Science @ the Symphony Ontario Science Centre, concert partner The Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s Student Concerts are generously supported by Mrs. Gert Wharton and an anonymous donor. The Toronto Symphony Orchestra gratefully acknowledges Sarah Greenfield for preparing the lesson plans for the Junior/Intermediate Student Concert Study Guide. Junior/Intermediate Level Student Concert Study Guide Study Concert Student Level Junior/Intermediate Table of Contents Table of Contents 1) Concert Overview & Repertoire Page 3 2) Composer Biographies and Programme Notes Page 4 - 11 3) Unit Overview & Lesson Plans Page 12 - 23 4) Lesson Plan Answer Key Page 24 - 30 5) Artist Biographies Page 32 - 34 6) Musical Terms Glossary Page 35 - 36 7) Instruments in the Orchestra Page 37 - 45 8) Orchestra Seating Chart Page 46 9) Musicians of the TSO Page 47 10) Concert Preparation Page 48 11) Evaluation Forms (teacher and student) Page 49 - 50 The TSO has created a free podcast to help you prepare your students for the Science @ the Symphony Student Concerts. This podcast includes excerpts from pieces featured on the programme, as well as information about the instruments featured in each selection. It is intended for use either in the classroom, or to be assigned as homework. To download the TSO Junior/Intermediate Student Concert podcast please visit www.tso.ca/studentconcerts, and follow the links on the top bar to Junior/Intermediate. The Toronto Symphony Orchestra wishes to thank its generous sponsors: SEASON PRESENTING SPONSOR OFFICIAL AIRLINE SEASON PATRON The Renette and David Berman Family Foundation Science @ the Symphony Junior/Intermediate Level: Suitable for students in grades 4-8 Evan Mitchell conductor Amir Safavi, violin Ontario Science Centre, concert partner Heidi Breier, host Sean Lee Ying, host Donna Francis, host and researcher Science: Fiction or Fact? The TSO and the Ontario Science Centre present an intriguing exploration of sound, technology, space, and mind-blowing science experiments! All budding scientists are encouraged to bring their curious minds and be prepared to be a part of this interactive concert experience. Programme to include excerpts from*: Jonathan Newman Blow it Up, Start Again Evan Mitchell Awesome Orchestra Fucik Entrance of the Gladiators John Williams Excerpt from Theme from Jurassic Park Vivaldi Mvt. 1 from “Winter”, No. 4 from The Four Seasons for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 8 Ryan Trew Excerpt from Starlike Holst Excerpt from “Jupiter” from The Planets Liz Gilpatrick, arr. Mitch Clarke The Water Song (RECORDER/SING-ALONG) J. Strauss Thunder and Lightning Polka, Op. 324 Stravinsky Excerpt from Finale from The Firebird *Programme subject to change 3 Composer Biographies and Programme Notes Jonathan Newman Life: b. 1972 Nationality: American Piece to Study: Blow It Up, Start Again Biography Jonathan Newman studied composition and conducting at Boston University’s School for the Arts and The Juilliard School. A recipient of the Charles Ives Scholarship, Newman has studied with notable composers such as John Corgiliano, David Del Tredici and and Lucas Foss. He is a founding mem- ber of the composer consortium BCM International which consists of four composers (including Eric Whitacre!) dedi- cated to enriching repertoire with exciting new works that are not limited by traditional approaches. Many of his works are scored for wind ensemble and incorporate many diverse styles of pop, blues, jazz, folk and funk into his composi- tions. For more information check out Jonathan Newman’s website here: http://jonathannewman.com/biography.php Listen on Jonathan’s website! http://jonathannewman.com/music.php?id=044 About Blow It Up, Start Again This piece was originally commissioned in 2011 by the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra. Described as “riotously funky” by the Chicago Tribune, Blow It Up, Start Again highlights the unique capabilities of string instruments with glissandos, octave leaps, staccatos, tremolos and sustained chords. This piece is a musical depiction of the infamous Gunpowder Plot as suggested by Mr. Newman’s single program note - “If the system isn’t working anymore, then do what Guy Fawkes tried and go anarchist: Blow it all up, and start again.” Did you know? The Gunpowder Plot: A failed conspiracy in 1605 to blow up the English Parliament and return it to Catholic rule. Gunpowder Plot conspirator Guy Fawkes (1570 - 1606) attempts to plant gunpowder in the cellar. 4 Composer Biographies and Programme Notes Antonio Vivaldi Life: 1831-1881 Nationality: Italian Piece to Study: Mvt. 1 from “Winter” from The Four Seasons for Violin and Orchestra Biography Antonio Vivaldi was a Venetian priest, virtuoso violinist and Ba- roque composer. Ordained as a priest in 1703, Vivaldi was nick- named “The Red Priest” because of his wild red hair. Vivaldi suffered from a respiratory illness (believed to be asthma or angina) which greatly influenced his personal and professional life. Often unable to perform mass due to his condition, he soon left the church to pursue a musical career as a performer, conductor and composer. He began teaching at the Ospedale della Pietà, an institution where orphans received instruction in trades and music. He composed most of his major works in this position over three decades. An innovator of form and pattern, Vivaldi is most well known for his Baroque con- certos and his operas Argippo and Bajazet. About Mvt. 1 from “Winter” from The Four Seasons for Violin and Orchestra The Four Seasons was inspired by a set of four sonnets, which many historians believe Vivaldi wrote him- self, that describe a typical scene from each season. Vivaldi uses different techniques in the violins to cre- ate vivid images which come directly from the sonnets. If you listen carefully to “Winter”, you will hear the violins portraying icy rain using pizzicato notes from the high strings and the smooth surface of ice portrayed by a solo cello playing one note sustained. For this reason, The Four Seasons is often referred to as “programmatic music”, music which is clearly connected to a story, person or idea. The 1st movement is inspired by the four lines below. Did you know? To shiver, frozen, amid icy snow in the bitter blast of a horrible wind; Best known for his violin to run, constantly stamping one’s feet; concertos, Vivaldi composed and to feel one’s teeth chatter on account of the excessive cold; over 400 of them! After his death, many of his works were lost but musicians and scholars revived Vivaldi’s mu- Watch & Listen on Youtube! sic in the early 20th century. Julie Fischer, violinist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1qNOfdMyGA 5 Composer Biographies and Programme Notes Ryan Trew Life: Born 1979 Nationality: Canadian Piece to Study: Starlike Biography A native of Barrie Ontario, Ryan Trew is a composer, percussionist and music theory pedagog. His compositions focus on rhythmic, harmonic and timbral relationships, and incorporate elements from popular and classical music. Ryan received his Bachelor of Music in Composition and Theory from Wilfred Laurier University, his Master’s degree from the University of Toronto and a Doctoral degree from the Uni- versity of British Columbia. Ryan has studied with notable Canadian composers such as Christos Hatzis, Peter Hatch, Glenn Buhr and Dorothy Chang. Ryan’s work has been com- missioned and performed by numerous orchestras in Canada including the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Prince George Symphony Orchestra, the National Academy Orchestra, and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. Listen on Ryan’s website! https://ryantrew.wordpress.com/sound-media/ About Starlike Lush and ethereal, Starlike was commissioned by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra as part of the 2010 Olympic Commissioning Project. Inspired by the stars and universes beyond, Starlike is a meditation on the “twinkling points of light” in the sky that serve as a source of inspiration and explanation of the human experience. For more information, check out Ryan Trew’s website: https://ryantrew.wordpress.com/ Image from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope shows infant stars “hatching” in the head of the hunter constellation, Orion. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ Laboratorio de Astrofísica Espacial y Física Fundamental 6 Composer Biographies and Programme Notes Julius Fucíkˇ Life: 1872-1916 Nationality: Czech Piece to Study: Entrance of the Gladiators Biography Julius Fucík was a prolific Czech composer and conductor of military bands. Often known as the “Bohemian Sousa”, he composed over 300 marches, polkas and waltzes (“Sousa” is a reference to John Philip Sousa, nicknamed “The March King”, who was one of the most popular and prolific American march composers). After successfully conducting a number of military bands, Fucík later moved to Berlin in order ot start his own band and music publishing company. Today his marches are still performed in the Czech Republic; however his most well known work is his piece Entrance of the Gladiators. About Entrance of the Gladiators The piece was first titledGrande Marche Chromatique because of the heavy use of chromatic scales, but was later changed because of Fucík’s interest in the Roman Empire. Composed in 1897 for orches- tra it was originally conceived as a light symphonic march. However in 1910, it was arranged for band under the title Thunder and Blazes and became immensely popular in North America as a screamer march (see definition below). Today the piece is mainly known by this wind band connection and is played at frantic speeds. Chromolithograph by Gibson & Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, copyrighted 1874 Watch & Listen on Youtube! Teatro Massimo Orchestra Fun Fact: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5vo6Vbzpmo You can hear this piece in the film Madagascar! It might remind you of a circus. Did you know? A screamer march is a descriptive name for a circus march, in particular, an upbeat march intended to stir up the audience during the show. 7 Composer Biographies and Programme Notes Gustav Holst Life: Born 1874-1934 Nationality: English Piece to Study: “Jupiter” from The Planets Biography Gustav Holst was a renowned 20th century classical composer.