Dear Educators, Sincerely, Logan Kelly Manager of Education Programs

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2 Dear Educators, For over 90 years, tri-state area teachers and students have joined the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra to experience great music and explore musical concepts through Young People s Concerts. We believe access to the arts is important for every student, and that the skills developed through the study of music are easily related to other content areas and to life experiences. We are pleased to share this Curriculum Guide, which aims to promote an appreciation of the orchestra and develop and 21st Century Skills through music. We hope these materials provide a flexible but comprehensive resource that can be tailored to suit the needs of your students. In the following pages you ll find information for teachers and chaperones, printable texts, worksheets and/or resources for students, and standards-based lesson plans. We believe music and the concert experience can enhance learning across the curriculum. These lesson plans and extensions are provided with the idea that classroom teachers can work along with arts specialists to make connections between music and other content areas, thus providing a more integrated teaching/ learning experience for children. The plans are intended to suggest activities we believe most teachers will be comfortable presenting, utilizing the concert music as a catalyst for the activity. If you are the music specialist, you may want to share these plans with an interested classroom colleague. Please visit our website ( to access the listening tracks and additional resources. A link on the program page will take you to a password protected page where you can download specific tracks for each concert. You can also choose to download a.zip file which contains all the pieces for a particular concert. All audio files are in.mp3 format and may be played through itunes or other media players or burned to a CD. You should have received a password with your order confirmation or in a follow-up . If you have any questions about any of the CSO s education programs, please , call, or check our website for additional details. Finally, please don t hesitate to let us know how we re doing! We will send a short evaluation survey link after each concert, but please feel free to send your comments to us throughout the year so we can make our concerts and events the best they can be. Thank you for sharing the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra with your students, and thank you for the job you do each day to share knowledge and the love of learning with the young people in our community. We look forward to seeing you and your class at the Taft Theatre this season! Sincerely, Logan Kelly Manager of Education Programs lkelly@cincinnatisymphony.org

3 CONTENTS 4 From The Conductor 5 Concert Program 6 Introduction to the String Family 11 Music on the Concert 13 LESSON: A Family of Strings 14 LESSON: String Length & Pitch 16 LESSON: Timbre 25 Your Trip to The Taft Theatre The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra The Taft Theatre 3

4 KEITARO HARADA ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR Dear Friends, My name is Keitaro Harada, and I am the Associate Conductor for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. The musicians of the orchestra and I are really looking forward to welcoming you all to the Taft Theatre for our performance of Sonic, Symphonic Strings. Sonic, Symphonic Strings features the string family of the orchestra, which includes the violin, viola, cello, bass and harp. During the concert, we ll take a closer look at each one of these instruments, explore how they work, and discover why the string family is so important in the orchestra. We will be featuring a solo performance by our Principal Bass player, Owen Lee. Also a special guest, Miriam Smith, a young cellist from Cincinnati. I m looking forward to sharing all of this wonderful music with you at the Taft Theatre. From Mozart, Tchaikovsky to American singer-songwriter Pharrell Williams, this concert is filled with lots of string magic!!! 4

5 January 18, 2017 at 10:30am January 31, 2017 at 10:30am KEITARO HARADA conductor Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Edward Elgar Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Johann Strauss Jr. Johann Baptist Vanhal Henry Mancini Pharrell Williams Symphony No. 36 in C Major, Linz, IV. Presto Elegy from Serenade for Strings Variations on a Rococo Theme Enigma Variations, Op. 36, VI. Ysobel Capriccio espagnol, III. Alborada & IV. Scene and Gypsy Song Pizzicato Polka Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra, III. Allegro Strings On Fire Happy 5

6 THE STRING FAMILY This concert features the string instruments typically found in a symphony orchestra. Every instrument in the string family creates sound by causing the strings on the instrument to vibrate. Let s take a closer look at these fascinating instruments! The violin (the soprano voice) is the highest pitched instrument in the string family. Its sound is brilliant and dramatic. The violin can play very soft and very loud, lyrical melodies or extremely fast passages. Violinists hold the instrument on their shoulders to play. The viola (the alto voice) is slightly larger than the violin. It is in the middle range of the string family. Its strings are thicker and heavier. Often the viola plays harmony to the violin s melody or doubles the violin part to add strength and support. The violoncello or cello, (the tenor voice) is still larger. Its sound is even lower - dark and rich. The cello can play very expressive melodies or beautiful harmonic accompaniments. Cellists use the endpin (on the bottom of the instrument) to rest the cello on the floor while playing. The double bass (the bass voice) provides the foundation for the string section. It adds depth and weight to both the string section and the entire orchestra. It is difficult for the bass to play extremely fast passages. The double bass is so big that bassists have to stand or use a stool while playing. These string instruments - the violin, viola, cello and bass - can be played either with a bow or with the fingers. In the orchestra, the musicians usually play with the bow. When a musician draws the bow across the strings, the string will vibrate and create sound. The musician uses rosin on the hairs to help the bow grip the strings. Sometimes the music indicates that the strings should be plucked with the fingers. Plucking the strings is called pizzicato. 6

7 THE STRING FAMILY 7

8 THE STRING FAMILY Another string instrument commonly found in the orchestra is the harp. The harp is a little different than the violin, viola, cello and bass, but it also uses vibrating strings to create the sound. Harpists always play the harp by plucking the strings with their fingers. The harp has many more strings than the other string instruments in the orchestra, so the harp can play high and low notes. 8

9 THE STRING FAMILY The string sound is a very homogenous sound. which means all the instruments sound very similar. Often the string instruments function as one very large instrument with an extremely wide range. When all four string sections are playing together the sound is very rich, yet each instrument is relatively quiet, especially when compared to a single brass or percussion instrument. More string instruments are required to balance the sound of the other instrument families. The advantage that string instruments have over other instruments (like the trumpet or flute) is that they can hold notes longer and play longer than those players who need to stop the sound and breathe! This is one reason why the string instruments sound is so important and they are featured so prominently in the orchestra. They can play continuously without stopping. String instruments are the most versatile instruments in the orchestra. As you watch and listen to the musicians, you will see that they can use the bow and their fingers in many different ways to create interesting sounds. Here are some things to listen for. legato: sound is a long, smooth controlled sound staccato: sound is a short, crisp sound pizzicato: sound is also short and crisp but uses the fingers instead of the bow double stop: when two strings are played together The violin, viola, cello, bass and harp are the string instruments that are commonly used in the orchestra, but there are many more string instruments in the world! The guitar, banjo, and ukelele are also in the string family, because they use strings to create sound. Different countries and cultures have different string instruments as well, like the Vina from India or the Pipa from China. Can you name any other string instruments? 9

10 THE STRING FAMILY OF THE ORCHESTRA 10

11 MUSIC ON THE CONCERT WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Symphony No. 36 in C Major, Linz Mozart was born on January 27, 1756 in Salzburg, Austria. His father Leopold was a wellknown violinist, teacher and author. As a child, Mozart and his sister traveled throughout Europe to perform. As a young man, Mozart wrote hundreds of pieces, some of the most beautiful music in the world. Many of the works that Mozart wrote have nicknames, some chosen for the places Mozart visited, where the piece was first performed, or where it was written. Symphony No. 36 was nicknamed after the city of Linz, in Austria. The fourth movement is presto, which means fast - listen and watch as the string instrument move their fingers and bows quickly throughout this piece! PETER ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY ( Elegy from Serenade for Strings Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born in 1840, and was the son of a wealthy mining engineer stationed in Russia. His mother died in 1864, and Tchaikovsky turned to music during this sad time. One of his first pieces of music written was a waltz in memory of his mother. Tchaikovky had a job with the Minister of Justice, but gave up his government job and turned to the study of music at the age of 23. Tchaikovsky wrote that his Serenade for Strings is a heartfelt piece. The third movement is titled Elegy, which is a usually a sad or serious work, often mourning a death. Tchaikovsky used only string instruments for this piece of music. Why do you think he made the decision to use only the string family in this music? JOHANN BAPTIST VANHAL Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra Johann Baptist Wanhal was born in 1739 in the Czech Republic. He first starting learning music from his family and other local musicians, and because skilled at the violin and organ. A generous sponsor, Countess Schaffgotsch, helped Vanhal travel to Vienna to continue his musical career. He spent much of his life and wrote much of his music in this part of the world, surrounded by other great composers like Mozart. The Concerto performed on this concert features an instrument that isn t usually the center of attention - the big double bass! EDWARD ELGAR Ysobel from Enigma Variations Edward Elgar was born in England in 1857, and lived there for his entire life. His father owned a music shop, but Elgar did not have much formal music training as a child, Even so, he learned to play the violin and pursued a career as a conductor and composer. Elgar also loved cycling, chemistry, his pet dogs, and riddles. He secretly named each movement of the Enigma Variations after one of his friends, and each movement contains a clue about the person he had in mind. The sixth variation, Ysobel, is anmes for a violin student of Elgar s who decided to play the viola instead. The music features the viola section in the beginning. 11

12 MUSIC ON THE CONCERT NIKOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Capriccio espagnol Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov was born on March 18, 1844 in Russia. He was a naval officer before he decided that he preferred writing music to navigating ships. In addition to being one of the most important Russian composers of the 19th century, he also was a well-respected teacher. Rimsky- Korsakov especially enjoyed composing music based on folk and fairy tales. The music of Cappriccio espagnol is based on Spanish folk melodies. Part of the secret of this piece s success is in how the composer uses the different instruments in the orchestra. Rimsky-Korsakov was considered a master of orchestration, which is the art of using and combining instruments in a musical work. How does the sound of the strings and solo violin compare to the many other wind and percussion instruments that Rimsky-Korsakov uses? JOHANN STRAUSS, JR. Pizzicato Polka Johann Strauss, Jr. was born October 25, 1825 the first of five children. He was born into a family of composers but was not encouraged to be one himself. He did indeed go on to become a famous composer and even took over his father s orchestra. The Pizzicato Polka is a fun and funny piece of music that features the string instruments as they pluck the strings instead of using their bows. HENRY MANCINI Strings on Fire The American composer Henry Mancini was born in Cleveland, Ohio on April 16, 1924 and died on June 4, He attended the Juilliard School of Music to learn composing. He started writing for big bands and then began writing for movies. Henry Mancini is mainly known for his hugely popular movie and television scores (Pink Panther, Peter Gunn, Newhart), but he also wrote concert hall music. PHARRELL WILLIAMS Happy Pharrell Williams was born in 1973 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Pharrell began his musical career in the high school marching band, where he played the snare drums. He is now an American singer-songwriter, rapper, and record producer. Pharrell released Happy in 2013 as part of the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack. At the Young People s Concerts, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra will perform a version of Happy arranged for orchestra. 12

13 LESSON PLAN: A FAMILY OF STRINGS INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVE(S): Students will be able to recognize the orchestral string instruments, specifically those in the violin family. Students will be able to the similarities and differences between the instruments of the string family. MATERIALS: Young People s Concert mp3s Pictures of string instruments showing the differences in size or actual instruments. STANDARDS: NATIONAL MUSIC STANDARDS Anchor Standard 4: Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation Enduring Understanding: Performers make interpretive decisions based on their understanding of context and expressive intent. (MU:Pr4.3.4a ) Demonstrate and explain how intent is conveyed through interpretive decisions and expressive qualities (such as dynamics, tempo, and timbre ) Anchor Standard 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work Enduring Understanding: Individuals' selection of musical works is influenced by their interests, experiences, understandings, and purposes. (MU:Re7.1.4a) Demonstrate and explain how selected music connects to and is influenced by specific interests, experiences, purposes, or contexts. Anchor Standard 8: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work. Enduring Understanding: Through their use of elements and structures of music, creators and performers provide clues to their expressive intent. (MU:Re8.1.4a) Demonstrate and explain how the expressive qualities (such as dynamics, tempo, and timbre ) are used in performers and personal interpretations to reflect expressive intent. PLAN: 1. Show the picture of the string instruments and discuss the size and parts of the instruments with the students. Questions to raise in the discussion include: What difference does the size of the instrument make? How are the instruments played or held? What is the purpose of the tuning pegs and how do they affect the pitch? What is the purpose of the bridge? 2. If an actual instrument is available, have the students look at the individual strings to determine if there are any similarities or differences. They should notice that, even though the lengths are about the same, the thicknesses of the strings differ. How does this affect the pitch? 3. Using the CSO Sound Discoveries CD, play each piece from the concert which features the string instruments. Allow the children to move while they listen. Encourage them to use their bodies to show what the music sounds like. Violin Tchaikovsky "Serenade for Strings" Viola Elgar "Ysobel" from Enigma Variations Cello - Tchakovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme Bass-Vanhal Bass Concerto, Movement III 4. Discuss with the students how the instruments sound similar and different. ASSESSMENT Students are able to identify, by sight and sound, the different instruments of the string family and describe the differences in physical and sound properties with the instruments. 13

14 LESSON PLAN: STRING LENGTH & PITCH INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVE(S): Students will be able to explain how string length and pitch are related. MATERIALS: Monochord, Mountain Dulcimer (resources given on page 10) or other string instrument Classroom instruments STANDARDS: COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS: MATHEMATICS STRAND: Fractions CCSS.Math.Content.3.NF.A.1 Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b equal parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size 1/b. OHIO SCIENCE STANDARDS THEME: Physical Science Observe and describe the ways sound is produced and changed KENTUCKY SCIENCE STANDARDS SC Students will: explain that sound is a result of vibrations, a type of motion; describe pitch ( high, low) as a difference in sounds that are produced and relate that to the rate of vibration. PLAN: 1. As a class, hypothesize what will happen when the sounding length of a string increases or decreases. Be sure that there is no confusion about pitch and dynamic level. Students will often confuse loud for high and soft for low. 2. Using a string instrument, test the hypotheses of the class. 3. Be sure to draw attention to the fact that, although the string length is the same on string instruments from end to end, there is another place in the middle (a fret on guitar and dulcimer, a finger on violin, viola, cello, and bass) that stops part of the string from vibrating. When considering pitch, we are only concerned with the vibrating length of the string. Also, be sure to explain that the shorter the vibrating length of a string, the faster the vibration of the string and vice versa. Shorter length = faster vibration = higher pitch. 4. Have students watch the performers at the CSO Sound Discoveries concert to watch how they use their left hands to change the vibrating length of a string. 14

15 STRING LENGTH & PITCH cont. PLAN (cont.): 5. Have a discussion with the students. Why do we typically think of the bass as having a lower sound than the violin? (A: It is bigger, the strings are longer) Could the cello ever play higher pitches than the violin? (A: yes, if the player made the vibrating string length on the bass shorter than a string on the violin, the sound could be higher.) Common ratios for string length to pitch include 1/1 = unison, 1/2 = octave, 2/3 = fifth, 3/4 = fourth, 4/5 = major third, and 5/6 = minor third ASSESSMENT: Students are able to explain and discuss how string length and pitch are related. RESOURCES Monochords like the one you can make below are an excellent resource to show how string length affects pitch. The instruments features a single string that has a sliding fret that allows the player to vary the length of the vibrating length of the string. Go to Mountain Dulcimers also allow you to show string length versus pitch relatively easily. In addition, mountain dulcimers sit on the players lap or on a table which make it easy to play and demonstrate. The dulcimers available below are actually made out of cardboard and wood. They are very sturdy and quite inexpensive. Go to to see the various dulcimers you can buy. 15

16 LESSON PLAN: TIMBRE INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVE(S): Students will demonstrate the difference between the sound of pizzicato versus arco string playing through movement. Students will, as a group, compose a pentatonic piece using xylophones or metalophones MATERIALS: Young People s Concert mp3s A bowed instrument STANDARDS: NATIONAL MUSIC STANDARDS Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work Enduring Understanding: Musicians creative choices are influenced by their expertise, context, and expressive intent. MU:Cr2.1.4 a Demonstrate selected and organized musical ideas for an improvisation, arrangement, or composition to express intent, and explain connection to purpose and context. Anchor Standard 4: Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation. Enduring Understanding: Performers make interpretive decisions based on their understanding of context and expressive intent. MU:Pr4.3.4a Demonstrate and explain how intent is conveyed through interpretive decisions and expressive qualities (such as dynamics, tempo, and timbre ) Anchor Standard 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work Enduring Understanding: Individuals' selection of musical works is influenced by their interests, experiences, understandings, and purposes. MU:Re7.1.4a Demonstrate and explain how selected music connects to and is influenced by specific interests, experiences, purposes, or contexts. PLAN: 1. If there is a bowed instrument available, show it to the children. Find out what they know about it by asking leading questions: What is this instrument called? How was it made? How is it played? (They will hopefully, know that the bow is drawn across the strings.) Can you think of another way to play it? If able, demonstrate both arco and pizzicato playing. 2. Play Tchaikovsky's "Serenade for Strings" and Strauss' "Pizzicato Polka" from Symphony No. 4. After they hear each piece, ask them if they think the stringed instruments were played pizzicato or arco. The answers are obvious, so hopefully, they will identify the Strauss as pizzicato and the Tchaikovsky as arco. 3. Have the children spread out into their own space. Play each recording and allow them to move their upper body in a way that is reflective of what they hear. 4. After they move their upper body, play the pieces again, but allow them to move their whole body. Emphasize that they should stay in their own space. 16

17 TIMBRE cont. PLAN (cont.): 5. After they move, divide the class into at least two groups that will design a short choreography to the Strauss piece (pizzicato) and the others will design choreography to the Tchaikovsky piece (arco). Remind them that this is not improvisation, but it is composition/choreography, therefore, they should design it, rehearse/refine it, and perform it the same way every time. 6. After the pieces are complete and presentable, have the children share their compositions with the other groups. If there is one more than one group performing each piece, note the similarities and differences between the groups, and discuss them after they perform. ASSESSMENT: Students can use appropriate movement that is demonstrative of pizzicato and arco string playing. Students are able to participate in the movement activity; they contribute to the overall design and performance. 17

18 YOUR TRIP TO THE TAFT THEATRE 18

19 19 There are 90 musicians in the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. The artists of the Cincinnati Symphony & Pops Orchestras are world-class, inspirational performers who have come from around the globe to live and work as members of the Greater Cincinnati community. As individuals they are artists, teachers, collaborators, friends and neighbors. We invite you to meet and get to know these extraordinary people! The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra represents the evolution of 200 years of musical tradition in the Queen City. The fifth oldest symphony orchestra in the U.S. and the oldest orchestra in Ohio, the CSO has played a leading role in the cultural life of Greater Cincinnati and the Midwest since its founding in CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

20 THE TAFT THEATRE The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra has called Cincinnati s Music Hall it s home for 120 years. During the season, Music Hall is being renovated in order to preserve this amazing building for many more years of performances. All of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra s Young People s Concerts will be performed in the Taft Theatre, our Home Away From Home. Opened in 1928, the Taft Theatre is a marvelous display of the ne-classical/art deco architecture that was popular during the time it was built. The Taft Theatre was designed by architects Architects Harry Hake, Sr. and Charles H. Kuck, who are also responsible for many other buildings in downtown Cincinnati including The Western & Southern Life building, The Queen City Club, and the Engine Company #45 Fire Station (now the Fire Museum). Today, the Taft Theatre hosts many different kinds of events including rock concerts, symphony concerts and theatre performances. When you arrive at the Taft Theatre, take a few moments before the concert starts to notice the history & beauty of the art and architecture of the Taft Theatre! 20

21 LESSON PLAN: CONCERT ETIQUETTE INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVE(S): Students will demonstrate appropriate concert behavior during performances. STANDARDS: NATIONAL MUSIC STANDARDS CONNECTING Connect #11: Relate musical ideas and works with varied context to deepen understanding.. MU.:Pr6.1.6b Demonstrate performance decorum (such as stage presence, attire, and behavior) and audience etiquette appropriate for venue and purpose.. PLAN: 1. Allow the children to choose a piece that they would like to perform for the rest of the class and/or another audience. They can perform in groups or individually and should have the freedom to choose anything they want. This can be something that have worked on in class, or have rehearsed elsewhere, but it should be "performance ready." 2. Give the children a short period of time to polish their piece. 3. After all groups are prepared, review the Rules of Concert Etiquette: Refrain from talking or whispering during the performance. The first and greatest rule! The musicians are working hard on stage to perform well for you - you ll want to be able to hear them. No singing or tapping fingers or feet unless the conductor tells you to! Like talking during the performance, other body movements can make a lot of noise. There will be parts of the performance where we ask you to move and sing. Please save extra movements and sounds for those moments! Applaud at the end of each piece. This lets the musicians know you enjoyed the music! Watch the conductor - he will lower his arms and face the audience when the Orchestra has finished playing. Do not leave the performance space during the music. If needed, wait for a break in the concert to visit the restroom. Follow the rules of the concert hall. Food, gum, beverages, cameras, mp3 players and other electronic devices are not allowed in Springer Auditorium Be on your best behavior. Remember that you are representing your school and teachers at Music Hall! 4. Discuss the rules with the students. 5. Find a formal setting, with chairs, for the kids to perform. The school auditorium, cafeteria, or other public space is a good option for this, but the children need to be able to sit in chairs. This is so that when they attend a concert at Music Hall, they are familiar with the expectations. 6. Remind the children to follow the Rules of Concert Etiquette guidelines that were discussed in class while they watch their classmates perform. 7. The same expectations are in place for the children at Music Hall for the YPC concerts, so review the etiquette rules with the children prior to arriving at the venue. ASSESSMENT: Students will be observed for appropriate behavior during school and CSO concerts. 21