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CMP Teaching Plan

Kasey Brylski
RAIN
Brain Balmages
The FJH Music Company Inc. Grade 2.5/4:15 minutes

Broad Description
This piece was written for the Virginia Band Directors Association District 10.
The calm atmosphere of the piece portrays the beauty and sorrow people associate with rain and stormy weather.
The piece switches from 3/4 and 4/4 meter and the tempo often changes by gradual speeding and slowing.
The gentle nature of the piece allows players to expressive themselves emotionally through the music.

Composer Biography
Brain Balmages was born on January 24, 1975. He is not only a composer but also a conductor, educator, and a
producer. He graduated from the James Madison University with his bachelors degree and the University of Miami with his
masters degree. He has won awards such as the A. Austin Harding Award from the American School Band Directors
Association and the Distinguished Alumni Award" from the James Madison University. He works with many bands as a guest
artist and is the Director of Instrumental Publications for the FJH Music Company. He has been a guest conductor at places
such as the Midwest Clinic, Western International Band Clinic, College Band Directors Eastern Regional Conference, American
School Band Directors Association National Conference.

Balmages, Brain. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.brianbalmages.com/biography.

Background Information
Balmages wrote this piece to embody the varying emotions rain makes people experience from a sense of calmness,
melancholy, and novelty and the chance for musicians to express these sensations. Balmages states that he wrote this piece to
paint a picture of a quiet rainfall with distant rolling thunder. His own feelings of rainy weather are poured into this piece
because he finds relaxation in the sound of raindrops beating on the ground. The piece was premiered by the All District
Middle School Symphonic Band.
Elements of Music
Measure Meter and Form Melody Rhythm Harmony Timbre Texture Expression
Tempo
Opening None Whole notes Bb M Dark Open, Block Sense of calm,
4/4. Andante
1-8 statement cm chords, imitating
64
of A homorhythmic waves
4/4 and 3/4. Clarinets Mostly eighth notes, Bb M Gentle, Polyphonic Tender,
9-16 Speeding & A half notes warm, beautiful
slowing. melodious
Flutes, trumpet Quarter notes, half Eb M Light, Open, Delicate, Delicate,
3/4 and 4/4.
17-24 A solo, notes FM Reedy polyphonic sorrowful
Tempo 1.
trombones/euphs
Opening None Whole notes Bb M Rounded, Homophonic, Calm, relaxing,
4/4. Moving statement heavy homorhythmic waves
25-28
forward of A
repeat
Flutes, Oboe, Eighth notes, Bb M Strong, Broad and full, Uneasy,
3/4 and 4/4.
Clarinet 1, Altos, sixteenth notes, half heavy, polyphonic powerful
29-36 Piu mosso & A
Trumpet notes, quarter notes thick
rit.
(some dotted)
None. Bells have Whole notes and Bb M Soft, light Polyphonic Thunderous,
4/4. Tempo
37-47 B moving line. eighth notes. Dotted distant, waves
1.
sixteenth and eighth
4/4 ad 3/4. Flutes, oboe, Half notes, eighth Bb M Warm, Polyphonic Moving,
48-57 poco accel & A Clarinets, Altos, notes sonorous, unrestful
molto rit. trumpets at 52 thick
None Whole notes to Cm Full, Polyphonic Triumphal,
58-63 4/4. Rit.
quarter resonant
Ending None. Flutes and Whole notes, dotted C M Bb Mellow, Homophonic Calm, peaceful
4/4. Tempo
64-end statement altos have moving quarter, quarter M bright,
1.
(opening) line. thin

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The Heart Statement
Rain compels musicians to reflect on the diverse emotions and experiences rainy weather brings to each individual through
the calm, vibrant, and melancholy personality painted by Balmages writing.

Introducing the Piece


I would start the class by having students listen to rain using a website that generates rain sounds. I would have them close
their eyes and then write down what/how they felt listening to the sounds. I would ask them as a group: How does rain/rainy
weather make you feel? And I would write the ones down on the board that the class shared.

Affective Outcome:
Students will connect their own experience and emotions to elements of music to determine the way rain makes them feel.

Strategies
1. I would have students discuss in groups how rain can mean different things to different people and present something
they discussed to the rest of the class.
2. I would have students collect information on both the benefits and problems that rain can cause based on events that
have happened in the world.
3. I would have students write their own melody that connects to the emotion they feel when they think of rain/when it is
raining.

Assessment
I will assess the students by having them write a short paper about rain using the different topics they learned that include the
information of real world examples of benefits and problems of rain, how rain makes them and others feel, and the elements of
music they used within their own musical excerpt.

Skill Outcome:
Students will be able to play connected musical lines.

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Strategies
1. I would have students sing the slurred melody to get an idea of how to connect the notes with their voice first, so they
can put it in the context of their instruments.
2. I would have students play the slurred melodic line separated instead of how its written and then have them play how
it is written for them to hear and understand the difference.
3. I would have students play the accented section at the end of the piece and then play the slurred melody to contrast the
two.

Assessment
I will assess the students by having them play in sections the contrasting articulations.

Knowledge Outcome:
Students will describe the musical elements used to portray the emotions created in Rain.

Strategies
1. I would read the note that the author wrote about the piece so students can understand his intent of the piece.
2. I would have the students play different sections of the piece (one section portraying calmness, one sadness, and open
rejuvenation) and have them explain why they believe it portrays the different emotions. I would have a chart ready on
the board and the students will come up and fill it out with the different musical aspects as we discuss it.
3. I would have the students write their own piece of music that uses elements from Rain to embody one of three
emotions (sense of newness, sorrow, or calmness) of the piece.
4. I would ask them if they think there are any other emotions/topics that the piece portrays that we had not discussed to
allow them to use their own imagination while analyzing the piece.

Assessment
I would have students fill out a piece of paper with the three different emotions Rain portrays and have the students list out
the various musical elements that correspond with each feeling.

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Recommended Recordings
TMEA Region 2 High School 5A Concert Band - Denton Guyer High School - Conducted by Amy Woody.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4_qWq2Gs7w
I recommend this recording because is a good performance that students can strive for from themselves. It has
recognizable changes in dynamics and character that make this recording dramatic and expressive.
The recording on the FJH website performer unknown conductor unknown.
https://www.fjhmusic.com/band/mp3/b1357.mp3
I recommend this recording because the phrasing well done as the band comes in together and ends by lifting or
tapering their sound as needed. The sound steady throughout and the sections sound as one with each other while keeping
balance with the rest of the band.

References
Balmages, Brain. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.brianbalmages.com/biography.
Pigeon, Stphane. (2016). Rain Today. Retrieved from https://rain.today/.

Works for Winds


Balmages has written many other works for band ranging from grade 0.5-5 including:
Rippling Watercolors
Among the Clouds
Endless Rainbows
Arabian Dances
Evocatio

Glossary of Terms
Andante Lirico slow and lyrical
Poco piu mosso moving a little faster
Poco rit a little slower
Cresc. poco a poco louder little by little
Poco accel a little faster
Molto rit growing very much slower

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Moving forward
Broadening

Sang through, studied, and marked parts (check off as completed)

x Piccolo x Cornets/Trumpets x 1st Violins


x Flutes x Horns x 2nd Violins
x Oboes x Trombones x Violas
x English Horn x Euphoniums x Celli
x Bassoons x Tubas x String Bass
x Eb Clarinet x Harp
x Clarinets x Timpani
x Alto Clarinets x Snare Drum x Sopranos
x Bass Clarinets x Mallet Percussion x Altos
x Contra Bass/Alto Clarinet x Remaining Percussion x Tenors
x Saxophones x Piano x Basses

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