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07-2
0 0 8 Yo u n g P e
e ’s
opl
Concer ts
Atlanta
Symphony Orchestra
a world of music
Mei-Ann Chen,
conductor
Falla: Dance of the Miller’s Wife from
The Three-Cornered Hat
Moncayo: Huapango
Sheng: Postcards
Traditional New Orleans Jazz: When the Saints
Go Marching In
Copland: Hoedown from Rodeo
Johnson: Drums, a Symphonic Poem
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Arctic Region
Europe
North
America
Asia
Middle
East
Central Caribbean
America
Africa
South
America
Australia
Antarctica
TO:
Our Friends
Your School
Our Hometown, USA 12345
FROM:
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
2
Manuel de Falla
(1876-1946)
“Dance of the Miller’s Wife” from The Three-Cornered Hat
Where in the World is Spain?
Spain is part of Europe. The African country
of Morocco is just ten miles away, across
the Strait of Gibraltar. Ships sail through the
Strait of Gibraltar to get from the Atlantic
Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.
de Fal
Who is Manuel de Falla?
Manuel de Falla
(mahn-well´ day fiy´-yah) was born in Cádiz on the
southern coast of Spain. He learned to play the
piano as a little boy. He wrote music that sounds
like the folk music of Spain. The people of Spain
loved Manuel so much they even put a picture
of him on their money. He wrote all kinds of
music. One of his compositions was an opera
for puppets.
What makes Spanish music Spanish?
Spain is known for its exciting Spanish dances. Manuel wrote “Dance of the
Miller’s Wife” in the style of a fandango. The fandango is a very old Spanish
dance. In Spanish music, you often hear the clicking of castanets and strum
of guitars. The rhythm of Spanish music is very important. When we think of
Spanish rhythms, we often are thinking about a fandango rhythm.
The Three-Cornered Hat
The Three-Cornered Hat is the name of a ballet. The ballet is based on a funny
story about a silly town mayor (El Corregidor). He wears a huge threecornered hat as part of his official uniform.
At the beginning of the ballet, we see a miller’s wife dancing the fandango.
El Corregidor sees her and wants to dance with her.
3
The miller’s wife pretends to flirt by offering him
some grapes. When he reaches for the grapes,
she snatches them away. He falls down, and the
miller and his wife make fun of
El Corregidor.
Activity 1: Castanets
are held in each hand and
snapped together in a rhythm
while you dance the fandango.
In this piece, Manuel de Falla imitates
the sound of castanets on the xylophone.
alla
You will hear a rhythm pattern that sounds like the strumming of a
Spanish guitar. The pattern is repeated over and over in the “Dance
of the Miller’s Wife.” This “fandango” rhythm makes the piece sound
Spanish. The rhythm pattern looks like this:
1 2 &
1 & 2 &
1 2
Listen to this piece while you follow the Listening Guide on the
next page. Do you hear the castanets and the guitar rhythm?
Activity 2: Rhythm is the most important part of Spanish
dances. The dancers move their feet to the rhythm.
They click a rhythm on the castanets. The guitarist
strums a rhythm. The people watching might
clap another rhythm at the same time.
After you listen to Falla’s fandango
rhythms, pretend you are in
the ballet. Make up some
rhythms that you might clap
as you stand and watch the
miller’s wife. Take turns with
your friends being the clapping
“soloist.”
4
Manuel de Falla (1876-1946)
Dance of t
Part A
bassoon
solo
strumming rhythm
oboe and violin melody
2 times
Part B
2 times
BIG ACCENT!
BIG ACCENT!
NEW flute and
violin melody
7 TIMES
Remembering
Part A
bassoon and cello
high flute trill
BIG ACCENT!
guitar
strumming
flute and
violin melody
4 TIMES
xylophone
imitates castanets
timpani
5
flute and
violin melody
6 TIMES
nce of the Miller’s Wife from The Three-Cornered Hat
dy
NT!
high flute trill
xylophone
imitates castanets
bassoon and cello
3 times
oboe
solo
violins
repeat
oboe
solo
oboe solo
2 times
harp
glissando
timpani solo
10 Big
Bangs
OLÉ!!
6
José Pablo Moncayo
(1912-1958)
Huapango
Where in the World is Mexico?
Mexico is our neighbor. It is between
the United States and Central America.
Mexico and Central America form a
bridge of land from the United States to
South America.
Who is José Pablo Moncayo?
José Pablo Moncayo played the piano and wrote music. He
also conducted the Mexican National Symphony. José was
born in 1912 in Guadalajara. Guadalajara is the capital city
of the Mexican state Jalisco on the Pacific Ocean coast.
What makes Mexican music Mexican?
Spain conquered Mexico in 1519. The Spanish ruled Mexico
for over 300 years. They called Mexico “New Spain.”
Moncayo
Mexico has wonderful native folk music. It is similar to our American Indian music.
The Spanish brought Spanish music to Mexico. Over time, native Mexican music
mixed with Spanish music.
Mexican and Spanish music both have interesting rhythms. The Spanish guitar can
be heard in both. They also share some of the same dance forms. Each dance has
its own rhythm. Mexicans have some dances that are theirs alone. The huapango
is one of them. Mariachi bands play the huapango. A mariachi band has violins,
guitars and trumpets. Mariachi began in the state of Jalisco where José Pablo
Moncayo was born.
Huapango
The huapango (hwah-pahn’-goh) also comes from Jalisco. The word huapango
means, “dancing on the platform.” The dancers use the platform like a drum.
They stamp their feet like horses.
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Activity #1:
Count to 6 over and over. Clap on 1 and 4. This divides 6 beats into two equal parts.
1 2 3 4 5 6, 1 2 3 4 5 6
(1
2 , 1
2
)
(6 divided by 3 = 2)
If you accent (clap) on 1, 3 and 5, it sounds like 3 sets of beats:
1 2 3 4 5 6, 1 2 3 4 5 6 (6 divided by 2 = 3)
(1 2 3 , 1 2 3 )
In Huapango, the accents change constantly from 2’s to 3’s. Clap the first pattern
twice, then clap the second pattern twice. Then go back to the first pattern. The
beat should stay steady all the time. This is what Moncayo does in his composition.
Activity #2:
As you listen, follow the Listening Guide to keep track of all the things happening
in Huapango. Read from left to right. Listen for each new instrument in turn.
Which instruments start the music? Which instruments usually play the melody?
o
8
Bright Sheng
(b. 1955)
“From the Mountains” and “From the River Valley,” from Postcards
Where in the World is China?
China is in eastern Asia. Asia is the largest
continent. China is the fourth largest country
in the world. It is about the same size as the
United States. China is bounded by the Pacific
Ocean to the east.
China has beautiful mountains, rivers and
plains. It also has a big desert – the Gobi
Desert. More people live in China than in any
other country. Over one billion people live
in China.
China has one of the oldest civilizations. It has the oldest written language
still used today. The four great inventions of ancient China are paper, the
compass, gunpowder and printing.
Who is Bright Sheng?
Bright Sheng was born in 1955
in Shanghai, China. His mother
taught him to play the piano
when he was four years old. His
Chinese name is Sheng Zong
Liang. He chose the English name
Bright because “Liang” means
“bright lights” in Chinese. Bright
Sheng came to the United States
to study music in 1982. Bright
Sheng now teaches music at the
University of Michigan. He has
won many prizes and honors for
his beautiful music.
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Shanghai
Shanghai
Sheng
When Bright was a child, China was an unhappy place because of the
“Cultural Revolution.” During that time, schools were closed. Most educated
people were made to go far away from their homes to work on farms.
When Bright was 10 years old, soldiers came to his family’s home and took
away the piano. When he was 15, he was sent far away from his home to
play music for the government in a farm village. He could not study music
until he was nearly a grown man. Bright Sheng learned many Chinese folk
songs while he worked with the peasants. You can hear the sound of that
Chinese folk music in Bright Sheng’s music for orchestra. He helps the
orchestra imitate the sounds of Chinese folk instruments.
What makes Chinese music Chinese?
Melody and harmony are more important than rhythm in Chinese music.
Most melodies are based on a 5-note scale called the pentatonic scale. That
scale sounds very different from the scales of Western music. Chinese music
uses flutes and string instruments such as the pipa. You will also hear chimes
and bells in Chinese music. You can go to www.philmultic.com/pipa/ on the
web to see and hear the pipa played.
Postcards
Bright Sheng wrote music called Postcards to help us hear and “see”
his homeland and its beautiful
folk music.
Activity: As you listen to “From
the Mountains” or “From the
River Valley,” imagine the scene
that Bright Sheng has in mind.
Make a picture of one of those
scenes and share it with your
class. Are these two pieces of
music alike or different? Make a
list of the ways they are alike or
different. How does each one
make you feel? Draw a face to
show how you feel when you
listen to each piece.
10
Traditional New
Orleans Jazz
Traditional New Orleans Jazz, “When the Saints Go Marching In”
Where in the World is
New Orleans?
New Orleans is on the southern coast of the
United States. It is in the state of Louisiana. New
Orleans is a port city. It is located where the
Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico.
New Orleans
The Spanish were the first explorers of the area. The
Spanish and French people fought over Louisiana for
a long time. The French finally sold it to the United
States in 1803. Louisiana became a state
in 1812.
What is Traditional New Orleans Jazz?
Jazz was born in New Orleans. Many types of music came
together in New Orleans. Spirituals, blues and ragtime were
part of the mix. The first music called “jazz” was played by bands.
Some people call that early jazz “Dixieland jazz.” Dixieland
was a name for the southern United States.
Sometimes people called Dixieland jazz “hot” jazz. That’s because it is usually
fast and has very interesting rhythms. The trumpet usually plays the melody.
The clarinet and trombone decorate the melody. The banjo and piano keep
the rhythm. Most of the time, the instruments all play together. It sounds like
everyone is playing a solo at the same time!
Louis Armstrong was a trumpet player who grew up in New Orleans. He was
one of the most famous Dixieland jazz players. The name of his band was the
“Hot Five.”
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“When the Saints Go Marching In”
“When the Saints Go Marching In” is the best-known Traditional New Orleans
jazz piece. It’s about people marching into heaven. Sometimes it is played in
funeral parades in New Orleans. On the way to the cemetery, the band plays
slowly. On the way back home, the band plays fast.
People all over the world love to sing this song. Here are the words to
the refrain:
“Oh, when the saints go marching in,
“When the Saints
Oh, when the saints go marching in.
Go Marching In” is
Oh, Lord, I want to be in that number,
such a popular song
When the saints go marching in.”
in New Orleans,
their football team
is called the New
Orleans Saints!
Louis Armstrong and his “Hot Five”.
12
Aaron Copland
(1900-1990)
“Hoedown” from Rodeo
Copla
Where in the World is
the “Old West?”
The United States were
formed from the 13 original
English colonies on the east
coast of North America. The
country expanded westward
until it reached the Pacific Ocean.
In 1849, someone discovered gold
in California. Thousands of people
packed their belongings in covered wagons. They made the long trip west hoping
to make lots of money. At first, the land was free. People could graze their cattle
anywhere they wanted to. They could “stake a claim” on a piece of land.
What are cowboys?
From 1865 to 1890, the “Old West” was a place where people raised huge
herds of cattle. Cowboys drove longhorn cattle north to Abilene, Kansas. They
followed the Chisholm Trail from Texas. In Abilene, they would load the cattle
onto trains. The trains took the cattle to market on the east coast. The cowboys
were great horsemen. They had to round up the cattle and rope them from
horseback. They had contests called “rodeos” to see who was the best at those
jobs. Sometimes they had a “hoedown,” or dance party, after the rodeo. People
danced square dances at the hoedowns.
What makes American music American? Composers make music sound
American by using American folk songs and American folk instruments (like
fiddles and banjos) in their music. Lots of American music also uses jazz ideas.
Remember, jazz is a type of purely American music.
Who was Aaron Copland?
Aaron Copland was born in 1900 in Brooklyn, New York. He studied piano with
his older sister. Copland attended an orchestra concert when he was a young
man. He liked the music so much he decided to become a composer. Aaron
Copland wrote music that we say sounds “American.”
13
Rodeo
Rodeo is a “cowboy” ballet. The story is set
on a ranch in the Old West. A cowgirl tries
to show the cowboys that she can rope
and ride as well as they can. They don’t
like having a girl compete with them. All
but one cowboy laughs at her. Later, at the
hoedown, she shows up wearing a pretty
dress. The rude cowboys ask her to dance.
She turns them down. Then she dances with
the only cowboy who was nice to her at the
rodeo. The dancers dance to the section of
Copland’s Rodeo called “Hoedown.”
land
A hoedown is filled with energy. The dances
are fast and lively. You can hear the sound of
fiddles playing. Aaron Copland used two old American square dance tunes in this
piece. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association uses “Hoedown” from Rodeo
in their TV ads. Can you imagine why?
Activity 1: Follow the Listening Guide on the next page. Notice that there are
two main sections to the music – the A section and the B section. A short part
of the A section is repeated at the end.
Activity 2: Make up your own
hoedown dance to match the
music. Four couples dance
together in a square dance.
(They make a square when
the couples face each other.)
Sometimes they move around
in a circle holding hands.
Sometimes the couples will
link arms and “swing your
partner.” Use different
movements for the A
section and the B section.
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Aaron Copland
Intro
Intro
Do you hear
the fiddles???
B
Theme 2
(1900-1990), “Hoedow
A
Come to
the dance!
Ride over to
the dance hall...
Theme 1
Grab your
partner!
Theme 2
Oboe tune
Swing your partner!
A
Theme 1
Take a rest...
S-L-OW D-O-W-N
softer
LOUDER!
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Th
Hoedown” from Rodeo
Theme 1
Tune up the
fiddles!
Theme 1
4 times
3 times much
softer…
All together, now!!!
Theme 1
LOUD DRUMS…
16
James Price Johnson
(1894-1955)
Drums, a Symphonic Poem
John
Where in the world is Africa?
The equator runs across the middle of Africa. Africa is connected to Asia and
Europe to the north. (Remember that Spain is only 10 miles away across the
Strait of Gibraltar.)
Africa is the second largest continent
on earth. It covers more than onefifth of the earth’s land surface. It has
the world’s longest river, the Nile.
The lower bank of the Nile was the
home of the first great civilization.
Most of Africa is desert and
grassland. Forest covers only 10
percent of the land. Africa has over
1500 species of animals. There are
53 countries in Africa. The people
in these countries speak over 1000
different languages.
What makes African music African?
Music is an important part of life in Africa. Everyone makes music. People sing
and play instruments, especially drums. There are many different styles of African
music. Rhythm is important to all of them. Rhythms are clapped, danced and
played on drums of all kinds.
African drumming is a very complex art. You hear many different rhythm patterns
at once. One drummer plays the steady beat that keeps all the different rhythms
together.
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Who is James Johnson?
James Price Johnson was an African American pianist and composer. He
grew up in New York in a neighborhood called Harlem. James studied piano
as a young boy. He heard a lot of jazz music when he was young. He also
liked Broadway show music. He studied classical music all of his life.
nson
People called James Johnson the Father of Stride Piano. The stride piano
style is very hard to play. He
taught many famous jazz pianists
how to play stride piano. James
Johnson wrote one of the
most popular tunes of the 20th
century – “Charleston.”
James wrote Broadway show
tunes. He also wrote music
for the orchestra. James was
one of the first composers
to use African music ideas in
symphonic music.
Drums, a Symphonic Poem
The drumming you’ll hear in Drums, a Symphonic Poem is written for
orchestra drums, not African drums. James helps the orchestra imitate the
sounds of African drums. Listen for many rhythms played at one time. The
melody sounds jazzy. James was also one of the first composers to bring jazz
to the orchestra.
Activity 1: Use real drums or classroom objects (trash cans, boxes,
etc.) to create your own drumming patterns. Choose 2 or 3 leaders. Each
leader will play a short rhythm pattern. The rest of the group will imitate
the leader’s pattern.
Activity 2: Experiment with ways to change the sound of your drum.
Wrap something around it to make a muffled sound. Or try filling the drum
with pebbles. Try playing the drum with different types of beaters. Make a
whole orchestra of drums!
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A Note to Parents:
We are delighted that your child will have an opportunity to visit
Symphony Hall to hear the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. This student
guide is part of the extensive preparation materials provided for
educators to use in preparing young people for the concert. The
teacher materials are available for your perusal on the Internet at
www.atlantasymphonyorg/communityandeducation/downloadcenter.aspx.
The theme of the 2007-2008 ASO Young People’s Concerts is A World
of Music. Students will explore the function of music in our society.
This will enhance their understanding and enjoyment of all music. This
set of lessons also reinforces learning in the social sciences and other
parts of the school curriculum. In subsequent years, students will
learn about other aspects of music. We hope you will encourage your
school leaders to take advantage of these future concerts.
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra provides other opportunities for
you to share the joy of music with your child. The Sunday afternoon
Family Concert series is designed to be an entertaining learning
experience for the whole family. Also on Sunday afternoons, you
and your children may enjoy concerts performed by the Atlanta
Symphony Youth Orchestra. This talented group of student musicians
ranging in age from 13-18 performs three subscription concerts a year.
We hope you’ll take advantage of these and other concerts to instill
in your child a love of orchestral music – a lifelong gift that your child
will treasure.
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Meet the Conductor
Mei-Ann Chen is a new conductor with the ASO this year.
She will lead our Young People’s Concerts. The conductor
is the person who stands in front of the orchestra and
leads the music. The conductor’s instrument is the whole
orchestra! The musicians follow the conductor’s arm
movements in order to play together. The conductor
reads from the score. The score helps the conductor see
what each instrument should be playing at any moment.
The conductor starts and stops the orchestra and sets
the speed (tempo) of the music. She keeps the beat and
shows the players how the music should be played.
Below, Maestro Chen answers some questions to help you get to know her.
Where were you born and raised?
I was born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. My parents were both wonderful teachers. I wanted
to be a teacher, too. An American youth orchestra came to Taiwan. I was offered
a scholarship to study violin in America. So, I came to America when I was 16. My
family is still in Taiwan.
How did you become interested in music?
My parents loved music. They didn’t have a chance to play an instrument. My sister
and I started music lessons when we were very young. My sister was more interested
in painting. I learned the piano and the violin. Music became a way to share what I
couldn’t say with words. Now I can’t live without making music.
How did you learn to conduct?
I began playing in an orchestra when I was ten years old. I knew right away that I
wanted to become a conductor. I would memorize my violin part so that I could
watch the conductor. That’s how I first learned to conduct. I was very determined to
become a conductor. I had my first real conducting lesson while I was a junior at the
New England Conservatory.
What excites you about moving to Atlanta?
I played the violin in a conducting class at a summer music camp. Maestro Robert
Spano taught there. He is the conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. He’s a
great teacher! Working with him as a conductor for the ASO is my dream come true.
I can’t wait to work with the world-class Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
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The ASO Family Concerts
with support from Publix Super Markets Charities
October 28, 2007
March 9, 2008
A Fairy Tale Halloween
Once Upon a Tune
Jere Flint, conductor
Lee Harper & Dancers
1:30 & 3:30pm
Jere Flint, conductor
Wendy Bennett, vocalist
1:30 & 3:30pm
February 17, 2008
May 18, 2008
Peter and the Wolf
Cinderella
Jere Flint, conductor
Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra
1:30 & 3:30pm
Jere Flint, conductor
Enchantment Theatre Company
1:30 & 3:30pm
Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra
presented by GE Energy
Fall Concert
Sunday November 11, 2007, 3 pm
Jere Flint, conductor
Winter Concert
Sunday March 16, 2008, 3pm
Jere Flint, conductor
Spring Concert
Sunday May 11, 2008, 3pm
Jere Flint, conductor
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Learning Community Staff
Susan Merritt, Vice President/Learning Community
Ayden Adler, Director for Learning Development
Melanie Darby, Coordinator of Youth and Family Programs
Mariel Reynolds, ASO Community Catalyst
Sponsors/Funders
ASO Young People’s Concerts are sponsored by:
Kathy Griffin Memorial Endowment
Additional Education Funding is provided by:
The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
The Goizueta Foundation
William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund
Edler G. Hawkins Foundation, Inc.
Fulton County Arts Council
Georgia Council for the Arts
MetLife Music for Life Initiative
Staples Foundation for Learning
Nordstrom
City of Atlanta, Office of Cultural Affairs
The UPS Foundation
The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta
The Green Foundation