Philharmonic Kids
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PHILHARMONIC KIDS November 1–2, 2017 9:30 am and 11:00 am Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 Welcome 5 What you’ll See and Hear 6 Meet the Performers 7 Meet the Composers 8 Instruments of the Orchestra 10 Classroom Activities 14 Historical Intersections 15 Colorado Education Standards PHILHARMONIC KIDS SPONSORS Deluxe Corporation Foundation Giddings Foundation Kinder Morgan Foundation P. Bruce and Virgina C. Benson Foundation USAA Foundation Griffis/Blessing US Bank Foundation Pikes Peak Kiwanis Club Moniker Foundation Rotary Club of Colorado Springs The Myron Stratton Home 3 Welcome to Philharmonic Kids! On November 1–2, voyage through history Preparing for the Field Trip with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic to this helpful guide to learn more hear all kinds of great music from the past, Browse about the music and musicians you will hear present, and future as we travel Bach to the at the concert. to some recordings Future. Listen of each piece before your visit to the In our time machine, we’ll journey back to concert hall - having some familiarity with the Baroque period of J.S. Bach and discover the music will make the live experience what, exactly, is a fugue. Jumping forward much more exciting! in time, we will hear many styles of music by some of history’s greatest composers. With When You Arrive at the Pikes Peak Center sounds, themes, and ideas introduced by Pikes Peak Center staff will be outside different instruments of the orchestra, Buses: to direct you where to drop off and park. students will hear how Bach’s music influenced later composers’ works, and how Parents/Homeschools: Parking is available the sounds of the orchestra evolve through the on nearby streets, or in the attached parking Classical, Romantic, and 20th Century eras. garage (entrance on Sahwatch). Do not park in the parking lot north of the Pikes Leading up to the concert, we encourage Peak Center as it is a tow-away zone. you to begin your discovery with the classroom activities provided in this guide. When you arrive, teachers should check in The concert experience promises to be at the Philharmonic booth in the front lobby immersive and fun, and will be especially to receive seat assignments. Ushers will exciting to those who have already dipped direct you to your seats. their toes in the proverbial “waters.” Enjoy listening and musing upon these great After You Are Seated masterworks, and we look forward to Please wait until your party is fully seated experiencing the journey with you in the to rearrange student seat assignments, or concert hall! to address bathroom needs. If you need to leave the theatre during the concert, please Sincerely, wait for a break between pieces to exit and Bernie Brink re-enter. Outreach & Education Coordinator Notes on Audience Etiquette Be prepared and Be aware and Show appreciation Concentrate to arrive early. Allow remain quiet. The by applauding. help the musicians. for travel time, and theater is a “live” Applause is the best Focus on the mu- plan to be in your space – you can way to show your sicians to support seats at least 15 hear the performers enthusiasm and and help them minutes before the easily, and they can appreciation. perform their best. performance begins. hear you, too! 4 What You’ll See and Hear Bach to the Future Thomas Wilson conductor Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at 9:30 and 11:00 am Thursday, November 2, 2017 at 9:30 and 11:00 am Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts Today, Bach is considered one of the greatest composers who ever lived. But did you know that, WHAT TO LISTEN FOR in his own lifetime, Bach was not famous? So what, then, is so special about Bach? Repetition What melodies/patterns do For the past 300 years, Bach’s music has influenced you hear over and over? countless composers and musicians, from Mozart to the Modern Jazz Quartet; from Liszt to Lady Gaga. Immitation Of course, a wide variety of musical styles have been Is one instrument or group developed in the generations since Bach’s lifetime, of instruments copying each with different goals and values. Nonetheless, another? Bach’s musical ideas can be heard in each. In Bach to the Future, you will hear many different Fugue styles of music, understand their place in history, Is there one instrument and what makes each one unique. Throughout this immitating another, auditory odyssey, you’ll discover what makes Bach’s interrupting the first and music so fundamental to all that has come since, and starting the melody on a master the art of hearing those threads throughout higher or lower pitch? history. Join us as we travel Bach to the Future! Style What elements do you hear that make a piece sound WHAT YOU’LL HEAR different from another? Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 - III. Allegro Assai Orchestration Which instrument plays Mozart Symphony No. 41 “Jupiter” - IV. Finale which part of the music? Mendellsohn Overture to Elijah Brahms Variations on a Theme by Haydn - Finale Barber Capricorn Concerto - III. Allegro con brio Williams “March of the Resistance” from Star Wars: The Force Awakens 5 Meet the Performers Colorado Springs Philharmonic ORCHESTRA The Colorado Springs Philharmonic began 90 years ago as the Colorado Springs Symphony Ensemble, in 1927. Today, the orchestra includes approximately 75 musicians, and they perform over 40 concerts each year, including 8 Philharmonic Kids concerts exclusively for kids. The Philharmonic performs a variety of concerts ranging from classical to pops music at the Pikes Peak Center. You can even hear their performances on the radio! Though our musicians live in Colorado, they come from all over the world, including Venezuela, Spain, China, Bulgaria, and Russia. Thomas Wilson CONDUCTOR Maestro Wilson is the Associate Conductor of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, and also serves as Music Director of the Chamber Orchestra of Colorado Springs. He is also a teacher, both at Colorado College and the Colorado Springs Conservatory. Thomas began studying piano at age 4, and has also studied trumpet, percussion, string bass, voice, composition, and conducting – wow, that’s a lot of musical skills! When he isn’t conducting, Thomas plays in the trumpet section of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. Thomas also likes reading, chess, and playing with his two dogs. 6 Meet the Composers JOHANN SEBASTIAN Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany, and came bach from a family full of musicians. Having learned 1685–1750 violin from his father, Bach later learned to play the organ and harpsichord. In his own lifetime, Baroque Period Bach was most famous as an organ player. (bah-ROKE) Mozart began performing and composing at the wolfgang amadeus age of 5, and went on performing tours to royal MOZART courts throughout Europe. He quickly rose to fame, and composed over 600 pieces before his 1756–1791 death at the young age of 35. Classical Period FELIX Mendelssohn was a musical child prodigy, making mendelssohn his debut at the age of 9 in Berlin. By the age of 20, he had already composed some of his most famous 1809–1847 works. Felix had a sister, Fanny Mendelssohn, Romantic Period who was also an accomplished composer. A teenage Brahms performed regularly to help johannes support his family. Brahms was close friends with two BRAHMS other famous composers, Robert and Clara Schumann. He achieved fame and wealth later in life, but lived 1833–1897 frugally, donating his money to friends and students. Romantic Period SAMUEL Barber came from a middle-class family. His aunt barber was a leading singer at the Metropolitan Opera, and his uncle a noted composer himself. Barber 1910–1981 fell in love with music early on, and attempted 20th Century to compose his first opera at the age of 10. john Williams studied music at the famous Juilliard School, and first worked as a jazz pianist before WILLIAMS writing music for T.V. and film. In addition to his many famous film scores, Williams has also b. 1932 written several themes for the Olympic Games. 20th Century 7 Instruments of the Orchestra The orchestra features a wide variety of instruments, but they all belong to just four families of instruments: strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Each instrument belongs to their family because of what the instrument is made of, and how it produces its sound. Can you place all of the instruments in their correct family? tr pets ombo trum nes tu ba b ets asso s rin ons rn cla o ti h m h p c a n n e i r ob f o utes oes an fl pi c e l d l b o o a u s s s b iolin s l p d v e e r on s a ec h s n o i s s n s i v u l i c o o i r l v e a p t s s r fi conductor STRING FAMILY WOODWIND FAMILY 1 ________________ 1 ________________ 2 ________________ 2 ________________ 3 ________________ 3 ________________ 4 ________________ 4 ________________ 8 Most orchestras today will arrange their instruments and musicians on stage in the same way, with a few slight variations. Below is a diagram showing how the musicians are seated at the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. Try to memorize where each instrument family is seated so that you can look for your favorite instruments at the concert! tr pets ombo trum nes tu ba b ets asso s rin ons rn cla o ti h m h p c a n n e i r ob f o utes oes an fl pi c e l d l b o o a u s s s b iolin s l p d v e e r on s a ec h s n o i s s n s i v u l i c o o i r l v e a p t s s r fi conductor BRASS FAMILY PERCUSSION FAMILY 1 ________________ 1 ________________ 2 ________________ 2 ________________ 3 ________________ 3 ________________ 4 ________________ 4 ________________ 9 Activities Music Grid Composition Goals: • Understand patterns and music that immitates itself • Aurally identify repeating patterns and immitation • Define a Fugue Grade Level: • Students Grade K-2 PREPARATION You Will Need: • 4x4 Music Grid (download at csphilharmonic.org/bach-to-the-future) • Pencils/Crayons/Markers for Drawing • Several Orff or Percussion Instruments 1 Divide students into groups of two or three.