Distance Learning: Music Bridge Offerings

THE ORTO CENTER DISTANCE LEARNING AND RECORDING ARTS

Music Bridges K-12 and Community Program Offerings

The Orto Center @msm_dl

Winner: 2011-2015, 2019-2021 Honorable Mention: 2010-2011

ABOUT THE ORTO CENTER Manhattan School of Music's award winning Orto Center offers K-12 standards-based music and interdisciplinary programs to public and private schools around the globe as well as music enrichment programs for lifelong learners in library, retirement and community-center settings.

For K-12 audiences, national and New York state learning standards are incorporated into each program’s content, design and assessment, as are connections to core subjects such as Social Studies, Language Arts, World History and Mathematics. Applied music instruction such as private and group lessons and instrumental and vocal ensemble coachings in classical, jazz and musical-theatre styles.

On-Demand and Customized Learning: All of our K-12 and lifelong learning programs are fully-on demand. They are scheduled to accommodate your school or community needs, and can be modified for specific grade levels, age groups, and curriculum requirements.

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Table of Contents ENSEMBLE COACHINGS AND LESSONS

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MUSIC-THEMED PROGRAMS

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INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAMS

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COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS

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CONTACT Chris Shade, Director of the Orto Center, Distance Learning and Recording Arts cshade@msmnyc.edu David Marsh, Distance Learning Program Manager, Orto Center, Distance Learning and Recording Arts dmarsh@msmnyc.edu Mohit Diskalkar, Network Systems Engineer, Orto Center, Distance Learning and Recording Arts mdiskalkar@msmnyc.edu Caitlin Duffy, Digital Education Specialist, Orto Center, Distance Learning and Recording Arts cduffy@msmnyc.edu Sign up today at WWW.CILC.ORG

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ENSEMBLE COACHINGS AND LESSONS

CHAMBER ENSEMBLE COACHING A Manhattan School of Music teaching artist will work with a group of student instrumentalists to cover areas such as technique, interpretation, ensemble, phrasing, and other topics as requested. Classroom teachers are encouraged to send music they would like to have reviewed during the videoconference session.

Grades: 6–12 Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $250

CHORAL ENSEMBLE COACHING Using classical or jazz repertoire selected by the classroom teacher, a Manhattan School of Music teaching artist will work with a select group of vocalists to improve musicality, breathing, style considerations, and other technical matters as requested. Teachers are encouraged to send music they would like to have reviewed during the videoconference.

Grades: 6–12 Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $250

INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP INSTRUMENTAL AND VOICE LESSONS Students at partner schools may take private or group instrumental or voice lessons with an MSM teaching artist. Partner schools may select either a classical, jazz, or musical theatre emphasis. Brass, wind, string, piano, and percussion group lessons are available, as well as jazz music and improvisation lessons. Instruction will cover areas from technique and analysis to musical and stylistic interpretation. MSM also provides 4

educational support such as lesson plans from each teaching artist, video recordings of each lesson, and a certificate of completion for each student at the end of the session.

Grades: 7–12 Length of Program: Five 45-minute sessions or regular class periods Cost: $350 (package of 5 lessons)

JAZZ ENSEMBLE COACHING Student instrumentalists and vocalists will have the opportunity to work with a Manhattan School of Music teaching artist on subjects ranging from improvisation, rehearsal techniques, and other areas as requested.

Classroom teachers are encouraged to send music they would like to have reviewed during the videoconference.

Grades: 6–12 Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $250

MUSICAL THEATRE COACHING Using popular musical theatre repertoire selected by the classroom teacher, a teaching artist will work with individual vocalists to improve stage presence, breathing, style considerations, and other techniques as determined on an individual basis. Classroom teachers are encouraged to send music they would like to have reviewed during the videoconference.

Grades: 6–12 Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $250

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MUSIC-THEMED PROGRAMS AMERICAN MUSIC AMERICAN MUSIC: TONALITY, TRADITION, AND INNOVATION

The 20th century was a time of experimentation and development across all art forms. We can see this in the abstract expressionism of Jackson Pollock, the pop art of Andy Warhol, and the avant-garde dance of Merce Cunningham. Similarly, American music shifted its focus from its folk roots to acoustic experimentation. This program explores how legendary American composers, including Aaron Copland and George Gershwin, lay the foundations for the techniques adopted by experimental composers such as Henry Cowell and John Cage. An MSM teaching artist helps uncover a range of social influences that sparked this movement, which has influenced the current trend of fusion between music, visual arts, and/or dance. Students will observe the performance of live extended instrumental techniques and will also create their own pieces involving new auditory possibilities. An intensive interactive program designed to inspire students to explore new artistic possibilities.

Grades: 9–12; Lifelong Learners Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $200

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GOLDEN YEARS: MUSIC OF THE GOLD RUSH ERA

During times of hardship, music and culture can flourish. Take a closer look at the lives of the mid-19th-century California gold miners and how they expressed their disappointment, homesickness, and pride through song. Join an MSM teaching artist as they perform and lead critical discussions on songs from the era. Students will gain an insightful perspective into life on America’s Western frontier.

Grades: 7–8 Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $200

STORY OF A COMPOSER: GEORGE GERSHWIN

Now free from "The Great War", the 1920s saw the nation able to develop its own rich culture. Major cities became centers for innovation in music, shunning European classicism for a freedom that was strictly American.

It was out of this ideal that the most famous of our composers, George Gershwin, emerged. An MSM teaching artist will describe the historical and social contexts of his compositions and guide students to discover the features of classical and jazz idioms he incorporated into his musical scores. A creative opportunity for students to use their critical thinking 7

skills, with live performance and analysis of Gershwin’s best-known works, including Porgy and Bess and Rhapsody in Blue.

Grades: 7–12; Lifelong Learners Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $200

CLASSICAL & POP MUSIC CLASSICAL MEETS POP: HOW THE TWO FALL IN LOVE

Join an MSM teaching artist in an informative and lively discussion about what elements categorize music as classical or pop. With the aid of live piano performances and recorded examples, students will define musical elements, learn historical contexts, and discover how the two seemingly disparate genres share the same language. Critical thinking activities also include the analysis of texts from both time periods. Designed to engage young audiences with examples from hip-hop and rock, the program also widens students’ appreciation so that they will begin to listen to Mozart and Schubert with new ears.

Grades: 8–12 Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $200

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THE SOUNDS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC TODAY

Join an MSM teaching artist as they debunk the popular myth that classical music is “old and boring.” This interactive program focuses on music written since 1950, ranging from experimenters John Cage and Karl Stockhausen to current pop artists Björk and Radiohead.

Students will discover the fresh, exciting, and outrageous sounds of what contemporary classical music really is, leading to a greater appreciation and understanding of classical music today.

Grades: 8–12 Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $200

JAZZ JOURNEY THROUGH JAZZ

A Manhattan School of Music teaching artist trio takes students on a field trip through jazz in this presentation. Come along for the ride as the musicians introduce their instruments (piano, bass, and drums) and each of their roles in the trio. Hear them talk about the “rules” of jazz and what happens when those rules are broken. Listen as they play familiar musical 9

examples to demonstrate some common jazz styles. An interactive and exciting way to learn about some of the basic sounds of jazz, with live musicians! OUR MOST REQUESTED PROGRAM Grades: 4-8 Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $250

LATIN JAZZ: THE SPANISH TINGE

Have you ever wanted to know about the rhythms behind the merengue, salsa, cha cha cha, or mambo? Here’s your chance to learn the beats of your favorite dance music while our talented teaching artist trio turn you into Latin jazz experts. This interactive program discusses the musical and cultural origins that make this style of jazz so distinctive.

Grades: 6–9; Lifelong Learners Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $250

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A toe-tapping exploration of this irresistible style!

DUKE ELLINGTON: AMERICA’S COMPOSER

Regarded as one of America’s most prolific and important composers, Duke Ellington formed an important cornerstone in the foundation of American music. Join an MSM teaching artist jazz trio as they lead students on an interactive exploration of his life and times. Students will listen to live performances of his incomparable music, learn about his legendary band, and discover new and exciting facts about the man himself.

Grades: 4–8 Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $250

THE HISTORY OF JAZZ: SWINGING THROUGH TIME

In this presentation, a Manhattan School of Music teaching artist trio will trace jazz from its beginnings in New Orleans, through its growth in the big cities of New York and Chicago, and on to its success on the international stage. Students will interact with the musicians during a live

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in-depth look at one of America’s own art forms. They will learn about America’s cultural and social history as it is reflected in the music of ragtime, swing, bebop, and cool jazz.

Grades: 3–8 Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $250

WORLD MUSIC SINGING LEGENDS, DANCING LIONS: AN EXPLORATION OF CHINESE MUSIC TRADITIONS

In an exciting exploration of Chinese music and dance traditions, teaching artist Jing Yang reveals the secrets behind Beijing Opera and the Lion Dance with live music, engaging videos, interactive movement and more.

Students will learn Chinese words and characters. A perfect program for classes looking for an enriching cultural journey.

Grades: 2–4 Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $200

TALKING TABLA: DRUMS OF INDIA AND BEYOND

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Explore tabla drums from India and take a journey through the world of percussion instruments. A mini-concert is followed by an interactive learning discussion by master percussionist, Rohin Khemani, who has played percussion for over 30 years. Learn about how the tabla is played, where it comes from, the legend of how it was invented, and the unique language used to share its sounds. Discover the three main ways percussion instruments are played. Develop an understanding of how different percussion instruments can play together even though they may come from different countries.

Grades: K-8 Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $200

FEET GOT THE BEAT

Rhythm: It's the groove that makes you move; it's the beat that moves your feet! Students will embark on a cultural journey through music and dance. A movement-based experience that gets students up on their feet, Feet Got the Beat helps students solidify geography knowledge while growing awareness about other culture. A pair of MSM Teaching Artists will introduce different musical styles and instruments, while guiding students through native dance moves from West Africa, Ireland, Haiti, and the United States. A wonderful way to build class community and enrichment!

Grades: 1-5 Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $250

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GENERAL MUSIC ALOHA MUSIC: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE UKULELE

Join an Manhattan School of Music teaching artist for an exciting and interactive look at Hawaii’s quintessential musical instrument. Students discover the ukulele’s unique history through live musical examples and media-rich tools. An overview of the instrument’s fundamentals and technique gives students a handful of common chord patterns and a closer look at the workings of the ukulele. Optional Applied Instruction Section: The MSM teaching artist can instruct the students on their own classroom ukuleles, performing popular songs together over videoconference. A fun, jam-packed program on music and culture!

Grades: 3-5 Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $200

HOPPING WITH THE HARP

Join an MSM teaching artist for an interactive exploration of one of music’s most beautiful instruments. While learning about the workings of 14

the classical harp, students will acquire an understanding of sound and music through interactive games and movement-based activities.

Grades: Pre-K Length of Program: 30–40 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $160

MUSIC, MELODY & ME

A creative and hands-on educational unit designed to supplement elementary school curriculum in the basic building blocks of music.

Two optional pre-conference lessons engage students in constructing their own musical instruments and engage their critical thinking skills to discover different sound qualities. The videoconference is a spirited exchange, showing students how sounds are fashioned into music and transforming their own motivic ideas into spontaneous improvisatory compositions. These concepts are also dynamically illustrated by talented Manhattan School of Music teaching artists. Video excerpts demonstrate how great Western composers use motivic design to create their own compositions. Students face the challenge in the post-videoconference lesson of creating melodies of their own.

Grades: 3–5 Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $200

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CAROLING AROUND THE COUNTRY

Sing into the holiday season with MSM! Join our teaching artists in a holiday themed sing-along to get into the spirit of the season!

Grades: K–6 Length of Program: 30-45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $200

INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAMS AMERICAN VOICES: SONG AND CITIZENSHIP IN THE USA

What do the songs and music you listen to say about you? What does a musical artist’s music say about themselves? Join MSM Distance Learning for “American Voices: Song and Citizenship in the U.S.A.” in which we explore American song throughout the 20th century, and how songwriters have used their music to foster social change or promote American cultural and national identity. Within the backdrop of major political and cultural movements of the 20th Century, including the Gilded Age, Progressivism, WWII, the Civil Rights Era, and Globalism.

Live and historic performances ranging from Bel Canto Opera, New Orleans Jazz, Gospel, and Pop Music, this program will be presented 16

in this not-to-miss exploration of American culture as seen through the lens of history and music.

Grades: 11-12; Lifelong Learners Length of program: 60 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $200

¡FIESTA! MUSIC AND CULTURE OF SPAIN AND LATIN AMERICA

Travel with MSM teaching artist Ana Garcia in this one or two-session cultural journey through Spain and/or Latin America. We’ll explore the historic Iberian Peninsula, let loose at Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival, and Tango ‘til morning in a smoky Buenos Aires nightclub. As young scholars, students will examine the fiesta’s historical significance in Latin culture through an interactive, analytic study of music, dance, poetry, history, and literature and apply what they learn to discover how leading ‘nationalist’ composers recreated their culture’s ¡Fiesta! inside the concert hall. Schedule in English, Spanish, or both. This class is designed for high schools students in a variety of class disciplines, including history, language arts, Spanish language classes, and music.

Grades: 9–12; Lifelong Learners Length of program: 60 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $200/class or $300/two-part series

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¡FIESTA! MUSIC AND CULTURE OF LATIN AMERICA FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES In ¡Fiesta! Music and Culture of Latin America for Young Audiences, budding cultural detectives will travel with Teaching Artist, Ana Garcia, where they’ll explore and interact with dance performances, live music, poetry and literature to understand the colorful, culturally significant fiestas of Latin America. ¡Fiesta! explores the historical background and rich cultural traditions of Latin America through music, dance, poetry, literature, and the works of leading ‘nationalist’ composers. Schedule ¡Fiesta! and start your journey today!

Grades: 4-5 Length of program: 60 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $200

FROM HAMILTON TO WEST SIDE STORY: IDENTIFYING THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE THROUGH SONG

What do a Founding Father, the Pacific Theater of WWII, and a midcentury Puerto Rican street gang all have in common? Find out in MSM Distance Learning’s “From Hamilton to West Side Story: Identifying the American Experience through Song.” In this night on the town, we’ll take a trip on the “Great White Way” where we’ll examine three preeminent American musicals, Richard Roger’s South Pacific, Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story, and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash hit Hamilton. Evaluating the historical context and socio-cultural issues in each musical, students will tackle the overt and underlying themes as a means to reflecting on their own cultural and personal identities. In addition to live performance by an MSM teaching artist,

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students will collaboratively compose and perform their own historical rap! Join us and discover what makes the American Musical a defining part of American culture and identity.

Grades: 11-12; Lifelong Learners Length of program: 60 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $200

MUSIC AND NATIONALISM: SOUNDS OF CHANGE

Join an MSM teaching artist as they trace the emergence of nationalism during the 19th century in four different countries: Germany, Finland, Norway, and Czechoslovakia. This program explores where the need for nationalistic music originated, what conditions cultivated the artist as an agent of social change, and what world changes occurred through composers’ work. Through live performance as well as video and audio clips, an MSM teaching artist describes the conditions that led to the development of nationalism in each country and defines the elements that make up nationalistic music. Students will be encouraged to develop their analytical skills by examining the music examples and discussing their own sense of nationalism. This program offers a unique connection to world history and national identity through music performance and discussion.

Grades: 9–12; Lifelong Learners Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $200 per session

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MUSIC OF THE COLD WAR

At a time when two nations competed on all fronts to assert their superiority, music was on the front line. With live performance, rare news footage, and engaging discussion, an MSM teaching artist explores the ways in which music defined the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War, from government propaganda to dissenting critiques of the times. A fascinating look into history through music!

Grades: 9–12; Lifelong Learners Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $200

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MUSIC AND LITERATURE: HOW THE TWO ARTS MEET

Join an MSM teaching artist as they lead a lively discussion designed to engage middle-school students, comparing literary examples such as J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels with classical composers of the 19th century.

Students examine song settings and programmatic pieces and with guided help, will learn to recognize poetry within the music. Preliminary questions and texts are given in advance as a starting point for this innovative exploration of the connection between language and music.

Grades: 7–8; Lifelong Learners Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $200

MUSICAL MATH

Fractions are all around us, especially in music! An MSM teaching artist reveals the mathematical secrets behind music, with interactive, audiovisual activities, and fun mathematical models. Using these math

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exercises, students create music together on the spot. The program teaches fraction equivalence and reinforces quantitative reasoning in a brand new way!

Grades: 4–5 Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $200 per session

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS JAZZ’S BIGGEST HITS: FROM THE CHARLESTON TO HERBIE HANCOCK

Take a trip through history as you rediscover jazz’s greatest hits.

Join our teaching artist trio on a whirlwind musical voyage from the 1920s to the present day. Hear familiar tunes and learn the stories behind these unforgettable favorites. Who wrote them and why? How did they become so well known? A toe-tapping journey that is both enlightening and entertaining!

Cost: $250

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JAZZY THEMES, CLASSICAL MATTERS

What did Jelly Roll Morton learn from Johann Sebastian Bach? How is Oscar Peterson’s musical style similar to that of Claude Debussy?

Our teaching artists explore these questions as they show you how some of the greatest jazz musicians have been influenced by classical masters. Though they seem worlds apart, many jazz tunes are based on concepts from the classical world. Participants help our musicians identify themes, patterns, and rhythms from selected classical and jazz favorites. A presentation that crosses stylistic divisions in an entertaining and informative way.

Cost: $250

MUSIC OF THE BIG BAND ERA

Join us for an entertaining program where our musicians show you how to swing! Find out what a standard jazz big band looks and sounds like, learn about each instrument’s role in the group, and discover the “Swing feel.”

Then, get a good look at the anatomy of a big band tune – you’ll even get to help our teaching artist trio compose one on the spot!

Length of Program: 45 minutes or one regular class period Cost: $250

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RAT PACK FAVORITES: MUSIC FROM FRANK, SAMMY, AND THEIR PALS

Everyone knows the Rat Pack – the ultimate in cool back in the 1960s.

But just how did this group of musicians and actors become the inimitable Rat Pack? What songs do you identify with each member? How did the events of the day make them stars? Join our teaching artist trio as they discover and explore these iconic performers and their memorable hits.

Cost: $250

THE JAZZ COMPOSER

Join our teaching artists as they discuss the unique musical approaches of four different jazz composers: Billy Strayhorn, Bill Evans, Thelonious Monk, and Wayne Shorter. Discover interesting details of their education, careers, and influences and enjoy live performances of some of their greatest compositions. An informative look into a variety of musical techniques and personal style.

Length of Program: 45 minutes Cost: $250 24

THE MUSIC OF WORLD WAR II: SONGS OF HOPE AND LOVE

Learn about the historical and cultural circumstances behind some of the best-known and most-loved songs from the World War II era. How were the composers able to write such beautiful tunes during times of such upheaval and hardship? What stories lie beneath each song? Uncover the chronicles of this memorable era of music from the 20th century.

Length of Program: 45 minutes Cost: $250

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS K–12 MUSIC: A DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAM OVERVIEW This program introduces teachers and administrators to the interactive and engaging educational videoconference programs offered by Manhattan School of Music Distance Learning. Our program staff will give an overview of our standards-based content and programming, show video samples of our programs, provide a tutorial on using our interactive website, explain our educational resources and curriculum, and leave ample time for questions or group discussion. Join us for this free presentation and learn how to incorporate Manhattan School of Music content into your curriculum!

Length of Program: 30 minutes Cost: Free

TEACHING JAZZ: BIG BAND BASICS TO IMPROVISATION Choose from a variety of topics, including How to Swing, Jazz Improvisation, The Development of Jazz, Big Band Rehearsal Techniques, or a jazz pedagogy theme of your choice. Led by a Manhattan School of Music Jazz faculty member, this informative presentation will advance your skills in instructing students in the performance, history, theory, and/ or practice of jazz.

Length of Program: 60 minutes Cost: $200

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