Lesson Plans
Lesson Plan for 3rd-5th graders
This is a lesson plan I might use in the beginning of the year in a community music school. Where I teach, some students will be brand new to music lessons and Dalcroze, some will be experienced at both, but most will be in between. I try to plan activities that will allow me to…
Read MoreRhythmic Solfège
Translated by Robert M. Abramson Foreword Rhythmic solfège is not in competition with other systems of solfège. It is a complement to them, and an indispensable one. In fact, in the better treatises on the subject, classical or modern, the exercises are given with the sole intention of teaching the laws of pitch and meter,…
Read MoreLesson Plan: Dalcroze with Ages 3-6
Overview This is a lesson adaptable for ages 3 to 6, mid-semester. The subject is Phrase & Form. This lesson is centered around the song “The Birdies Fly Away” (adapted from Humperdinck’s “Hänsel und Gretel”). The musical goals include: The materials one needs for this class includes: Lesson Sequence Opening Circle 1. Trace rainbows in…
Read MoreLesson Plan: “Little notes going up and down”
The song “Little notes going up and down” is based on the C major pentascale (do-re-mi-fa-sol), with the addition of “la” in one of the verses. This song may be used in a music/movement class for babies and/or toddlers. Its main objective is to be aware of the sounds going up and down within the…
Read MoreVideo: Theme and Variations with Cynthia Lilley
This class, recorded live at the 2020 DSA National Conference in Miami, FL, was led by Cynthia Lilley, Dalcroze License. The full lesson on how the Theme and Variations form can be especially useful in the Dalcroze classroom. Haydn’s “Surprise” Symphony, Copland’s “Appalachian Spring,” and Stravinsky’s Suite from “Pulcinella” illustrate the possibilities. Variation on a…
Read MoreVideo: Organic Rhythm with Dawn Pratson
This class, recorded live at the 2020 DSA National Conference in Miami, FL, was led by Dawn Pratson, Dalcroze License, and explores natural rhythms that accompany movement. These rhythms can be inspired by the breath, the heartbeat, or other sources of bodily motion; by spatial pathways and other spatial elements; or by moving in relation to…
Read MoreVideo: Making Joyful Connections with Silvia Del Bianco
This lesson was designed for the opening session at the 2020 DSA National Conference. As Silvia explains, her goal was to have a joyful start, with exercises that weren’t too difficult in terms of concentration and dissociation. Activities invite participants to develop their own movement vocabulary and deepen their connection with the body. In this…
Read MoreVideo: Introduction to Eurhythmics with Dr. Annabelle Joseph
How does a Dalcroze clinician put a room full of DSA National Conference attendees completely at ease while also asking them to take risks? Watch as master eurhythmics teacher Annabelle Joseph shows us how it’s done. Nearly the whole roster of conference attendees was there—and most of us had never met. Yet in short order we…
Read MoreLesson Study Guide: Oh, the Places You Will Go!
This demonstration class was done with students ages 11-13 from the Rhythmic-Solfège IV and Advanced Dalcroze I classes at the Dalcroze School of the Rockies, where they have studied for 7-9 years or more. One of the thing’s that’s remarkable about this method is that it can work in marvelous ways when you first say…
Read MoreLesson Plan: Waltz of the Flowers
This lesson can be used for a wide range of ages and abilities. It may also be adjusted to fit a variety of classroom goals and settings. It explores measure groupings of 3’s and 4’s. Enjoy and please feel free to make it your own! Activity 1: Walks & Bows “Show me how you take…
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