The Composer's Corner
Enjoy a video preview (right) and explore the learning guides below. Teaching artists are available for LIVE video instruction sessions to accompany each video.
This learning series requires that you obtain a license to view/download content. If you'd like to purchase a license to download the full available content or to discuss creating a custom learning series for your students, please contact VirtualClassroom@MetGuild.org or use the link below.



Video One:
Rhythm and Voice Inflection
In our first video of the series, Ms. Palma takes us through the steps of creating our own original song! We will work individually to set an existing text to music - and this text is from a recent televised event!!
Join Ms. Palma in this lesson, and start your song writer's journey!
Video 1 PDF
Learning Guide
Video 1 DIGITAL
Learning Guide
Key Student Learning Standard Addressed:
NYSED Reading Standard 1
CCSS.ELA-Reading.CCRA.R.1
Video Two:
Song Structure and Vocal Exploration
In this second video of our 5-part series, we'll continue learning how to create our own original song by learning what a melodic roller coaster is and how we can use it to experiment with sounds we can make using our voices. Ms. Palma will also teach us the verse/chorus song structure. This is the same structure you'll use to write your song!
Video 2 PDF
Learning Guide
Video 2 DIGITAL
Learning Guide
Key Student Learning Standard Addressed:
NYSED Reaching Standard 5
CCSS.ELA-Reading.CCRA.R.5
Video Three:
Solfege Rainbow and Melodic Contour
In our third episode, students will use the Solfege Rainbow in Google Chrome Music Lab to create a melody for the verse of our original song. We will use our up and down arrows from the previous lesson to help us structure the contour of our melody. We'll be able to notate our pitches in Chrome Music Lab or with crayons or colored pencils on a piece of paper.
Video 3 PDF
Learning Guide
Video 3 DIGITAL
Learning Guide
Key Student Learning Standard Addressed:
NYSED Writing Standard 3
CCSS.ELA-Writing.CCRA.W.3
Video Four:
Chorus and Tempo
Students will use the solfege rainbow in Chrome Music Lab to create a melody for the chorus of our song. Students will use work from previous videos/lessons to transfer ideas into the Song Maker program.
Video 4 PDF
Learning Guide
Video 4 DIGITAL
Learning Guide
Key Student Learning Standard Addressed:
NYSED Writing Standard 3
CCSS.ELA-Writing.CCRA.W.3
Video Five:
Accompaniment, Expression, and Dynamics
In the final episode of our series we will learn how to use variations in dynamics to make our music more expressive. We will also learn some basic harmony progressions so that you can create an accompaniment for your melody in Chrome Music Lab.
Video 5 PDF
Learning Guide
Video 5 DIGITAL
Learning Guide
Key Student Learning Standard Addressed:
NYSED Writing Standard 3
CCSS.ELA-Writing.CCRA.W.3
Additional Information: (any additional/supplemental information related to this post will appear below)
Andrea Palma, Teaching Artist
Andrea Palma is a New York City native, born and raised in Queens. She pursued her Bachelor's degree in Music Education at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, and her Masters in Voice from the Chicago College of Performing Arts, the music conservatory within Roosevelt University. Ms. Palma is a versatile singer singing anything from Latin bands, Opera, to large choral works, and has performed internationally in prominent music festivals such as the Verbier Music Festival, and the Salzburg Music Festival. Having gained her love of music through outreach education programs as a student, her passion is to share that same love of music to the students all around New York City.



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