Articulation/diction – degree of clarity and distinctness of pronunciation, attack and release, and other expressive elements such as slur, staccato, legato, and bowing styles.

Aura – relating to the ear or sense of hearing.

Create – to produce through artistic or imaginative effort.

Cultures – a style of social and artistic expression unique to a society or class of people.

Diction/articulation – degree of clarity and distinctness of pronunciation, attack and release, and other expressive elements such as slur, staccato, legato, and bowing styles.

Dynamics – degrees of loudness.

Elements of music – pitch, rhythm, melody, form, harmony, timbre, and expressive elements.

Ensemble skills – listening, concentrating on balance and blend, using good posture, being attentive and cooperative.

Exemplary/quality musical work – musical literature recognized as the best examples of a style or genre.

Expression, expressive qualities (elements) – dynamics, phrasing, style, interpretation, and appropriate variations in dynamics and tempos. Conveying the feelings the music intends.

Form – the overall structural organization of a music composition and the interrelationships of music events within the overall structure.

Genre – a type or category of music.

Improvise – 1. to compose, or simultaneously compose and perform, sing or play on the spur of the moment without any preparation; extemporize; 2. to make, provide, or do with the materials at hand, usually to fill an unforeseen and immediate need.

Intonation – the degree to which pitch is accurately produced. Levels of Difficulty

Level I – Very easy. Easy keys, meters, and rhythms, limited ranges. Level II — Easy. May include changes of tempo, key, and meter; modest ranges.

Level III – Moderately easy. Contains moderate technical demands, expanded ranges and varied interpretive requirements.

Level IV – Moderately difficult. Requires well-developed technical skills, attention to phrasing and interpretation, and ability to perform various meters and rhythms in a variety of keys.

Level V – Difficult. Requires advanced technical and interpretive skills; contains key signatures with numerous sharps or flats, unusual meters, complex rhythms, subtle dynamic requirements.

Level VI – Very difficult. Suitable for musically mature students of exceptional competence.

Martellato – a short or stopped sound made by holding a handbell by the handle and gently striking the full body of the bell horizontally on a properly padded table.

Meter – the basic grouping of beats and accents, as found in each measure and as indicated by the time signature.

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) – standard specifications that enable electronic instruments such as the synthesizer, sampler, sequencer, and drum machine from any manufacturer to communicate with one another and with computers.

Musical elements – pitch, rhythm, melody, form, harmony, timbre, and expressive elements.

Musicianship – demonstrating the elements of a quality musical work using expressive elements and technical skills and accuracy.

Musical ensemble – any grouping of two or more musicians.

Music events – for example, entry of oboe, change of meter, return of refrain.

Nontraditional notation--any visual representation of musical ideas other than standard musical notation.

Orff ensemble – a collection of tone bar, recorder, and percussive instruments developed by Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman for children.

Ostinati – repeated musical patterns or ideas.

Pentatonic scale – an arrangement of five different notes in a pattern exemplified by the black keys of the piano.

Performance – presentation of a musical work, live or recorded.

Quality/exemplary musical work – musical literature recognized as the best examples of a style or genre.

Repertoire – a comprehensive list of compositions, songs, pieces, or parts of pieces that a person or ensemble is prepared to sing or play.

Sequencer – a device that can record, edit, store, and play back digital musical performance information.

Sight-read – sing or play unfamiliar musical material without prior preparation.

Style – the distinctive or characteristic manner in which elements of music are treated. In practice, the term may be applied to composers (the style of Copland), periods (Baroque style), media (keyboard style), nations (French style), form or type of composition (fugal style, contrapuntal style), or genre (operatic style, bluegrass style), among others.

Technical skills and accuracy – the ability to perform with appropriate timbre, intonation and diction, and to play or sing the correct pitches and rhythms.

Technology – a set of tools that facilitates communication, and access to and movement of information.

Tempo – the rate of speed of a composition or section of music.

Timbre – the character or quality of a sound that distinguishes one instrument, voice, or other sound source from another.

Tinikling – a dance, originally from the Philippines, that uses poles to create a rhythm. The dancer dances in and out of the moving poles.

Traditional notation – customary musical symbology used in Western culture.