Lesson Overview:
After examining a cello and learning about its parts, history, and construction, students listen to a wide range of cello music performed by Yo-Yo Ma. Students then respond to his music and to quotations regarding his musical versatility.
Length of Lesson:
Three to four 45-minute class periods
Notes:
This lesson is particularly suitable for ESL students.
Instructional Objectives:
Students will:
- listen to a lecture about the cello.
- identify parts of the cello.
- listen to an array of Yo-Yo Ma’s recordings.
- practice writing skills by responding to Yo-Yo Ma's recordings.
- practice reading skills by reading a biography about Yo-Yo Ma.
- reflect on citations regarding Yo-Yo Ma’s musical activities.
- learn and practice new vocabulary.
Supplies:
- Several recordings of Yo-Yo Ma’s recordings. Try to provide recordings of several different styles of music. (See Sources section for specific recommendations.)
- A cello
- Pictures of Yo-Yo Ma (can be seen at the SonyBMG Masterworks Yo-Yo Ma Web site)
Instructional Plan:
Warm-up
Bring a cello to class. When students enter the class, have the cello and images of Yo-Yo Ma available via the Internet (see Supplies section). Middle school and high school music departments should be willing to share a cello with the class. If possible, ask a student cellist to play for the class and describe the instrument.
Guided Practice
Show the class the cello and the bow. Explain the parts of the cello and the bow. Explain briefly the history of the cello and its construction. Tell the class that the full name of the cello is the violoncello. The instrument originated in the early 16th century. It is a member of the string instrument family (the group of instruments that makes sound through the vibration of strings).
Explain that early cellos were larger than those of today. Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737), the great maker of violoncellos and violins, standardized the size of the cello to what it is today. Tell students that although most of today's cellos are mass-produced in factories, some people still make cellos by hand.
Explain that a cello is made mostly of wood, usually maple, spruce, or pine. Different woods are used for different parts of the cello. Point out the parts of the cello:
- top
- back
- sides
- scroll
- neck
- pegs
- fingerboard
- tail piece
- end pin
- strings
- bridge
- fine tuners
Explain that there are also important parts inside the cello, such as the sound post that transfers sound from the front of the cello to the back.
Tell students that cellists use a bow — a stick strung with horsehair—to produce sound on the cello. Today, most bows are made of pernambuco wood imported from Brazil. (Cellists may also pluck the strings if they are not using the bow to make sounds.)
After this discussion, pass out a copy of the blank Cello Diagram. Review the parts of the cello with the students. Have students label these parts as a check and reinforcement of the lecture. (Note: for reference, you may refer to the Cello Diagram Answer Key
Note: The students may also visit the The Cello Page Web site. This site contains an informative discussion of the cello, its history, and its construction and of the cello bow. Well-chosen photographs and musical clips enhance the site, which also includes information on composers, performers, and musical clips.
Pass out the Vocabulary handout and go over the definitions.
Tell students that one of the most famous cellists in the world is named Yo-Yo Ma. Explain that he immigrated to the United States; he was born in Paris, France, where his parents had moved from China.
Independent Activity
Play excerpts from an array of the many available Yo-Yo Ma recordings. Brief sound bites are on the SonyBMG Masterworks Yo-Yo Ma Web site, but it would be preferable to play longer selections from Yo-Yo Ma's recordings. (See the Sources section for suggested recordings.)
Choose selections that will allow you to emphasize the wide variety of music in Ma's repertoire. Choose, for example: a Bach cello suite, a cello sonata, a cello concerto, music from the Appalachian Waltz CD, tango music, and "Silk Road" music. Write the names of the music to be played on the board. Have students write a response to the music they like the best. Have willing students share their responses with the class. Pass out the Yo-Yo Ma Biography handout. Begin to read in class.
For homework, have students write ten questions and answers based on the biography. Direct students to write the questions and the answers on large index cards.
Have students break into cooperative learning groups of five. Shuffle the index cards or papers. Pass out ten index cards to each person in the group, or instruct the students to exchange their cards with another person in the group. The students in each group should take turns reading the questions and seeing who can answer the question correctly. If desired, have the groups keep track of the number of correct answers, and give the group with the most correct answers some type of reward.
Closure
Collect the homework questions and answers. Have students take out a piece of paper. Select five to eight questions from the homework just collected and give the class a brief quiz on their homework reading. Read the questions aloud, and have students write their responses on the paper. Be sure to use questions from various groups so that no single group is at an advantage. (The content of the questions and answers from each group will most likely overlap.)
On the back of the quiz have the students complete a "3-2-1" activity on their reading. In this activity, ask students to write three things they learned from their reading, two questions they have about their reading, and one thing they do not want to forget that they learned from their reading. Collect all student work.
Pass out the Quotes Worksheet. Read the quotations with the class. Check to ensure that the students understand all of the words. Tell the students they will be responding to one of these quotations, using what they have learned about Yo-Yo Ma in their responses. Have the students begin writing in class. Have students complete their responses for homework.
Assessment:
Assess the students’ success in completing the following:
- Cello labeling
- Quotation response writing
- Response to music
- Questions and answers to biography
- Reading quiz
- 3-2-1 reading and writing activity
Extensions:
Have the students study more famous cellists, such as Pablo Casals, Jacqueline DuPre, or Mstislav Rostropovich.
Have students learn about young violin prodigies, such as Gil Shaham, Anne Sophie Mutter, Joshua Bell, Hillary Hahn. The youth of these performers will make them especially appealing to high school students.
Conduct further studies of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Project. Consult the fine teaching resources at the Silk Road Project Web site.
Sources:
Print:
- Diagram Group, The. Musical Instruments of the World. An Illustrated Encyclopedia New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1997.
Media:
Suggested selections of Yo-Yo Ma’s recordings:
- Bach, J. S. Unaccompanied Cello Suites. Yo-Yo Ma, cello. Sony 37867.
- Beethoven, Ludwig van. Cello Sonatas, Op 5., Nos. 1 & 2. Emanuel Ax, piano. Yo-Yo Ma, cello. Sony 37251.
- Bernstein, Leonard, et al. Yo-Yo Ma Made in America. Yo-Yo Ma, cello. Jeffrey Kahane, piano. Lynn Chang, violin. Jeffrey Kahane, piano. Runan Lefkowitz, violin. Gilbert Kalish, piano. Sony 53126.
- Dvorak, Antonin, et al. Yo-Yo Ma Great Cello Concertos. Sir Colin Davis. Yo-Yo Ma, cello. CBS Records Masterworks M2R 44562.
- Ma, Yo-Yo. Portrait of Yo-Yo Ma. CBS Records Masterworks MK 44796.
- Meyer, Edgar, et al. Appalachian Journey. Yo-Yo Ma, cello. Edgar Meyer, double bass. Mark O’Connor, violin. Sony Classica SK 53126.
- McFerrin, Bobby, et al. Hush. Yo-Yo Ma, cello. Bobby McFerrin, vocals. Sony SK 48177.
- O’Connor, Mark, et al. Yo-Yo Ma Solo. Yo-Yo Ma, cello. Sony Classical SK64114.
- Rachmaninoff, Sergei and Sergei Prokofiev. Cello Sonatas. Emanuel Ax, piano. Yo-Yo Ma, cello. Sony 46486.
- Saint Saens, Camille and Edouard Lalo. Cello Concertos. Lorin Maazel, conductor. Yo-Yo Ma, cello. Sony 35848.
Web:
Authors:
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Phyllis Gron, ESL Teacher
Fairfax County Public Schools
Alexandria, VA
