2015 Wheeling Symphony Young People s Concerts: A Trip to the Circus. March 30 & 31 April 1 & 7

Transcription

1 2015 Wheeling Symphony Young People s Concerts: A Trip to the Circus March 30 & 31 April 1 & 7

2 2. A Letter from the Maestro The Wheeling Symphony Presents A Trip to the Circus 2015 Young People s Concerts André Raphel, Conductor 3. Meet the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra 4. The Conductor 5. The Concert Experience 6. Concert Etiquette 7. Introducing the Program 8. Glossary Terms Families of the Orchestra 15. Orchestra Map Teaching Activity Instrument Families Meet the Composers Teaching Activities 29. Write a Letter to the Symphony 30. Teacher Evaluation Photos for Teaching Activity on Page 26 (Become a Composer) Instrument Photos for Teaching Activity on Page 25 (Instrument Families)

3 A Letter from the Maestro Greetings Friends, Welcome to the 2015 Young People's Concert Guide. Our program this year is an exciting one entitled A Trip to the Circus. I'll be the ringmaster for this imaginary trip to the circus. This program will focus on the descriptive nature of music. On this musical journey, students will hear music that describes the animals, characters, and sounds of a circus. It is famous music composed by Dvorak, Smetana, Rossini and more. On this program, students will actually get to learn what it s like to compose. For Matthias Bamert's Circus Parade, students will arrange a version of the piece by voting for different musical examples played by the orchestra. Always a lot of fun! In this Guide you'll find more information about the composers and the music to be played. We look forward to seeing you and sharing this great music! Best Regards, André Raphel Music Director, Wheeling Symphony Orchestra 2

4 Meet the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra The Wheeling Symphony was founded in 1929 by Mrs. Eleanor D. Caldwell. The orchestra began as a group of local string musicians who rehearsed together in Mrs. Caldwell s home and were eventually " prompted by a love of music and because we believe a larger musical organization could undertake more comprehensive programs for the entertainment of more people." The organization continues to operate on the premise of its founders and carry out its mission to entertain, educate and enhance the life of residents of its community. Maestro André Raphel is the Wheeling Symphony s eighth conductor. Maestro Smith served as assistant conductor for the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra before coming to Wheeling. This season, the Wheeling Symphony will perform four Masterworks concerts and three Pops concerts. Free summer concerts draw thousands of tri-state area residents for music and fireworks. A July Fourth celebration is held at Wheeling s Heritage Port Amphitheater, and a Labor Day weekend performance is given at the Anne Kuchinka Amphitheatre, in Oglebay Park. The orchestra also performs in various cities throughout West Virginia including Weirton and Canaan Valley. In addition to performing its subscription concerts, the symphony places great emphasis on education outreach. Annually, a Young People s Concert Tour is presented to thousands of West Virginia and eastern Ohio students and teachers. An Artist in Education program, established in the fall of 2002, brings music to atrisk students in Wheeling so that they can experience the joy and discipline that music can inspire. The tuition-free Wheeling Symphony Youth Orchestra and Junior Symphony give young musicians the opportunities to further their musical development. For more information about the Wheeling Symphony or to learn more about upcoming events and concerts, please visit 3

5 The Conductor What is a conductor? The person who guides the musicians as the orchestra is playing so everyone will play together perfectly. What does the conductor do? The conductor uses both hands, eyes, and entire body to express the music. He or she shows the beat and speed of the music (tempo) with his or her right hand while holding the baton. Conductors use their left hands to express the interpretation (feeling and volume) and cue the entrances of specific musicians. Why does the conductor walk on stage after everybody else? After the musicians are tuned and ready to play, the entrance of the conductor signals the beginning of the performance. What is a baton? A baton is the small white stick held in the conductor s right hand used to keep time. They come in different sizes and can be made from wood, carbon, or plastic. Even left-handed conductors hold the baton in their right hands! What is the difference between the music a conductor reads and the music the musicians read? The conductor uses a special piece of music called a score. The score contains all of the musical parts of all the instruments in the orchestra. The conductor may be reading as many as five to fifty lines of music at the same time! The music that the individual musicians read includes only their specific parts. 4

6 Pre-Concert Preparation The Concert Experience Before the concert begins, many people are busy getting ready. The musicians have to learn their parts alone at home, and then they get together as a group to practice. The conductor tells them how to play each part: how fast, how loud, and when to begin and end. Mainly, the conductor makes sure that all the separate parts come together and make a beautiful piece of music, like the director of a play makes sure all the actors know their lines, where to stand and what to do. There are other people busy getting ready for the concert, too. Stagehands work behind the scenes to put the right number of chairs and music stands in the right places. They operate the lights and technical equipment for all the staging needs. You might see them with headsets on during the concert and wearing dark clothes so they don t distract your attention. The Orchestra Takes the Stage You will notice that members of the orchestra come out on stage in no particular order and start playing their instruments to warm up before the concert begins. You might hear funny sounds like a brass player blowing into his mouthpiece or an oboe player make a sound as he tries a new reed. You may also notice some beautiful melodies coming from a violinist or the sounds of the timpani as percussionists prepare for the concert. The Lights Dim It s Time to Begin When the lights come back on and the audience is quiet, the Concertmaster comes out. Our Concertmaster is Rachel Stegeman. You can clap to welcome her. She is an excellent violinist with several jobs. First, she tunes the orchestra so everyone is in tune and sounds good together. She is also responsible for helping the conductor keep the orchestra together. Finally, it is the Concertmaster s job to play all of the violin solos. Now the conductor comes out. His name is André Raphel. You can applaud to welcome him, too. Be very quiet during the concert so you can hear everything the orchestra is playing. 5

7 Concert Etiquette As at any public gathering, there are rules, manners and traditions that make the event more enjoyable for everyone. This is true in the classroom, at a restaurant, movie theater, church or park, and at a symphony concert. We ask that you please review the following with your students before attending the concert. Some Teaching Suggestions: Ask students about some of the rules, manners and traditions they have experienced when attending different events. Discuss what manners made the experience more and less enjoyable. List some rules and manners that the students think would be suitable for the concert hall and discuss the reasons for their choices. Review some other rules and manners for the concert hall that the students did not mention. They may include: Enter the concert hall quietly and in an orderly fashion no shouting or running. Follow the usher and teacher in order to find your seats. Listen to the music without talking. Clap only when the conductor enters and at the end of each piece of music. We know when a piece ends because the conductor will turn around and face the audience. In the concert hall, we show our approval by clapping only. At a concert, we never shout, whistle, or stamp our feet. We sit in the chairs with our feet on the floor. While the orchestra plays, we remain very quiet so that everyone in the audience can hear and enjoy the music. Any noise may distract the musicians. At the end of the concert, we leave quietly as a group. Be sure not to leave any personal belongings on the seats or on the floor. During the concert, may we suggest stationing chaperones/teachers among the class. This seating will make you readily available to handle any problems. Your good conduct will be a shining example for the children to follow. 6

8 Introducing the Program A Trip to the Circus This exciting and fun-filled concert takes listeners on an imaginary trip to the circus. The audience will meet various animals and characters from the circus described in music by Smetana, Rossini and Stravinsky. The conductor will be the ringmaster, guiding listeners through this adventure. Students will also experience what it's like to be a composer, as they listen and arrange their own piece by voting on excerpts from Matthias Bamert's Circus Parade. The Music Dvořák: Carnival Overture (excerpt) Smetana: Dance of the Comedians E. Strauss: Clear Track Polka (Bahn frei) Stravinsky: Circus Polka (composed for a Young Elephant) Saint-Saëns: People with Long Ears from The Carnival of the Animals Rossini: William Tell Overture (excerpt) Bamert: Circus Parade Fučík: Entrance of the Gladiators 7

9 Glossary Terms Waltz: An extremely popular ballroom dance of the 19 th century in triple meter. Triple Meter: A metrical pattern having three beats to a measure. Crescendo/Fortissimo/Pianissimo: These are musical terms that tell a musician how loud or soft to play. Crescendo tells a musician to get louder; Fortissimo tells the musician to play very loud; Pianissimo tells a musician to play very softly. Allegro: This is a term that refers to the tempo or speed the music is to be played. Allegro means fast! Ringmaster: The ringmaster is the person who announces the circus acts. Conductor: The Conductor is the leader of the orchestra Orchestra: A group of musicians who perform together playing a variety of instruments. Concert Hall: The place where most symphony orchestras perform. Tempo: Speed of the music. Movement: A separate section of a larger musical work. Dynamics: The loudness or softness of music. Texture: How many instruments are playing determines texture. Texture can be thick if many instruments are playing and thin if only a few. It can be compared to fabric (wool or silk). Rhythm: Beats are put together to form rhythm. The length and accents of sounds form the rhythm. Melody: A group of sounds put together to form a pleasing phrase. Harmony: Several sounds played together 8

10 Families of the Orchestra When we talk about musical instruments, we often talk about them as being part of a family. That's because, just like in human families, the instruments are related to one another. They are often made of the same types of materials, look similar to one another, and produce sound in comparable ways. Each instrument of the orchestra family has like characteristics, but they also have different qualities that make them individuals. The orchestra, made up of 4 families of instruments, acts as a team. This team must play together by listening very carefully to each other and following signals from their team leader, the conductor. In addition, the teammates must play only when they are supposed to and sit in the correct seat. 9

11 The String Family is made up of the violin, cello, bass and harp. Instruments in this family produce sound by vibrating strings. The strings are vibrated in two ways: using a bow (made out of horsehair stretched on a wood stick) to rub the strings or plucking the strings, usually with the hand. The pitch is changed on string instruments by adjusting the length of the string. This is typically accomplished by putting fingers down at some point to shorten the length of the vibrating string. String instruments have a very mellow, rich sound. There are many string players in an orchestra because each instrument alone doesn t have a very loud sound compared to other instrument families. The violin is the highest member of the string family. Like its other string family members, it has four strings. The violin quite often has the melody and its tone is sweet and quite expressive. There are two violin sections in an orchestra - First and Second. First violins usually play the melody, while second violins alternate between melody and harmony. A typical-sized violin is nearly 24 inches long with a slightly longer bow. The violin is played by resting it between the chin and left shoulder. The left hand holds the neck of the violin and presses down on the strings to change the pitch, while the right hand moves the bow or plucks the strings. The viola is the middle-voiced member of the string family. It is slightly larger, just over two feet long, and its four strings are thicker than the violin s, producing a richer, warmer sound. They almost always play the harmony. The viola is played the same way as the violin, by resting it between the chin and shoulder. The left hand holds the neck of the viola and presses down on the strings to change the pitch, while the right hand moves the bow or plucks the strings. The cello differs from the violin and viola in that it is held between the knees in front of the player. Standing approximately 4 feet high, the body of the cello rests on the ground and is supported by a metal peg. The cello is played in a similar manner to the violin and viola, using your left hand to press down on the strings, and your right hand to move the bow or pluck the strings. Its bow is shorter than the violin s and its strings are thicker than both the violin and viola. It can make a wide variety of tones, from warm low pitches to bright higher notes, playing both harmony and melody. The bass is the largest member of the string family. Sometimes a bass, also called the double bass, may have a fifth string. The instrument is so large that most musicians stand to play it. The bass rests on a wooden or metal peg and is approximately six feet tall. Its tone is deep and very rich. The double bass almost always plays the harmony. Sound is produced just like on a cello, using the left hand to change pitch and the right to move the bow or pluck the strings. 10

12 The harp is one of the oldest instruments (dating back to the Greeks). It's tall almost six feet high and has 47 strings of varying lengths which are tuned to the notes of the white keys of the piano. The harp is played sitting down with the musician s legs on either side and the neck of the harp leaning against the right shoulder. Each string sounds a different note (they come in different colors to help tell one from another) and are played by plucking the strings with the fingertips and thumb. Attached to the bottom of the harp are seven foot pedals, which change the pitch of each string and allow them to sound the pitches of the black keys on the piano. The Woodwind Family includes the flute, clarinet, oboe and bassoon. This family produces sound by blowing a vibrating column of air inside some form of tube. In the past, woodwind instruments were all made of wood, but now some instruments, such as the flute, are made out of metal. Woodwinds create the vibrating column of air in different ways. Flutes blow across the top of an open hole. Clarinets blow between a reed usually a small piece of bamboo against a mouthpiece. That is why clarinets are called single-reed instruments. Bassoons and oboes blow between two reeds that vibrate against each other. That is why bassoons and oboes are called double-reed instruments. Woodwind instruments have a very beautiful singing sound. They are often used to play solo parts during symphonies when their unique tonal qualities can be heard even if the entire orchestra is playing. The flute is the highest pitched instrument in the woodwind family. A standard flute is a little over 2 feet long and is often featured playing the melody. It is held to the right side of the face and the musician blows a column of air across a small opening near the top of the instrument (much like blowing air over the top of a soda bottle). The musician s fingers open and close the keys, which changes the pitch. For many years the flute was actually made of wood, but now most flutes are metallic: silver, gold or platinum. The oboe belongs to the double reed part of the woodwind family in that its reed is actually made of two small pieces of cane held together by twine wound around one end. The oboe is made of wood, perforated with many holes, and has a gently tapering conical tube approximately 25 inches long. The oboes produce a wide range of pitches, from haunting sounds to warm, velvety smooth notes, which make for a very memorable sound. The clarinet looks somewhat like the oboe, except for the mouthpiece, which uses a single reed. Clarinets come in a number of different sizes, and the standard B-flat 11

13 clarinet is just over 2 feet long. Some musical works require the clarinetist to play several types of clarinet in the same piece, such as the bass clarinet. They have a dark rich sound in their lower notes, while the upper part of the clarinet's range is bright and resonant. Its tone quality makes it well suited for rapid, fiery passages. The clarinet is played like an oboe, by holding it upright, blowing through the reed, and using one s hands to change the pitches by opening and closing the keys with your fingers. The bassoon is the bass instrument of the woodwind family. The bassoon is played by holding it upright and blowing through the double reed. The air travels down the tube and then makes a u-turn and goes up and out the top. Just like the oboe, you use both hands to press on the keys to open and close the holes and change the pitch. It is a long pipe, doubled in half, made of wood, with many keys. The bend in the pipe makes it possible for musicians to play it comfortably. If it were straight, the bassoon would be around 9 feet long! The Brass Family is one of the oldest families of the orchestra and includes the trumpet, French horn, tuba and trombone, which are all made of brass! Sound is produced when a brass player buzzes his or her lips into a cup-shaped mouthpiece to produce vibrating air. The vibrating air then travels through a long metal tube that modifies and amplifies the vibrations. Brass instruments have a very sweet and round sound. They can also play very loudly and are often used in the most exciting parts of a piece. The French horn is one of the oldest instruments, dating back to the 17 th century French hunting horn, and produces a wide variety of sound ranging from very loud to very soft, and from harsh and blaring to mellow and smooth. The French horn's 18 feet of tubing is rolled up into a circular shape, with a large bell at its end. To play the French horn, a musician holds it with the bell curving downward and away from the audience and buzzes into the mouthpiece. His left hand plays the three valves and he can change the type of sound that is made by the way he places his right hand in the bell. The trumpet is a heroic and festive sounding instrument. Throughout history it has been used to sound alarms, gather people together, as a call to war, and to add luster to parade music. Like the violin, the trumpet is the smallest member of its family and plays the highest pitches with its bright and vibrant sound. Today's modern trumpet is a slender brass pipe with three attached valves, which is curved and bent into long loops. If you stretched out the trumpet to its full length, it would be 6 ½ feet long! Play the trumpet by holding it horizontally, buzzing your lips into 12

14 the mouthpiece, and pressing down the three valves in various combinations to change pitch. The trombone is an instrument of power, solemnity and antiquity. Except for some variations in the mouthpiece, the trombone has not changed in the last five hundred years! The trombone is the only instrument in the brass family that uses a slide instead of valves to change pitch. A standard trombone is made of long thin brass pipes. Two U-shaped pipes are linked at opposite ends to form an "S." One pipe slides into the other so the total length of the pipe can be extended or shortened. You play the trombone by holding it horizontally, buzzing into the mouthpiece, and using your right hand to change pitch by pushing or pulling the slide to one of seven different positions. If you stretch the trombone out straight, it is about 9 feet long. The tuba is the largest and lowest brass instrument and anchors the harmony not only of the brass family but the whole orchestra with its deep rich sound. Like the other brasses, the tuba is a long metal tube, curved into an oblong shape, with a huge bell at the end. Tubas range in size from 9 to 18 feet; the longer they are, the lower they sound. Standard tubas have about 16 feet of tubing. There is generally only one tuba in an orchestra. The tuba is played by sitting down with the instrument in the lap and the bell facing up. Air is blown and buzzed into a very large mouthpiece while the hand presses down on the valves to change the sound. It takes a lot of breath to make sound with the tuba! The Percussion Family is probably the most varied family in the orchestra. Sound on percussion instruments is created by hitting, rubbing or shaking either a solid material, like a metal triangle, or a membrane, like the top of a snare drum. The membranes used to be made out of animal skins, but today most drums use a synthetic material. Only a few percussion instruments produce a specific pitch. Pitched percussion instruments that use a solid material, like a xylophone, change pitches when hit. Pitched percussion instruments that use a membrane, like a timpani, change pitch when the tension of the membrane is changed. There are many different kinds of percussion instruments used in an orchestra including the snare drum and maracas. Percussion instruments produce many different types of sounds, but they are usually used in an orchestra to provide rhythm for the music. Often at the most exciting part of a piece there are many percussion instruments being played. 13

15 The timpani, also called the kettledrums because of their shape, are the backbone of the percussion section. They are big copper pots with drumheads made of calfskin or plastic stretched over their tops. Timpani are tuned instruments, which mean they can play different notes. The timpanist changes the pitch by stretching or loosening the drumheads, which are attached to a foot pedal. Timpani are a central part of the percussion family because they support rhythm, melody and harmony. Most orchestras have four timpani of different sizes and tuned to different pitches, and are usually played by one musician, who hits the drumheads with felt-tipped mallets or wooden sticks. The timpani player must have a very good ear because he/she usually needs to change the pitches of the drums during performances. The cymbals are the biggest noisemakers of the orchestra! They are two large metal discs, usually made of spun bronze. The cymbals are made in a convex shape so that only the edges touch when struck. Cymbals, which are untuned, come in a range of sizes, from quite small to very large. The larger the cymbal, the lower the sound they make. Cymbals can be used for drama and excitement, to accent the rhythm or create delicate sound effects. You can play the cymbals either by hitting one cymbal against the other, or you can use sticks, mallets or brushes to hit one or both cymbals. Cymbals may be struck together, lightly touched together, or tapped singly with a variety of sticks and mallets. The bass drum is the largest drum in the percussion family and is capable of thunderous noise or soft, delicate sounds. The bass drum is an untuned instrument. The bass drum is played by hitting either drumhead with sticks that have large soft heads, often covered with sheepskin or felt. It can produce a lot of different sounds from roaring thunder to the soft, delicate whispers, which are said to be felt rather than heard. The bass drum is usually 30 inches in diameter and the musician plays it with a soft mallet held in the right hand. The snare drum marks rhythm and adds spice to the music. This smallish drum - 15 inches in diameter, about 6 inches deep is made of wood or brass with drumheads made of calfskin or plastic stretched over both ends of a hollow cylinder. It has a set of wire-wrapped strings stretched across the bottom head (the snare), which give the snare drum its unique "rattling" sound when the drum is hit. A small switch on the side of the drum allows the player to turn the snare on or off depending on the requirements of the piece. The snare drum is an untuned drum, so it doesn't make distinct pitches. The snare drum is played with a pair of wooden sticks. 14

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17 Teaching Activity Instrument Families Teaching Objective: Students will learn to identify and understand the instrument families and their place in the orchestra. Resources/Materials: Orchestra Map from the Teacher s Guide (page 15) Instrument Families from the Teacher s Guide (pages 9-14) 2014 YPC MP3 Tracks or CD Preparatory Activities: Discuss with the class the meaning of family. Discuss different types of families; their immediate and extended family, the family of the school or class, a family of cars by a car manufacturer, etc. Discuss how families are defined and how certain characteristics are shared and others are not shared within a family. Teaching Sequence: 1. Pass out copies of the Four Families of the Orchestra page and the Instrument Families page. 2. Review these pages and discuss the various characteristics of each instrument family. 3. Divide the class into four groups, each representing one of the instrument families. Hand out copies of the Orchestra Map and have the groups arrange themselves in the same placement as they would be in the orchestra. 4. Play a recording of an orchestral piece from the 2015 YPC CD. Instruct the students to listen specifically to their instrument family. Have them note when they heard their family, what kind of sounds they made, what type of timbre they produce, how often they played, etc. 16

18 5. Have the class sing a simple song, i.e. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star or Jingle Bells. Instruct the class to sing the song again and try to have each group sing the way they think their instrument family would sound. 6. Have the class sing the song again and act as conductor, showing different groups when to sing and how loud or soft to sing. 7. Before attending the Young People s Concert, remind the students of their instrument families and instruct them to watch and listen especially closely to their family. Culminating Activity: Discuss with the class the way their instrument family looked and sounded at the concert. Discuss how it met or did not meet their expectations. 17

19 Meet the Composers Antonín Leopold Dvořák, Composer September 8, 1841 May 1, 1904 Carnival Overture orchestra in order to compose. Antonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of Romantic music, who employed the idioms and melodies of the folk music of his native Bohemia in symphonic and chamber music. Dvořák s parents recognized his musical talent early, and he received his earliest musical education at the village school in He studied music in Prague s only Organ School at the end of the 1850s and gradually developed into an accomplished violinist and violist. Throughout the 1860s, he played viola in the Bohemian Provisional Theater Orchestra, which from 1866 was conducted by Bedrich Smetana. The need to supplement his income by teaching left Dvořák with limited free time, and in 1871, he gave up playing in the From 1892 to 1895, Dvorak was the director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York City. While still living in New York in 1893, Dvorak wrote his most popular work, Symphony No. 9, From the New World, Dvořák wrote the Carnival Overture in 1891 as the middle work in a set of three overtures. As a group, they were titled, Nature, Life and Love. The three pieces were first performed in Prague on April 20, 1892 with Dvorak leading the orchestra. The Carnival Overture bubbles with energy and exuberance, except for a poignant, haunting melody in the English horn and solo violin. Like much of Dvořák s music, it abounds with dance rhythms and folk-music influences from his native Bohemia, the rich heartland now known as the Czech Republic. Dvořák wrote his own program notes describing the story behind the music: The wanderer reaches the city at nightfall, where a carnival of pleasure reigns supreme. On every side is heard the clangor of instruments, mingled with shouts of joy and the unrestrained hilarity of people giving vent to their feelings in the songs and dance tunes. The overture begins with a brilliant, vigorous theme, fortissimo, in full orchestra, describing the revelry of the people, which is freely developed. 18

20 Bedřich Smetana, Composer March 2, 1824 May 12, 1884 The Bartered Bride: Dance of the Comedians Bedřich Smetana, a Czech composer, was one of the great composers of his country s history and one of the leaders of the movement toward musical nationalism. His father was a violin teacher who gave Bedřich his first lessons in keyboard, harmony, and composition when the boy requested them. His father tried to get Bedřich to apply himself in academics, but he was too focused on music to be a good student. Despite initial resistance from his father, he went to Prague to continue his musical studies. In 1844 Bedřich began working as a music master to the noble family of Count Leopold Thun but quit after just three and a half years to undertake a concert tour. Unfortunately, the tour turned out to be a financial failure. In 1848, with the encouragement and financial backing from Franz Liszt, Bedřich Smetana opened his own music school. From 1856 to 1860 he was a conductor at Goteborg, Sweden. In 1861 he returned to Prague and took an active role in founding a national opera house. His first patriotic opera, The Brandenburgers in Bohemia, was produced in In the same season, his most famous work, The Bartered Bride, was staged. It presented a genial picture of village life in Bohemia and reflected the spirit of Czech folk music and dance. The opera was immensely successful, and Smetana was appointed chief conductor of the National Theater. He retained that post until 1874, when a severe whistling in the ears led to Smetana becoming deaf. Although he established a strong local reputation as a pianist, his piano compositions (mostly lighter works) did not earn him any special distinction as a composer. 19

21 Eduard Strauss, Composer March 15, 1835 December 28, 1916 Clear Track Polka (Bahn frei) Eduard Strauss was an Austrian composer who, together with brothers Johann Strauss II and Josef Strauss, formed the Strauss musical dynasty. The family dominated the Viennese light music world for decades, creating many waltzes and polkas for Austrian emperors and their courtiers. He was affectionately known in his family as Edi. The youngest son of Johann Strauss I, Eduard Strauss followed his father and two older brothers into music. He was one of the best-trained of the family members, but in many ways the least successful. He studied theory, violin, piano, and harp. His debut in 1855 came as a harpist in one of his brother Johann s waltzes. Stage fright brought a premature end to his career as an orchestral harpist, yet he was not too timid to play with and conduct his family s dance orchestras; indeed, he developed a reputation as a martinet on the podium. Strauss style was individual and did not attempt to emulate the works of his other brothers or his contemporaries. But he was generally recognized as a dance music conductor rather than as a composer and his popularity was always overshadowed by that of his elder brothers. Realizing this, he stamped his own mark with the quick polka, known in German as the polka-schnell (Clear Track Polka). Personal setbacks in the 1890s, such as the death of brother Johann Strauss II in 1899 and his realization that his immediate family had squandered his personal fortune, led Eduard to decide on retirement. In 1901, he disbanded the Strauss Orchestra and returned to Vienna where he died in He retired from public life and never actively took part in any public musical activity, although he did document his family memoirs titled Erinnerugen in

22 Igor Stravinsky, Composer June 17, 1882 April 6, 1971 Circus Polka (Composed for a Young Elephant) Igor Stravinsky was one of music s true innovators. His musical career spanned seven decades. Although his parents were seasoned musicians, he had no more extensive musical training than that of the other Russian upperclass children. He enrolled in law school but began studying music with Nicolai Rimsky- Korsakov. By 1909, he began composing ballets, such as The Firebird and The Rite of Spring. Stravinsky and his family spent years in Switzerland during the war and returned to France in Stravinsky and George Balanchine met in Their friendship lasted many years and consisted of many collaborations, which continued after both emigrated to the United States in the 1930s. In 1941, the Ringling Brothers & Barnum & Bailey Circus proposed that Balanchine do the choreography for a ballet involving the circus elephant group. Balanchine agreed and suggested that Stravinsky be hired to compose the music. The Circus Polka premiered at Madison Square Garden in It was performed by the Ringling Circus Band and featured fifty elephants and fifty beautiful girls in an original choreographic tour de force, featuring Modoc, premiere ballerina. Modoc was an elephant, who was said to have performed with amazing grace. The act was successful, and later, Stravinsky adapted the work for full orchestra. The full version premiered with the Boston Symphony in The Circus Polka is brisk and bright. It maintains a 2/4 meter throughout. Stravinsky utilized traditional circus music sounds such as cymbals, piccolo, and low brass, which represent prancing elephants. 21

23 Camille Saint-Saëns October 9, 1835 December 16, 1921 People with Long Ears from The Carnival of the Animals Camille Saint-Saëns long life spanned n early the entire duration of the Romantic period of music. He was part of the heyday of the movement and witnessed its death and the dawn of 20 th -century music. Born in Paris, he was regarded as one of the most talented musical child prodigies of all time. He had perfect pitch and began piano lessons with his great-aunt at the age of two, then almost immediately began composing. His precociousness was not limited to music; he could read and write by the time he was three and had learned Latin four years later. His first piano recital was given at age five. At ten years of age, he gave his debut public recital. Word of this incredible performance spread across Europe and even to America, appearing in a Boston newspaper. At the age of sixteen, Saint-Saëns wrote his first symphony brought two of Saint-Saëns most renowned compositions: The Carnival of the Animals and his Symphony No. 3, dedicated to Franz Liszt. Despite the work s great popularity today, Saint-Saëns forbade complete performances of The Carnival of the Animals shortly after its premiere, allowing only one movement, The Swan, a piece for cello and two pianos, to be published in his lifetime. The Carnival was written as a musical jest, and he believed it would damage his reputation as a serious composer. People with Long Ears (the 8 th movement) was scored for two violins. This is surely the least lyrical of the pieces; the violins alternate playing high, shrill screeches and low, buzzing notes that can hardly be considered melodious but sound like a donkey. In 1976, Warner Brothers produced a television special featuring The Carnival of the Animals with Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck playing the dual pianos (It opened with Bugs and Daffy arguing over the pronunciation of the composer s name - Camille Saint-Saëns or Camel Saynt Saynes). 22

24 Gioachino Rossini, Composer February 29, 1792 November 13, 1868 William Tell Overture Rossini was born into a family of musicians. His father was a horn player, and his mother was a soprano. He was taught at home and eventually enrolled into a music school. After graduation, he was commissioned to compose a one-act comedy. By 1812, he was Italy s most prominent composer. By the age of 37, he had written 38 operas. He was brought to the French government to Paris in Here he was contracted to compose for the Theatre Italien and the Opera. He wrote his final opera in The William Tell Overture recounts a tale of Swiss hero, William Tell, during the time of Switzerland s fight for independence from Austrian Hapsburgs. William tell was a marksman with the crossbow and refused to bow to a hat set up on a pole by the Austrian governor. Tell is arrested and the governor says he will be let go if he can shoot an apple off his son s head. Tell agrees but says if he had failed, he would have shot the governor. He is chained once again. He is eventually freed long enough to kill the governor, which led to a revolt by the Swiss. William Tell premiered in 1829 and was the last of Rossini s operas. He continued to compose other types of works. The theme from the piece has been used over the years in both classical music and pop culture, most recognizably as the theme music for The Lone Ranger. 23

25 Matthias Bamert, Composer born July 5, 1942 Circus Parade Of all the composers in the program, Matthias Bamert is the only musician who is still conducting and composing today! At present, Bamert holds the position of Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. Although he has a solid reputation as a conductor of the standard repertoire, Matthias Bamert is best known for his work on behalf of new music, obscure eighteenth century music, and neglected music from all eras. Bamert served as principal oboist with the Salzburg Mozart Orchestra from 1965 to 1969 but then made a career switch to conducting. He assisted Stokowski at the American Symphony Orchestra in 1970 and 1971, then joined the Cleveland Orchestra s conducting staff. He was music director of the Swiss radio Orchestra ( ), then began making a wider reputation across Europe. He was principal guest conductor of the Scottish National Orchestra from 1985 to In 2000, he became principal guest conductor of the New Zealand Symphony. Bamert is known to be a quick study, able to master new scores in very little time, and bring off highly effective premieres in concert and on CD. Circus Parade was composed in 1979 for a series of children s concerts by the Cleveland Orchestra. Its purpose is to allow the children to actually compose their own arrangement that will be performed in full. There are nine characters in Circus Parade: Ringmaster, Horses, Tightrope Walker, Bears, Jugglers, Lions, Magicians, Monkeys, and Clowns. Each character is represented by two pre-composed sections eight bars in length. After listening to each of the two eight bar phrases, the students will choose which one they prefer over the other. The chosen phrase will then be added to the 4/4 meter, and every fragment has exactly the same tempo. Therefore, any chosen combination is possible. This procedure will be repeated for all 9 characters until the composition is completely arranged by the students choices. The nine phrases will then be put together and performed as the students composition. 24

26 Julius Fučík, Composer July 18, 1872 September 25, 1916 Entrance of the Gladiators Bohemian (present-day Czech) bandmaster and composer, Julius Fučík (Fōō chick) studied composition with Antonin Dvorak and was a bassoonist in a number of orchestras. Fučík was a bandmaster of the 86 th and 92 nd Austrian Regiments. Two of his most popular marches are Entrance of the Gladiators and The Florentiner. Entrance of the Gladiators is a military march that was composed in Written for the calliope (a musical instrument consisting of a series of steam whistles and is played like an organ), the march has since become indelibly linked to clowns and the circus, where it became known as Thunder and Blazes. Although the tune is widely recognized, its original name and composer are relatively obscure. It is often referred to merely as the circus music or the clown music. Entrance of the Gladiators was originally titled Grande Marche Chromatique due to the extreme use of the chromatic scale in the melody. The arrangement of the march in its circus incarnation is generally the one by Louis-Phillipe Laruendau. Generally, the song is broken into three parts. The one people associate the piece with the most would be the first third. This part contains the melody that the trumpet keeps and the several supporting parts. The second third is the section where the low-brass (mainly tubas) take over with the chromatic scale-like role. Finally, there is a trio, or a slow melodic brass. The trio has a part similar to the second third with a chromatic scale like sound. Somewhat surprisingly, this is a rather short piece; it is not written in separate movements, and there is only one repeat. The song is written in 2-2 time and is very fast paced (even for its time signature). In 1974, writers Leo Sayer and David Alexander Courtney wove the introduction and melody into their Top 10 composition for Three Dog Night, The Show Must Go On. 25

27 Following are classroom activities to prepare your students for A Trip to the Circus. Please use them as they are, change them in any manner, or extend them to help you discover additional methods for teaching your students. Instrument Families 1. Create teams and give points for correct answers. 2. Construct 4 rings on the floor using string or hula-hoops. Label the rings as follows: strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. 3. Cut out a picture of each instrument (pages 34-41) and place them in a hat or bag. 4. Have each student reach into the hat and draw an instrument card. 5. The student should be able to identify each instrument and place them in the appropriate ring s instrument family. Become a Conductor Some music is so exciting, it s hard to sit still when you hear it. Listen to Entrance of the Gladiators by Julius Fučík. Use your fingers to tap to the beat Clap your hands to the beat The conductor tells the musicians: 1. How fast or slow to play the music (tempo) 2. When to start playing, so everyone can start and stop at the same time 3. How loud or soft to play (dynamics) How does the conductor tell the orchestra WHAT to do? By moving his baton or cueing Have the class practice conducting, teaching them a simple 2 pattern (down, up with your hand). Encourage the students to really get into it. Have the students conduct Entrance of the Gladiators by Julius Fucik. You will find the audio sample on the CD. Have a student conduct the class singing along. Make them all start at the same time, get louder and softer, and stop together. A pencil makes a great baton! 26

28 Become a Composer The Circus Parade by Bamert will be a surprise to students participating in the concert, as it is not included on the CD. The surprise is that students will decide on their own composition after hearing the orchestra play excerpts for each character and animal. To prepare them for this new role as composer, practice the following: 1. With rhythm instruments, ask groups of students to write their own rhythm. 2. Have the students play each rhythm. 3. Select a conductor who will decide who will play in what order. 4. Write the composition on the board. 5. Select other students to play the role of conductor. You may do this with singing, recorders, piano, or any other instruments you have available. Let the students compose their own music! Write a composition that corresponds with each of the pictures that are found on pages 30-32: Ringmaster, clown, and horse. At the concert, listen for the music that Bamert wrote for these circus performers. After the concert, name the other circus performers in the composition Circus Parade. Become an Active Listener Sometimes we just listen to music for enjoyment. Sometimes we listen to the music for detail. Listen to all of the works on the program: To identify each different instrument we hear o At a concert, not only do we identify the instrument by hearing it, but by seeing it as well To describe the texture To learn the rhythm To decide if the key is major or minor To hear the melodies To listen to harmonies To hear dynamics To compare tempi To discover the form To listen for changes in the key, texture, rhythm, tempo, dynamics, and form. Of all the listening we do, listening for changes is one of the most intriguing and when we hear changes, we may become better at discovering form. 27

29 Become an Artist Music is a story written by the composer with notes instead of words. If you listen very closely, you will be able to tell if the story is happy or sad, exciting or scary. It is important not to talk while listening to the music so you are able to hear the entire story you don t want to miss the magic moments that the composer and musicians are trying to create! Since music is a magic moment in sound, you do not want to have other sounds competing to be heard. 1. Listen to one of the pieces from the accompanying CD. The students should close their eyes while they listen so they can envision the story. 2. Have each student draw a picture of what he or she envisioned. 3. Play the piece several times over while they draw. Let the students imaginations run wild! Pictures can express emotions, colors, sounds, and action. Be creative!!! Creative Writing Assignment Several days before the concert is to take place, ask your students to write a letter to themselves. Following the concert, ask them to re-read their letters and write another about how their experience may have been different from their expectations to demonstrate their growth to themselves and also to help fix the concert experience in their memories. To begin, you may wish to explain the activity in this manner: We re about to share a concert experience. I know all of us have expectations and questions about what the concert will be like. I d like us to take a few minutes now to write a letter to ourselves about what you think the concert will be like. (Think about what will happen at the concert, how the music will make you feel, what it will be like sitting in the auditorium with so many other people, etc.) Your letter will be sealed. When we return from the concert, we ll re-read this letter and write another one to ourselves about how our experience confirmed or was different from our expectations. In the second letter, we will be able to recognize the performance s impact on the students lives. This activity has two effects: it allows students to carefully think through the event ahead of time, and it impresses the experience and its lessons on the students minds. 28

30 Write a Letter to the Symphony! The Wheeling Symphony would love to hear what your students thought of the program. Have them write a letter to any performer the conductor, the narrator, a musician telling about their concert experience, what they liked most, if they liked a particular instrument or piece. Please mail the letters to: Wheeling Symphony Attn: Lauren Carey, Education Coordinator 1025 Main Street, Suite 811 Wheeling, WV or them to boxoffice@wheelingsymphony.com. Thank you to our generous sponsors of the 2015 Wheeling Symphony Young People s Concerts! Helen J. Prince Foundation Schenk Charitable Trust Karl and Mildred Niekamp Charitable Foundation W.E. Stone Foundation Hess Family Foundation American Electric Power Ohio River Border Initiative (ORBI) Robert L. and Helen E. Levenson Family Charitable Trust Anonymous Foundation JB Chambers THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! 29

31 2015 YPC Teacher Evaluation Thank you for attending a WSO Young People s Concert. We hope that you and your students were entertained, educated, and enlightened! Please take a few minutes to complete the following evaluation form. Return this evaluation by fax: or by boxoffice@wheelingsymphony.com Date: Time: Location: Your Name: Title: School / County: I attended the concert with number of students in the grade. Have you attended a WSO Young People s Concet before? Yes / No If yes, how many? Did your students listen to YPC CD before the concert? Yes / No / N/A Did you feel the programming was age-appropriate? Yes / No Please explain Please evaluate the MP3 tracks/cd and Teacher s Guide. Please include suggestions for improvement. List suggestions for improving the concert itself, including future repertoire. What did your students enjoy most about the concert? (Add any anecdotal story that shows how the concert had an impact on your students). Would you bring students to a future WSO Young People s Concert? Please explain. Additional comments: 30

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