Music

Music and Bugling BSA Supply No. 33341

The history of music is rich and exciting. Through the ages, new music has been created by people who learned from tradition, then explored and innovated. All the great music has not yet been written. Today, the possibilities for creating new music are limitless.

Requirements

1. Sing or play a simple song or hymn chosen by your counselor, using good technique, phrasing, tone, rhythm, and dynamics. Read all the signs and terms of the score.
2. Name the five general groups of musical instruments. Create an illustration that shows how tones are generated and how instruments produce sound.
3. Do TWO of the following:
   1. Attend a live performance, or listen to three hours of recordings from any two of the following musical styles: blues, jazz, classical, country, bluegrass, ethnic, gospel, musical theater, opera. Describe the sound of the music and the instruments used. Identify the composers or songwriters, the performers, and the titles of the pieces you heard. If it was a live performance, describe the setting and the reaction of the audience. Discuss your thoughts about the music.
   2. Interview your parents and grandparents about music. Find out what the most popular music was when they were your age. Find out what their favorite music is now, and listen to three of their favorite tunes with them. How do their favorites sound to you? Had you ever heard any of them? Play three of your favorite songs for them, and explain to them why you like these songs. Ask them what they think of your favorite music.
   3. Serve for six months as a member of a school band, choir, or other local musical group, or perform as a soloist in public six times.
   4. List five people who are important in the history of American music and explain to your counselor why they continue to be influential. Include at least one composer, one performer, one innovator, and one person born more than 100 years ago.
4. Do ONE of the following:
   1. Teach three songs to a group of people. Lead them in singing the songs, using proper hand motions.
   2. Compose and write the score for a piece of music of 12 measures or more.
   3. Make a traditional instrument and learn to play it.
   4. Catalog your own or your family's collection of 12 or more compact discs, tapes, or records. Show how to handle and store them.

Resources

Books

• Aronson, Virginia. The History of Motown. Chelsea House, 2001.
• Barber, Nicola. Music: An A-Z Guide. Franklin Watts, 2001.
• Bouchier, David. Composers. Black Dog and Leventhal, 1999.
• Cohn, Lawrence, ed. Nothing But the Blues: The Music and the Musicians. Abbeville, 1999.
• Cooper, Helen. Basic Guide to How to Read Music. Perigee, 1985.
• Copland, Aaron, and Alan Rich. What to Listen for in Music. Mass Market Paperback, 2002.
• Danes, Emma. Music Theory for Beginners. EDC, 1997.
• Dearling, Robert. Keyboard Instruments & Ensembles. Chelsea House, 2000.
• ------. Percussion & Electronic Instruments. Chelsea House, 2000.
• ------. Stringed Instruments. Chelsea House, 2000.
• ------. Woodwind & Brass Instruments. Chelsea House, 2000.
• Dunleavy, Deborah. The Kids Can Press Jumbo Book of Music. Kids Can Press, 2001.
• Edstrom, Brent. Making Music With Your Computer. 2nd ed. Mix Bookshelf/Mix Books, 2001.
• Ench, Rick, and Jay Cravath. North American Indian Music. Franklin Watts, 2002.
• Ganeri, Anita, and Benjamin Britten. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra. Harcourt, 1996.
• George, Nelson. Hip Hop America. Penguin, 1999.
• Fichter, George S. American Indian Music and Musical Instruments. Random House, 1978.
• Goulding, Phil G. Classical Music: The 50 Greatest Composers and Their 1,000 Greatest Works. Ballantine Books, 1995.
• Havighurst, Jay. Making Musical Instruments by Hand. Rockport, 1998.
• Kallen, Stuart A. The Instruments of Music. Lucent Books, 2002.
• Kingman, Daniel. American Music: A Panorama. Wadsworth, 1998.
• Lehman, Glenn. You Can Lead Singing: A Song Leader's Manual. Good Books, 1995.
• Raph, Theodore, ed. The American Song Treasury: 100 Favorites. Dover, 1989.
• Sennett, Ted, and Andrew G. Hager. Song & Dance: The Musicals of Broadway. Friedman/Fairfax, 2001.
• Smith, Richard D. Bluegrass: An Informal Guide. A Cappella Books, 1995.
• Sullivan, Robert, ed. LIFE Rock & Roll at 50: A History in Pictures. Time, 2002.
• Thomas, Roger. Groups, Bands, & Orchestras. Heinemann Library, 2001.
• Thompson, Wendy. The Great Composers. Lorenz Books, 2001.
• Ward, Geoffrey C., and Ken Burns. Jazz: A History of America's Music. Knopf, 2000.
• Willetts, Sandra. Upbeat Downbeat: Basic Conducting Patterns and Techniques. Abingdon, 1993.
• Wolfe, Charles K. Classic Country: Legends of Country Music. Routledge, 2000.
• Zinsser, William Knowlton. Easy to Remember: The Great American Songwriters and Their Songs. David R. Godine, 2001.

Web Sites and Organizations

The Big Bands Database
Web site: http://64.33.34.112/index.html

The Blues Foundation
Web site: http://www.blues.org

Classical Music Archives
Classical Archives LLC 200 Sheridan Ave., Suite 403
Palo Alto, CA 94306
Telephone: 650-330-8050
Web site: http://www.classicalarchives.com

Country Music Association
One Music Circle South
Nashville, TN 37203
Telephone: 615-244-2840
Web site: http://www.cmaworld.com

International Bluegrass Music Association
1620 Frederica St.
Owensboro, KY 42301 Telephone: 888-438-4262
Web site: http://www.ibma.org

Red Hot Jazz Archive
Web site: http://www.redhotjazz.com

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
One Key Plaza Cleveland, OH 44114
Telephone: 216-781-ROCK
Web site: http://www.rockhall.com

Smithsonian: American Music
Web site: http://www.si.edu/ art_and_design/american/music

Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America
6315 Harmony Lane
Kenosha, WI 53143
Telephone: 800-876-SING
Web site: http://www.spebsqsa.org

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