The setting: For July 3, 4:30 p.m. This was a session with two string players, in the meditation building at an away special needs camp. All campers in attendance were over 21, ranging in age 21-70 plus. They were mostly new campers, hot and tired on the second day of camp. They had a wide range of ability to process. They were excited and attentive but beginning to flag. Many were in wheelchairs.
Questions: What adjustments to the time of day and their mental and emotional state might you make in your planned program? Selections might be shorter, have more contrast in what they ask of the listener, be more interactive, and involve less reflective music. If campers are not very verbal or have trouble processing, you could model the actions you want and talk less. Other considerations in designing your program are: How mobile are they? How well can they hear? Can they move their legs while seated? Do they have good control over their hands and arms? Do you have appropriate percussion instruments if you want them to accompany the music? Are they getting hungry or have trouble paying attention? Activities must be adapted to their capabilities.
After introducing yourselves and your instruments you could:
- Sing something connected to the time of year). If you don’t want to include much July 4 music, you could sing Happy Birthday USA (instead of America the Beautiful and/or Star Spangled Banner.)
- All sing /learn a Greeting Song, familiar to returning campers, such as Shalom My Friends (you can make up your own greeting words to the tune).
If you want to have them continue with singing, play something like Signal Mountain Sunrise, which can include drone pitches you give them to sing.
- Sing something familiar to them: Take Me out to the Ball Game. Less familiar songs that might be appropriate such as Auld Lang Syne or The Water is Wide could be creatively worked in somewhere!
You have some options depending on their energy, attentiveness etc. you could:
- Sing some simple rounds (taught by rote).
- Quietly listen to something such as some of the following, continuing the imitation/round/motif idea but this time with just instruments:
Dona Nobis Pacem
Bach 2-part Invention in F
Leclair Giga 2 violins
Telemann Canonic Duos
Telemann Sonata II Spirituoso
Or introduce the Rondo:
Mozart Duo G Rondeau
Mozart Rondo alla Turca
Or you could try
- Active listening: What is the story? Use short ” musical painting” pieces (or programmatic music) such as
Bartok Duos: 19 A Fairy Tale, 28 Sorrow, 32 Dancing Song, 36 Bagpipe, 43 Pizzicato, 35 Ruthenian Dance, Bartok Romanian Folk Dance No.3 Standing Still.
NB: if the listeners aren’t responsive, start talking among themselves, or are becoming inattentive, draw them back in by having them participate more: include pieces where they can clap, stomp, snap their fingers as appropriate or speak the contrasting rhythmic patterns of each part before you play.
Question: How could you frame Bartok’s Stick Game, Dance, Horn Song and Fast Dance?
- They can move to music, warm up or stretch, or practice breathing with a leader while listening to music such as:
Waldteufel Skater’s Waltz.
- You could have them march, practice breathing or accompany with percussion while you play short pieces such as:
Chanters Tune
Kerry Dance
Basket of Turf
Kesh Jig
Lannigan’s Ball
Old Joe Clark
Rakes of Mallow
Swallowtail Jig
Sweet Killaloe
Tempo, volume and energy level can increase as appropriate.
- Slow down, calm down and end your session with quieter music such as:
Skye Boat Song
Dona Nobis Pacem
Simple Gifts
O Waly, Waly (The Water is Wide verse 1, and end with new words, “my friend and I”)
Recuerdos de la Alhambra. Prepare a shortened version just in case.
La Petite Fille de la Mer
Copeland Saturday Night Waltz
Shalom Haverim
Delibes Flower Duet
Mascagni Cavalleria Rusticana Intermezzo
Find pieces that convey a sense of hope, optimism or other positive messages.
Here is another program for comparison, playing for a similar special needs group but this time with with string trio, also on July 3.
You could play:
My Country Tis of Thee or other patriotic songs
Listen to the ocean drum. Say whooshhhhh. Say uhhhhh. Sing an A and a D sing a G and C when the violinist takes a step, then A and D when s/he steps back.
Play Signal Mountain Sunrise while the students sing the drone notes.
Teach and sing Hey, Ho! Nobody Home.
Active listening:
Telemann Canonic Duo 2 violins
Bach 3-part Invention Have them raise hands when they hear the theme (motif).
Ask and have them discover what differences they hear between instruments by playing a Bach violin solo, viola solo and cello solo OR play a violin, viola and/or cello favorite showpiece.
Beethoven Opus 9 Number 3 Scherzo
Piazzola Libertango
Dohnanyi Serenade C major Opus 101 Marcia
Shalom My Friends
Here are some suggested playbook options:
Seasonal music (adjust this list as appropriate to time of year and holidays):
America
Star Spangled Banner
Happy Birthday
Auld Lang Syne (because many campers return from year to year)
Before you officially start:
Under the Sea or other song familiar to them
Happy or other upbeat song
Bach Prelude from the G major Cello Suite or other slow Bach movements in major keys
Dona Nobis Pacem
Menuet I originally for violin solo arranged for 2 treble instruments
Beginnings:
Hello My Friends (using the Shalom Haverim melody) or other greeting song
Ocean Drum. Listen to the sound of the ocean. Breathe the salty air (!)
Signal Mountain Sunrise
Rounds:
Row, Row, Row Your Boat or Are You Sleeping (can be done simultaneously)
Hey Ho! Nobody Home
Dona Nobis Pacem
Shalom Haverim or other rounds
Other songs:
Over the Rainbow
Molly Malone
Take Me Out to the Ball Game or other songs familiar to them
Gentle Movement in 3:
Skaters Waltz or other piece in a major key
Molly Malone
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Increasingly vigorous movement in 2, or, if they are sitting, some could play percussion:
Rondeau (Masterpiece Theater theme)
Saint Anthony Chorale
Old Joe Clark
Swallowtail Jig
Lannigan’s Ball
Drowsy Maggie
Chicken Reel
Pennsylvania Polka (now discontinued as a Steelers song) or other local sports songs
The Chanters Tune Violin and viola
Sweet Killaloe
The Kerry Dance
Mozart Rondo all a Turka
Quiet (active) listening:
Play short instrument solos that reveal something about the player’s background, interests, or shows an interesting mood or color, etc. Or demonstrate a second instrument such as erhu.
Papageno’s Song
O Mio Babbino Caro
Litanie Schubert
Bartok Romanian Dances: Ask “what is the story?” Let them figure out a title. Mountain Horn Song, Stick Game, Sash Dance, Fast Dance.
Bartok duos: Dancing Song, Pizzicato, A Fairy Tale, Ruthenium Kolomejka, The Bagpipe
Instrumental imitation:
Bach 2- or 3- part inventions: raise your hand when you hear this theme come back.
A Telemann Canonic Sonata
Other possibilities:
Mozart Rondo alla Turka
Leclair Giga
Beethoven Opus 9 Number 3 Scherzo
Piazzola Libertango
Dohnanyi Serenade C Opus 101 Marcia
The Swan
Clark Trumpet Voluntary
Vivaldi Danza Pastorale from Spring
Mouret Rondeau
Mozart der Vogelfanger from Magic Flute
Delibes Flower Duet
Sicilienne by Paradis
Endings
The Water is Wide
Saturday Night Waltz
Simple Gifts
Cavalleria Rusticana
Goodbye My Friends (Shalom Haverim)
Dona Nobis Pacem
Skye Boat Song
Recuerdos de la Alhambra
La Petite Fille de la Mer
Delibes Flower Duet
Note: Keep your session to 20-40 minutes, adjusting for:
Drowsiness in mid- afternoon, or their need for rest or medical treatments
Nearness to mealtime
Questions to ask caregivers:
Is the session in the beginning days of camp or just after a disruption of routine?
Have they seen you before, or are you new to them?
What songs do they know? Do they sing, dance or play any instruments?
What is happening just before or after your event?
What do they like to do?
How mobile are they? Can they move their arms? Legs?
How well do they process words?
Is their hearing at all impaired: do you need to speak louder, enunciate more or space your words more?
Who knows this audience? What can they tell you about this group?