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Maybe not one to perform outside?! Puzzle Pieces: Rain Dance takes its lead from Native American traditional rainmaking dances. Wind players might find it better to rest for the first few bars of the repeat, coming back in again at A. Encourage a theatrical approach to the vocalisations and foot stamping at the end! ADDITIONAL SHEETS - Vocalisation rhythm sheet (for tutor) -
Puzzle Pieces: Raindrops is designed to encourage students to mimic the sounds of rainfall. Try experimenting with different ways to make the ‘pitter patter rain sounds’. Perhaps half the group play and half perform these sound effects at the end of the piece? -
Puzzle Pieces: Scottish Air gets its inspiration from North of the border, with the skirl of the pipes and rolling drums backing a traditional style Scottish air. In the backing track, listen for the drums after the pause to make the beat more clear at the start! ADDITIONAL SHEETS: 3/4 explanation sheet, dotted rhythms sheet -
Puzzle Pieces: Shout Out! is a call-and-response piece designed to encourage creativity, leading and improvisation. Lead the ‘calls’ at first, but encourage players to be the leader when they feel confident to do so. Also try changing the sounds on each repeat (e.g. 1st time - all vocalised, 2nd time - clap/stamp rhythm, 3rd time - play the notes) -
Time to go 8-bit with Puzzle Pieces: Sidescroller, a retro video game-style piece that is deceptively tricky to play along to! Ensure players are confident with the rhythms first before they try with the track. Also encourage advanced players to perform the melody parts as a short solo. -
Time to channel your inner secret agent! Puzzle Pieces: Sneak... is all about being quiet and stylish. Try a different approach to each repeat; 1st time - sing quietly, 2nd time - solo instrument (rest of group click on 2+4), 3rd time - all play, CODA bars, maybe add in a pose for the final two notes! ADDITIONAL SHEETS - Song/text to help recognise the differences in rhythm -
Puzzle Pieces: Streetlamp Strut is a piece with a laid-back, after-dark, chilled-out feeling about it. When performing with a mixed ensemble, this key of this piece makes it more accessible for wind players than strings, so the parts are quite different in order to facilitate this. -
Puzzle Pieces: Syncopitski is a gentle laid-back piece with a piano-based accompaniment and, as the name suggests, a little bit of syncopation! This is a notated call and response. Be aware that the higher levels (and melody parts) begin playing before the earlier levels! Try performing with and without the words. ADDITIONAL SHEETS - Syncopation rhythm sheets -
Puzzle Pieces: Waltz Through Paris is a classically elegant Parisian Waltz, which introduces staccato dots and 3/4 time. ADDITIONAL SHEETS: 3/4 explanation sheet.
