  
  the musical means it uses to evoke feelings and emotions

Grades K-4

• 
  
  identify similarities and differences in the meanings of common terms used
  
  in the various arts



• 
  
  identify ways in which the principles and subject matter of other disciplines
  
  taught in the school are interrelated with those of music

• 
  
  compare in two or more arts how the characteristic materials of each art
  
  (that is, sound in music, visual stimuli in visual arts, movement in dance,
  
  human interrelationships in theater) can be used to transform similar events,
  
  scenes, emotions or ideas into works of art



• 
  
  describe ways in which the principles and subject matter of other disciplines
  
  taught in school are interrelated with those of music

Proficient

• 
  
  explain how elements, artistic processes (such as imagination or craftsmanship)
  
  and organizational principals (such as unity and variety or repetition
  
  and contrast) are used in similar and distinctive ways in the various arts
  
  and cite examples



• 
  
  compare characteristics of two or more arts within a particular historical
  
  period or style and cite examples from various cultures



• 
  
  explain ways in which the principles and subject matter of various disciplines
  
  outside the arts are interrelated with those of music

• 
  
  compare the uses of characteristic elements, artistic processes, and organizational
  
  principles among the arts in different historical periods and different
  
  cultures



• 
  
  explain how the roles of creators, performers, and others involved in the
  
  production and presentation of the arts are similar to and different from
  
  one another in the various arts

Grades K-4

• 
  
  identify by genre or style aural examples of music from various historical
  
  periods and cultures



• 
  
  describe in simple terms how elements of music are used in music examples
  
  from various cultures of the world



• 
  
  identify various uses of music in their daily experiences and describe
  
  characteristics that make certain music suitable for each use



• 
  
  identify and describe roles of musicians in various music settings and
  
  cultures



• 
  
  demonstrate audience behavior appropriate for the context and style of
  
  music performed

• 
  
  describe distinguishing characteristics of representative music genres
  
  and styles from a variety of cultures



• 
  
  classify by genre and style (and, if applicable, by historical period,
  
  composer, and title) a varied body of exemplary (that is, high-quality
  
  and characteristic) musical works and explain the characteristics that
  
  cause each work to be considered exemplary



• 
  
  compare, in several cultures of the world, functions music serves, roles
  
  of musicians, and conditions under which music is typically performed

Proficient

• 
  
  classify by genre or style and by historical period or culture unfamiliar
  
  but representative aural examples of music and explain the reasoning behind
  
  their classifications



• 
  
  identify sources of American music genres, trace the evolution of those
  
  genres, and cite well-known musicians associated with them



• 
  
  identify various roles that musicians perform, cite representative individuals
  
  who have functioned in each role, and describe their activities and achievements

• 
  
  identify and explain the stylistic features of a given musical work that
  
  serve to define its aesthetic tradition and its historical or cultural
  
  context



• 
  
  identify and describe music genres or styles that show the influence of
  
  two or more cultural traditions, identify the cultural source of each influence,
  
  and trace the historical conditions that produced the synthesis of influences.