Concert Preparatory Packet for Teachers Hawaii Youth Symphony Concert Orchestra December 9, 2015 Blaisdell Concert Hall
Notes About This Prep Packet This packet was created to help you prepare your students for your concert. Generic materials Because the age of students in the concert audience range from Kindergarten to Grade 8, and because the three Youth Symphony orchestras are playing a total of 15 different pieces, these materials are rather generic. Please adapt them to your specific grade level and needs. FREE CD! Listening CDs are available free of charge. If you would like one, and promise to play it in your classroom, please let the teacher in charge of this field trip know and have them email admin@hiyouthsymphony.org with the request. In order to get the most out of your field trip, it is best that the students come prepared, and that your concert is a culminating activity rather than just exposure. Note: The sing-along songs on your CD are straightforward versions with no repeats or special endings. Please follow the song leader at the concert. When to listen You may set aside time for direct, intentional listening experiences, or you may play the CD during seat work time, transition time or other down time. The more the students hear the music, the more they ll enjoy the concert. Sing-along songs Students should practice songs in class and try to memorize them. Use the lyrics creatively in Language Arts! Worksheets Several generic worksheets have been created. Some of them require that students have the two pages of information about the instruments families, found in the Student Resources packet. Web resources Students will love these interactive websites: Dallas Symphony Orchestra - all about the instruments, including sound samples! http://www.dsokids.com/listen/by-instrument/.aspx or go to www.dsokids.com, click on Listen and click on By Instrument Carnegie Hall s The Young Person s Guide to the Orchestra - an awesome quest game! Learn about the instruments while finding and collecting them. It takes several days to complete. http://listeningadventures.carnegiehall.org/ypgto/index.aspx Students will need to create a user ID and password. Teachers may create a class list and monitor student progress in the Instructor Module. http://listeningadventures.carnegiehall.org/ypgto/teachers/logon.aspx
Music Standard/Benchmarks for DOE Schools Hawaii Youth Symphony Concerts December 2015 HCPS III Music: Understands and applies elements of music and understands how music communicates ideas, feelings, and experiences across cultures Grade K Benchmark FA.K.2.2 Demonstrate simple representation of high and low, short and long, loud and soft, fast and slow (use concert pieces as examples) Benchmark FA.K.2.3 Use an instrument to maintain a steady beat using quarter notes and quarter rests (clap/play to recordings of concert pieces) Benchmark FA.K.2.4 Identify various sources of music that can be heard in daily life and their purpose (name the orchestra as a source of music) Grade 1 Benchmark FA.1.2.5 Sing a simple song with appropriate vocal range from memory (learn and sing the sing-along songs) Benchmark FA.1.2.6 Identify families of instruments and how each sound is produced (learn about instruments) Benchmark FA.1.2.7 Explain how music can communicate ideas and moods (explain what the music makes you feel or think of) Grade 2 Benchmark FA.2.2.4 Describe instrument families and sounds from various cultures (learn about instruments)
Music Standard/Benchmarks for DOE Schools HCPS III Music: Understands and applies elements of music and understands how music communicates ideas, feelings, and experiences across cultures Grade 3 Benchmark FA.3.2.3 Identify simple musical forms and melodic or rhythmic ostinato (repeated) pattern (musical form of sing-along song or concert pieces) Benchmark FA.3.2.4 Identify the basic instruments of the orchestra by sight, sound, and category, e.g., brass, woodwind, percussion, strings (learn about instruments) Benchmark FA.3.2.8 Use specific musical terms, e.g., dynamics, tempo, to respond to elements of a musical performance (post-concert discussion/reflection) Grade 4 Benchmark FA.4.2.4 Identify musical forms (e.g., rondos), theme, and variations (identify musical form of concert pieces) Benchmark FA.4.2.6 Compare and contrast musical styles from two or more cultures (---depends on concert pieces) Grade 5 Benchmark FA.5.2.5 Analyze musical elements when explaining or critiquing a musical selection or musical performance (analyze concert pieces) Benchmark FA.5.2.6 Compare the use of musical elements in aural examples of American music and in music from other cultures (--depends on concert pieces) Grade 6-8 Benchmark FA.6-8.2.7 Evaluate the effectiveness of a musical performance or composition (evaluate effectiveness of concert or piece) Benchmark FA.6-8.2.8 Compare the role of music and composers in various cultures and time periods (learn background of pieces and composers, compare)
Listen & Learn School Concert Wednesday, December 9, 2015 9:30 am Concert Orchestra Susan Ochi-Onishi, Conductor Hannah Watanabe, Associate Conductor Selections/excerpts to be chosen from the following: Die Meistersinger, Excerpts from the Opera The Nutcracker, Three Dances, Set 1 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (sing-along) Mele Kalikimaka (sing-along) Richard Wagner arr. Edmund J. Siennicki Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky arr. Clark McAlister Johnny Marks arr. James D. Ployhar Robert Alex Anderson arr. Angel Peña
Program Notes and Background Information Concert Orchestra December 9, 2015 Die Meistersinger, Excerpts from the Opera Wilhelm Richard Wagner, known as Richard Wagner, (1813-1883) was a German composer, conductor, theater director and essayist, primarily known for his operas. Unlike most opera composers, Wagner wrote both the music and libretto (text) for every one of his works. His father died when Wagner was only six months old. His mother remarried an actor, who influenced Wagner s interest in theatre and music. He fell in love with opera s combination of music and drama. Wagner wrote thirteen operas. He is most famous for his four opera cycle called Der Ring des Nibelungen, better known as The Ring. Die Meistersinger is his longest opera, taking four and a half hours to perform! Die Meistersinger (The Mastersingers) was a real life association of musicians and poets. This story takes place in 16 th century Nuremburg, a town in southern Germany. Walther, a young knight, has fallen in love with Eva, the daughter of a Mastersinger, who will marry the winner of the Mastersinger contest. Rejected at first, Walther gets some help and enters the contest. His song is so impressive he is made a Mastersinger; he wins the contest and the girl. This Edmund Siennicki arrangement includes four themes from the opera. Listen for: the majestic opening, the Mastersingers theme Walther s winning song a fanfare signaling the entrance of the Mastersingers the return of the Mastersingers theme The Nutcracker Three Dances II. Toy Flutes (Dance of the Reed-Flutes, Mirlitons or Shepherdesses) III. Trépak (Russian Dance or Dance of the Candy Canes) Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) wrote the music for three ballets, and they all remain popular today Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. Seeing the Nutcracker, either a live or recorded performance, has become a Christmas holiday tradition. At a party on Christmas Eve, Clara s godfather brings toys for Clara and her brother. Among the toys is a nutcracker, which Clara loves. During the night, the toys magically come to life. Clara finds herself in the midst of a battle between a mouse army and toy soldiers. The nutcracker saves Clara from the Mouse King. He turns into a handsome prince and whisks Clara away to his kingdom of wintery beauty. They travel to the Land of Sweets and are entertained by a series of dances from different lands. In Dance of the Toy Flutes, ballerinas sometimes hold small flutes in their hand while stepping en pointe. In Trépak, Russian dancers whirl and jump to the energetic music, which often leads to rousing applause.
Listen for: A-B-A form of Toy Flutes the lively music of Trépak that accompanies a physically demanding dance Sing-along Songs Mele Kalikimaka Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer These songs should be familiar to students of all ages. They should be part of their must know repertoire. Please have students memorize lyrics, not only for the concert, but to add to their general knowledge. These songs are included on the concert preparation CD. If you haven t ordered one when you made your reservations, would like one, and promise to play it in your classroom, please email admin@hiyouthsymphony.org and request a free copy.
Concert Orchestra Sing-along Lyrics Wednesday, December 9, 2015 Mele Kalikimaka Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say On a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day. That's the island greeting that we send to you From the land where palm trees sway. Here we know that Christmas Will be green and bright The sun to shine by day And all the stars at night Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way To say Merry Christmas to you. Tag: To say Merry Christmas A very Merry Christmas To say Merry Christmas to you. Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer Had a very shiny nose. And if you ever saw it, You would even say it glows. All of the other reindeer Used to laugh and call him names. They never let poor Rudolph Join in any reindeer games. Then one foggy Christmas Eve Santa came to say: "Rudolph, with your nose so bright, Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?" Then how the reindeer loved him As they shouted out with glee, Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer, You'll go down in history! Concert Orchestra Sing-along Lyrics Wednesday, December 9, 2015 Mele Kalikimaka Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say On a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day. That's the island greeting that we send to you From the land where palm trees sway. Here we know that Christmas Will be green and bright The sun to shine by day And all the stars at night Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way To say Merry Christmas to you. Tag: To say Merry Christmas A very Merry Christmas To say Merry Christmas to you. Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer Had a very shiny nose. And if you ever saw it, You would even say it glows. All of the other reindeer Used to laugh and call him names. They never let poor Rudolph Join in any reindeer games. Then one foggy Christmas Eve Santa came to say: "Rudolph, with your nose so bright, Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?" Then how the reindeer loved him As they shouted out with glee, Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer, You'll go down in history!