Music Expressions™ Grade 6 (Middle School 1): Afro-Cuban Percussion (Teacher Edition): Book & 2 CDs

The pulsing heartbeat of Havana and beyond. These rhythms carry the energy of street parades, nightclubs, and sacred ceremonies, inviting students into a living musical tradition that values both precision and improvisation.

Middle school general music classes and percussion ensembles ready to explore Afro-Cuban music traditions. This works for groups with any percussion instrument availability, since the module teaches rhythm and ensemble concept alongside traditional instruments.

• Use the two included CDs to internalize the rhythmic feel and ensemble sound before asking students to read the notation; rote learning first establishes the groove
• Assign individual and ensemble activities strategically throughout the nine lessons to build confidence before full-group performance
• Reference the Artist Portraits during instruction to contextualize each rhythm within its cultural and historical setting

Integrate this into a world music unit or a semester focusing on diaspora and cultural exchange. The nine-lesson structure fits neatly into a six to nine-week instructional block, and the ensemble experiences prepare students well for an informal performance or demonstration for families interested in global music traditions.

• Reading and performing Afro-Cuban rhythmic patterns in standard notation
• Learning rhythm orally through rote imitation and transcription
• Ensemble coordination and listening across multiple percussion parts
• Understanding relationships between traditional oral transmission and notated music
• Recognizing cultural and historical context through artist study