Submitted by Diane Hamilton, Churchville, New York
Idea posted November 4, 2003
BEFORE playing a listening selection, give each child a piece of paper and a pencil. Tell them that they have to make a "video" in their brain while the music plays. Ask students to close their eyes, and turn off the lights when everyone has their eyes closed. Play the selection. As soon as their eyes open, tell them to write down what the video was about and draw a picture to go with it. Play the selection again as they write. Have them finish the exercise in their classroom and get a grade from their teacher for it, or post the descriptions and pictures out in the hall for others to see.
See how close they come to the composer's idea. I tell them AFTER they have their story what the composer really thought of. One student thought of a mountain for "Hall of the Mountain King" with no prompting! They will soon realize what composers do in their music to "paint a picture" and how every individual will hear a different picture, but yet have similar themes.