Very-Variation Music Composition Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan
Music Composition Elementary – Middle - High
2 - 3 lessons
Students will compose a piece of music using basic variation form techniques. They will select a simple, well-known melody and create 3 to 4 variations, and practice and perform the composition.
Objectives
Within 2-3 lessons, students will compose a piece of music using basic variation techniques. In the process the student will:
• Explore and analyze pitch and rhythm
• Explore and analyze formal structure
• Learn and memorize through practice to write a rhythmic and/or melodic motif and develop a motif
• Learn, review and practice basic compositional techniques such as repetition, sequence and/or fragmentation to create
variations
• Analyze the character and mood changes particular variations techniques lend to a piece
• Explore variation form as a basic technique of extending a composition
• Acquire, review or practice basic staff notation
Concepts
• Melody
• Rhythm
• Motif
• Repetition
• Sequence
• Fragmentation
• Character/Mood
• Tonality
• Accompaniment style
• Meter