(also known as PPP)

Part 1 - Study the Masters – Due Wed. Feb. 9th, 2011

1. Scour YouTube for examples of passionate or joyful performances.

Find at least one of them on an instrument you play. Choose 3 of your
favourites, and answer the following questions:

a. How do you know it is a passionate performance? Speak

about body language, facial expression, expressive qualities
of the music etc.

b. What is fantastic about this performance? Avoid writing

too much about the piece/song itself, and focus on how it is
performed.

c. How does the performer achieve the qualities you mentioned

in part b?

d. Based on what you have observed, make a point form list of

what you consider to be characteristics of a passionate
performance. List at least 5 qualities.

e. Make a list of expressive techniques used by the performers

(ie: rubato)

f. What are some ways you as an individual performer could

move toward a performance like the ones you selected? How
do you get there? (Please don’t simply answer “practice”. Be
specific.
The Passion in Performance Project Continued
Part 2 - Applying what you’ve observed – Due: Monday Feb. 14th, 2011

1. Choose a short section of a piece that you like and can perform fairly
easily; no more than 16 bars. Try to pick something that has some
expressive potential for emotional communication.
2. Read it down without care for expression marks.
3. Record this using GarageBand, or our Zoom recording unit.
4. Considering the expressive markings on the music. What mood or
emotion do you think the composer is trying to convey in this musical
selection. Play your piece again playing only the expression marks
written in the score. Rehearse this until you have it.
5. Record this second version.
6. Listen back to both versions of your recordings. Consider the
following:
a. Are you happy with your second performance?
b. What do you like about it? How is it improved over the first
version? Do you think you effectively communicated the
composer’s intentions?
c. Is it compelling, exciting, passionate? Get feedback from a
classmate.
d. If yes, what makes it so? Considering the qualities you came up
with in Part 1, how can you make your performance give even
more of an emotional punch?
e. If no, consider the qualities you came up with in Part 1. How
could you change your performance to give it more of an
emotional impact? Make some changes and try some of the
techniques you listed in question e). This will require some
practice to improve your performance.
7. Regardless of how satisfied you were with your second recording,
record yourself a third time really focusing on making an emotional
connection with the audience.
8. Play recording or perform live for your class. Receive feedback on
your performance and provide feedback for others.

Part 3 – Drawing Conclusions – Due: Monday Feb. 14th, 2011

Write a one-page analysis of your PPP findings. What were the challenges?
What did you learn about your own performance strengths and limitations?
What goals can you set based on your findings. How does this project fit
into the stages of The Creative Process (see handout)
 Rubric for Passionate Performanc Project
Expectations: A1.1, A2.1, A3.3, B1.1, B1.2, B3.3

LEVELS OF ACHIEVEMENT
Categories Below Level 50-59% L. 1 60-69% L. 2 70-79% L. 3 80-100% L. 4
1

Knowledge/ The
Understanding student:

Knowledge of Shows very Shows limited Shows some Shows Shows

expressive tools limited knowledge of knowledge of considerable thorough
used in knowledge the expressive the expressive knowledge of knowledge of
performance of the tools used in tools used in the expressive the expressive
expressive performance performance tools used in tools used in
tools used in performance performance
performance

Thinking/Inquiry The
student:

Analyses Analyses Analyses Analyses Analyses Analyses

performances performance performances performances performances performances
s to a very to a limited to some to a thoroughly.
limited degree. degree. considerable Analysis is
degree. Analysis is Analysis is degree. supported with
Analysis is supported with supported with Analysis is well numerous
vague and few musical some musical supported with thoughtful
unsupported examples examples. several musical musical
examples examples.

Analyses impact Very limited Limited Some evidence Considerable Exceptional

of own evidences of evidence of of critical self- evidence of evidence of
performance and critical self- critical self- analysis critical self critical self-
identifies ways to analysis analysis -analysis analysis
improve it.

Communication The
student:

Use of musical Shows very Shows limited Shows some Shows Shows
language limited command of command of considerable extensive
command of musical musical command of command of
musical vocabulary vocabulary musical musical
vocabulary vocabulary vocabulary

Communicates Very limited Limited clarity Some clarity Considerable Limited clarity
with clarity and clarity and and purpose and purpose clarity and and purpose
purpose; uses purpose with with many with some purpose with with almost no
conventions of many errors errors in errors in few errors in errors in
spelling and in spelling spelling and /or spelling and /or spelling and /or spelling and /or
grammar and /or grammar grammar grammar grammar
grammar

Application The
student:
Performs Demonstrate Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates
Expressively s very little little some considerable exceptional
expressivity expressivity in expressivity in expressivity in expressivity in
in performance performance performance performance.
performance
Performs Demonstrate Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates
accurately s very limited some evidence considerable exceptional
limited evidence of of technical evidence of evidence of
(pitch, rhythm , evidence of technical skill skill technical skill technical skill
articulation, technical
phrasing, tone) skill