Unit Plan 9 (Grade 8 Orchestra): Early Performance Check

Focus: Perform concert repertoire demonstrating refined tone, accurate pitch and rhythm, unified bowing, strong balance/blend, and professional rehearsal/performance etiquette including section leadership and responsibility for independent parts.

Grade Level: 8

Subject Area: Orchestra (Performing • Rehearsing • Responding)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, Grade 8 orchestra students prepare for an early performance check that functions like a dress rehearsal and checkpoint before a major concert. They focus on turning their work on tone, rhythm, bowing, and ensemble skills into a polished performance while also demonstrating professional etiquette on and off the stage. Students practice entering and exiting, responding to the conductor, cuing section entrances, and supporting the ensemble through focused behavior. By the end of the week, they present a mock performance and receive feedback using a clear rubric that highlights both musical quality and professionalism.

Essential Questions

• What does a polished performance look and sound like in a middle school orchestra?
• How do tone, pitch accuracy, rhythm precision, and unified bowing work together to create a strong ensemble sound?
• What responsibilities do individual players have for independent parts, entrances, and long rests in a performance setting?
• How does professional etiquette (focus, posture, leadership, listening) affect the audience’s experience and the ensemble’s success?
• How can an early performance check help us identify what is ready and what still needs work before a concert?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Perform selected concert repertoire with generally accurate pitch and rhythm, maintaining steady tempo and clear subdivision.
2. Demonstrate refined tone and unified bowing within their sections, including consistent articulations and dynamic contrasts.
3. Maintain appropriate balance and blend, ensuring the melody is heard clearly and accompaniment supports the overall texture.
4. Show professional rehearsal and performance etiquette: focused posture, silent transitions, attentive watching, and respectful interaction with peers and conductor.
5. Take responsibility for independent parts, including tracking long rests, cueing entrances, and adjusting in real time to maintain ensemble unity.
6. Use an Early Performance Check rubric and teacher/peer feedback to identify specific strengths and set 1–2 personal/section goals before the next performance cycle.

Standards Alignment — Grade 8 Orchestra (custom, NAfME-style)

• OR:Pr6.8a — Perform orchestra music with accurate pitch and rhythm, refined tone, unified bowing, balance/blend, and expressive intent in an ensemble setting.
  • Example: Students perform a three-part arrangement with strong dynamic contrast and consistent intonation.
• OR:Pr6.8b — Demonstrate professional rehearsal and performance etiquette, including leadership within sections, responsibility for independent parts, and support for ensemble success.
  • Example: Students cue section entrances, track long rests, and adjust in real time to maintain ensemble unity.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can perform our concert pieces with mostly accurate notes and rhythms and keep a steady tempo with the ensemble.
• I can match my section’s tone and bowing, including dynamics and articulations, so we look and sound unified.
• I can listen for balance and blend, adjusting my volume so the melody and important lines are clear.
• I can show professional etiquette from the moment I enter to the moment I exit: quiet focus, good posture, and full attention to the conductor.
• I can track long rests and independent entrances without relying on others to remind me.
• I can explain at least one strength and one goal for myself or my section after our Early Performance Check.