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Conductor

45

Category

vocal
instrumental

Age

15+

Number of participants

5-30

Duration

approx. 30 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
  • individual responsibility
  • creativity
  • attention
  • cooperation
  • concentration
  • singing together

Conductor

The game draws attention to the challenges and excitement of a leadership role, such as that of a conductor.

AIM

The activities provide participants with the opportunity to learn first-hand certain musical characteristics: tempo, dynamics and timbre. For all of this, we have chosen a suitable and easy melody as an example, which can be easily sung by participants who are not familiar with music.

Description

The first task is to find the song that the majority of the group knows well, sing it several times so that everyone knows it confidently.
One participant is chosen to be the conductor (the instructor can be the conductor for the first time to show the group what to do). They can choose a song, e.g. Oh I’m going to sing.

The instructor explains that when the conductor raises his arms higher in the air, he wants the participants to sing louder. If the conductor holds his arms lower, the group should sing more softly. In addition, the conductor can indicate start (e.g. thumbs up) and stop signals (e.g. flat hand towards them). The group can agree on which notation to use for slowing down and speeding up the tempo. So, you can freely expand the instructions and markings.

Level up!

Once the participants are familiar with this activity, we can let the group, the „band”, use body instruments or rhythm instruments.
We could also divide the participants into groups of similar instruments, where the conductor controls the dynamics of each group when he gets close to them.

Coordination Game

46

Category

rhythmic

Age

8+

Number of participants

5-30

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
  • movement coordination
  • attention
  • cooperation
  • concentration
  • sense of rhythm

Coordination Game

A very simple, yet tricky movement coordination game in which keeping rhythm is important.

AIM

The game develops movement coordination with a very simple tool, but at the same time it also focuses on keeping the rhythm, and also improving concentration.

Description

The participants stand up, alternately clapping and stamping during the game.
First we start with ten claps – then ten stamps (with alternating legs).
This is followed by 9 claps – 9 stamps…, etc. up to 1 clap – 1 stamp.
Here, however, the game does not end, but turns back!
Then one more clap-stamp up to 10 movements again.

Check My Beat

47

Category

rhythmic

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
  • creativity
  • improvisation
  • attention
  • cooperation
  • concentration
  • rhythm recognition
  • sense of rhythm

Check My Beat

A simple game that encourages concentration, keeping the pace, and is based on creativity.

AIM

The goal of the game is to create mutual attention, to promote teamwork and cooperation, while also developing a sense of rhythm and rhythm recognition. Figuring out rhythm formulas develops creativity, and imitation strengthens musical memory.

Description

1. Participants are standing in a circle.
2. The instructor says in a rhythmic way: Here is my rhythm now, check my beat! and claps the steady beat four times.
3. The participants answer together in a rhythmic way, too: We got your rhythm now, here is your beat! and they clap the same.
4. The next person clockwise will be the next one who finds out a new formula and the others will repeat it together and so on.

The formula always contains four quarters, but it can be performed in many ways, e.g. with clicking, with tapping a body part, with la-la. Alternatively, these activities can be mixed.

Rhythm Machine

48

category

rhythmic

Age

8+

Number of participants

5-30

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
  • movement coordination
  • attention
  • cooperation
  • concentration
  • rhythm recognition
  • sense of rhythm

Rhythm Machine

A rhythm game with which a more complex sound can be achieved.

AIM

This game for developing the sense of rhythm requires a more complex way of thinking by combining simple elements. It depends on the creativity of the participants to achieve a complex sound by layering the rhythms.

Description

This activity is similar to the game called Give me rhythms.
Participants are sitting in a circle. One person starts the Rhythm Machine by doing a simple rhythm that repeats over and over.
This pattern can be a basic 4/4 quarter note beat.
The person sitting to the left of the starter then adds his/her own rhythm to go along with the rhythms that are already going.
Again, the rhythm has to be repeated and cannot be changed.
After everyone has added a rhythm, the first person stops doing his/her rhythm. The others continue their rhythm, the next round the second person drops out, and so on. It continues until the last person has a rhythm.

Rhythm examples:

 

Comment for facilitators

Percussion instruments can be used during the games, e.g. drums, percussion eggs, wood maracas, rhythm sticks, bells or castanets.
During the activities be care of the steady beat!

Spring Breeze

50

Category

vocal

Age

14+

Number of participants

10+

Duration

approx. 30 min.

Working method

group work

Musical abilities of the trainers

1  2  3  4 5 6

Equipment and instruments
  • music player / app to play the song
Competences
  • improvisation
  • creativity
  • attention
  • concentration
  • confidence
  • team cohesion
  • inner voice
  • sense of rhythm 

Spring Breeze

An exercise starting from a simple song, which offers a very exciting sound, but requires practice and experience to achieve

AIM

After learning and singing the simple song, this game gives you an opportunity with the sounds of the song, which creates a very interesting atmosphere. If you manage to sound it well, the piece is a lasting experience for everyone who participated in the
process.

Description

1. The first step is to learn the song „Tavaszi szél” so that everyone knows the notes with confidence. This can be done by the leader learning it in advance and the participants learning it from her/him, or by learning the song together with the
recordings.
2. If singing the song at a tempo is already going well, then you can play together by singing it slower and faster.
3. After that, we first divide the participants into two or three groups, and the groups enter the song at different times, essentially like a canon. (This step can even be skipped, but we have found that it is worthwhile to try together before the improvisation so that the song does not play at the same time.)
4. After that, there is only one more step: everyone starts singing the song at different times and at different tempos, but it is important that they start from the same pitch!

When the notes of the song are played together, the notes of the pentatonic scale are heard, which gives it such a special atmosphere.

LYRICS

Tavaszi szél vizet áraszt virágom, virágom.
Minden madár társat választ virágom, virágom.
Hát én immár kit válasszak virágom, virágom.
Te engemet, én tégedet virágom, virágom.

Translation:
Spring wind floods waternmy darling, my darling
Every bird chooses a partner my darling, my darling
Well, who should I choose my darling, my darling?
You choose Me, I choose You my darling, my darling