Flynn Center Presents. Carnival Caravan

Transcription

1 Flynn Center Presents Carnival Caravan

2 Welcome to the Student Matinee Season! Today s scholars and researchers say creativity is the top skill our kids will need when they enter the workforce of the future, so we salute YOU for valuing the educational and inspirational power of live performance. By using this study guide you are taking an even greater step toward implementing the arts as a vital and inspiring educational tool. We hope you find this guide useful and that it deepens your students connection to the material. If we can help in any way, please contact sms@flynncenter.org. Enjoy the show! -Education Staff An immense thank you... The Flynn Center recognizes that field trip resources for schools are extremely limited, thus matinee prices for schools are significantly lower than prices for public performances. As a non-profit organization, the Flynn is deeply grateful to the foundations, corporations, and individuals whose generous financial support keeps matinees affordable for schools. thank you to John Bossange and the Surdna Foundation for sponsoring this performance. Thank you to the Flynn Matinee underwriters: Northfield Savings Bank, Andrea s Legacy Fund, Champlain Investment Partners, LLC, Bari and Peter Dreissigacker, Forrest and Frances Lattner Foundation, Surdna Foundation, TD Charitable Foundation, Vermont Arts Council, Everybody Belongs Arts Access Initiative, supported by Burlington Town Center/Devonwood and its Development Team Vermont Concert Artists Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation, Vermont Community Foundation, New England Foundation for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Flynn Jazz Endowment. Additional support from the Bruce J. Anderson Foundation & the Walter Cerf Community Fund.

3 About Scott Kettner When Scott Kettner looks at a map, he sees a direct line that connects the rivers of northeastern Brazil to the parishes of New Orleans and the streets of Brooklyn. A master percussionist, bandleader, producer and songwriter, Kettner is the guiding force behind Nation Beat, a band whose teeming, vibrant rhythms find common ground in the primal maracatu rhythm of Brazil s northeastern region, the Big Easy s funky, hypnotic second-line and strolling Mardi Gras Indians, and the unfettered freedom of big-city downtown jazz. For Kettner, the discovery of maracatu was a life-changing experience. The great jazz drummer Billy Hart, who served as Kettner s instructor at New York s New School University, first informed him of the mysterious music. He was turning me on to African music from different regions, says Kettner, and we started getting into Afro-Cuban rhythms and Brazilian rhythms. After a couple of years studying samba and bossa nova, I asked him, Are there any other rhythms from Brazil that I should be learning? He said, Yeah, man, there s this music called maracatu! I pointed to his drumset and said, Show it to me, and he said, I don t know how to play it! I just know it s a badass rhythm and you have to go learn it, then come back and teach it to me. Intrigued, Kettner began asking Brazilian musicians based in New York how he could learn about maracatu. Even most of them knew nothing of it. The only thing to do, Kettner reasoned, was to go to Brazil and find maracatu. Upon graduating in 2000, he spent a year living in the country, based primarily in the northeastern city of Recife, living in a favela, studying maracatu and other, even more obscure Brazilian rhythms with his new mentor, Jorge Martins. Upon his return to the USA, Kettner implemented maracatu in NYC and began performing and conducting workshops throughout the country. His new book entitled Maracatu for Drumset and Percussion is now available by Hal Leonard Publishing. This is the first in-depth percussion book about the rich culture and music of Maracatu de Baque Virado from Brazil. Scott is also a recent recipient of a prestigious NEA (National Endowment for The Arts) award for his project entitled A Tale of Two Nations which brought together his group Nation Beat and the traditional maracatu group from Recife, Brazil Estrela Brilhante. The grant helped fund a tour that had it s world debut at Lincoln Center Out of Doors in the summer of This tour was historic in that it was the first time that a traditional maracatu group from Brazil had ever performed in the United States. What to expect Bold, bright music that is celebratory, joyous, loud, and vibrant coming primarily from percussion instruments Collaboration between performers as they play and respond to one another. Interwoven history of the music and of New Orleans and Brazil. Interactive elements, the band will engage the audience and encourage joyful participation. A Shared History Recife, Brazil and New Orleans share a lot in common musically, culturally and historically. Both cities were major slave ports that brought a diversity of people from Africa whom after many hard years found a way to blend their musical heritage with the Indigenous tribes and the European settlers. This unfortunate event created unique musical and cultural hybrids in both places that still remain the foundation of the music in both cities today.

4 Discussion Questions Before the show: What kinds of things can we do with our bodies when we hear music that has lots of energy? Guide children to talk about what you can do when they are standing and what they can do when they are sitting in a chair. What can we do with: our feet? our hands? our fingers our legs? our knees? our shoulders? our hips? our heads? A lot of the music you ll be hearing comes from New Orleans, which is in Louisiana, and the country of Brazil. Have students locate these on a map, and then find their hometown and Vermont on a map. Students are invited to compare the size, shape, and location of these places. Talk about what water each state is near and the similarities and differences in each state s seasonal weather. While you re watching, notice: How the different musical pieces sound similar to each other How the different musical pieces are different from each other in some ways How each of the musical pieces made you feel The times when each instrument got to do a solo and add some extra parts to the music How the performers interact with one another while they re playing After the show: Which songs/musical pieces did you enjoy most? Which type of music were these pieces? What did all the musical pieces seem to have in common? How were they different from each other? Was the speed of the different musical pieces the same? Did all the musical pieces make you feel the same way? Which instruments seem to get to play solos (by themselves) the most? Did you like it better when all the instruments played together or when they took turns? Which instrument looked the most difficult to play? the easiest? Do you think the people playing the music were having a good time? Why or why not? How could you tell? Did the musicians talk about New Orleans and Brazil? What did they say?

5 New Orleans Jazz Jazz...the sound that put New Orleans on the map, musically speaking! It's a distinctive sound--not big-band swing, with horns creating harmony. Nor is it modern jazz or "bebop," the post-world War II style that relies on speeding tempos and virtuoso soloing. And it's not "pop" music, the form of music from the pre-rock 'n roll days. New Orleans jazz is a style of music. Almost any song can be "jazzed up" with a New Orleans beat. Jazz was originally music for dancing, not listening, even though that is what modern jazz became in the 1950s and beyond. New Orleans jazz has a swinging, stomping, syncopated beat that makes you want to dance! It also has a simple melodic quality that, to some, sounds dated. New Orleans jazz is also played by brass bands--the kind we hear in our Mardi Gras street parades. They rely on wind instruments and separate bass and snare drums, all of which can be carried on foot. The Traditional Jazz Band The front line: Trumpet or cornet - carries the melody Clarinet or saxophone - harmonizes above the melody Trombone - punctuates the melody from below The rhythm section: Drums - keeps a steady beat Bass (upright or brass tuba/sousaphone) - holds the sound together Guitar, piano, or banjo - provides chord structure and harmonic support What sets jazz apart from the music that preceded it is the way the first jazz musicians improvised. The music became a vehicle of personal expression for both musicians and dancers. In 1976, jazz historian Al Rose wrote a definition of New Orleans-style jazz, which was eventually adopted by the city government. It reads: "Jazz is two or more musical voices improvising collectively in two-four or four-four time on any known melody and 'syncopating.' " Meanwhile, the Louisiana State Museum at the Old U.S. Mint gives us this definition: "New Orleans jazz is a performance art based on the musical elements of syncopation, improvisation, blues scale, call-and-response, rhythm, tone color, harmony and interpretation." Source:

6 Origins of Brazilian Dance and Music Brazil s culture is rich and diverse incorporating and reflecting the traditions and cultures of the unique heritage of its citizens. Some of the connections and contributions these three major influences have had on folkloric dance and music in Bahia, Brazil. Indigenous: Prior to the arrival of Portuguese (and other European) explorers, Brazil was home to somewhere between 2.5 and 5 million people representing a wide range of cultures and languages. Sadly, these populations experienced dramatic decline after the arrival of the Portuguese due to displacement, war, and disease. By 1950, only about 120,000 indigenous people remained but more recent years have happily seen a reversal of this trend and population numbers are now on the rise. It is estimated that 200 indigenous societies exist in Brazil today. The indigenous populations are tremendously important to Brazilian culture and the people of indigenous communities often join with Afro-Brazilians and other Brazilians for celebrations. Dance in these communities is and was primarily improvised and the music has long been influenced by their surroundings. A variety of instruments including rattles, drums, whistles, flutes, and horns are used to reflect the sounds heard in the deep forests and other natural places of Brazil. African: During the 16th and 17th centuries, Africans, many from West Africa, were brought over to Brazil by the Portuguese as enslaved people, working on sugarcane plantations. Unlike their US counterparts, the Portuguese plantation owners tended to be more lenient about allowing enslaved people to keep their cultural traditions alive. Because of this, an incredible amount of African artistic information has been absorbed into what is now seen as Brazilian folk dance/music in the form of rhythmic patterns and choreography. This is particularly true in the Northeastern region of Bahia where some traditions that are no longer found in Africa can still be found. African influence can be seen in the use of drums, bells, rattles, and bowed instruments with gourds which are often used to accompany African-based dances such as samba and capoeira. Portuguese: The Portuguese colonists impact on Brazilian music can be seen in the use of instruments like the flute, clarinet, guitar, violin, accordion, cello, tambourine, piano, and a four-stringed guitar (that later became the Hawaiian ukulele). Vocal music such as ballads, romantic songs, church music, lullabies, and children s songs are also evidence of the Portuguese influence. The rhythms of polkas, waltzes, and marches have become a part of the sounds and rhythms now used in much of Brazil s traditional music.

7 Origins of Brazilian Maracatu For years, most Americans have associated Brazil with samba, overlooking the numerous regional rhythms and music styles which are tremendously popular throughout Brazil. A perfect example is Maracatu- a dynamic rhythm from the Northeast, propulsive and dramatic, steeped in African traditions with heavy religious overtones. In the last ten years, the biggest musical success story out of Brazil has been the explosion of music from the economically impoverished, culturally rich Northeast. World-famous musicians like Chico Science and the Mangue beat movement that sprung up around him used Maracatu as a springboard for contemporary fusions in the same way that Jorge Ben Jor and other MPB artists used samba a generation earlier. Maracatu Nação or Maracatu de Baque Virado is a cultural performance that derives from a ritual of the African slaves in Recife (capital city of Pernambuco) approximately 400 years ago when they crowned their own king inspired by the Portuguese colonizers. To this day the crowning part of the ceremony still exists and a parade of Maracatu de Baque Virado still symbolizes the royal court accompanied by a percussion group representing slaves. The origins of Maracatu can be traced back to the Reis do Congo (Kings of Congo) procession. The institution of the Kings of Congo (or Reis Negros i.e. Black Kings) existed in colonial Brazil from the second half of the 17th century until the abolition of slavery, in The King of Congo was a black African (slave or freeman) who acted as an intermediary between the government (Portuguese or, after independence, Brazilian) and the African slaves. He was expected to control and keep peace among his "pupils." From this institution, which existed throughout Brazil, different folk manifestations evolved in several regions of the country. It was in Pernambuco that the culture and music of Maracatu de Baque Virado evolved, and to this day still plays an important role in the community. The caixa might be one of the hardest instruments in maracatu to pin down to a basic pattern since there are so many variations, rolls, sticking patterns and feels. Some traditional maracatu nations use two caixas which play different roles and different patterns. They are called the tarol and the caixa de guerra. The tarol is generally a shallow snare drum similar to a piccolo snare and the caixa de guerra is usually deeper and similar to a standard snare drum found on a drum set. Look at some of the caixa de guerra patterns and variations. Please take note that while these patterns may provide an insight into the way the traditional maracatu nations play, they are taken out of their traditional context and have been adapted for you to use as a springboard to learn the basic patterns and feels of playing maracatu. Scott emphasizes that you must go to the source if you want to learn how to play these rhythms in a traditional context.

8 Forró and Baião Rhythms of Brazil Forró and Baião are two closely related rhythms that are very popular in the northeast of Brazil, mostly in the state of Pernambuco. Forró is known as a dance, a rhythm, a party and the actual genre which acts as the umbrella for other rhythms such as Baião, Xoté, Xaxado and Arrasta Pé. It is believed that this music was influenced by European dance music such as the Polka, Mazurka, Schottische and Quadrille as well as Embolada and Coco rhythms and song styles which root from the African ancestors who settled in the northeastern region of Brazil. Forró music is celebrated during the Festa Juninha (June Festival), a part of Brazilian culture which celebrates some of the Catholic saints during a festival known as São João. There are subtle rhythmic and syncopated differences between Baião and Forró but the most important and definitive difference is the openclosed pattern played on the top half of the zabumba, a double headed bass drum played with a mallet on the top side and a small switch on the bottom side, similar to a tapan drum. There are many strong rhythmic and cultural similarities between Forró and Zydeco, Cajun, New Orleans Second Line and African American Drum and Fife music. The instrumentation of a traditional forró band normally include any of the following instruments in any combination: Zabumba Cane flute Accordion Fiddle Triangle Pandeiro Agogo Shakers

9 The Creative Culture of Brazil Music Hip Hop Music and dance are key elements of Brazilian culture as seen in Carnaval and other traditions and holidays. The music and dance of Brazil is as diverse and varied as its inhabitants. As colonists, immigrants and enslaved people came to Brazil, they brought with them their rhythms, sounds, instruments and movements. The indigenous people, many living deep within the Brazilian forests, have a variety of instruments including rattles, drums, whistles, flutes and horns. When the Portuguese arrived they brought many European instruments like the flute, clarinet, guitar, violin, accordion, cello, tambourine, piano and a four-stringed guitar; vocal music such as ballads, romantic songs, church music, children s songs and lullabies; and European notation, scores and harmonies. African musical influence is also very strong in Brazil as many enslaved people kept their musical heritage alive while working in the plantations. The Brazilian hip hop scene is considered to be the second biggest in the world, after the United States. In the late 1970s, Brazilian Bailes Black, or Black Parties, featured American funk and soul music, and tens of thousands of Afro-Brazilians attended these dance parties as an expression of their identity. The scene evolved in the 1980s and local MCs, break dancers and rappers began performing and incorporating elements of other Brazilian musical traditions. Brazilian hip hop is heavily associated with racial and economic issues in the country, incorporating politics, poverty, discrimination and other social and political issues. Samba Samba is the best known style of music from Brazil, with a dance of the same name that arose in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. Former enslaved people came from the Brazilian state of Bahia in the late 1800s to live in the favelas, and brought with them the traditional samba de roda or dance circle. Samba is closely associated with the celebration of Carnaval, during which an escola de samba (samba school) made up of hundreds or thousands of dancers and musicians participate in the annual festival. These schools are actually more like clubs that teach samba as a folk art handed down from generation to generation. Today, samba is Brazil s national dance, and a fusion of its many influential cultures: indigenous peoples, Portuguese colonists and Africans. Capoeira Capoeira is a martial art form that combines acrobatics and dance which are categorized as attack or avoidance movements. Two people play capoeira by battling each other through a series of kicks, flips, jumps, turns and sweeps while surrounded by a circle of spectators and musicians. Usually the opponents do not actually make physical contact, as the focus is not on destroying your opponent. Instead, they prefer to show the movement without completing it to enforce their superiority in the match. It is as much about cleverness and wit as it is physical ability. Capoeira traveled with the Atlantic slave trade to Brazil, where legend holds that it was used by the Africans to fight slavery and oppression in their new home. Enslaved people were not permitted to train or to fight, nor were they allowed to practice any elements of their culture. Therefore, many elements had to be disguised so as to fool slave owners. It is believed that they disguised their training and fighting movements with dance movements as a way to secretly practice their martial art, transmit their culture and lift their spirits. After the abolition of slavery in Brazil, capoeira was widely practiced as a martial art, and its movements evolved into dance. Now it is recognized as a common dance form and a national sport.

10 Activities Music and Creative Writing Play a piece of music from Brazil or New Orleans. Have students write down words that come to mind as they listen to the music. When the song ends have students look at the words they wrote down and rearrange them/adapt them to create a response poem to the song. Ask for volunteers to share their poems with the class for an impromptu poetry reading session. (You might want to play some jazz music quietly underneath the poetry readings to set the mood of a jazzy open mic event)! Discuss: What common themes or ideas that came out in the poem responses. How did the music affect students? What did the music seem to say? Music and Visual Art Listen to a piece of music from New Orleans or Brazil several times as a class. Activity 1 Abstract Drawings As the students listen to the music have them trace the line of the melody on a piece of paper they might simply draw a line up and down when the notes are high or low or they might draw smooth or jagged lines depending on the sound and feel of the music, or perhaps they will want to make squiggly lines when the music gets fast or many notes are played quickly together, etc. They should not worry about drawing anything in particular for this part of the exercise but just letting the music move their pencils on the paper. When the song ends have volunteers share their abstract drawings. Discuss: Can students describe which parts of the song corresponded with certain parts of their drawings? Activity 2 Cover Art Next have students listen to a song and encourage them to imagine that they are designing the cover art for the album. Have them sketch or draw as they listen. Discuss students impressions and drawings. What did they want to convey through the cover art? What colors did the music make them think of and use? What shapes did they use in response to the music? How did they try to capture the mood of the music in their artwork?

11 We can t wait to see you at the theater! Etiquette for Live Performances:The Essentials Teachers, a couple of reminders: Listen, experience, imagine, discover, learn! Give your energy and attention to the performers. Please do not eat or drink in the theater. Talk only before and after the performance. Turn off wireless devices. No photos, videos, texting, or listening to music. *These are guidelines... We understand that some students may need to experience the performance in their own way, and we are here to support all students and their unique needs. Share your experience with us! Use the feedback links, or share your students artwork, writing, responses. We love to hear how experiences at the Flynn impact our audiences. Explore other student matinees at the Flynn this season. We still have seats in some shows and we d love to help you or other teachers at your school enliven learning with an engaging arts experience! The Flynn is a place for ALL students, and these tools can help! Pre or Post-Show Video Chats: Hello from the Flynn! Help students build enthusiasm or process their experience with a free, 5-10 minute video chat before or after the show! We can set up Skype/Facetime/Google Hangouts with your class to answer questions about the content, art form, and experience. Contact Kat, kredniss@flynncenter.org to set up your chat! Autism and Sensory-Friendly Accommodations: The Flynn Center has been working diligently to break down barriers for audience members with disabilities, with a particular focus on those with sensory-sensitivities. Social stories, break spaces, sensory friendly materials, and more are available for all student matinees. Feel free to let us know ahead of time if any of these would be useful, or ask an usher at the show! Educational Standards We appreciate and value your feedback The Common Core broadens the definition of a text, viewing performance as a form of text, so your students are experiencing and interacting with a text when they attend a Flynn show. Seeing live performance provides rich opportunities to write reflections, narratives, arguments, and more. By writing responses and/or using the Flynn Study Guides, all performances can be linked to Common Core: CC ELA: W 1-10 Click here to evaluate our study guides. Click here for Teacher Feedback Forms for the performance. Click here for Student Feedback Forms for the performance. Click here for Parent Forms to help parents engage with their children around the show. Student Matinees support the following National Core Arts Standards: Creating: Anchor #1, Responding: Anchor #7, #8, #9, and Responding: Anchor #10 and #11. You can use this performance and study guide to address the following Common Core Standards: CC ELA: RL 1-7, SL 1-4, RH 1, WHST 7-9 C3.D2.GEO.2, 3, 6, 7 This guide was written & compiled by the Education Department at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts with inspiration from the Scott Kettner, Nation Beat, and Maracatu NY Websites. Permission is granted for teachers, parents, and students who are coming to Flynn shows to copy & distribute this guide for educational purposes only.