Instrument Petting Zoo
at Washtenaw Community College
January 8, 2017
1:30 -3:30 pm
Welcome to the Instrument Petting Zoo, a fun event where you can touch and learn
how to play the musical instruments we play in the orchestra! Don’t worry, no previous
knowledge is required: everyone is welcome to come explore the instruments, even if
you’ve never played before. The Petting Zoo is the opportunity for you to meet some
musical instruments and to learn how they work. There will be four stations:
woodwinds, brass, strings, and percussion. “Zookeepers” will be available to show you
how to play each instrument. They can help you as much or as little as you want.
The four stations will be located in different areas of the building. If you don’t like
one instrument station feel free to go to another. A map of the building with room locations can be found on the next page.
With all of the musical instruments, the Petting Zoo can be quite noisy. If your child
will need ear defenders, we encourage you to bring your own. A limited number will be
available at the welcome desk. There will also be a quiet room, dimly lit and away from
the noise.
Arie Lipsky, Music Director
Event Map
Park in lot 4 and go
in the North entrance
of building BE
Enter here
Percussion
Brass
Woodwinds
Quiet
Room
Zookeepers
Professional and volunteer “zookeepers”
will be at each station to help you with the
instruments. They will be wearing purple
Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra shirts, so if
you need help or have any questions, look
for the purple shirt!
Zookeepers are here to help you! When
visiting a station, find an empty chair and sit
down. You might have to be patient and
wait your turn. Then ask for one of the
instruments you’d like to try and a zookeeper will show you what to do.
Strings
Instruments: The Brass Family
This family gets its name from the material the instruments
are made of: brass! Brass instruments have 3 parts: a
mouthpiece, tubing that has been shaped and twisted in
different ways, and a bell, or the widened end of the
instrument. They can play louder than any other
instruments.
Trumpet
The Trumpet is played by making a funny sound
with your lips called buzzing. It’s just like blowing
a raspberry! Make sure your lips are inside the
mouthpiece, like you’re giving it a kiss. Then buzz
your lips while blowing air. Once you can do that, try
pressing the three valves on top to change the pitch.
Trombone
s
thi
strument?
n
i
s
s
bra
French Horn
If the brass instruments
are too loud, you can use
a mute, which goes in the
bell of the instrument. Mutes
won’t make the sounds go
away, but will make them
much softer.
Wha
t’s
Just like the trumpet, the Trombone is played
by buzzing your lips into the mouthpiece, but
since it’s bigger, your lips buzz more like a
horse. The trombone rests on your left
shoulder. Once you get a sound, try pushing
and pulling the slide with your right hand to
change the pitch.
Instruments: The String Family
Though string instruments are made of wood, the strings on
top are what make the sound. When the strings vibrate, the
sound resonates within the hollow wooden body of the
instrument and comes out the “f holes” (those curly
shaped holes on the belly of the instrument). Especially
when you play the cello, you might be able to feel the
instrument vibrate.
Violin
A Violin is held under the chin near the left
shoulder and played with a bow. It is the smallest
and highest sounding member of the string family.
Cello
The Cello is one of the middle instruments of
the string family. It’s bigger and plays much
lower notes than the violin, and you always
play it while sitting. The cello leans against
your body and is held up by a long metal peg
that rests on the floor. Try giving the
instrument a hug with your knees.
What’s th
is
t?
rumen
inst
ng
str
i
You can play a string instrument
two ways: by dragging the bow
across the strings, or by plucking
the strings with you fingers like a
guitar. This technique is called
pizzicato.
Guitar
Instruments: The Woodwind Family
Woodwind instruments used to all be made of wood, which is where
the family gets its name. Today, they’re made of metal, wood, plastic,
or a combination off all 3. These instruments have a mouthpiece
and a body, which is a long tube with holes. Sound is made
when air vibratess through the instrument.
Clarinet
The Clarinet is made of wood, and needs a lot of air
to make a sound! To make a sound, put the
mouthpiece in your mouth, grasp it tightly with your
lips, and blow all the air you can all the way down to
the bottom of the instrument. It can be squeaky!
Recorder
The clarinet can be pretty loud sometimes, so you
can try the Recorder instead. The recorder is like a
smaller and quieter version of the clarinet. Make a
sound by blowing a gentle stream of air through the
mouthpiece. Cover some holes with your fingers to
change the pitch.
Flute
The Flute is made out of metal and can play high
notes. Hold the instrument horizontally on your
right side. The flute rests on your chin, just below
your bottom lip. To make a sound, blow across the
hole (instead of into it), just like blowing across the
top of a bottle.
The flute can be tricky sometimes. And not everyone
can make a sound on their first try. Ask a zookeeper if
you need help!
Instruments: The Percussion Family
The percussion family is the largest one of them all! Percussion instruments include
anything that makes a sound when hit, scraped, or shaken. Anything can be a
percussion instrument, from a soup can to a bundle of leaves. Some
percussion instruments play certain pitches, like a xylophone or a
piano, while others play no specific pitch, like a drum or maracas.
Maracas
Maracas come from mexico and are filled with rice,
seeds, or beads. Hold the instrument in your hand and
shake.
Drums
Drums are hollow cylinders with either animal skin or
plastic stretched over the top. They can be hit or scraped to
make a sound.
Xylophone
A Xylophone has wooden bars that are tuned to specific
pitches, similar to a piano. The bars are hit with mallets,
objects used to hit percussion instruments.
At this station, you will be able to make your own percussion instrument out of Easter eggs. These are like
maracas, are called shakers, and can be filled with lots of
different materials: rice, seeds, beads, even popcorn!
Almost anything can be a percussion instrument. Make
some music at home by finding or making things that can
be hit, scraped, or shaken to produce sound.