I hope you are enjoying learning at home!
In our lesson today, we are going to:
- learn more about what percussion adds to programmatic music.
- begin with a warm up song from Brazil.
- explore and learn to perform some of Leonard Bernstein's 'Mambo'.
What is Programmatic (or programme) Music?
Programmatic music is descriptive, helping to create visual images or 'telling a story'.
The descriptive idea or story-line is known as the programme. Usually, this music
is instrumental - i.e. it has no words or lyrics.
Lesson Six - To understand the role of percussion in programmatic music
You are now ready to meet Miss Miner for the main part of our lesson.
We will be looking at:
This is a very energetic lesson, based on rhythms from Brazil in South America.
below to see it. You might want to print them out (or write out the questions)
before you start so that you can answer the questions as you go:
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For the lesson, you will also need:
- paper and pencil to make notes and answer questions
- the worksheets above
- the home sourced instruments you made for previous lessons
- two plastic cups (those ones from Ikea are perfect!)!
- your body
If you haven't got any or all of these items (you will have your body!),
please don't worry, you can still do the lesson!
The Lesson Video
Please click on the box below to join the lesson:
That is the end of our lesson about timbre, how percussion can make programmatic
music sound even better and become even more descriptive of a mood or feeling.
I hope you enjoyed it!
Once you have watched the video and taken part in all of the activities, please
make sure that you have completed the two page worksheet.
Please send your completed worksheet to your class teacher for me in the
usual way - a photo or a scanned copy will be fine.
I am looking forward to reading your answers.
See you next time!
Mrs Sumner
Thank you to the wonderful people at the Oak National Academy for sharing this lesson with us.
Summer Term 2025
Fun, Inspiring (and often quite loud!) Music Lessons for Home School Hubs and Primary Schools
Specialising in:
- Primary Music Curriculum provision
- Whole Class Instrumental teaching
- Includes free use of instruments!
07941 282311
In association with
Little Strummers
"I found it very interesting and I thought that children learned about rhythm, by using body percussion without even realising that they were in a lesson, because it was so much fun for them!"
"I would highly recommend it!"
"I thought the song was lovely - there was a nice mix of playing the bowls, clapping, singing and actions. The whole idea of kitchen percussion is a brilliant one for lockdown but good in usual times too."
"The level of what you did/taught was perfect for their age and similar to things they do at school."
"The children all thoroughly enjoyed the session and were engaged throughout. They enjoyed having the opportunity to hold their own ukulele and learn to play along to some simple songs."
"The session was delivered brilliantly and the different stages were broken down into small sections to allow all children to participate."