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Primary—The Animated Orchestra Study Guide

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Primary—The Animated Orchestra Study Guide 17 Primary 18 Study Guide The Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s School Concerts are generously supported by Mrs. Gert Wharton and an anonymous donor. Table of Contents Concert Overview Concert Preparation Program Notes 3 4 - 6 7 - 10 Lesson Plans Artist Biographies Musical Terms Glossary 11 - 19 20 - 23 24 - 25 Instruments in Musicians Teacher & Student the Orchestra of the TSO Evaluation Forms 26 - 37 38 - 41 42 - 43 The Toronto Symphony Orchestra gratefully acknowledges Robin Malach for preparing the lesson plans included in this guide Concert Overview The Animated Orchestra Primary: Suitable for students in grades K–4 Dina Gilbert, conductor Greg Smith, narrator Join the TSO on an adventure where students discover the magic of music. Through storytelling and one-of-a-kind characters, students will be introduced to orchestral favourites that allow their imagination to soar. Meet a creative ferret named Ari who will tell the story of The Animated Orchestra with narrator Greg Smith. There will even be an audience sing-along where students get to perform alongside the TSO! Program to include excerpts from*: Georges Bizet Aragonaise from Carmen Suite No. 1 Traditional Mister Sun Audience Sing-Along Georges Bizet Les Toréadors from Carmen Suite No. 1 Greg Smith The Animated Orchestra *Program subject to change 3 Concert Preparation Let's Get Ready! Your class is coming to Roy Thomson Hall to see and hear the Toronto Symphony Orchestra! Here are some suggestions of what to do before, during, and after the performance. Whether it’s your first symphony concert or you’re a seasoned audience member, there’s always something new to learn and experience! Before Listen and Read Listen to the pieces of music • Have you heard any of these pieces before? • Which one is your favourite and why? • Do you hear anything new or interesting? • Try out one of our listening journals and record your observations. Read the biographies and program notes • Were there any composers you had never heard of before? • Did you learn anything new or interesting about one of the pieces, composers, instruments or TSO musicians? During Look and Listen Look around the orchestra and the hall • Have you been to Roy Thomson Hall before? • Are there any instruments you haven’t seen before? • Do you notice anything interesting about the orchestra? Listen to the orchestra and conductor • Is it different listening to the live orchestra versus a recording? • Think about how the different pieces make you feel. • Is there a particular instrument or part of the piece that you like listening to the best? • What instruments are used to create different sound effects? 4 Concert Preparation After Discuss and Reflect Discuss and reflect with your classmates • Was there anything that surprised you during the concert? • What was your favourite/least favourite piece and why? • Was your experience different from your classmates? • Fill out our Student Feedback form and let us know what you think! Review Rules and Reminders Review these rules and reminders with your classmates • No outside food or drink allowed inside Roy Thomson Hall. • No flash photography or recordings. • Please visit the bathroom before the concert. Audience members walking in and out during the concert can be distracting. • We encourage you to applaud and show appreciation. The orchestra relies on your energy to perform. • If you’re unsure when the piece of music is over, look to the conductor and performers on stage. The conductor will turn and face the audience once the piece of music is over. Have fun and enjoy your experience! 5 Concert Preparation Listening Journals Name: ____________________________ Date: _________________________ Name of the piece ___________________________________ Composer ___________________________________ 1) What kind of sounds do you hear? Does it sound like a big group of musicians or a small group? 2) What different dynamics do you hear? Is the music loud, soft, or in the middle? Does it slowly get louder or softer? (ex. pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff, crescendo, diminuendo, etc.) 3) How would you describe the tempo? Is it fast or slow or both? 4) How does listening to this piece of music make you feel? Does the music remind you of any- thing? 5) What two words would you use to describe this piece of music? 6) Did you like this piece of music? Would you recommend it to a friend? Why or why not? 6 Program Notes Georges Bizet Biography Born in Paris, Georges Bizet was a composer who came from a highly musical family. His mother tutored him in musical notation early in life and by his youth he was able to confidently identify chordal structures and sing complex melodies. His talent for music allowed him early entry to the Paris Conservatoire at the age of nine. While studying at the Paris Conservatoire, Bizet com- posed operas, symphonies, and songs. In 1857, Bizet was the recipient of the Prix de Rome which was a prestigious scholarship award for students in the arts. As part of the scholar- ship he was sent to live, study, and compose in Rome and Paris. During this time Bizet had a few minor successes, but mostly went unnoticed by the larger musical world. When the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war began Bizet’s career took a backseat so that he could train and fight in the war. After the war, Bizet began working on his most famous composition, the opera Quick Facts Carmen. Born October 25, 1838 Died June 3, 1875 Did you know? Nationality The opera Carmen is comprised French of four acts and is usually three hours long! Full Name Alexandre-César-Léopold Bizet 7 Program Notes Carmen Suite No. 1 Bizet’s opera Carmen is based on the popular novella of the same name written by Prosper Mérimée. It is set in Seville, Spain in 1820 and follows the tragic love story between the two main characters, Carmen and Don José. Carmen is an example of opera-comique, a genre of French opera (not necessarily comical) but featuring both spoken dialogue and sung portions. Although Bizet never went to Spain, he spent a lot of time familiarizing himself with the musical sounds and forms of the region where Carmen takes place. He used elements of several popular Spanish songs in the score. Despite being panned by critics after its premiere in Paris in 1875, Bizet’s Carmen is now considered one of the most popular operas ever written. Tragically, Bizet died of heart attack before he could enjoy Carmen’s success. French Mezzo-Soprano, Célestine Galli-Marié was the original Carmen After Bizet’s death, his friend Ernest Giraud, arranged popular pieces from the opera into two suites for orchestra. These two suites remain very popular and are regularly performed today. You will hear two movements from Carmen Suite No. 1, the Aragonaise and Les Toréadors at the TSO School Concerts in April! Did you know? Bizet had never been to Seville, Spain where the opera is set. Toréador on a vintage Carmen poster 8 Program Notes Aragonaise The Aragonaise is the second movement of the suite and depicts a lively Spanish dance. Bizet uses castanets and tambourines through this movement adding Spanish sounds and colour. Listen for their lively rhythms as the woodwinds play a melody based on an Andalusian folk dance. The strings accompany the melody with an energetic pizzicato and soon join in on the melody. Castanets & Tambourine (left to right) Listening Link Les Toréadors Les Toréadors is the final movement of the suite and is one of the most recognized themes from the opera. It is a quick, upbeat march and signals the entrance of the toreador, a bull- fighter, in the opera. Listen for the crash cymbals and exciting rhythms throughout. In the opera, the toreador Escamillo sings Crash Cymbals the Toreador song which describes a bullfighter’s adventures in the bullring! Listening Link 9 Program Notes The Animated Orchestra The Animated Orchestra (Greg Smith, composer - see Artist Biography on page 23) was commissioned by the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music to celebrate the festival’s 50th anniversary. It was premiered in August of 2012 with Marin Alsop conducting the festival orchestra. The Animated Orchestra’s storyline consists of a cartoon score being performed at a symphony concert. The film of the cartoon was sent to the wrong address and so is not available. To salvage the concert, the narrator describes the scenes and the orchestra plays the music as the audience imagines the missing cartoon. The hero of the cartoon is a playful and curious ferret named Ari. The setting is an instrument repair shop owned and operated by a sleepy older gentleman who lives above the shop. Ari, who inadvertently sneaks into the shop late one night, discovers that the shop is a ferret paradise. The story moves beyond the shop as the audience, orchestra and conductor are called upon to act out the cartoon's climactic scene. Ari the Ferret by Thomas Novotny 10 Lesson Plans Lesson 1: Animals and Music Ontario Curriculum Expectations (Overall, Grades 1-3): 1. Creating and Performing: apply the creative process… to create and perform music for a variety of purposes, using the elements and techniques of music 2. Reflecting, Responding, and Analysing: apply the critical analysis process… to communicate their feelings, ideas, and understandings in response to a variety of music and musical experiences Elements of Music Focus: • Duration (specifically tempo) – fast or slow • Dynamics – loud or soft (quiet) • Pitch – high or low Learning Goal: • Students will be able to identify the tempo, dynamics, and pitch of a short musical theme Prior Knowledge: Students should have a basic understanding of tempo (fast and slow), dynamics (loud and quiet), and pitch (high and low).
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