Classics 4 Kids

“Music Takes Flight!” November 2018 Special thanks to our partners and supporters! 1 C4K “Clef-Notes” Who • This concert is presented by Classics 4 Kids (www.classics4kids.org) • Classics Philharmonic Orchestra (professional orchestra) performs the music • Conductor Dana Zimbric is the host and leader of the orchestra • With Special Guests: o Francis French, San Diego Air and Space Museum – www.sdasm.org o Malashock Dance – www.malashockdance.org o SDSU Community Music School, String Academy - https://music.sdsu.edu/index.php/about/community_music_school What • “Music Takes Flight!” o Die Fledermaus Waltz by Johann Strauss II o Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major, Air by JS Bach o Ancient Airs and Dances, Suite 1, II. Vincenzo Galilei: Gagliarda by Ottorino Respighi o The Tale of Tsar Saltan, Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov o Canival of the Animals: Hens and Roosters, Aviary, The Swan by Camille Saint- Saens o Off We Go Into the Wild Blue Yonder o Star Wars by John Williams Where • Balboa Theatre, 868 4th Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101 When • Thursday, November 15, 2018 at 10:00 & 11:45am • Friday, November 16 at 10:00am & 11:45am • For questions about your reservation, call Kiran at 619-231-2311 ext. 101 or send an email to [email protected] Classics 4 Kids Concert Behavior – “MUSIC”: “M” = Make your school proud by your excellent behavior “U” = Use your best citizenship skills “S” = Stay in your seat “I” = “Eyes” and ears focus on the performers “C”= Clap to show appreciation Additional information is available on our website: www.classics4kids.org 2 Composer: Johann Strauss, II About the Composer: Johann Strauss II (1825-1899) was an Austrian composer, conductor and violinist. His father, also called Johann, was also a very famous composer, and is now known as Johann Strauss I (or Johann Strauss Sr). Strauss became very famous for his waltzes. He was known as the “King of the Waltz”. His most famous waltz The Blue Danube. His father wanted him to go in for banking, but the young Johann took violin lessons in secret from a man called Franz Amon who was the leader of his father’s orchestra. At the age of 18, Strauss organized his own orchestra and gave a concert which included six of his own waltzes and some of his father’s. He was soon becoming more famous than his father. After his father died in 1849 the two orchestras joined into one and the young Johann was their conductor. He was given the title of Musical Director of the Court Ball. He was always especially busy during Carnival time when there were lots of balls in Vienna. He toured most of Europe with his orchestra, even going to Russia where he conducted some music by Tchaikovsky. Johann Strauss II was becoming the “king of the waltz”, the most famous musician in Austria. Together with his brothers Josef and Eduard, Johann had complete control of the balls and concerts in the houses of the rich people in Vienna. Wherever he went he was surrounded by lots of admirers. His waltzes are still as popular as ever, and millions of people in different countries hear them on television on New Year's Day when they are played by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra at their traditional New Year’s Day concert. About the Music: Die Fledermaus Waltz Die Fledermaus (“The Bat”) is an operetta (comic opera). The main character is Dr. Falke whose nickname is the bat. In the operetta, Dr. Falke has been tricked by his friend Eisenstein. Die Fledermaus (Dr. Falke) schemes to get back at his friend. Thought to be the most popular operetta in Western Music, this delightful operetta has been the delight of audiences since its premier in 1874 in Vienna. Unlike today’s Batman, Die Fledermaus is not a superhero! But the music is just as grand. 3 The Waltz The waltz is a dance in three. The Viennese Waltz is a style of dance made popular in Vienna in the 1800s and a dance variant is still used today in Ballroom Dance. The music of a waltz is counted in three. There are many pieces of music called “waltzes” though not all were meant to accompany the dance. The Bat Waltz – Fun Activity Pre-School and Kindergarten: Invite students to stand in the middle of the room. Ask students to identify the different parts of a bat (ie. wing) and show how it moves (ie. raising and lowering an arm). Play the music to Die Fledermaus Waltz and encourage students to move around the room with their bat parts (making sure to give their neighbors plenty of space). Tell students to listen to the music carefully and adjust their movements to the speed of the music (fast/slow). First thru Third Grades: Invite students to stand in the middle of the room. Ask students to identify the different parts of a bat (ie. wing) and show how it moves (ie. raising and lowering an arm). Play the music to Die Fledermaus Waltz and encourage students to step around the room to the beat, moving their bat wings. Tell students to listen to the music carefully and adjust their movements to the speed of the music (fast/slow). Have students change their movements with the melody: when the music pitch goes higher, their dance movements (arms/wings) should too. When the music gets softer, have them make their movements smaller. Have students experiment with different kinds of movements: gliding, skipping, stretching. Fourth and Fifth Grades: Invite students to stand in the middle of the room and close their eyes, or face the wall (if students are self concious). Play the music to Die Fledermaus Waltz and encourage students to step in place to the beat, and making a difference between beat 1 (the strong beat) and beats 2 and 3 (weaker beats). Have students sway to one side on beat one (hold 2-3), then the other side, getting comfortable with the beat. Now have students stand in a circle. Tell students to listen to the music carefully while they walk in time to the music. See if the class can sway in and out together with the beat of the music, while walking slowly in a circle. Next, have students experiment with moving their arms like wings. As they listen to changes in dynamics (loud and soft), have them adjust their arm movements: When the music gets softer, have them make their movements smaller (louder=bigger). 4 Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) Composer Biography: J.S. Bach (known as “Sebastian”) was born in Germany to a prominent musical family. In fact there were areas of Germany where simply saying the name “Bach” meant the same as the word musician. He had more than 70 cousins, brothers, uncles and other relatives who worked as professional musicians, choirmasters, and composers. Needless to say, music was in Bach’s blood from his birth. Bach’s older brother Christoph taught him how to play organ, harpsichord, and even how to repair broken organs. These were important skills Bach used throughout his life. When Bach was fifteen, he left his brother’s home to look for a job. The story is that he traveled by foot some 200 miles to Luneberg. He began going to school there, and to earn money to pay room and board, sang in the choir. By the time Bach was 19 years old, he was a working professional musician. He started by playing violin in a royal court and eventually worked his way into being church organist, Music Director, teacher, composer, and Kappelmeister (orchestra leader). Throughout Bach’s life he performed music, wrote music for all instruments, and historically his music has become the prime example of the “Baroque” style. About Bach’s Music: Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major, II. Air Bach’s “Air” has nothing really to do with oxygen at all. This famous music is the second movement of Bach’s 3rd Orchestral Suite. It is a simple, slow melody over a patterned bass line. In music the word “Air” means a simple tune or melody. When used in opera or vocal music you might see it written “Aria.” The “Air” during Bach’s time was a common musical movement when composer’s were writing suites (musical pieces with more than one movement or section). Today this piece is commonly associated with weddings, lullabies, and relaxation. Classics 4 Kids will present Bach’s “Air” with dance by Malashock Dance. The dancers will be using the lightness and flowing nature of the music to show how the air around us moves. Of course without air there would be no flight, so it’s a perfect match for our Music Takes Flight concert. 5 Move in the Air – fun activity Pre-School and Kindergarten: Grab your colorful scarves, a parachute, balloons or anything that nearly floats! Listen to Bach’s Air and keep those items floating. Have students experiment with moving them fast and slow. Which matches the music better? (slow) First thru Third Grades: Have students stand in the room with plenty of personal space. While listening to Bach’s Air, have students experiment with moving through space. Which body movements match the music better: jumping, quick steps, and kicks or gliding, slow lifting, and stretching? Fourth and Fifth Grades: Share with the students that Bach’s Air will be accompanied by dancers. The dancers will be communicating the role of air in our world. Have students discuss the movements the dancers may do.

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