Post Five

Additional Resources

Lacamoire Interview

This extended interview with Alex Lacamoire, the orchestrator of Hamilton, provides rich insight into how the music comes together and functions to underscore the message of the lyrics. Alex emphasizes the importance of simplicity, repetition and percussive sounds in conveying meaning through music. Alex also defines motifs and introduces the importance of motifs within musicals and for fostering textual connections. This video is valuable in giving students an introduction to music arrangement and the way it complements textual messages. 

Hamilton/Jefferson Debates

This site explores the historical significance of the debates between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. It provides charts and activities for classroom use; offering options to chart their key issues and significant arguments. I would consider using this site as a resource for my own comparison of Hamilton and Jefferson, or for students to analyze whether they have overlooked any of the given debates. The Cabinet Battles (#1 and #2) from Hamilton center on the debates between Hamilton and Jefferson; this resource pulls from this material and leads back to technical analysis. 

Hamilton Teaching Resources: PBS

This link leads to a collection of videos, interviews, photos and web sites compiled to assist with teaching academic content through the lens of Hamilton. Some of the material is specific to the musical; other aspects of the collection are purely historical sources. Each sub-page is clearly labelled for appropriate grade levels. This site serves as an excellent springboard for classroom inquiries and formal research for reports. I would consider showing these videos in my classroom, or recommending this link for independent student research. 

Teaching Broadway

Catherine Snider's thesis explores how musical theater is taught in high school and college, and considers the value of teaching through music. Snider centers her research on fine arts applications, although she also explores thematic messages learned in musical theater, and addresses the way students form emotional connections to their learning through the use of music. Her thesis is available online at this link: Snider's Thesis. I would be very interested in reading the entirety of her work, and working to implement content that my students feel passionately about into my classroom. 

History and Music

Kathryn Edney's textbook, Teaching History with Musicals is an interesting study in effectively introducing the musical into the history classroom. Her work can be adapted for a variety of subjects, but provides useful guides into steering class discussion and fostering class engagement. It is available for online purchase at this link: Teaching History. The link also contains a sizable free sample. This book could be useful as a resource to have on the shelf; a go-to for consultation about healthy implementation and planning. 

7/20/2018