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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.

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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

Little Bird

by | Nov 30, 2022

9

Category

vocal

Age

10+

Number of participants

12-15

Duration

approx. 20 min.

Working method
  • individual
  • group work
Musical abilities of the trainers

1  2 3 4 5 6

Equipment and instruments
  • roll of paper or pieces of papers (A4)
  • pens
  • envelops
  • music player /app to play the song
Competences
  • cultural/intercultural sensitivity
  • creative writing
  • perception
  • attention
  • text interpretation

Little Bird

Listening and learning a Hungarian song and reading and discussing
the text and practice creative writing inspired by the music.

AIM

The participants get acquainted with a sad Hungarian folk song to widen their horizon in international music. To encourage creativity by writing lyrics for the songs without knowing the original lyrics and with writing a letter they can practise expressing themselves.

Description

Best time to start this session after a tiring task as a relaxing game.
There are a two possible games to play while listening to this song:

1. Before translating the lyrics: participants sit in a circle on the floor, relatively far apart, everyone gets a pen; they write one by one on a cylindrical long roll of paper (and not looking at the text written before) everybody writes in a few words what exactly you think of the song (lyrics, situation, melody); the text should be as short as a twitter message; when you finish writing, pass the roll paper to the next one. They listen to the song until everyone has written something then they read all the text to which they can comment and discuss.

2. After facilitator shares the translation of the lyrics: participants sit in a circle on the ground, relatively far apart; everyone gets a piece of paper and an envelope and writes a short letter based on the mood of the melody (text, story) or they can write a short letter to a person of their choice, to a beloved but distant one (may be a friend, parent, relative or even an unknown) and when they are ready they put their letter to an envelope. They listen to the song so many times while everyone writes their letter. They can hum the melody while writing the letter. The facilitator collects the envelopes, shuffles and distributes them, and then everyone reads the letter they received. All letters can be applaused to encourage the writer.

Lyrics

Madárka, madárka,
Csácsogó madárka,
Vidd el a levelem,
Vidd el a levelem,
Szép magyar hazámba.

Ha kérdi, ki küldte,
Mondjad, hogy az küldte,
Kinek bánatába,
Szíve fájdalmába
Meghasad a szíve.

Translation:
Little bird, little bird,
Chirping liitle bird,
Take my letter, take my letter,
to my beautiful Hungarian homeland.

If he asks who sent it,
Tell him to one sent it,
Whose heart is just ripping because of sedness
and heartache.

comments for facilitators

Listening to and singing (humming) the melody requires a calm, quiet environment without more vigorous movements. It is important that all letters receive praise, applaud each other’s work.

Printable version

Recruiting Dance

by | Nov 30, 2022

10

Category

vocal

Age

12-25

Number of participants

10-16

Duration

approx. 45 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
  • movement coordination
  • attention
  • concentration
  • common singing
  • rhythm recognition
  • body balance

Recruiting Dance

The participants get acquainted with a popular Hungarian soldier recruiting song, which Zoltán Kodály also used in his musical
composition János Háry. Participants can learn a soldier dance
with simple Hungarian folk dance elements.

AIM

Participants learn a melody and dance moves parallelly – this helps to memorise the song easier and deeper. There are various and simple dance moves that change line by line. This session with listening to the music and learning the song and the dance moves improves the participants concentration and they are able to observe the development of their moves by a special community experience.

Description

The group members are standing in a circle or random in the room.
The facilitator start with a brief discussion on the recruitment of the soldiers and how they were inspiried and convinced to join the army. Then facilitator shares information on the hussars: hussar was a member of a class of light-horseman soldiers (light cavalry). This has Central-European origin, in the 15th and 16th centuries. The title and characteristic dress of these horsemen were later widely adopted by light cavalry regiments in European armies in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. A number of armored or ceremonial mounted units in modern armies preserve the title of hussars.
Next step is to listen to the music and/or watch the video with dance. Then the facilitator shows the dance moves to the participants, these are as follows:

Recruiting dance (hussar dance) to the rhythm of the melody:

1. One step to the right with raising the knee (like marching) – one step to the left with raising the knee
2. Two steps to the right with raising the knee
3. Two steps to the left with raising the knee
3. Once clap your hand and one slap to the inner part of right ankle with the left hand
4. Once clap your hand and one slap to the inner part of left ankle with the right hand
5. Once clap your hand and one slap to the inner part of right ankle with the right hand
6. Once clap your hand and one slap to the inner part of left ankle with the left hand
And repeat starting from point 1.

In the end of the session the facilitator can ask the participants how they feel and if they see how inspiring this song and dance ought to be for the people to join the army.

Optional: hussar cap made by the group (cardboard, red felt-tip pen, glue, scissors) – preliminary preparation

Lyrics

A jó lovas katonának
De jól vagyon dolga.
Eszik, iszik a sátorba,
Semmire sincs gondja.
Hej élet, be gyöngy élet,
Ennél szebb se lehet,
Csak az gyüjjön katonának,
Aki ilyet szeret.

Translation:
The good horse-soldier
Has it really good.
He eats and drinks in the tent,
And has no cares at all.
Heigh, life, what a splendid life,
It couldn’t be lovelier,
Only one who likes this kind of life
Should be a soldier.
Printable version

Echo Game

by | Nov 30, 2022

11

Category

vocal
rhythm

Age

10+

Number of participants

10-20

Duration

approx. 40 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
  • optional: percussion instruments
Competences
  • learning and memory skill
  • cultural sensitivity
  • collaboration
  • attention
  • concentration
  • rhythm recognition

Echo Game

Playful learning of a Japanese children’s song with a possible interpretation with echoing sounds, movements

AIM

The well-known Japanese children’s song offers the participants simple and easy-to-learn singing. Echo play processing requires attention and concentration and creates a special atmosphere, especially with adding instruments (drum), movements or play with lights.

Description

  1. The facilitator talks about the significance of children’s songs in music and poetry in everyday life and in general. After that they listen to the song in Japanese.
  2. Facilitator shares the translation of the Japanese text.
  3. The group sings the song while listening to the recording, they practise till they know the melody with confidence.
  4. The group can try to sing the melody in canon as signed in score (Version 1, Version 2).In version 1, we divide the team into two groups. Thus, the two groups sing the same melody, only shifted in time. The first group starts singing the melody and when they get to number 2, the second group starts over.

The version 2 is much more difficult, there we divide the team into three groups, and they sing the melody by directly entering one after the other.

Simple echo game:
Facilitator starts the eco game with the group: first participants form 2 groups and they stand opposite to each other, not close to each other. On the facilitator’s signal the first group starts to say “ho” or “ho-ho” or “ho-ho-ho” and the other group echo’s this. This game can be combined with movement, drums or flashing lights (this work better in the evening).

Lyrics

Ho ho hotaru koi
atchi-no mizu-wa nigai-zo
kotchi-no mizu-wa amai-zo
ho ho hotaru koi

Translation – Come Firefly
Fly, fly, firefly, come
The water over there tastes bitter
The water over here tastes sweeter
Fly, fly, firefly, come
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