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Stop-walk

by | Nov 30, 2022

1

Category

vocal
rhythmic
instrumental

Age

10+

Number of participants

5+

Duration

approx. 10 min.

Working method

group work

Musical abilities of the trainers

1  2  3  4  5  6

Equipment and instruments
  • optional: any type of instrument
Competences
  • attention
  • concentration
  • creativity
  • cooperation
  • quick reaction
  • team cohesion

Stop-walk

A general warm-up exercise that can also use musical sounds
as a command in a more creative form.

AIM

A general movement exercise in which musical commands can be used to direct group members. This is a useful team-building game, icebreaker, in which the participants can get to know music in a new aspect.

Description

The participants are placed randomly in the space.
At the leader’s command, the participants perform certain activities:
„WALK” – to go
„STOP” – to stop

Then you have to do the opposite:
„WALK” – to stop
„STOP” – to go

You can even go back to the original version so that they understand it literally, and you can change it several times.

You can expand the command words:
„JUMP” – to jump
„SQUAT” – to squat
and so on

With these expanded activities, you can also play the opposite, you just have to discuss exactly what each one means.

 

Level up!

Match each command word to general sound effects or music.
These can be imitations of animal sounds, car sounds, ringtones, different rhythms clapped, and of course they can also be musical – e.g. if there are instruments or vocals, the high-low sounds can be given meaning.

Printable version

Alphabet Game

by | Nov 30, 2022

4

Category

vocal
instrumental

Age

10+

Number of participants

5-30

Duration

approx. 10 min.

Working method

group work

Musical abilities of the trainers

12  3  4  5  6

Equipment and instruments
  • optional: any type of instrument
Competences
  • attention
  • cooperation
  • concentration
  • team cohesion
  • sense of rhythm

Alphabet Game

A cooperative game that focuses on concentration
and has a strong team-building effect.

AIM

The goal of the game is to increase team cohesion, and to develop concentration and attention in terms of individual competencies in a playful form. The musical development of the game has unlimited possibilities.

Description

The participants stand in a circle.
The letters of the ABC are said one after another in a row, according to the way they are next to each other.
The point is that they keep saying the letters one after the other.
If they make a mistake, it’s game over, i.e. it starts over.
The game is constantly accelerating in tempo.

 

Level up!

As in the hocetus game, a well-known melody is played in a circle by syllables. It is also possible to increase the level with musical instruments, also by breaking them down into notes.

Printable version

Feel the Music

by | Nov 30, 2022

6

Category

vocal

Age

12+

Number of participants

8-12

Duration

approx. 25 min.

Working method

group work

Musical abilities of the trainers

1  2  3  4  5  6

Equipment and instruments
  • black/whiteboard, papers, crayons
  • optional: music player / app
    to play the song
Competences
  • collaboration
  • attention
  • concentration
  • movement coordination
  • sence of rhythm

Feel the Music

This activity is generally a warming-up exercise, it gives
the participants the opportunity to get to know each other.

AIM

In addition to the participants’ steady beat, this task is suitable for the development of many competencies through improvisation and quick, yet accurate reaction. It helps to develop musical skills and competencies, i.e. sence of rhythm, concentration, patience, and assistance to practising impovisative chamber music.

Description

  1. The instructor plays a song to the group and asks them to concentrate on its characteristics.
  2. As the music is played, allow participants to walk up to the black/whiteboard and write one word that describes what they are listening to. After some minutes, a lot of words will be on the board.
  3. The next step is to ask the participants to group the words into categories. Select the words that relate to instrumentation, rhythm, genre, tempo, timbre, melody, lyrics or the mood.
  4. Each aspect can be discussed with the participants to help them learn more about music appreciation.

If we choose a popular melody, we can sing along with the recording at the end, or we can improvise a rhythm to it with instruments.

Printable version

Smart Breathing

by | Nov 30, 2022

7

Category

vocal

Age

10+

Number of participants

2+

Duration

approx. 10 min.

Working method

group work

Musical abilities of the trainers

1  2  3  4  5  6

Equipment and instruments
  • app to set the metronome
Competences
  • attention
  • concentration
  • breathing technique
  • general fitness

Smart Breathing

Warm-up exercises to develop breathing technique.

AIM

Simple exercises for developing breathing technique, which is useful in all areas, whether it is talking, singing or even sports or relaxation. The purpose of the exercise is to improve the ability to hold the air in for as long as possible.

Description

Group members stand in a semicircle or circle.

Let’s start with an introductory exercise: the participants hold an „s” sound at the same time for as long as they can.
The goal is to make this sound as long as possible.
The winner is the one who can make the sound for the longest time with one breath.
After that, each participant is measured with a stopwatch for how many seconds the sound lasts with one breath. Participants record their own results.

Next, the facilitator introduces breathing exercises that improve the ability to extend how long we can make a sound with one breath. These are diaphragmatic breathing techniques – one of the foundations of singing with effective air emissions.
The participants stand next to each other with a healthy posture, slightly spread apart, their hands slightly above the waist to feel the breath on their abdomen.

1. Slowing down breathing, getting into a state of rest

  • Set a metronome to 60 BPM
  • Relax, and breathe out
  • On your next breath in, inhale slowly over four counts
  • Hold the air for four counts
  • Breathe out for four counts
  • Rest with no air for four counts
  • When four counts gets easy, increase to five, and so on

2. Diaphragm exercise with consonants

  • We stay at the 60 BPM tempo, the metronome can stay on, it helps guide the task
  • Say the following consonants in sequence on the beats:
    „p”  „t”  „k”  „s”
  • A good technique is when we feel the movement of the diaphragm with our hands when placed on the abdomen
  • We practice until the participants feel this movement
  • Next, we double the consonants on the beats:
    „p”„p”   „t”„t”   „k”„k”   „s”„s”
  • If we’re good at it, we can say three consonants to a beat:
    „p”„p”„p”   „t”„t”„t”   „k”„k”„k”   „s”„s”„s”

At the end, perform the same game as in the introduction: the group members make an „s” sound and make this sound as long as possible and measure it with a stopwatch. We have done the exercises well when they realize that they can hold their breath longer than at the beginning of the session.

comments for facilitators

What you can add to improve the effectiveness of these exercises: lean against the back of a tall chair so that you’re making contact just below your ribs. As you breathe in, try to focus the air so your belly expands, lifting you away from the chair. Your shoulders should not rise or fall, and your neck should be as loose.

Printable version

Sing and Move

by | Nov 30, 2022

8

Category

vocal
rhythmic

Age

12+

Number of participants

10-20

Duration

approx. 30 min.

Working method

group work

Musical abilities of the trainers

1 2 34  5  6

Equipment and instruments
  • music player / app to play the song
  • coloured newspaper pages
Competences
  • movement coordination
  • common singing
  • sense of rhythm
  • attention
  • cooperation
  • team cohesion

Sing and Move

Music game to improve focusing skills
and playful learning about the EU.

AIM

With this game, we can promote the development of the participants’ sense of rhythm and movement coordination, and at the same time develop competencies such as mutual attention and cooperation. Singing together not only stimulates the musical memory, but the learning memory in general.
This exercise also gives participants the opportunity to listen to a symphony orchestra playing classical music (Beethoven: Symphony No. 9) while singing the familiar melody with them. It provides an opportunity to discuss general information about the EU.

Description

  1. Preparation: Collect colored newspaper sheets that can be used to make balls (the size of a tennis ball).
  2. First step is for the participants to grab a sheet of newspaper and create a small ball out of it by squeezing (the tighter folded the better).
  3. After that the participants form a circle and everybody puts the newspaper balls in front of them for now. The participants in the circle hold each other’s hands. The facilitator counts 1-2-1-2 at a steady pace and shows what to do next: everybody has to step left and right in a 2/4 pace.
  4. Next play is to go round the circle and one by one everybody says EU member country, or villages, places etc while keeping tempo and steady beat.
  5. When everyone got comfortable with the steps all participants have to put the ball from their right hands to the left hand of the participant on their right – following the beat as facilitator counts. Group practice this exercise.
  6. When the group is ready to pass the balls, it is possible to combine the delivery of the balls with the steps: pass the ball from the right hand to the left hand of the next member (beat 1), move the ball from the left hand to the right hand (beat 2).
  7. You can take a short break and after that the facilitator starts the counting again 1-2-1-2 at a steady tempo, the participants can start the stepping and the facilitator begins to sing the melody (without text, just la-la!). If somebody in the group knows the tune, they can immediately join in and repeat the Ode to Joy until almost the whole team can follow.
  8. Again, you can take a break while the facilitator can tell this is a famous tune asks if anyone knows who wrote it and what it is famous for? If the group hasn’t heard the melody before, the leader will tell them that it is a large piece of orchestral work that ends with a vocal chant written by a composer named Beethoven, chosen by the Council of Europe as its anthem and used by many occasions and countries in the European Union.
  9. After the break, the practice of stepping and passing the ball may continue, but now with the singing. Here, the leader prepare to turn on the music player: the next time they finish the song, the facilitator turns on the music – version with the band and chorus. It is important that this is a surprise for the group (not heard before) and that the recording should be heard properly. After listening to the symphony excerpt, the group may request a repeat, even several times.

Comments for facilitators

The leader must be very sure of the melody; counting with strong, loud volume; care must be taken to maintain a steady pulse, which can be achieved if the first step (1) is slightly more pronounced. It is advisable to listen to the orchestra recording several times in advance and use the same tempo.
If the group is having difficulty following the exercise, it may be slower to practice, but before the music enters, practice at that tempo.

Printable version