Sharing the
Inside this
Love of
Issue
Newsletter Composer Spotlight – 2
October 2011 • Volume 1, Issue 1
Beethoven
Instrument Round-Up – 3
Trumpet
For me, fall and the beginning of a new
school year has always been a time of new
beginnings and fresh starts so much more
than any January 1st New Year’s resolution
ever has. Let this new beginning be a time
of resolution in your musical study as well.
What are your musical goals for this coming season?
Make a plan you know you can follow and
stick to it; write it down so you can always
go back to your plan if you get a little lost
or confused.
One way to track your goals and musical
progress this year is to utilize the online
family portal on the website.
Learning Connections – 4
�� Do you have any bad performance
habits you’d like to work on?
Upcoming Events – 5
�� Is there a song you’ve been longing
to learn?
There you can access your own unique
learning plan if you have private instrument lessons, and anyone can access lesson
or class notes that chart progress from week
to week.
Whatever your musical goals are, let this
be a time to start making some new goals.
I encourage you to use this change in season
and the beginning of a new school year to
set some new goals. I’m looking forward to
helping you celebrate the new beginning
that fall has to offer!
Industry Insights – 3
Conductors
Teaching History
using Music
Local Music Events
Beth Hotchkiss
Owner & Instructor
Band Class at Joan’s Academy
Joan’s Academy in Dripping Springs has started a band class this
year, and it is my privilege to work with such a talented group of
young men and women.
The class is a non-traditional band, welcoming students playing
guitar, bass, mandolin, keyboard, piano, clarinet, violin and vocalists. In addition to learning valuable performance skills, we will
spend time on music notation and theory.
Students in the class are not just performers, many also have an
interest in the music industry. We will also spend time learning
about current issues in the music industry such as copyright law,
arranging, and sampling music.
The class has been split into two smaller bands. Each band is
working on three song selections of their choosing, with a wide
variety from Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water” to Green Day’s
“Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)”.
Joan’s Academy is a community-run, non-profit organization chartered under 4-H to serve local homeschool families.
Joan’s Academy
11607 Crumley Ranch Rd, Austin, TX 78738-6335
joansacademy.webs.com
www.sharingtheloveofmusic.com • (512) 660-3149
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Sharing the
Love of
Composer Spotlight
Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn,
Germany in 1770. His father was a musician, and spotting rare talent in his son,
he trained Beethoven early to be a concert
pianist.
Unfortunately Beethoven’s father struggled with alcoholism and was abusive and
hurtful. As Beethoven’s father became
more and more unreliable, Beethoven
worked to support his mother and two
brothers – getting his first job at the age
of 12!
By the time Beethoven turned 18, both his
mother and father had died, and he was
responsible for caring for his two younger
brothers. Beethoven did indeed become a
well-known concert pianist, but it quickly
became apparent that his true gift was
composition. Beethoven began loosing
his hearing when he was 28. He was very
sad for a while, but finally decided that he
would continue composing, saying, “From
today on I will take a new path.”
From this point forward his music was
sweeping and emotional in style, and it
completely changed the way music was
written. This change began what is known
as the Romantic Period of music.
Many people would have given up but
not Beethoven. He overcame childhood
abuse, supported his family as a teenager
and overcame the challenges of disability
to compose his most highly regarded compositions, music many still regard as the
finest compositions known today.
Their rental program includes the following features:
BandStar Musical Instruments is pleased
to work with the families in the Sharing the
Love of Music Studio. Bandstar allows you
to rent a full-range of instruments online
and have them shipped to your home or
school. Bandstar also has a full service
location in Kyle.
www.sharingtheloveofmusic.com • (512) 660-3149
�� Second month free
�� Rental payments go toward
purchase
�� Exchange or cancel at anytime
with no additional fees
BandStar Musical Instruments
402 South Old Highway 81
Kyle, Texas 78640
(512) 393-1258
www.bandstarmusic.com
Ludwig van Beethoven
1770–1827
Portrait by Joseph Karl Stieler
Source: Wikimedia Commons
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Sharing the
Love of
Instrument Roundup
The Trumpet
In the score of the Eroica Symphony
– Beethoven’s third – he calls for two
trumpets. The trumpet has long been an
instrument used in the orchestra, but we
see trumpet performed today in all manner of genres and styles including jazz,
rock and classical.
Did you know that trumpet is one of the
oldest musical instruments? There are
trumpets dating back to at least 1,500
BC (over 3000 years ago!) from places as
far away as Egypt, Scandinavia and China.
These early trumpets were typically tubes
bent in an oblong shape made from varying types of metals. They made a buzzing
sound when a trumpet player blew air
through closed lips.
Today’s trumpets are remarkably similar
to these ancient instruments. The tubing
is now constructed to include piston valves
that allow the trumpet player a greater
variety and range of pitches, although
he or she still buzzes to produce a tone.
Famous trumpet players include Adolf
Herseth (classical), Charles Schlueter
(classical), Philip Smith (classical), Louis
Armstrong (jazz), Dizzy Gillespie (jazz),
Arturo Sandoval (jazz), Miles Davis (jazz)
and Wynton Marsalis (jazz), just to name a
few. Listen to some recordings of different
trumpet players in different styles and you
will hear an amazing variety of styles and
timbres (tone quality).
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1
Conducting for
2/2, 2/4 or 6/8 time
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Industry Insights
The Conductor
The music industry is filled with many
talented musicians, but many of these
people are not responsible for performing.
One of the many musicians you might see
at a public performance will in all likelihood never play an instrument: he or she
is the conductor.
A conductor’s job is to ensure that the
group he or she is working with plays musically and stays together. Conductors can
go by many names depending on the type
of ensemble they are directing. If they are
working with an opera company or orchestra, they might be called a music director,
and those working with choirs might be
called a choral director or choirmaster.
www.sharingtheloveofmusic.com • (512) 660-3149
Regardless of their title or type of ensemble they are working with, conductors
use gestures to set the tempo and show
performers a clear beat.
Conductors also use gestures to cue a performer to play his part or shape the overall
sound of the group as a whole. A conductor
is vital to the success of any performance
of a large group, and although he might
not perform an instrument, he must be
the most talented musician of all to make
the group successful.
Can you imagine how a performance
of Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony might
sound without the help of a talented
conductor?
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Basic Conducting
The patterns on the right are used by conductors to keep the ensemble together.
Each pattern uses movement to show a
measure of music in the indicated time
signature. This helps the performers stay
together while they play.
2
Conducting for
3/4 time
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1
2
3
Conducting for
4/4 time
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Sharing the
Love of
Learning Connections
Connecting Music to History & Writing
Objectives
Students will explore the characteristics of a hero by examining
the lives of Beethoven and Napoleon.
�� Student will be able to explain for whom the Eroica
Symphony was written.
�� Student will identify characteristics of a hero.
�� Student will read biographies of Napoleon and Beethoven.
�� Student will compare and contrast their personal hero
with Beethoven and Napoleon.
�� Student will listen to the Eroica Symphony.
Written shortly after Beethoven began to lose his hearing, his
third symphony or the Eroica (Italian for “heroic”), represented
a new style in his composition and remains one of the most
discussed symphonies throughout time. The Eroica was originally
titled Bonaparte in honor of Napoleon Bonaparte, but Beethoven
changed his mind after Napoleon declared himself emperor in
late 1804, saying that Napoleon would become a tyrant. The dedication was changed to read “Composed to celebrate the memory
of a great man.”
Pre-Assessment
Create a circle map, asking the student to brainstorm the characteristics of a hero.
Teaching Sequence
1. Share with the student the information about Beethoven
including the facts surrounding the dedication of the 3rd
symphony.
2. Discuss who the heroes are in their lives and why.
(examples – parents, athletes, firemen and women, social leaders, etc.)
3. Read a short biography of Napoleon and discuss whether
the student thinks Napoleon was a hero. Did his status as
a hero change throughout his lifetime?
www.sharingtheloveofmusic.com • (512) 660-3149
4. Read a short biography of Beethoven and discuss whether
the student thinks Beethoven was a hero. Did his status
as a hero change throughout his lifetime?
5. Ask student to give examples of a time when he or she
overcame a challenge.
6. Using the circle map created at the beginning of the lesson, show the heroic attributes of Napoleon, Beethoven
and the student’s own personal hero. Highlight the similarities and differences.
Culminating Activity
Ask the student to write a letter to their hero.
In their letter the student must explain why
they have chosen this person to be their
hero and compare and contrast their hero to
Napoleon and Beethoven. While the student
writes, listen to a recording of Beethoven’s 3rd
Symphony.
Important Dates & Events
1787–1792: France’s old regime slowly falls
apart over due to overwhelming debt, economic downturn and social unrest.
1793-1795: The French Revolution is in full
swing. France was chaotic and very violent.
1796-1804: Napoleon consolidates his political and military power in France.
August 1804: Beethoven completes the
Eroica Symphony
1804–1814: Napoleon is Emperor of France
June 18, 1815: Napoleon has his final defeat
at Waterloo
Napoleon Bonaparte
1769–1821
Portrait by Jacques-Louis David
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Sharing the
Love of
Upcoming Events
November
Below are just a small number of upcoming classical music events
in-and-around Austin. Check out www.classicalmusicaustin.org
for more listings.
An ‘Angel’-ic Concert
La Follia Baroque Ensemble
Countertenor Ryland Angel
Tickets $10, $15 & $20
�� November 5, 8 p.m.
St. Louis Catholic Church
October
Rossini’s Petite Messe
Austin Civic Chorus
�� October 14, 8 p.m.
Northwest Hills United Methodist Church
�� October 16, 3 p.m.
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church
University of Texas Great Organ Series
Butler School of Music
Donald Sutherland
�� October 16, 4 p.m.
Bates Recital Hall
$15 general admission available one hour prior to event
Steve Kostelnik at the at the Davis-Sibley House
Austin Classical Guitar Society
�� October 22, 7 p.m.
Davis-Sibley House
Tickets are $50 ($40 for ACGS Members)
Fall “No Fear” Halloween Concert
Austin Civic Wind Ensemble
�� October 27, 7:30 p.m.
Covenant United Methodist Church
Free admission, donations gratefully accepted at the door
�� November 6, 3 p.m.
First Presbyterian Church
La Traviata
Austin Lyric Opera
�� November 6, 10, 12 and 14
Licorice Schtick
Austin Chamber Music Center
Featuring Hakan Rosengren, clarinet
�� November 12, 7:30 p.m.
First Unitarian Church
Heart’s Harvest
Austin Vocal Arts Ensemble
�� Nov 12, 8 p.m.
Westlake United Methodist Church
�� Nov 13, time TBA
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church
Big Sing – Where the Audience is the Choir
Conspirare
�� November 17, 6 p.m.
First Baptist Church
Don’t Forget:
November’s tuition for Sharing the Love of Music is due on the 1st. You can pay online using your family
portal at www.sharingtheloveofmusic.com.
www.sharingtheloveofmusic.com • (512) 660-3149
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