I've been doing a school-wide International Music Festival, where every grade level performs music and dance from a different country, for a few years now, and it is probably my favorite performance event I've ever done but it is a lot to put together! Although for the most part each grade studies the same culture each year to fit in with the skills and concepts they are learning in general music, each year I change at least some of the pieces so it's never the exact same program. Here are the performance pieces I have used over the years with my upper elementary grades- each of these would work well as part of any concert, informance, or program on their own, or you can use this list to put together your own International Music Festival!
I'm listing the pieces by culture/ country below, with the grade level I used them with in parentheses. Obviously many of these could be done with different grades as well, not just the ones I use them with!
Japan (4th grade)
- Akatonbo (students sing the song, first together and then in a round, while playing different triple meter ostinato patterns on various instruments- I use things like finger cymbals, tone blocks, hand drums, and metallophones- along with other color instruments in between sections- I use ocean drums, wind chimes, etc)
- Sakura (students sing the song while some play different ostinato patterns on percussion and barred instruments and some play harmony on recorder- link includes arrangement)
- Tokyo Ondo (students stand in a circle (or two concentric circles if the group is large) and do the Tokyo Ondo dance with this track)
Korea (4th grade)
- Arirang (students sing the song, first together and then in a round, while playing different triple meter ostinato patterns on various instruments- I use things like finger cymbals, tone blocks, hand drums, and metallophones- along with other color instruments in between sections- I use ocean drums, wind chimes, etc)
- Buchaechum (students each hold 2 fans and do some basic moves with the linked recording)
- Janggu (students play the introduction and basic janggu drum rhythm pattern with the linked recording, using a mallet and rhythm stick on boxes)
Mozambique (5th grade)
- Timbila (students gradually layer in repeated lines similar to the linked recording on bass, alto, and soprano xylophones)
- Bombela (students sit in a circle and pass beanbags on the beat while singing, each verse the passing pattern gets gradually more difficult)
Brazil (6th grade)
- Batucada (students stand in rows by instrument and step in place on the beat while playing some characteristic ostinato patterns on guiro, tamborine, tube shaker, tubano drums with the carrying strap, and agogo bells)
- Escatumbararibe (students sit in a circle and do the cup passing game demonstrated in the linked video while singing the song)
- Tambores (students stand in rows facing a partner and sing while doing the clapping game demonstrated in the linked recording, with 3 different versions gradually increasing in difficulty)
If you have other songs or musical performances you've done representing these cultures, or other ways you've used these songs, I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments below! I've split up my lists of performance pieces I use in my K-6 International Music Festival into grade spans- here are the pieces I use with K-1/ early childhood, and here are the pieces I use with 2nd and 3rd grades. And if you are thinking about putting together a similar program, you can find all the information on what I do and how I do it, from logistics to teaching to stage setup, in this post:
