Grammar for Writing: Level Orange — Chapter 9

Music, Music, Music! Louis Armstrong, 1937 Whether we like hip-hop or Handel, music touches our souls. Music is as basic as a drum, a birdsong, or the rhythm of a train. Mothers sing lullabies to babies, and families dance at weddings. Between the milestone events of our lives, we mark the rhythms of life through music. Investigate one category of music. Find out what kinds of music are selling in stores and being listened to on the radio and in clubs. Who are the music makers of today, a decade ago, a century ago? Your assignment is to become the "resident expert" on one type of music and to review a concert, CD, or live musical performance. Please note: Have your teacher approve the music you choose to review in order to ensure that the music is appropriate for your school. STEP 1: Initial Search Begin your research with visits to the following websites: Google Type in the category of music in which you are interested, such as pop, rock, Latin, hip-hop, classical, or jazz. Billboard Magazine This on-line version of the music industry trade magazine is packed with information on all types of music: popularity charts, reviews, feature articles on performers, and much more. WQXR Radio Click on 1999-2000 Classical Countdown to see lists of 20th-Century Favorites, Favorite Works, Vocalists, Instrumentalists, and Conductors. WQXR is located in New York City. Also look for the website of your local classical music radio station. Search for information about music, music makers, composers, and critics. Take notes on what people listen to, top-selling artists, concerts, and general information about music. Copy information from the sites to add interest to your review. Narrow your topic to the one musician, composer, concert, or CD that most interests you. Use cluster diagrams to organize the details you have discovered about your topic, then decide what type of review you'll write. (See Grammar for Writing, Level Orange, page 11.) STEP 2: Focus Your Search Search the Internet for more information on the topic you chose. Search for newspaper and magazine articles listed in library databases, and biographies and books about music history, as well as quotes about the musician, the music, or specific performances. If possible, obtain a recording of the work you are reviewing. STEP 3: Define Your Audience Write your review for an audience of music lovers. Will they all like the work or performer you are reviewing? Probably not, but your opinion might change their thinking. Your review should be lively and persuasive. If you are reviewing a CD or tape, your purpose is to convince your readers either to buy it or not to buy it. If you are reviewing a performance, present your opinion about the performer as well as the music. Use facts and examples to support your viewpoint. STEP 4: Read a Sample Review – Write an Outline Before you begin to write, read a sample review online or in a newspaper or magazine. Then draft a skeleton outline of the material. (To review writing an outline, see Grammar for Writing, Level Orange, page 13.) Expand your outline using your research notes. Singers and musicians are performing actions when they sing or play. For forceful, vivid writing, use verbs in the active voice. With active verbs, the subject performs an action; with passive verbs, the subject receives an action. (See Grammar for Writing, Level Orange, page 181.) A review states an opinion. Professional writers know that to make their opinions meaningful, they must support their views with facts, details, and expert commentary. Be sure to state the facts and reasons that support your opinion and present them in a persuasive way. STEP 5: Organize Your Ideas and Write Your Rough Draft Review your outline. Be sure to have at least two or three supporting details for each statement. Write your draft, including quotes, excerpts from song lyrics, or facts about a specific performer. Arthur Fiedler conducts the Boston Pops STEP 6: Revise, Edit, and Proofread Your Review Reread your review. Be sure each paragraph has a topic sentence and all sentences in the paragraph support that topic. Make sure you have included enough commentary supported by reasons and facts to help readers understand and appreciate the style of music you are writing about. Edit your writing for grammatical errors; then proofread your work carefully for spelling, punctuation, and capitalization errors. STEP 7: Publish Your Work Present your review to the class. If you are reviewing a CD or tape, try to arrange to play short selections of the music before you read your review. Copyright ©2007 by William H. Sadlier, Inc. All rights reserved.