MSO EDUCATION CONCERT THE ADVENTURES OF AND THE FIREBIRD

Teaching and Learning Guide (Levels F–6)

mso.com.au/education EXPLORE MSO EDUCATION CONCERT: THE ADVENTURES OF PEER GYNT AND THE FIREBIRD CONTENTS

1. REPERTOIRE 3 2. ARTIST INFORMATION 4 3. A WORD FROM OUR MUSICIANS 6 4. BEFORE THE CONCERT 7 5. SAMPLE LESSON PLANS LESSON PLAN 1: MSO MUSICIANS AND THEIR INSTRUMENTS 8 LESSON PLAN 2: INTRODUCING THE COMPOSERS! 9 LESSON PLAN 3: PEER GYNT AND THE FIREBIRD: A STORY 10

6. LEARN MORE 14

Front page: Ben Northey, conductor

THE ADVENTURES OF PEER GYNT AND THE FIREBIRD MSO 2019 TEACHING AND LEARNING GUIDE – 2 SECTION 1 REPERTOIRE

The repertoire featured in this concert is:

GRIEG Peer Gynt Suite No.1, Op.46 – selection KATS-CHERNIN Dance of the Paper Umbrellas STRAVINSKY The Firebird: Suite (1919 version), selection

Find the repertoire on: • Spotify, by visiting our event page • YouTube, by visiting these links: o GRIEG Peer Gynt Suite No.1, selection (Morning Mood, In the Hall of the Mountain King) o KATS-CHERNIN Dance of the Paper Umbrellas o STRAVINSKY The Firebird: Suite (1919 version)

THE ADVENTURES OF PEER GYNT AND THE FIREBIRD MSO 2019 TEACHING AND LEARNING GUIDE – 3 SECTION 2 ARTIST INFORMATION

MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Established in 1906, the Melbourne Symphony Sir Andrew Davis gave his inaugural concerts as Orchestra (MSO) is an arts leader and Australia’s the MSO’s Chief Conductor in 2013, having made oldest professional orchestra. Chief Conductor his debut with the Orchestra in 2009. The MSO Sir Andrew Davis has been at the helm of the also works with Associate Conductor Benjamin MSO since 2013. Engaging more than 4 million Northey and Assistant Conductor Tianyi Lu, as people each year, the MSO reaches diverse well as with such eminent recent guest conductors audiences through live performances, recordings, as Tan Dun, John Adams, Jakub Hrůša and Jukka- TV and radio broadcasts and live streaming. Its Pekka Saraste. It has also collaborated with non- international audiences include China, where MSO classical musicians including Elton John, Nick Cave, has performed in 2012, 2016 and most recently in and Flight Facilities. May 2018, Europe (2014) and Indonesia, where in The MSO reaches a wider audience through 2017 it performed at the UNESCO World Heritage regular radio broadcasts, recordings and CD Site, Prambanan Temple. releases, including the February 2018 release The MSO performs a variety of concerts ranging of a collaboration with Chinese violin virtuoso from symphonic performances at its home, Lu Siqing. Hamer Hall at Arts Centre Melbourne, to its annual free concerts at Melbourne’s largest outdoor venue, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. The MSO also delivers innovative and engaging programs and digital tools to audiences of all ages through its Education and Outreach initiatives.

THE ADVENTURES OF PEER GYNT AND THE FIREBIRD MSO 2019 TEACHING AND LEARNING GUIDE – 4 SECTION 2 ARTIST INFORMATION

BENJAMIN NORTHEY RICHARD VAUDREY CONDUCTOR PRESENTER

Benjamin Northey is Chief Conductor of the Cellist and songwriter Richard Vaudrey is quickly Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and Associate becoming a notable force in the new breed of Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. string players - classically trained and proficient across a multitude of genres. Richard completed Benjamin appears regularly as guest conductor Doctoral study in classical cello and contemporary with all major Australian symphony orchestras, improvisation at Stony Brook, New York (NYC) Opera Australia (Turandot, L’elisir d’amore, Don with Colin Carr and Ray Anderson whilst acting as Giovanni, Così fan tutte, Carmen), New Zealand Teaching Assistant to the Emerson String Quartet. Opera (Sweeney Todd) and State Opera South Richard has a prolific background in chamber Australia (La sonnambula, Les contes d’Hoffmann). music performing regularly both as a soloist and His international appearances include concerts with collaborator across genres including classical, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic new music, jazz, folk and pop in venues including Orchestra and Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg. Carnegie hall, Alice Tully Hall and the Melbourne With a progressive and diverse approach to Recital Centre. repertoire, he has collaborated with a broad range Richard’s solo project VAUDREY, a unique blend of of artists including Maxim Vengerov and Slava indie-folk-pop for cello voice and electronics, has Grigoryan, as well as popular artists Tim Minchin been showcased in NYC, Sydney and Melbourne and James Morrison. to great acclaim. His works extends throughout An Honorary Fellow at the University of Melbourne the music industry and include scoring for the Conservatorium of Music, his awards include the television series Sammy J and Randy in Ricketts prestigious 2010 Melbourne Prize Outstanding Lane and Ministry of Sound, mixing audio for Musician’s Award as well as multiple awards for Universal Music Australia, as well as recently his numerous recordings with ABC Classics. performing the solo electric cello part in Hans Zimmer’s Planet Earth 2 Live in Concert. Richard has held positions such as Adjunct Professor of Cello at Western Connecticut State University, (USA) and is currently Head of Instrumental and Ensemble Music at Peninsula Grammar.

THE ADVENTURES OF PEER GYNT AND THE FIREBIRD MSO 2019 TEACHING AND LEARNING GUIDE – 5 SECTION 3 A WORD FROM OUR MUSICIANS

PRUDENCE DAVIS PRINCIPAL FLUTE, MSO

Q: Tell us about what Morning (from Peer Gynt) means to you as a flautist. A: One of the most iconic opening flute solos in the orchestral repertoire, Grieg’s Morning gently heralds the new dawn. It does this with a simple melody that weaves then develops from the simple flute line into a full-bodied, sweeping orchestral melody which envelops the listener in a deep wash of colourful harmonies. The rolling rhythm prevalent throughout the piece connects all the ideas that Grieg presents and gives the listener a reassuring sense that at the end of a long night there will always be a new dawn full of anticipation and hope. The final moments of the piece leave the listener with a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. The simple melody returns with the promise of the morning.

BENJAMIN NORTHEY ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR, MSO

Q: What do you love most about Elena Kats-Chernin’s Dance of the Paper Umbrellas? A: Dance of the Paper Umbrellas is a perfect example of the ability music has to paint a picture. The music starts like rain drops and the composer creates a magical world of rhythm and melody. It’s very much like a ballet piece in many ways; delicate and beautiful.

ABBEY EDLIN FRENCH HORN, MSO

Q: Tell us about what why you love Stravinsky’s Firebird suite. A: I love playing Stravinsky’s Firebird. It has some great moments for horn; in particular, the horn solo in the finale is so beautiful. I love the way it emerges and seems to float out over the orchestra. My favourite movement play is the Infernal Dance. It’s such an exciting piece of music and Stravinsky really pushes musicians to play to their extremes. The second and fourth horn parts are written quite low in the [horn’s] register, so you have to work really hard to get the syncopated rhythms clear and in time so they cut through [the overall orchestral sound] and don’t sound late. Also, I know it’s not a horn part, but I love the crazy trombone glissandi from the 1919 version. It’s just so random and chaotic!

THE ADVENTURES OF PEER GYNT AND THE FIREBIRD MSO 2019 TEACHING AND LEARNING GUIDE – 6 SECTION 4 BEFORE THE CONCERT

WATCH Peer Gynt excerpts: • Morning: Jacek Kaspszyk (conductor), Filharmonia Nardowa READ • In the Hall of the Mountain King: Jacek Kaspszyk (conductor), Filharmonia Nardowa Biographical entries: • – A Biography Dance of the Paper Umbrellas by Classic FM • Benjamin Northey (conductor), Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra • Elena Kats-Chernin: Biography by Boosey & Hawkes The Firebird Suite • Igor Stravinsky: Biography • Peter Oundijan (conductor), Toronto by Boosey & Hawkes Symphony Orchestra

BEFORE THE CONCERT The Adventures of Peer Gynt and the Firebird

OTHER • Peer Gynt Suite No.1 – BBC 10 Pieces (sheet music, recordings, PowerPoint presentations LISTEN etc.) Podcasts: • The Firebird: Suite (1919 version) • BBC Radio 3 – “Several Peers Gynt” – contrasting interpretations – BBC 10 Pieces • Sticky Notes – Stravinsky’s The Firebird (sheet music, recordings, PowerPoint presentation) • 3MBS – Elena Kats-Chernin at 60 Recordings available on Spotify: • Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite No.1 o Zubin Mehta (conductor), Vienna Philharmonic o Herbert Von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic

• Kats-Chernin’s Dance of the Paper Umbrellas o Benjamin Northey (conductor), Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra

• Stravinsky’s The Firebird: Suite (1919 version) o Leonard Bernstein (conductor), London Symphony Orchestra

THE ADVENTURES OF PEER GYNT AND THE FIREBIRD MSO 2019 TEACHING AND LEARNING GUIDE – 7 SECTION 5 LINKS TO CURRICULUM: SAMPLE LESSON PLANS VICTORIAN CURRICULUM F–6: • Critical and Creative Thinking (capability) • Personal and Social (capability) LESSON PLAN 1: MSO MUSICIANS AND • Music (learning area) THEIR INSTRUMENTS o Respond and Interpret

SUGGESTED FOR: Pre-concert engagement

LEARNING INTENTION: To get to know the musicians and instruments of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

MATERIALS: ❑ Interactive whiteboard (with visuals and sound) ❑ Student workbooks and access to pens, pencils etc., or ❑ Laptop/desktop computers

CONTENT 1. Remind students they’ll soon be attending a performance given by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra 2. Introduce the learning intention 3. Choose one of our general video resources to watch with students – you may also like to split students into groups according to their instrument families, and have them watch the correlating video: a. Tianyi’s Guide to the Orchestra b. Interview with Prudence Davis, Flute c. Interview with Shane Hooton, Trumpet d. Interview with Brent Miller, Percussion e. Interview with Freya Franzen, Violin f. How do musicians prepare for a concert?* *It is suggested that option ‘f’ will be a useful resource for older students

4. Ask students to write a personal reflection on the video using prompts such as: a. List some things that you learned about [NAME OF ARTIST] b. What in this video did you already know? c. If you met [ARTIST’S NAME] in person, what questions would you ask them? Note: Alternatively, you may like to ask students to draw their reflections

5. While students prepare their reflections, you may like to play some music from the concert – use any of the options in Section 4 of this guide, or use our Spotify playlist on the event page 6. Have a class discussion regarding students’ reflections focusing on linking students’ experiences with the experiences of MSO musicians as elicited in the video resources

THE ADVENTURES OF PEER GYNT AND THE FIREBIRD MSO 2019 TEACHING AND LEARNING GUIDE – 8 SECTION 5 LINKS TO CURRICULUM: SAMPLE LESSON PLANS VICTORIAN CURRICULUM F–6: • Critical and Creative Thinking (capability) • Personal and Social (capability) LESSON PLAN 2: INTRODUCING THE • Music (learning area) COMPOSERS! o Respond and Interpret

Note: This lesson can be adapted to focus on any one or all of the composers o Music Practices featured in this program

SUGGESTED FOR: Pre-concert engagement (could be split across 2–3 lessons if you wish to increase the time students have to work on their posters)

LEARNING INTENTION: Understanding and learning about the role of a composer

MATERIALS: ❑ Interactive whiteboard (with visuals and sound) ❑ A3 coloured paper, textas, markers etc. (poster creation tools) ❑ Student workbooks and access to pens, pencils etc., or ❑ Laptop/desktop computers

CONTENT 6. Split students into small groups allocate one research 1. Remind students they’ll soon be attending a performance question (from step 3c of this lesson plan) to each group given by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra which will (if focussing on all three composers in a single lesson, include pieces of music called: allocate one composer to each group) • Peer Gynt Suite No.1 by Edvard Grieg 7. Students create a group poster based on their composer/ research question • Dance of the Paper Umbrellas by Elena Kats-Chernin 8. Hold a ground show-and-tell session and create a display • The Firebird: Suite (1919 version) by Igor Stravinsky wall in your classroom 2. Introduce the learning intention (be sure here to define Alternatively: whether or not you’ll focus on a single composer for this • For older students, you may like to ask them to prepare a lesson, or all three composers) PowerPoint, PowerPoint, Google Slides or Prezi presentation instead of a poster 3. Have a whole-class discussion 9. While students prepare their posters, you may like to a. What does a composer do? play the concert repertoire as background music – use b. Can we name any classical composers? any of the options in Section 4 of this guide, or use our Spotify playlist on the event page c. Developing your research questions: If we learn more about a composer’s biography (explain the term: VARIATION biography), we can learn more about the music they write – what kinds of things would you like to learn • A possible variation on this lesson is to plan and deliver about this composer’s life (/these composers’ lives)? a unit of lessons with each focused on one of either the (e.g. “Where do they live? “What instrument do they conductor, soloist, and composer for this program play?”) • Alternatively, one lesson could be delivered in which 4. Introduce the composers of the works to be featured in each small group focusses on either the conductor, the MSO concert (see Section 1 of this guide) and list soloist or composer for their research their full names on the whiteboard – have students read/ repeat their names out loud as you go 5. If relevant (and focussing on all three composers in the lesson), offer a handful of fun facts about each composers – you may like to draw upon the resources in Section 4 of this guide

THE ADVENTURES OF PEER GYNT AND THE FIREBIRD MSO 2019 TEACHING AND LEARNING GUIDE – 9 SECTION 5 LINKS TO CURRICULUM: SAMPLE LESSON PLANS VICTORIAN CURRICULUM F–6: • Critical and Creative Thinking (capability) • Personal and Social (capability) LESSON PLAN 3: PEER GYNT AND THE FIREBIRD: • Music (learning area) A STORY o Respond and Interpret o Music Practices SUGGESTED FOR: • English (learning area) Pre-concert engagement o Literature LEARNING INTENTION: – Examining Literature Understanding the ways in which music can tell a story – Responding to Literature MATERIALS: ❑ Interactive whiteboard (with visuals and sound) ❑ Student workbooks/poster or scrap paper and access to pens, pencils etc., or ❑ Laptop/desktop computers

CONTENT 1. Drawing from Section 4 of this guide, select one audio 4. Play a short excerpt of each recording and have students recording of either Morning Mood or In the Hall of the number the bits of paper – ask them to draw their Mountain King from Peer Gynt Suite No.1 (you may like to response to each (each response on a separate bit of use both) and one movement of Stravinsky’s The Firebird: paper) – as they draw, ask them to consider: Suite – suggested contrasting selection: a. What do you imagine when you hear this music? Morning Mood from Peer Gynt Suite No.1 b. How does the music make you feel? In the Hall of the Mountain King from Peer Gynt Suite No.1 c. What colours represent how the music makes you feel? Infernal Dance of King Kachei Kastchei from The Firebird: Suite d. How is this music different to the last one I played? 2. Remind students they’ll soon be attending a performance 5. Hold a ground show-and-tell session and have students given by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra which will reflect upon: include pieces of music, two of which are: a. The differences between excerpts • (Selections from) Peer Gynt Suite No.1 by Edvard Grieg b. Knowing that the concert will feature a story containing • The Firebird: Suite (1919 version) by Igor Stravinsky all of this music, can they share with the class a summary of what the story/plot might be? (Try a Tell students that they’re going to see a story told live sentence starter: “I think the story will be...” onstage, with music by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and that the story will be inspired by this 6. You may/may not wish to share with students the actual music; the kinds of things we imagine when listening stories/narrative behind the two works (e.g. great thinking to this music tell us about what the story might be everyone! Now let’s find out what the composers decided the story was) – if so, you may like to draw from the 3. Give students two bits of scrap paper each (or three resources listed under ‘other’ in Section 4 of this guide if focussing on three audio recordings in the lesson)

THE ADVENTURES OF PEER GYNT AND THE FIREBIRD MSO 2019 TEACHING AND LEARNING GUIDE – 10 SECTION 6 LEARN MORE

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