Teacher s Guide and Lesson Plans: Music in the Schools/ Young People s Concerts, Grades 3-8

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1 I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for in the patterns of music and all the arts are the keys to learning. PLATO Training attention is the start of all education. PETER F. DRUCKER Educator, author, management consultant & Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient Teacher s Guide and Lesson Plans: Music in the Schools/ Young People s Concerts, Grades 3-8

2 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA S EDUCATION PROGRAMS, PROUD RECIPIENTS OF 2014 Tucson Pima Arts Council (TPAC) Arts Education Program Lumie Award for demonstrating outstanding leadership, innovation, and creativity in arts education programing Best Practice recognition by Carnegie Mellon University and Americans for the Arts Study. TSO s Education Programs were chosen as one of the ten arts and education institutions from across the nation to be given this honor National Governor s Association Distinguished Service to State Government Award Nomination for the TSO s Education Programs Arizona Governor s Arts Award in recognition of TSO s significant community impact. The organization s 75 year history, service to rural communities, and strong commitment to education were cited in letters of nomination from state, local, and national leaders American Symphony Orchestra League Award for Excellence in Orchestra Education funded by Bank of America, signifying the highest standards, depth of purpose, and remarkable accomplishment in both artistic and educational areas. MAKING MUSIC MINE was developed by Shawn Campbell, Tucson Symphony Orchestra Vice President of Artistic Engagement & Education.

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS TEACHER S GUIDE What is Making Music Mine? Let s Get Started! What We Hear from Teachers Classroom Tools & Materials General Teaching Suggestions Making Music Mine Objectives Components of Making Music Mine Open-Ended Questioning LESSON PLANS: MUSIC IN THE SCHOOLS & YOUNG PEOPLE S CONCERTS, GRADES 3 8 This Year s Theme Young People s Concert Program Preparing for the Ensemble Visits Lesson Plans Composers & Their Works Arizona Arts Standards (Music) Articulation

4 WHAT IS MAKING MUSIC MINE? MAKING MUSIC MINE is primarily designed for the general classroom teacher, although music educators will also find many useful tools and activities in this packet. The Making Music Mine curriculum uses a non-technical music vocabulary, which when combined with ensemble and/or orchestra concerts creates a multi-faceted education program. These combined activities are designed for use throughout the year, infusing music learning into the classroom and teaching students life-long skills with the aid of classical music. MAKING MUSIC MINE IS: a critical thinking approach to learning. inquiry based. open ended. sequential. a tool for promoting active learning. accessible to all teachers and students. a connection to other areas of the academic curriculum. a curriculum that uses imaginative questions, enjoyable activities, and specific guided projects to engage and focus the learner. an enrichment curriculum encouraging development of the whole child. And there are NO wrong answers, provided students explain what they think and why. 1 MAKING MUSIC MINE 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

5 LET S GET STARTED! Included in this Education Programs Packet are a Teacher s Guide and this year s Lesson Plans. In addition to this packet, your curriculum folder includes an Activity Card Booklet, a music preview CD, and Meet the Instruments of the Orchestra packet. Use the instrument cards, CD, Musicians Packet and the Preparing for the Ensemble Visits page to get ready for both the ensemble visits and the orchestra concert performance in the spring. Use the Lesson Plans, preview CD, and Activity Card Booklet for preparation and follow-up (reflections) for the Young People s Concert. Making Music Mine is designed to engage three ways of thinking, shown in the color-coded activity cards, which address learning through multiple intelligences. When the Activity Card Booklet is open, you will notice that the top card contains the activity description and lists the standards addressed by the activity as well as the tools needed for the activity; the bottom card contains the instructions for the activity. The MMM curriculum is based on repeated listenings to the individual pieces of music so that students can internalize the music and discover deeper layers of meaning; this also allows students to develop a sense of ownership of the music TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MAKING MUSIC MINE 2

6 WHAT WE HEAR FROM TEACHERS What an awesome experience. The pre-teach materials were great and totally age appropriate. Thank you for your time and energy! I think this is great for our entire student population, especially ELL students. They can take risks and not be afraid to participate. I can also see this fitting in with our balanced literacy. Your inquiry based learning fits in well with our reading program. Making Music Mine... improves students ability to focus. improves students self-confidence. develops ownership of music in students (music recognition, creating opinions about the piece, knowing the piece years later, etc.) helps connect students to other areas of curriculum. develops social constructivism (e.g. Yeah! That s what I meant! ). encourages and allows risk taking for all, by inviting students to talk about their own thoughts and creations. develops gross motor skills through movement. develops fine motor skills through drawing. works well with students who have English as their second language. transforms the classroom! 3 MAKING MUSIC MINE 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

7 CLASSROOM TOOLS & MATERIALS Activity Card Booklet Lesson Plans Music in the Schools/Young People s Concerts Preview CD and a CD player A website like to create word clouds White paper One set of crayons or markers of the same variety of colors for each student Crepe paper streamers, cloth ribbon or cloth streamers (1 yard long x 2 wide) in same colors as markers/crayons one set for each student o ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS: colored construction paper strips or other colored props Any one of the following: o Tennis ball o Large rubber ball o 2 wooden craft sticks o 2 paper plates Classroom instruments (optional) GENERAL TEACHING SUGGESTIONS Look for opportunities to connect these activities to the other subjects you are studying. For example: connect colors in music to colors in paintings, architecture, poetry, nature, literature, etc. As the teacher, we recognize you are the expert in judging the appropriate difficulty of lessons for your students. We encourage you to modify a lesson accordingly. When the activity calls for movement, remember that in addition to body movement, you may use tennis balls, large rubber balls, streamers, and other props such as wooden craft sticks or paper plates. o Members of your class will respond differently to these different tools. Some students may feel more comfortable with movement if they are holding a prop rather than just moving their bodies. The prop gives them a cushion between movement and their self. o We recognize that colored streamers take extra effort to create, but the benefit gained from streamers is the ability to combine movement with color and emotion. We invite you to share with us your own ideas and alternatives TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MAKING MUSIC MINE 4

8 MAKING MUSIC MINE OBJECTIVES Making Music Mine addresses the State of Arizona Arts Standards, specifically music, as well as many other curricular state standards. See pages for examples of the state standards met by using Making Music Mine. General Education Objectives To promote the following life skills: development of literacy skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing. ability to explain one s own opinion. ability to think outside the box. kinesthetic, aural, and visual learning and expression. development of problem-solving skills. discovery through open-ended discussions. cooperative learning (working well with others) and socialization. acceptance and tolerance of others thoughts and ideas. General Music Objectives To promote music learning through the development of: musical understandings unique to each child. creativity and self-expression. familiarity with classical music. original, artistic products. connections between music and other areas of the curriculum. an understanding of the building blocks of music. 5 MAKING MUSIC MINE 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

9 COMPONENTS OF MAKING MUSIC MINE By addressing the curriculum through three different intelligences, or ways of thinking, students with varied learning styles can all succeed. Therefore, Making Music Mine is built with three strands. Building the Framework GOAL: to engage students in active (music) listening to explore and develop: fundamental thinking. an understanding of sounds and patterns, lines and shapes, colors, movement, energy, and focus in music. connections between music and other subjects. insight into the value of structure and organization. strong listening and observation skills. an understanding of complex subjects using music. Communicating the Message GOAL: to engage students in active (music) listening to explore and develop: original thinking. communication skills by writing, speaking, and creating art through the examination of music. an understanding of ideas, images, stories, and personal perspective through music. connections between music and other areas of study. Experiencing Emotion in Music GOAL: to engage students in active (music) listening to explore and develop: emotional thinking. how emotion can be used constructively. abstract, complex elements. introspective thinking. a willingness to accept the emotions and feelings of others. the ability to verbalize emotions. connections between music and other subjects of study TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MAKING MUSIC MINE 6

10 OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONING In order to make these lessons lively and productive, use open-ended questioning to engage students and encourage discussions throughout the year. Open-ended questioning will also encourage critical thinking and reflection on the part of your students. So: give students time to come up with the answers. use wait-time (some silence is fine). model an attitude of acceptance and tolerance. Try to encourage students to think below the surface and share more information by using the following phrases: What did you hear in the music that made you think that? Tell me more about why you said/think (etc.). Great! Interesting! Can you tell me/us more about that? Can you add more details about? What do you mean by? Does that connect to? What do you think the composer or musicians did to give you that idea? Rephrasing a student s response/answer is a great way to validate a student s comments and confirm your own understanding of what s/he said. Example: I heard Brad say that this music reminds him of. Brad, is that what you said/meant? A dialogue between teacher and student using open-ended questions might sound something like this: Teacher: What in the music inspired you to draw your line or shape drawing as you did? Student: The music was high and kind of squiggly and exciting. Teacher: Can you use more descriptive words for the music in addition to high, squiggly, and exciting? Student: It was strong/light/lively. Teacher: What would be strong/light/lively that the music might be representing? Student: A king/sunshine/a band. Teacher: If you could put this music any place in your life, where would you put it? Student: In class before a math test/on a gloomy day/at the breakfast table. Teacher: Tell us what made you decide to put the music there. Student: It would give me courage! / It would brighten my mood. / It would wake me up in the morning. 7 MAKING MUSIC MINE 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

11 TABLE OF CONTENTS: LESSON PLANS Music in the Schools & Young People s Concerts: Grades 3-8 This Year s Theme...9 Young People s Concert Program...10 Preparing for the Ensemble Visits...11 Getting Started Lesson Opening Up Your Ears!...12 Building the Framework Lessons Introduction to Finding Structure in Music...13 Music Map for The Ballet of the Chicks in Their Shells...14 Distinctive Musical Patterns...15 Finding Structure in Music...16 Finding the Musical Glue...17 Exploring Musical Energy...18 Music Tool Box Worksheet...20 Can You Hear a Color?...21 Communicating the Message Lessons Focus on Character...22 Focus on Action...23 Musical Conversation...24 Inspired by Our Natural Environment...25 Music Paints a Picture...27 Meet the Young Composer...28 Experiencing Emotion in Music Lessons Musical Persuasion...29 Reflect Yourself! Creating Playlists...30 Playlist Templates...32 Transforming the Lives of Others...33 Composers & Their Works...35 Arizona Arts Standards (Music) Articulation TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MAKING MUSIC MINE 8

12 YEAR S THEME Music Speaks Without Saying a Word General Classroom Teachers: In the lessons and activity cards, you will find ways to connect with and explore areas of your daily curriculum, enhancing your classroom work while preparing everyone for the concerts! The TSO s Music in the Schools and Young People s Concerts explore the communicative and narrative qualities of music. We know that music accompanies words in a song, but it also has the ability to communicate ideas, messages and entire stories without using any words at all. Composers and musicians use their instruments and musical sound to tell stories, making music one of the most popular and powerful elements in the world. How does sound communicate without words? These lessons and activities will take you and your students step by step through activities, focusing on music elements and different pieces of music, to uncover how music creates a message, sense of place, mood or emotion, character, development and action. When you look inside that music, you can learn much about how it works. These activities will help you and your students discover the framework of music, the ability music has to communicate ideas, and the power music has to touch, change, and create emotion in the listener. AND, the lessons tie to other areas of the general curriculum, all the while addressing ARIZONA S COLLEGE & CAREER READY and STATE ARTS STANDARDS. In each lesson plan, each piece of music is a text. Through repeated listening, students will become close listeners. As they work through different activities, they will develop the skill of finding facts and details about the music. This will help them interpret meaning and develop opinions to support their communication while discussing and writing about the music. Join the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and its ensembles in this exploration of Music Speaks Without Saying a Word. We look forward to performing for you! If you have any questions about the use of these lessons or materials, please contact Shawn Campbell at or Lourdes De Leon at at the TSO offices. 9 MAKING MUSIC MINE 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

13 YOUNG PEOPLE S CONCERT PROGRAM John Williams (1932-present) Suite from Star Wars: The Imperial March Benjamin Britten ( ) Storm from Four Sea Interludes Gioachino Rossini ( ) Overture to the Italian Girl in Algiers Connor Batey (b. 1998) As the Lightning Flashes from the East unto the West Bedřich Smetana ( ) The Moldau from Má vlast Charles Ives ( ) The Unanswered Question Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov ( ) Scheherazade Alberto Ginastera ( ) Malambo from Estancia 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MAKING MUSIC MINE 10

14 GETTING STARTED PREPARING FOR THE ENSEMBLE VISITS (Music in the Schools program) Through Music in the Schools, three different ensembles will visit your school over the course of the year. This year each ensemble will explore the theme Music Speaks... Without Saying a Word while demonstrating their instruments and answering questions. 1. One or two days before each TSO ensemble visit: Use the Meet the Instruments of the Orchestra instrument card packet to learn fun facts about the specific instruments that will visit you. Use the CD (tracks 1-17) to play the sound of the specific instruments that will be played in that visit. Use the Meet the Musicians pages to learn fun facts about the TSO musicians! Ask students to come up with two or three questions, generated from the above activities and written on a card, to be given to the musicians when they arrive. The musicians will choose from these questions and will also take new questions from the audience. 2. After each ensemble visits your school, use these suggestions for a guided reflection session with your students. Ask students to write about how the musicians addressed the theme Music Speaks...Without Saying a Word What new things did students learn from each different performance? Ask students to draw a picture of something they remember from the ensemble visit. TSO invites the submission of drawings and articles for our Kids Website. Classes or individuals are invited to write or draw about an ensemble visit or trip to a TSO concert, then submit it for consideration for the site. We may choose to use it on the cover of the next year s registration packet. If you wish, send any pictures, articles, or letters to the ensemble that inspired them to: Tucson Symphony Center Education Department 2175 N. Sixth Avenue Tucson, AZ MAKING MUSIC MINE 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

15 STRAND: BUILDING THE FRAMEWORK OPENING UP YOUR EARS! Using instrument samples on tracks 1-17 This is a great place to start! Overview These activities will open up students ears and establish a foundation for doing the rest of the activities. Standards Addressed AZCCRS 3-8.SL.1 AZCCRS 3-8.L.6 See Activity Cards for Arts Standards Lesson Goals Strengthen listening abilities. Expand vocabulary. Develop an accessible vocabulary to use when discussing music. Track Title Composer 1-17 Instrument Samples Various Suggested Activity Progression Step 1. Listening Activity: Listening begins by opening up our ears to the world around us. Ask students to write down all the sounds they hear in the classroom for a period of one minute. Create a list of observed sounds, making sure the sounds were those that occurred inside the room. Discuss and categorize the kinds of sounds they heard. Were they loud? Soft? Raspy? Smooth? Which were continuous? Which were occasional? Ask them to listen a second time, focusing on sounds they didn t notice during the first listening. Can they hear more sounds? Quieter sounds? Their own breathing or heartbeat? Ask them to do the same exercise listening for sounds happening outside the classroom. Does opening the window or door change what they hear? Are they aware of more sound(s) now that they have done this activity? Step 2. Use the following Lesson Plan Activity Cards. The cards will explain the rest! Green Activity 2: Building a Sound Vocabulary (use tracks 1-17) Challenge students to come up with complex, descriptive words while listening to each instrument s musical excerpt. Suggest that students imagine they are describing the sound of the instrument to someone who has never heard it. Green Activity 1: Louder/Softer, Higher/Lower Game Use this card as a resource if your students need extra practice to differentiate between loud and high, or low and soft sounds. Listen to tracks belonging to contrasting orchestral instruments. Younger students may also benefit from this activity. Assessment What are some of the words your students used to describe this music? Can your students differentiate between loud and high, low and soft? Have your students displayed a greater comfort in discussing music? How have they grown? How have your students developed in their ability to listen closely? 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MAKING MUSIC MINE 12

16 STRAND: BUILDING THE FRAMEWORK INTRODUCTION TO FINDING STRUCTURE IN MUSIC Using the Ballet of the Chicks in Their Shells and Music Mapping Overview This lesson will help students develop their ability to focus and listen closely while finding layers of detail, organization, and structure. Standards Addressed Lesson Goals AZCCRS 3-8.RL.1 Discover components and structure using music AZCCRS 4-7.RL.5 as a tool. AZCCRS MP.1 Cite specific structural or pattern elements. AZCCRS MP.7 Use a musical map to guide understanding of See Activity Cards for Arts structure. Standards Express personal opinions about music. Stay open to different interpretations and ideas. Track Title Composer 18 Ballet of the Chicks in Their Shells from Pictures at an Exhibition Modest Mussorgsky Suggested Activity Progression Step 1. Begin by discussing structure and what it means: Everything has a structure, whether it is physical, like the construction of a building, or something intangible, like the structure of a school day. Discuss as a class what other things have structures and what guides those structures. Ask students what kinds of patterns (visual, audible, or intangible) they experience daily. Examples might include: A pattern they see on someone s shirt The pattern of a car alarm A pattern to how they get ready in the morning Step 2. Music also often contains patterns. Use Ballet of the Chicks in Their Shells (track 18) with Green Activity Cards 3 and 4 in sequential order to guide your exploration of structure and patterns in music. First, ask students to trace the music in the air while they listen. Next, listen and draw the lines and shapes they hear on a piece of paper. Step 3. Going Deeper: See videos, at Student Created Musical Maps to view examples of maps to Ballet of the Chicks in Their Shells. Using the example of students tracing their maps to the music, try the same activity with the map on the following page, or one(s) made by your students. After a student has traced a map while the music is playing, ask him/her to point out hi-points or main events on the map and describe what was happening in the music. Assessment How many patterns could your students name in the music? Were your students able to identify a steady beat in the music? How did your students connect the musical map to their listening experience? Were your students able to cite and connect specific visual and aural details? 13 MAKING MUSIC MINE 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

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18 STRAND: BUILDING THE FRAMEWORK DISTINCTIVE MUSICAL PATTERNS Using The Moldau to Create Your Own Musical Map Overview Students will build on skills used in the previous lesson to create a musical map independently. Standards Addressed Lesson Goals AZCCRS 3-8.RL.1 Discover components and structure using music as AZCCRS 4-7.RL.5 a tool. AZCCRS MP.1 Cite specific structural or pattern elements. AZCCRS MP.7 Create a musical map to express understanding of See Activity Cards for Arts structure graphically. Standards Express personal opinions about music. Stay open to different interpretations and ideas. Track Title Composer 23 The Moldau from Má vlast Bedřich Smetana Suggested Activity Progression Step 1. Begin by reviewing how music contains patterns, like you find in your classroom, school, writing, a math problem, etc. Point out that patterns in one piece can be very different from another. Prepare students to independently create maps by using Green Activity Cards 3, 4, 8 and 11 as needed, while listening to The Moldau (track 23). Listen until 2:05. Students create a personal map to this new piece of music. Distribute appropriate paper (a strip of butcher paper or a piece of cashier tape will work). Remind students that they should record these drawings in a linear manner. You may suggest students work lightly in pencil for this listening. When complete, tell students to look over their map. Do they see a pattern? A common symbol, line, or shape? Instances of repetition? Listen again, filling in gaps, or adjusting the map as needed. Step 2. With partners or in small groups, students share their maps with each other. Tell them to compare and contrast the musical maps with that of other class members, and discuss what they specifically heard in the music that prompted them to create their map. Step 3. Take out the maps made for the Ballet of the Chicks in their Shells and compare them to the maps made to The Moldau. Put the maps in two groups. Do the maps for the two different pieces look very different from each other? Discuss the differences and similarities. What elements in the two pieces of music led to those visual differences? Step 4. Going Deeper: Connect the idea of patterns in music to patterns within poetry (the line, meter, stanzas), drama (scenes, acts, stage directions), or novels (chapters, scenes) using a specific poem, play or novel. Or, connect this lesson with a number or shaped-based pattern activity in math. Assessment Were your students more comfortable in creating maps to this second piece of music? Were students able to identify different patterns in the two different maps? Were they able to cite what happened in the music that led to these different visual representations? 15 MAKING MUSIC MINE 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

19 STRAND: BUILDING THE FRAMEWORK FINDING STRUCTURE IN MUSIC Using The Imperial March Overview In this lesson, students will build on their understanding of lines and shapes found in music, by adding an exploration of organization in music, finding components, sections, and points of focus. Standards Addressed AZCCRS 3-8.SL.1 See Activity Cards for Arts Standards Lesson Goals Review key music components. Develop critical listening skills by identifying nuance and layers in rhythm, melody and harmony. Track Title Composer 19 Suite from Star Wars: The Imperial John Williams March Suggested Activity Progression Step 1. Use Green Activity 6 and The Imperial March (track 19) to identify rhythm, melody and harmony in this piece of music. Ask students to imitate the rhythm, melody and harmony by clapping, singing, humming or drawing. Ask whether any of the three elements are more or less present than the other(s)? Step 2. Using Yellow Activity 5, discuss the structural elements listed on the card, and pick several that were used in The Imperial March. Drawing a music map with these elements in mind may help the following discussion: Were there examples of repetition in this music? Can they be sung or demonstrated? Were there examples of symmetry in this piece of music? Can they be sung or demonstrated? What patterns provided organization to the piece? Are there distinct sections in the piece of music? If so, how can they be characterized? What changes in rhythm, line, or pattern were found that helped to create these sections? Is there a high-point or ending? Assessment How comfortable are your students with the concept of the beat and rhythm? Were they able to demonstrate the different beats and rhythms in The Imperial March? Were your students able to separate the melody from the harmony? Were students able to choose elements from Yellow 5 that were used in this music? 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MAKING MUSIC MINE 16

20 STRAND: BUILDING THE FRAMEWORK FINDING THE MUSICAL GLUE Using Overture to the Italian Girl in Algiers Overview What holds a piece of music together? What is the difference between a piece of music, or a language, and random noise? This lesson explores the musical glue that holds a piece of music together, and helps us understand the language of music. Standards Addressed Lesson Goals AZCCRS 3-8.RL.2 Identify and describe musical elements that hold a See Activity Cards for Arts piece together. Standards Compare structural organization to writing. Explore concepts of repetition, symmetry, balance, etc. Determine the central idea of this piece of music. Track Title Composer 21 Overture to the Italian Girl in Algiers Gioachino Rossini Suggested Activity Progression Step 1. Use the activity on Green Activity Card 11 to explore the concept of a focal point. Step 2. Listen to Overture to the Italian Girl in Algiers (track 21), and have students notate patterns, lines and shapes that they hear in this excerpt. Activities from Green Activity Cards 3 and 4 or musical maps are ways to graphically represent what they hear. Consider having students keep track of what they hear in the melody by drawing arrows. When do they hear the melody going up? When does it go down? Students will need repeated listening to form ideas precisely. What are the primary shapes represented in sound? Step 3. Remind students of the balancing exercise (Green Activity Card 11). Ask students what their ears and minds held on to in this excerpt of the overture. These are the elements that provide structure and organization to the music. Sometimes a work will have one key focal point, sometimes it will have several. Also ask: Are these elements reflected in your drawing or map? How many times did you hear that element repeated? Extension: Apply this concept to artwork, stories, or other texts, as outlined at the bottom of Green Card 11. Look at a focal point or glue in building design, photography, or nature. Assessment How would you assess the ease with which your students are now talking about what they discover in a piece of music? Have students understandings of the structural elements of a piece of music become more complex? Were students able to apply the idea of the glue holding a piece of music together to other subject areas? 17 MAKING MUSIC MINE 2015TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

21 EXPLORING MUSICAL ENERGY Comparing Rossini and Ginastera STRAND: BUILDING THE FRAMEWORK Overview In this lesson, students will discover energy in music by comparing different pieces. Through this activity, students will learn about techniques that can change a work s effect, and find links to making similar distinctions in visual art, speaking, and writing. Standards Addressed Lesson Goals AZCCRS 3-5.RL.7 Develop close listening skills by identifying See Activity Cards for Arts nuanced differences in music. Standards Create a visual reflection or response to music. Compare and contrast different responses to the music, provide explanations or descriptions of one s own work, and gain understanding of the work of others. Track Title Composer Overture to the Italian Girl in Algiers Malambo from Estancia Storm from Four Sea Interludes Gioachino Rossini Alberto Ginastera Benjamin Britten Suggested Activity Progression (A variation on Green Activity Card 10) DAY ONE Step 1. Start by discussing how sounds, patterns, lines, shapes, colors and movement make energy in music. Discuss how different pieces of music give the listener different feelings and provide their own unique energy; for example, some pieces relax you, while others make you want to dance. You can use any of the selections on the CD to support this discussion. Step 2. Listen to Overture to the Italian Girl in Algiers (track 21) and have students paint or draw what they hear in the music. Return for additional listenings until students have completed their work. Post these pieces of art on one side of the room. Step 3. Listen to Malambo from Estancia (track 28), while students create works of art reflecting this new piece. Step 4. Post these pieces of art on opposite sides of the room. Hold a compare and contrast discussion about the work created to two different pieces of music. Use the following questions to prompt the discussion: What similarities and differences do you see in each group? Although both pieces of music were lively, how would you describe the ENERGY of the two different pieces of music? Do those differences show up in the drawings? Using the Music Tool Box Worksheet (on page 20), what TOOLS did each composer use that resulted in the different energy, personality and feelings of the two pieces of music? Ask your students to cite examples of different energy in stories or texts they have read in class, architecture in their neighborhood, people they know, etc. DAY TWO - Going Deeper: Step 1. Now that students are attuned to interpreting the energy in music, they will compare Malambo by Ginastera to Storm by Britten. The differences here are more nuanced. If you decide your students will benefit most by explaining the energy visually, you can 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MAKING MUSIC MINE 18

22 STRAND: BUILDING THE FRAMEWORK proceed by listening to Storm from Four Sea Interludes (track 20) and repeat the drawing activity. If you prefer using a new medium, have students write a poem for each piece. Step 2. With the help of the Music Tool Box, identify the musical tools that Britten used in Storm. Compare this to Ginastera s choices for Malambo. Step 3. Connect the composer s process to a writer s in this next activity. Either brainstorm tools that writers use to create energy or share the following: Tools that writers use: Vivid verbs Sentence variety Similes and metaphors/figurative language Transition words Senses Voice Descriptive language/vivid imagery Repetition Precise language Punctuation Step 4. Read the following poem about a powerful storm or hurricane. Have students identify the tools Emily Dickenson uses to portray the energy and elements of a storm. There Came a Wind like a Bugle By Emily Dickinson There came a Wind like a Bugle- It quivered through the Grass And a Green Chill upon the Heat So ominous did pass We barred the Windows and the Doors As from an Emerald Ghost- The Doom s electric Moccasin That very instant passed- On a strange Mob of panting Trees And Fences fled away And Rivers where the Houses ran Those looked that lived-that Day- The Bell within the steeple wild The flying tidings told- How much can come And much can go, And yet abide the World! Extension: Experience how this poem was set to music by Aaron Copeland. There Came a Wind Like a Bugle Assessment Were your students able to describe the different types of energy present in different pieces of music? Have students been able to cite specific points in a piece of music when expressing their ideas? Did students identify the musical tools that each composer used to create energy? Were you students able to identify similarities and differences in the student artwork? 19 MAKING MUSIC MINE 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

23 MUSIC TOOL BOX WORKSHEET STRAND: BUILDING THE FRAMEWORK Circle each tool that you hear being used in this piece of music. Be prepared to talk about where each tool was used in the music and what effect it had. character energy changes in the music sound effects strings percussion brass woodwinds rhythm long notes short notes melody low notes high notes quick tempo (speed) loud volume soft volume syncopation (jazzy rhythms) smooth lines accents heavy sounds light sounds surprises repeated patterns crescendo (growing louder) decrescendo (growing softer) tessitura (use of high or low notes) overall shape 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MAKING MUSIC MINE 20

24 STRAND: BUILDING THE FRAMEWORK CAN YOU HEAR A COLOR? Using The Imperial March and The Moldau Overview In this lesson, students will challenge themselves with an abstract exercise and create nonrepresentational art pieces that reflect the texture and color they hear in two different pieces. They will compare and contrast while discussing the different choices composers make when choosing and combining instruments. Standards Addressed Lesson Goals AZCCRS 3-5.RL.7 Develop close listening skills by identifying AZCCRS 3-8.W.1 nuanced differences in music. See Activity Cards for Arts Identify how composers create color through Standards orchestration. Create a visual reflection or response to an abstract question. Compare and contrast different responses to the music, provide explanations of one s own work, and gain understanding of the work of others. Track Title Composer Suite from Star Wars: The Imperial March The Moldau John Williams Bedřich Smetana Step 1. Ask students to think of situations where they combine different elements for different effects. In cooking, it could be creating a soup with different ingredients. In visual art, it can be blending colors in a painting or textures in a collage. Explain that composers make similar decisions when creating a piece. For this exercise, explain that you would like the students to focus on the colors they imagine while listening to each piece. Step 2. Listen to The Imperial March. Tell students that you want them to identify different instruments and what type of sounds each is making. After the first listening, have students share their observations with a partner or group. Step 3. Distribute a sheet of white paper (11x17 is best) and drawing materials. Have them fold it in half, one section for each piece. Tell students that while listening a second time, now that they have already listened for different instrument sounds, they should focus on the colors they imagine while hearing this blending of instruments. They will record them on one half of their paper. Step 4. Call on a few volunteers to share their work. Have them describe their color choices. See if they can identify which instruments contributed to creating those colors. Can they connect the color to a particular mood or action? Why did the composer decide to use these instruments? Step 5. Repeat the procedure for The Moldau. Instead of discussing their work, have students respond to Step 4 s questions in a paragraph. A second paragraph should address how different instruments, orchestrations and other music tools or techniques from the Tool Box List result in different colors and moods. Assessment Are your students becoming more comfortable with identifying instruments and families of instruments? Were your students able to communicate the color choices they made in relation to orchestration? 21 MAKING MUSIC MINE 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

25 FOCUS ON CHARACTER Using Scheherazade STRAND: COMMUNICATING THE MESSAGE Overview In this lesson, students will listen to a piece of music that strongly portrays a character. They will examine the tools a composer uses to depict a character. Standards Addressed Lesson Goals AZCCRS 3-8.RL.3 Discover the narrative capabilities of music. AZCCRS 3-8.W.3 Discover the music elements used to create See Activity Cards for Arts messages. Standards Compare story elements with elements in music. Create a story and/or artwork in response to a specific piece of music. Track Title Composer 26 Scheherazade, Mvt. 3 excerpt Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov Suggested Activity Progression Step 1. You may choose to use Yellow Activity Cards 1, 2, 4, or 5. In addition to exploring the ideas on the Activity Cards, ask students these questions: What kind of personality does the character have? What in the music gave you that idea? Which instrument(s) portrayed certain characters? Let your imagination go! What story is the character telling? Does anything in the music show an action? Does the music suggest a setting? Step 2. Pick a story studied in class that describes a similar character or characters. Can words and music convey the same thing? In what ways were music and words the same in creating a character, action or setting? In what ways are they different? Going Deeper: Try Pink Activity Card 8 so student can explore another layer of the music. Assessment What have your students learned about the components of music? What have your students learned about how a character can be portrayed in music? How have your students developed as close listeners? 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MAKING MUSIC MINE 22

26 STRAND: COMMUNICATING THE MESSAGE FOCUS ON ACTION Using Scheherazade Overview In this lesson, students will listen to different excerpts from a piece while focusing on musical energy. They will first describe the energy with the idea of musical structure. Next, they will imagine the events that the energy could be portraying. Standards Addressed Lesson Goals AZCCRS 3-8.RL.3 Discover the narrative capabilities of music. AZCCRS 3-8.W.3 Discover the music elements used to create See Activity Cards for Arts messages. Standards Compare story elements with elements in music. Create a story and/or artwork in response to a specific piece of music. Track Title Composer 25 Scheherazade, Mvt. 1 excerpt Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov Suggested Activity Progression Step 1. Use the procedure on Green Activity Card 10 to guide students participation while listening to each excerpt. Depending on the amount of time available, they may simply draw the energy in the air, list descriptive words, sketch a picture, or create a musical map. During this first hearing, students should be listening closely to energy as it relates to the structure of the music. Ask, what kinds of action movements do you think of? What makes you think that? What tools did the composer use to help you imagine action to the music? Step 2. Use Yellow Activity Card 5 as a framework for the next close listening. This time students will interpret how that energy translates into an action or narrative in each excerpt. Depending on the needs of your students, they could quickly sketch a scene or write a short narrative. Assessment How did your students show their understanding of the narrative qualities of music? How comfortable are your students becoming about talking about musical discoveries? Have student interpretations of a piece of music become more complex? Have students been able to cite specific points in a piece of music when expressing their ideas? 23 MAKING MUSIC MINE 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

27 STRAND: COMMUNICATING THE MESSAGE MUSICAL CONVERSATION Using The Unanswered Question Overview In this lesson, students will closely listen to a piece to identify story elements and analyze plot development. Standards Addressed Lesson Goals AZCCRS 3-8.RL.2 Describe the setting portrayed by the music. AZCCRS 3-8.RL.5 Compare story elements with elements of music. AZCCRS 3-8.RL.6 Determine the central idea of this piece of music. AZCCRS 3-8.SL.1 Describe the conversation that students imagine See Activity Cards for Arts from this music. Standards Track Title Composer 24 The Unanswered Question Charles Ives *Do not share the title of this piece until students have completed initial activities. Suggested Activity Progression Step 1. Use ideas from Pink Activity Card 1 as a guide for discussion and analysis. Listen to the first 35 seconds of this excerpt. The beginning has a very soft dynamic, so adjust your volume so it is easily audible. The main goal is to discover a setting or atmosphere in this segment of the piece. Have students share their impressions with a partner, then have a few partners share with the class. Step 2. Listen again, this time until 2:07. During this listening, students should look for voices (or characters) played by the trumpet and winds. Before discussing the instrumentation, see what students can discover independently. Have students consider this question with partners: what are the voices saying? Make a class list of ideas. Step 3. The goal of the final listening is for students to focus on the narrative structure of the musical conversation. Before beginning, tell students to reflect on the ideas about the content of the conversation that the class generated. What is the action? What is happening? Is there a climax and resolution? Concepts from Yellow Activity Card 5 can help guide the structure of your discussion. Listen to the entire excerpt. Since it is the longest example, if needed, allow students to sketch, map, or describe the action and conversation as they listen. Step 4. Use Yellow Activity Card 4, Finding Names that Fit. Reveal Ives title for the work and compare it to the students titles. Extension: Read What Charlie Heard by Mordicai Gerstein to learn more about what inspired the highly original voice of this great American composer. It is available at the Pima County Public Library. Assessment How did students show their understanding of the narrative qualities of music? Were students able to connect the voices of the trumpets and woodwinds to a conversation reflecting meaning and tension? 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MAKING MUSIC MINE 24

28 STRAND: COMMUNICATING THE MESSAGE INSPIRED BY OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT Using The Moldau and Storm from Four Sea Interludes Overview Britten and Smetana wrote powerful pieces tied to their environment that also connected to their personal identity. In this lesson, students will consider how nature and a sense of place inspire artists. They will choose a natural element from their environment and create an artistic response. Standards Addressed Lesson Goals AZCCRS3-8.RL.2 Listen closely to determine what a piece AZCCRS 3-8.RL.6 communicates. AZCCRS 3-8.W.3 Use evidence from the music to back up opinions. See Activity Cards for Arts Use critical thinking skills to generate and explain Standards possible motivations for a composer s creative choices. Examine how local artists are inspired by our desert environment. Track Title Composer Storm from Four Sea Interludes The Moldau Benjamin Britten Bedřich Smetana Suggested Activity Progression Step 1. Tell students to close their eyes and imagine they are taking a hike in the desert, playing at the park, or walking through their neighborhood. Ask, what natural features of the landscape they see as they imagine this place. Give them a moment to think, then with eyes open, make a quick list of what they saw (focusing on natural features like mountains, cactus, trees, hills, washes). Artists, writers, and composers are often inspired to create by elements of the natural world. Explain that our environment is part of who we are, and that as desert dwellers, we have a particular identity. Tucsonans often don t think of water features as part of our everyday world. Share the reading of a poem by Tucson writer, Alison Hawthorne Deming titled Rillito. Ask students what images were inspired by this poem. What mood was created? How does the writer feel about the Rillito? How does the rhythm of the poem connect to the landscape of the Rillito? Step 2. Next, share brief biographical information about Britten and Smetana. Benjamin Britten grew up in Lowestoft, on the Eastern coast of England. Living by the sea, observing dramatic storms, shaped Britten s young imagination and inspired pieces like Storm from Four Sea Interludes. Bedrich Smetana s piece is about traveling down the Vlatava River (Moldau in German), the longest river in the Czech Republic. While musically depicting this natural feature, it also represented a symbol of Smetana s homeland. Step 3. Students listen to each piece. Tell students to: Focus on how each composer expresses the way he felt about the sea and the river. Notice actions, messages, and emotions that are being communicated without the use of any words. After listening, make a list of all the ideas and feelings that are being communicated to you, across the years, and the globe, by the music of these composers. 25 MAKING MUSIC MINE 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

29 STRAND: COMMUNICATING THE MESSAGE Step 4. Students create a response. They reflect on their initial imags from step one, the poem, and each piece. What natural element in their environment is important or loved? Write a poem or story about it. OR, pick a piece of music from the TSO CD or elsewhere that describes in sound how you feel about this natural landmark. Assessment Have your students been able to tie their ideas to specific points in a piece of music? Were students able to determine a central theme in the music and to identify specific details that point to the theme? Did students grow in their understanding of inspiration? How successful were students at making personal connections to their natural world Alison Hawthorne Deming s Rillito will appear in her upcoming poetry collection, Stairways to Heaven (Penguin 2016) TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MAKING MUSIC MINE 26

30 STRAND: COMMUNICATING THE MESSAGE MUSIC PAINTS A PICTURE Using As the Lightning Flashes from the East unto the West Overview: Students will identify the musical tools used to convey aspects of a thunderstorm. Standards Addressed Lesson Goals AZCCRS 3-8.RI.3 Listen closely to determine what a piece AZCCRS 3-8.W.2 communicates. See Activity Cards for Arts Use evidence from the music to back up opinions. Standards Use critical thinking skills to generate and explain possible motivations for a composer s creative choices. Examine how local artists are inspired. Track Title Composer 22 As the Lightning Flashes from the East unto the West Connor Batey Suggested Activity Progression Step 1. Have students do a quick write-up describing the progression of a thunderstorm they have recently observed. If this is a current topic of study in science, ask them to use weather specific vocabulary. Make a class list of elements of a thunderstorm. Step 2. Listen to As the Lightning Flashes from the East unto the West. Students should note parts of the piece that sound like different elements of a storm. What musical tools does Batey use? Step 3. Have students choose a different weather element. What instruments would they use? How would they use different musical tools to represent the weather? Step 4. Share Connor Batey s biographical information with your students, including information about the TSO s Young Composer s Project. What are their thoughts about someone almost their age, composing for a symphony? Step 4. Going Deeper: Consider that words can serve as musical sounds, like the sounds of an orchestra. Using weather as the topic, have students write a short poem, haiku or paragraph about a weather event, using the SOUND of words; alliteration, length, consonants and vowels, etc, to help create the image of the weather. Assessment How would you assess the ease with which your students are now talking about what they discover in a piece of music? Are students becoming more confident with identifying different tools used by composers? What are students perceptions about who writes orchestral music? Did working with this piece change those perceptions? The TSO s Young Composers Project is the only program of its kind in the country in which elementary through high school students participate in a year-long course learning to compose for orchestra. The TSO serves as a living laboratory for the young composers, providing the opportunity for students and professional orchestra musicians to interact and explore the creative process of composition. For more information, contact the Education Programs Manager at (520) , or ldeleon@tucsonsymphony.org. 27 MAKING MUSIC MINE 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

31 MEET THE YOUNG COMPOSER: Connor Batey When did you start composing? I have dabbled in composition throughout my life. However, I have only started composing seriously in the last two-three years. What musical instruments do you play? Piano is my main instrument. I have also experimented with trombone, baritone euphonium, trumpet, guitar, and violin. Are you from a musical family? To a certain extent, yes. My father pursued, for a short while, a degree in music. He later switched to engineering but has still a good understanding of music. Other than that the rest of my direct family has not had very much experience in the classical music field. Describe your composing process. Where do you work? What tools do you use? I work in a room I have dedicated specifically to music and books. I have a piano, keyboard, trumpet, violin, and guitars within reach at any time. I make a point of composing on paper and at the piano, so that I can hear roughly what the musical ideas sound like. I always have a sturdy desk and a large supply of pencils or pens. What inspires you to compose? I find that the thing that inspires me the most to compose is listening to musical works by other composers. I have listened to Bartók s Miraculous Mandarin and Stravinsky s Rite of Spring many times, yet they still inspire me. What is the Young Composers Project like? The Young Composers Project is the most amazing project I have ever been involved with or heard of. It provides an extremely encouraging atmosphere for composers and teaches them many of the intricacies of writing music for instruments they are not familiar with. What advice would you give to kids interested in composing? If people are interested in composing the main thing is to write for yourself. Write the type of music you love. Write what makes you excited and what you enjoy. Compose what comes from your heart. Do not compose in order to sell or appeal to crowds. If you do that, you are not composing what you truly want to compose. How much time do you spend composing? Is it something you do every day? I, unfortunately, do not compose every day. I normally wait until I get inspired by something and then write. However, I am going to try to compose more regularly. What was it like when you first heard one of your pieces performed by TSO musicians? It was stunning! To hear a piece, that you spent time and effort on, being performed by professional musicians is truly amazing. What are your hobbies? I enjoy gardening, reading books, and playing strategy games. None of these hobbies compares to playing and composing music. Who are your favorite composers? My all time favorite composer is Béla Bartók. I like all composers but my other favorites are: Igor Stravinsky, Anton Webern, Modest Mussorgsky, Dmitry Shostakovich, and Sergei Prokofiev TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MAKING MUSIC MINE 28

32 STRAND: EXPLORING EMOTION IN MUSIC MUSICAL PERSUASION Using Overture to the Italian Girl in Algiers Overview This lesson will explore music s power in influencing action. Students will determine a piece s mood, then decide on a way that music could be used persuasively. Standards Addressed Lesson Goals AZCCRS 3-8.W.1 Explore how composers communicate emotion AZCCS 3-8.SL.2 through music. AZCCS 3-8.SL.4 Discover music s ability to influence emotions or See Activity Cards for Arts actions. Standards Explore subjectivity and emotional connection: everyone may have a different and valid reaction. Use music, movement, words, and drawings to express different messages. Track Title Composer Overture to the Italian Girl in Algiers Promenade excerpt from Pictures at an Exhibition Waltz of the Flowers excerpt from The Nutcracker Gioachino Rossini Modest Mussorgsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Suggested Activity Progression (Variation of Yellow Activity 7 and Pink Activity 5) Step 1. Warm-up by viewing a TV commercial that uses classical music in a persuasive manner. One iconic ad from recent history is Beef. It s What s For Dinner. This ad campaign from the 90 s forever married a grilled steak and Aaron Copeland s Hoe Down from Rodeo. Show students the ad, then hold a quick discussion about how the music s mood and energy affect the viewer. What message is the creator of the ad trying to send? If you have the time to view another example, here is a recent Gatorade commercial using Carl Orff s Carmina Burana, which the TSO will perform this season. Step 2. Listen to Rossini s Overture to the Italian Girl in Algiers (track 21). Students may want to list ideas about the mood of the piece as they listen. Afterwards ask, What type of message could this piece be sending? If you were creating a commercial with this musical accompaniment, what would you be trying to sell? Repeat this procedure with Mussorgsky s Promendade (track 8) and Tchaikovsky s Waltz of the Flowers (track 17). Conclude the activity by discussing how important a soundtrack can be. If appropriate watch the commercials again, without sound. Extension: Create an ad (print or video) for a product that includes one of the pieces of music. Share your work with us! Education Programs Manager Tucson Symphony Orchestra 2175 N. 6th Avenue Tucson, AZ Assessment Were students able to identify emotion in each piece? What did students determine as the message each piece was sending? Did students make valid connections between each piece and a product? 29 MAKING MUSIC MINE 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

33 REFLECT YOURSELF! CREATING PLAYLISTS Using: Music of Your Choice STRAND: EXPLORING EMOTION IN MUSIC Overview This lesson will help your students discover how music can communicate emotions or create a particular mood. Students will discover how their current musical life can grow to include classical music while also exploring how music can serve as an emotional outlet. Standards Addressed Lesson Goals AZCCRS 3-8.W.1 Discover music s ability to influence emotions or AZCCRS 3-8.SL.1 actions. See Activity Cards for Arts Explore how composers communicate emotion Standards through music. Make connections between music and its impact on students lives. Discover music and the arts as a safe vehicle for the expression of emotion. Track Title Composer 1-28 Teacher and student favorites Several pieces from this year s program All genres Various Suggested Activity Progression Prepare: Make a copy of Playlist Templates for each student and yourself. Before presenting this lesson to students, decide on personal examples of songs or pieces that you would place in each category Joy and Anger. The genre does not matter. You want to model music that fits well with each emotion while inspiring students to share music they love. Record your choices as the first tracks on your personal playlist. DAY 1 Step 1. Use Pink Activity Card 1 to introduce the idea of music s ability to convey emotion and influence actions. If you completed the previous lesson, reflect on that experience. Step 2. Before sharing the two emotion categories that will organize your playlists, play each teacher example for the class. Have students draw or write notes while listening to the music, recording the emotion the music conveys at the beginning of the piece or song, in the middle, and at the end. Step 3. Ask students: What does the music make you feel? Did this feeling change throughout the piece? What tools does the musician/composer use to communicate his ideas and emotions in the piece? Why do you think the piece sounds (fill in the blank with an emotion)? How would you describe the mood of this piece? Is it peaceful or troubling? Simple or complex? If you played this piece for a group, how could you influence them? Would it change their mood? What sort of actions could this piece motivate? Why do you think so? Step 4. Project the beginnings of your Joy and Anger playlists. Discuss whether students observations fit your opinions. Pass out a set of playlists to each student and assign homework. They will identify one song or piece that they already know and love that fits each category. They should write a short explanation of why each song matches the emotion and include a link to the music if possible TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MAKING MUSIC MINE 30

34 STRAND: EXPLORING EMOTION IN MUSIC DAY 2 Note: You may want to preview student responses and pick a few to share with the entire class. Students could also report their choices to each other in small groups. Step 1. Quickly discuss the examples that students shared in a forum that best fits your class. Step 2. Students will now work to include classical music on their playlists. Use the drop the needle method to give students a chance to listen to several of the Young People s Concert pieces and instrument tracks. They will then choose at least one joyful and one angry piece. Discuss students observations. Students should back up their opinions with evidence from the piece. Did different composers use similar musical tools to create similar emotions? This may require a second listening. Note how many students made similar choices. Step 3. Present students with the questions, Have you ever used music to deal with anger or sadness? Have you ever felt so excited or happy that you turned on your favorite song and began to dance in celebration? Discuss whether music can be used as a healthy way of expressing emotion, positive and negative. Step 4. Where to take this activity next is up to you. Students can build their playlists for the remainder of the school year, adding new emotions that can be expressed by music, and by adding new works, perhaps from music/band/orchestra class. They could check in once a week and report discoveries to the class. Although the goal is to incorporate classical music, encourage listening across genres. Students that build a diverse list could write a reflection at the end of the year about how they grew as listeners. Extension: While reading fiction, students can create playlists for a character in a book, reflecting personality or emotional states that the character experiences. Assessment Were students able to explain how different musical tools used by the composer made them feel a certain way? Were students able to classify music by emotions and across genres? Were students able to apply the concept of mood to other mediums such as literature? Did students discover how their choices in music could reflect their identity? 31 MAKING MUSIC MINE 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

35 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MAKING MUSIC MINE 32

36 STRAND: EXPLORING EMOTION IN MUSIC TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF OTHERS Using: The Unanswered Question and The Moldau Overview In this lesson, students will look outward, and explore ways they can impact the lives of others through music. Standards Addressed Lesson Goals AZCCRS 3-8.W.1 Discover music s ability to influence emotions or AZCCS 3-8.SL.1 actions. See Activity Cards for Arts Discover music and the arts as a safe vehicle for Standards the expression of emotion. While exploring music s ability to impact people, discuss real-world opportunities for using music to affect lives. Track Title Composer nd Mvt., Symphony No. 9 in E minor Gigue from Suite No. 1 Scheherazade, Mvt. 4 Examples from Students Playlists Antonín Dvořák J.S. Bach Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov Various Suggested Activity Progression Step 1. Repeat the procedure for analyzing emotion and mood in music while listing to tracks 4, 15, and 27. What does this music make you feel? What tools does the composer use to communicate his ideas and emotions in the piece? Why do you think the piece expresses a particular emotion? If you played this piece for a group, how could you influence them? Would it change their mood? Could this piece motivate a feeling or action (running around, looking at clouds, calming down, hugging a family member, etc.?) Can you create a similar impact with your tone of voice, body language, or choice of words? While discussing, have a student document reactions for each piece on the board or on an anchor chart. Step 2. Refer back to the playlist lesson. This time students will consider how they can help another person in their lives by sharing music. Break into small groups and assign each group a different piece (there will be repeats). Have them discuss situations in real life where there piece would be useful in affecting someone. They should make a list with explanations of why it would work, drawing on notes recorded in Step 1. Step 3. A spokesperson from each group will report their ideas to the class. Students can write about how they would use music from their playlist to affect another person. Step 4. Students can research real world applications of music as medicine or therapy. These resources can get them started: How does Music Therapy Work: PBS News Hour, The Healing Power of Music Careers in Music Therapy: Berklee College of Music Music as Pain Relief: NPR, Sutures With A Soundtrack: Music Can Ease Pain, Anxiety Of Surgery 33 MAKING MUSIC MINE 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

37 STRAND: EXPLORING EMOTION IN MUSIC Extension: Ask students to imagine a Public Service Announcement for Ben s Bells What piece from the Young People s Program, instrument tracks or students playlists would they choose to accompany it? Students can write an accompanying script with story board, or even create a video. Assessment What have your students learned about how music conveys emotion with and without the use of words? Were students able to point to specific elements in the music that the composer used to convey emotion? Have your students connected the emotional content of music to situations requiring empathy? 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MAKING MUSIC MINE 34

38 COMPOSERS COMPOSERS & THEIR WORKS Connor Batey, age 17, has lived in Illinois most of his life, moving to Tucson two years ago. Since then, he has been a member of the TSO s Young Composers Project. Please see the interview on page 28 to learn more about Connor. Connor composed As the Lightning Flashes from the East unto the West during his first year in the YCP. The title is based on a verse from the Bible. Connor states, the general character of my piece is somewhat influenced both by lightning and by the destruction described in the Bible and in the Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) movements in many requiems. It took Connor a month to complete the rough draft. He began with several scattered melodic ideas, composed the middle section, then the first and last sections. The greatest challenge, Connor shared, was probably revising it. In the revision process I had to cut some parts that tended to be long-winded, rework some parts that were impossible to play, add some articulations and notes on how certain sections were to be played, and change some harmonies, all of which were quite difficult to accomplish. Benjamin Britten was born in Lowestoft, England, in The youngest of four children, he began composing at age six. Britten also studied piano and viola. His father was a dentist and his mother was an amateur musician who provided loving support for her talented son. By the time he was fifteen, he had started studying with composer Frank Bridge. He wrote his first symphony, Simple Symphony, when he was 21, including melodies that he had composed as a young boy. Britten composed many different types of music operas, ballets, vocal music, and symphonies. His life spans most of the twentieth century, and he is one of the most performed British composers in the world. One of Britten s most famous works, the opera Peter Grimes, was composed in It tells the story of a fisherman who lives in a village on a rocky English seacoast. Britten describes his connection to this setting, For most of my life I have lived closely in touch with the sea. My parent s house in Lowestoft directly faced the sea, and my life as a child was coloured by the fierce storms that sometimes drove ships on to our coast and ate away whole stretches of the neighbouring cliffs. The Four Sea Interludes were composed to connect scene changes in the opera. Storm depicts the powerful thunderstorms that Britten experienced as a child while also reflecting the dramatic content of the opera. Alberto Ginastera (JEE -nah-steh-rah) was born in 1916 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to a Catalan father and Italian mother. He showed early musical talent and began studying the piano at age seven. He studied at the conservatory (music school) in Buenos Aires, and his early successes were scores for ballets. His style was influenced by Argentine folk melodies and rhythms. Ginastera is considered one of the most important Latin American classical composers. Estancia is an orchestral suite made up of music that Ginastera originally wrote for a ballet in The suite is comprised of four dances, and the last is Malambo. Estancia refers to the Argentine ranches on the Pampas where gauchos (nomadic cowboys) lived and worked. The Malambo is a fast moving folk dance that serves as a competition for men. In the ballet, the protagonist, a city boy, competes with the gauchos for the love of a ranch girl. This piece depicts the action of this frenetic event. 35 MAKING MUSIC MINE 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

39 COMPOSERS Charles Ives was born in Danbury, Connecticut in His father had been a bandmaster for the U.S. Army during the Civil War and was Ives first music teacher. He encouraged his son s experimental originality while exposing him to traditional American music. At the age of 14, he worked as a church organist, which would also influence his musical style. Ives studied composition at Yale, and upon graduating, moved to New York City to work in the insurance business. He had a highly successful career and composed in his spare time. Because of the unconventional nature of his music, much of his work was not appreciated during his lifetime. Ives began composing one of his most famous pieces, The Unanswered Question in 1906, completing the score in It was not performed until The strings, representing the infinite universe, begin the piece, setting the atmosphere with peaceful harmonies. About a minute later, a solo trumpet, plays a melodic line that expresses the question, Why are we here? This is answered by four woodwinds who seem to be arguing as they respond. As the trumpet and woodwinds converse, tension builds, but the piece ends with one final question and then the unchanging strings fading away. Modest Mussorgsky (moo-sawrg-skee) was known as one of Russia s top five composers, known as The Mighty Handful. Born to a wealthy land-owning family, Mussorgsky started playing piano and gaining an appreciation for music from his mother when he was just six years old. He continued his piano studies at school, and at age 12, he published his first piece. He enrolled in the Cadet School at age 13, eventually to graduate and join the military service. Music remained important to him and during his military service, and he eventually resigned his military commission to focus solely on music and composition. Mussorgsky had difficulty finishing works in large formats, which is why many of his pieces were finished and/or arranged by other composers. Yet his small body of work exhibited daring, raw individuality and unique sounds that were full of engaging harmonies, disturbing colors and grim celebrations of Russian nationalism. Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks is the 5th of ten movements in Mussorgsky s Pictures at an Exhibition suite. The suite was originally composed for piano but has been arranged for full orchestra by several composers. The most famous arrangement, and most widely played version, was done by French composer Maurice Ravel. The suite, as a whole, was written in remembrance of an artist and dear friend. Mussorgsky composed the movements based on pictures painted by his friend that went on display to the public in a memorial exhibition. The Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks is written in ternary form (a composition that has a middle contrasting section sandwiched between initial and ending sections that are the same; A-B-A form) with the woodwinds providing the pecking sounds of the chicks and the rest of the orchestra imitating the pitter-patter of the chicks feet as they explore their new world. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov was born in 1844 in Russia and studied the piano as a child. He continued his piano lessons even after joining the navy as an adult. While at sea for two and a half years, Nikolai devoted his free time to composition. When he came home to St. Petersburg, he continued to compose symphonic works, operas (a dramatic stage production set to music in which most of the text is sung), chamber works and songs throughout the rest of his life. Many of his operas recreated the rich world of Russian myths and legends TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MAKING MUSIC MINE 36

40 COMPOSERS Scheherazade is one of Rimsky-Korsokov s most famous works and exemplifies his talent with orchestration. Composed in 1888, it was inspired by Scheherazade, the storyteller in One Thousand and One Nights Arabian Nights. The piece is constructed like a symphony with four movements, each featuring a different tale. The four stories are: The Sea and Sinbad s Ship, The Legend of the Kalendar Prince, The Young Prince and the Young Princess, and The Festival at Baghdad/The Sea and the Shipwreck. Gioachino Rossini was born in Bologna, Italy, to musician parents. He studied music at home and learned to sing and play the harpsichord, piano, cello and horn. At the age of 12, Rossini began composing string sonatas, and at age 13 he wrote his first opera. He soon joined a conservatory and continued his education in operatic composition. Rossini is most loved for his operas. He wrote about 40 of them, the last one being William Tell in Towards the end of Rossini s life, he retired from composing and indulged another life-long passion; being an amateur chef. Today there are a number of dishes with the appendage alla Rossini to their names that were either created by him or specifically for him. Towards the end of Rossini s life, he retired from composing and indulged another life-long passion; being an amateur chef. Today there are a number of dishes with the appendage alla Rossini to their names that were either created by him or specifically for him. The Italian Girl in Algiers was composed in less than a month in 1813 and is one of Rossini s most popular comic operas. The distinctively energetic overtures to his operas are often performed in orchestral concerts. A well-known characteristic of his writing is the Rossini crescendo. The orchestra plays a short melodic fragment repeatedly while getting louder, creating a feverish excitement. There is a joyful spirit in this overture which is communicated by the fast moving string parts and confidently graceful oboe solo. Bedrich Smetana (sme-tah-nah) was one of the greatest composers in Czechoslovakia s history. As a child, Smetana received lessons on the violin and keyboard and in harmony and composition. Later, he founded a successful piano school and also worked as a conductor. As Smetana got older, he began hearing a whistling in his ear that eventually caused him to go completely deaf. This did not deter Smetana from composing, much like Beethoven. He wrote piano works, chamber music (music for small ensemble), orchestral music (music for full orchestra) and operas (a dramatic work set to music in which all or most of the text is sung with instrumental accompaniment, costumes and sets). One of Smetana s most famous orchestral works was Má Vlast (My Country). It is a collection of six symphonic poems (an orchestral piece based on a non-music idea a tone picture). The Moldau, the most popular of the group, is a musical journey following the longest river in Czechoslovakia. Smetana wrote in his notes about the piece, The composition depicts the course of the river, beginning from its two small sources, one cold the other warm, the joining of both streams into one, then the flow of the Moldau through forests and across meadows, through the countryside where merry feasts are celebrated, water nymphs dance in the moonlight; on nearby rocks can be seen the outline of ruined castles, proudly soaring into the sky. Listen at the beginning as one stream, represented by the flutes, meets the second, represented by the clarinets, building towards the river theme played by the violins. 37 MAKING MUSIC MINE 2015 TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

41 COMPOSERS John Williams is one of the world s most famous film composers. He has received 45 Academy Award nominations for his film music; five went on to win an Oscar. Some of his most famous film scores are Star Wars, Jaws, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and the first three Harry Potter films. Williams was born in 1932 outside New York City. He studied piano, trombone, trumpet, and clarinet as a child and later attended the famous Juilliard School. After Williams moved to Los Angeles, he studied composition privately and attended UCLA. Before he became well known, Williams worked in the Air Force bands, conducting and arranging music, and as a jazz pianist in Los Angeles and New York. In L.A., Williams was first hired to orchestrate (rewrite for orchestra) film music of other composers. He conducted the Boston Pops Orchestra from and has written many concertos (pieces for solo instrument with orchestra). Part of John Williams gift as a composer is his ability to write memorable musical themes. The Imperial March from Williams score for the 1980 film The Empire Strikes Back is instantly recognizable. In the world of opera and film, a musical idea is called a leitmotif (LIGHT-moe-TEEF). A leitmotif is a short musical phrase that is associated with a specific object (the Death Star), character (Darth Vader), idea (heroism), place (the planet Dahgobah), or other thing TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MAKING MUSIC MINE 38