Year 11 - Music
Considering balance in an ensemble
Ensemble performance
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
Pupils will analyse a range of different ensemble performances, focusing on strengths and areas for improvement. They will identify aspects that are crucial for effective ensemble performance and develop strategies for being self-critical and improving their own ensemble performances.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to analyse an ensemble performance and consider the importance of balance in your own ensemble performance.
Key Notes
- Having effective balance in an ensemble is key to successful performance.
- It allows all parts to be heard clearly and the melody to stay prominent.
- Perfecting the dynamics in your individual part, listening to other players and recordings are all useful strategies.
- We analysed a brass duet with piano accompaniment that demonstrated many features of a strong performance.
Vocabulary To Learn
- balance: the relative volume of different parts or instruments; effective balance is where every part can be heard clearly
- intonation: the tuning of notes; if a performer has good intonation it means that the notes are in tune
- tone: the specific timbre of a sound, not to be confused with the interval also called a tone
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- If you just play your dynamics accurately the balance will be good.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Having effective balance in an ensemble is key to successful performance. It allows all parts to be heard clearly and the melody to stay prominent.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'balance'
the relative volume of different parts or instruments; effective balance is where every part can be heard clearly.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: If you just play your dynamics accurately the balance will be good. Correction: Often good balance requires you to listen to the other players and adjust dynamics, and to make sure that the melody is always prominent. Just playing the notated dynamics accurately might not always create effective balance.
More Lessons In This Unit
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