High School Flute Ensemble

First Rehearsal 4-27-15

Objective(s):
1. Students will understand the proper breath it takes to play the flute and use this
breath while playing.
2. Students will be able to play the flute with proper posture and holding technique.
3. Students will understand the beginning stages of correct embouchure.
4. Students will hear, feel, and play the differences between piano and forte.
5. Students will be able to play scales, rounds, chorales, and flute ensemble music
with proper technique and good intonation.
Materials:
Flute
Half sheets of paper
Long Tone and Chord Warm-ups sheet
Rounds and Chorales sheet
Procedures:
1. Breathing:
a) Belly exercise
- Hands on belly
- Feel belly expand with inhalation
b) Paper exercise
- Hold paper up to wall
- Use belly breath
- Let go of paper and hold it to the wall using only breath
- Apply this breath to the flute on Bb low register, then high
2. Alignment:
a) Balance bodies from the ground up
- Imagine roots from the ground coming up through your feet, through
your entire body; relaxed, not stiff this should help breath too
- Breathe the flute up (inhale), exhale, take another breath to play
b) Left wrist is bent, allowing fingers to be closer to keys
c) Right wrist is relaxed
d) Right thumb is between pointer and middle finger keys, pointing forward not towards the head joint
e) Right arm pushes out, not collapsed eagle wing, not chicken wing
f) Flute is parallel to the ground
3. Embouchure:
a) Breathe in on how this is correct embouchure for flute
- Corners should be down
- Egg in mouth, with pointed part of egg towards teeth
b) Repeat three times, adding correct belly breath inhale/exhale
4. Dynamics:
a) piano = lips as if sucking on a straw oo, jaw up
b) forte = lips as if blowing on a hot drink to cool it down, jaw down
*Keep space in mouth at all times listen and watch individually to p & f

5. Scales:
a) Play Bb scale together half notes
- Add dynamic contrast within this scale follow conductor
b) Play G scale as a round (every two notes) +1 note at the top (A), half
notes
6. Long Tone and Chord Warm-ups
a) C Major Long Tone Warm-up from sheet
b) F Major Chord Warm-up from sheet
7. Rounds and Chorales
a) O God, Our Help in Ages Past from sheet
- Split three parts
- Careful with intonation
- Be aware of dyamics use lip formations and keep space in mouth
8. Pieces from Mr. Pelton
a) Incorporate all lessons above into these pieces
Assessment:
Teacher will watch for expansion of belly throughout the lesson and paper sticking to the
wall using breath. (group assessment)
Teacher will watch for proper body alignment and holding technique throughout the
lesson. (group assessment)
Teacher will look for proper lip formation/embouchure during how exercise and
throughout the lesson. (group assessment)
Teacher will listen for accurate dynamic differences and watch for proper lip formation
for each dynamic level. (individual assessment)
Teacher will watch and listen for all objectives throughout all scales, rounds, chorales,
and pieces. (group/individual assessment)
Evaluation:
1. Were students able to take deep belly breaths while playing the flute?
Indicate accuracy level for class:

75-85%

86-94%

95-100%

Novice

Competent

Mastery

2. Were students able to align their bodies and flutes for proper playing?
Indicate accuracy level for class:

75-85%

86-94%

95-100%

Novice

Competent

Mastery

3. Were students able to form proper flute embouchure?

Indicate accuracy level for class:

75-85%

86-94%

95-100%

Novice

Competent

Mastery

4. Were students able to play varying dynamics with proper embouchure?

Indicate accuracy level for class:

75-85%

86-94%

95-100%

Novice

Competent

Mastery

5. Were students able to apply the techniques learned to scales, rounds, chorales, and
pieces?
Indicate accuracy level for class:

75-85%

86-94%

95-100%

Novice

Competent

Mastery

NAfME National Standards addressed:

2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
5. Reading and notating music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
7. Evaluating music and music performances.