PRESENTING SPONSOR
Peter
and
the
Wolf
Peter and the Wolf
Elementary School Concerts 2011/2012
Teacher Study Guide
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Founded in 1919, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra is the third
largest symphony orchestra in Canada. The VSO performs to an
annual audience of more than 200,000 people and performs
over 150 concerts annually in the historic Orpheum Theatre, as
well as in venues throughout the Lower Mainland. As a cultural
staple of the Lower Mainland, VSO Education Programs are
experienced by over 50,000 students annually.
Maestro Bramwell Tovey has been the VSO’s Music Director
since 2000. He is known for his extraordinary artistic leadership
and passionate advocacy for music education. In 2008, the
VSO won a GRAMMY award and JUNO award and completed
a successful tour to China and Korea, the first such tour by a
Canadian Orchestra in over 30 years. The VSO’s mission is to
enhance the quality of life in our city and region by presenting
high-quality performances of classical and popular music to
a wide variety of audiences, and offering educational and
community programs.
Meet Your Conductor!
The Orpheum Theatre
Home of the Vancouver Symphony
Designed in 1927 by architect Benjamin Marcus
Priteca, the Orpheum Theatre is Canada’s
last great entertainment palace, and one
of Vancouver’s most spectacular heritage
buildings. Since its opening, the Orpheum has
hosted vaudeville, cinema, musical theatre,
concerts, ballet, opera, and children’s shows.
The building is a masterpiece of theatre design,
with a magnificently painted dome soaring
above ornate plaster carvings, gold leaf, and
crystal chandeliers. Great care was taken with
the acoustics of the building: the sound is so
clear that musicians can hear a whisper in the
very last row of the highest balcony, and the
audience can hear every note played on stage.
In 1973, Famous Players slated the Orpheum
for demolition, but thousands of Vancouverites
wanted to save it. The City of Vancouver
responded, rescuing and renovating the theatre.
Maestro Bramwell Tovey
Maestro Bramwell Tovey is the Music Director of the Vancouver
Symphony Orchestra. A musician of striking versatility, Bramwell Tovey
is acknowledged around the world for his artistic depth and warm,
charismatic personality on the podium. Tovey’s career as a conductor is
uniquely enhanced by his work as a composer and pianist, lending him a
remarkable musical perspective.
Recently named Principal Guest Conductor for the Los Angeles
Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, he frequently works with the
Toronto Symphony, Montreal Symphony, Royal Philharmonic and the
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestras, among many others.
Tovey is also known as a champion of new music, both as conductor and
composer. As a composer, Tovey was honored with the Best Canadian
Classical Composition Juno Award in 2003 for his Requiem for a Charred
Skull. New works include a full-length opera for the Calgary Opera, The
Inventor, which was premiered in January of 2011.
Tovey has been awarded honorary degrees, including a Fellowship from
the Royal Academy of Music in London, honorary Doctorates from the
Universities of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Kwantlen University College, as
well as a Royal Conservatory of Music Fellowship in Toronto.
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PeterandtheWolf
Members of the Vancouver
Symphony Orchestra
first violins
Dale Barltrop, Concertmaster
Joan Blackman, Associate Concertmaster
Claude Halter, Assistant Concertmaster
Jennie Press, Second Assistant Concertmaster
Robin Braun
Mary Sokol Brown
Jenny Essers
Jason Ho
Akira Nagai, Associate Concertmaster Emeritus
Xue Feng Wei
Rebecca Whitling
Yi Zhou
Nancy DiNovo ◊
Kimi Hamaguchi ◊
Paul Luchkow ◊
Ruth Schipizky ◊
second violins
Brent Akins, Principal
Karen Gerbrecht, Associate Principal
Jeanette Bernal-Singh, Assistant Principal
Adrian Shu-On Chui
Daniel Norton
Ann Okagaito
Ashley Plaut
Maya De Forest ◊
DeAnne Eisch ◊
Pamela Marks ◊
violas
Neil Miskey, Principal
Andrew Brown, Associate Principal
Stephen Wilkes, Assistant Principal
Lawrence Blackman
Angela Schneider
Ian Wenham
Chi Ng ◊
Reginald Quiring ◊
Marcus Takizawa ◊
cellos
Janet Steinberg, Associate Principal
Zoltan Rozsnyai, Assistant Principal
Olivia Blander
Natasha Boyko
Joseph Elworthy
Charles Inkman
Cristian Markos
Ari Barnes ◊
basses
Dylan Palmer, Principal
Chang-Min Lee, Associate Principal
David Brown
J. Warren Long
Frederick Schipizky
Christopher Light ◊
Leanna Wong ◊
flutes
Christie Reside, Principal
Nadia Kyne, Assistant Principal
Rosanne Wieringa
piccolo
Nadia Kyne
oboes
Roger Cole, Principal
Beth Orson, Assistant Principal
Karin Walsh
English horn
Beth Orson
clarinets
Jeanette Jonquil, Principal §
Cris Inguanti, Assistant Principal
Todd Cope
e-flat clarinet
Todd Cope
bass clarinet
Cris Inguanti
bassoons
Julia Lockhart, Principal
Sophie Dansereau, Assistant Principal §
Gwen Seaton
contrabassoon
Sophie Dansereau §
French horns
Oliver de Clercq, Principal
David Haskins, Associate Principal
Benjamin Kinsman
Fourth Horn
Richard Mingus, Assistant Principal
trumpets
Larry Knopp, Principal
Marcus Goddard, Associate Principal
Vincent Vohradsky
trombones
Nathan Zgonc, Principal
Gregory A. Cox
bass trombone
Douglas Sparkes
tuba
Ellis Wean, Principal §
Peder MacLellan, Principal ∆
timpani
Aaron McDonald, Principal
percussion
Vern Griffiths, Principal
Tony Phillipps
harp
Elizabeth Volpé, Principal
Heidi Krutzen ◊
piano, celeste
Linda Lee Thomas, Principal
◊
∆
§
PeterandtheWolf
Bramwell Tovey
Music Director
Kazuyoshi Akiyama
Conductor Laureate
Jeff Tyzik
Principal Pops Conductor
Pierre Simard
Assistant Conductor
Edward Top
Composer-in-Residence
Education Staff
Joanne Harada
Vice-President,
Artistic Operations & Education
Susan Hudson
Education Manager
Pearl Schachter
Artistic Operations & Education Assistant
Programme
Sabre Dance
Gayane
Aram Khatchaturian
Waltz of the Flowers
The Nutcracker
Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky
Ballet of the Chicks in their Shells
Pictures at an Exhibition
Modest Musorgsky
Great Gate of Kiev
Pictures at an Exhibition
Modest Musorgsky
Peter and the Wolf
Sergei Prokofiev
Extra musician
One-year Position
Leave of Absence
VSOElementarySchoolConcerts11/12
3
Welcome to the Symphony!
When you come to see Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf with the Vancouver Symphony
Orchestra, Maestro Bramwell Tovey will introduce you to (or reacquaint you with, as the case may
be!) the many diverse instruments found in a contemporary orchestra. Just like the people that
make up your community - the students, teachers, staff, volunteers and parents in your school - the
instruments of the orchestra are all part of their own families; string, woodwind, brass, percussion.
These instrument families, which all look and sound very different from one another, will be
also be showcased in short works by Aram Khachaturian, Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky and Modest
Mussorgsky.
Guide Contents
student activity!
InthelessonsbySuzanneFulton,
you’llfindplansformaskmaking
withyourstudents(seepage24)!The
masksthatyourstudentsmakeshould
correspondtoanimalfromthestory
ofPeterandtheWolf,whichinturnis
representedbyaspecificinstrument
-andtheme,oridea-inthemusic.
Haveyourstudentsbringthemasks
thattheyhavemadewhenyoucome
tovisittheVSOattheOrpheum.
Programme ... page 3
Russia ... page 5
Orchestra Map ... page 6
Orchestral Families ... page 7
Instrument Families
Percussion ... page 8, 9
Strings ... page 10, 11
Woodwinds ... page 12, 13
Brass ... page 14, 15
Lesson Plans
Ballet of the Chicks in their Shells ... page 16
Peter and the Wolf ... page 22
Composers and Works
Khachaturian/Sabre Dance ... page 8
Tchaikovsky/Waltz of the Flowers ... page 10
Mussorgsky/Ballet of the Chicks in their Shells ... page 12
Great Gate of Kiev ... page 14
Peter and the Wolf ... page 20
3.
Russia:
a timeline
1721, the start of
the Russian Empire
1648, Salt Riots in Moscow
over introduction of Salt Tax
circa 1147, Moscow
is founded
4
1590, RussoSwedish war
1713, capital of
Russia is moved to
St. Petersburg
1755, Count Ivan
Shuvalov and Mikhail
Lomonosov found the
University of Moscow
1728, Moscow
becomes capital of
Russia again
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PeterandtheWolf
Russia
All four of the composers featured in the Vancouver
Symphony Orchestra’s Peter and the Wolf
program have close ties with Russia. Tchaikovsky,
Khachaturian, Mussorgsky and Prokofiev all studied
music, and lived for a duration, in this country!
Russia’s official language is...
Russian! It’s one of the five most
commonly spoken languages
in the world and uses the Cyrillic
alphabet instead of the Latin
alphabet, like English.
Quick Facts!
- The capital city of Russia is Moscow, dating from before the year 1147
- Russia is the largest country in the world!
It covers over one eighth of the world’s inhabited land mass
- The population of Russia is 143 million people
- The country spans nine different time zones! Canada has six; can you name
them all?
Bonus: which province in Canada has a timezone that put its clock on the
half hour, when all the other provinces and territories are at the top of the hour?
Answer: Newfoundland
- Russia is home to the largest forest reserves in the world,
and like Canada, has a large amount of fresh water
1903, Aram
1917, Russian
Khachaturian is born Revolution
1840, Pytor Illyich
Tchaikovsky is born
1941, “Operation Barbarossa,” 3 million
soldiers from Germany/Italy/Japan
invade Russia
1962, Cuban Missile Crisis
1839, Modest
Mussorgsky is born
Sergei Prokofiev writes
Peter and the Wolf
1862, Saint Petersburg Conservatory of
Music is founded
PeterandtheWolf
Today, 2012!
1938, new decree requires
Russian to be taught in all
non-Russian schools
VSOElementarySchoolConcerts11/12
5
This is a typical layout for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in the Orpheum Theatre
and most likely the layout you will see at your school concert.
Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver BC
Stage Plan
I nst ruments of the Orche str a
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PeterandtheWolf
Instrument Families
The louder instruments are at the back of the orchestra, and the quieter ones are in the front so
that the audience hears a balanced sound. The size of the instrument does not always match
the size of the sound that it can produce. When you visit the VSO in the Orpheum, you will
notice that large instruments can make soft or muted sounds while small instruments, like the
triangle or the piccolo, can ring out above the whole combination of other instruments.
A composer produces the sounds he wants by choosing combinations of instruments from
each family and writing the sounds that they will play together. Because a symphony orchestra
is made up of so many different instruments, and because the musicians are so well trained to
produce a variety of sounds, the composer has a palette of instrumental colour combinations
and sound possibilities from which to choose.
1.
Pecussion
Timpani
Bass Drum
Snare Drum
Tambourine
Triangle
Cymbals
Piano
Harp
Woodwinds
The Orchestra
3.
2.
Flute
Piccolo
Oboe
English Horn
Clarinet
Bass Clarinet
Bassoon
Contrabassoon
PeterandtheWolf
Strings
Violin
Viola
Cello
Bass
4.
Brass
French Horn
Trumpet
Trombone
Tuba
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Instrumet Families
The word symphony means “sounding together”. An orchestra is made up of a group of
musicians - usually seventy to one hundred people - playing instruments from four main families:
string, woodwind, brass and percussion. A symphony orchestra consists of these many different
instruments “sounding together”.
Aram Khachaturian: Sabre Dance
Ecosystem: City
Aram Khachaturian
Percussion
1903-1978
b. Tiflis, Imperial Russia - now Tbilisi, Georgia
Aram Khachaturian was born into a poor family of Armenian
descent, and received no musical training throughout his youth.
His father was a bookbinder, and Aram was often fascinated by the
music in his environment. It wasn’t until 1921, when Khachaturian
followed his brother (a stage director) to Moscow, that he began
to study the cello, and also composition, showing great talent for
someone with no past musical education.
Along with fellow Russian composers Shostakovich and Prokofiev,
Khachaturian grew to be considered one of the three “Titans” of
Soviet Russian music, under the reign of the communist party. Like
his fellow composers, he fell in and out of favour with the political
power - on one occassion being forced to apologize publicly for
writing music against communist ideals.
Although Khatchaturian lived and worked in Russia, he is an icon of
Armenian music. Many of his compositions borrow from Armenian
culture, and he was vocal in encouraging younger generations of
composers to try new sounds and find a fresh voice of their own.
Sabre Dance (Gayane)
The ‘Sabre Dance’ is one of Khachaturian’s best known pieces, and comes from the last act of
Gayane, a ballet which is set on an Armenian farm. The dance is a fast, whirling war-dance, done by
men with long swords. A basic, repetitive rhythm is played by the timpani and strings; the middle
section introduces an Armenian folk melody, played by the cello section.
Khachaturian’s Sabre Dance can be heard in everything from movies (Blues Brothers) to television
shows (the Simpsons) to a Super Nintendo video game.
download the mp3 files for free at www.vancouversymphony.ca/esc
Meet your Peter and the Wolf Musicians!
Aaron McDonald, Timpani
Aaron has been the Principal Timpanist with the VSO since 2007! Additionally, he has been
teaching percussion to students of all ages and levels for over 15 years. Currently, this
includes his studio at the University of British Columbia.
He has studied music at both the University of Missouri and the Manhattan School of
Music. Aaron has performed and toured with the Cleveland Orchestra, the Los Angeles
Philharmonic, the Indianapolis Symphony and the Buffalo Philharmonic. In addition to his
extensive study and performance experience, on all classical percussion instruments and the
drum set, Aaron has studied West African drumming and South Indian frame drumming.
In Peter in the Wolf, the timpani are part of the Hunter’s Theme!
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Instrument Families: Percussion
T he Pe r c u s s i o n F a m i l y
Percussion instruments are the loud instruments in the back of the orchestra that produce sound when they
are struck with another object, usually a drumstick or mallet. There are two types of percussion instruments:
definite-pitch instruments make pitches just like the other instruments of the orchestra, while indefinite-pitch
instruments make neutral rhythmic sounds.
Percussion
The Timpani
The Bass Drum
The timpani are the most visible
instruments in the percussion
family, because they are placed on
a platform at the back of the stage,
in the centre. Timpani are usually
played in sets of four, with each
drum a different size and pitch.
The player uses a pedal to tighten
or loosen the skin on the top of the
drum to change the pitch.
The bass drum (pictured),
snare drum, and triangle are
indefinite-pitch instruments
that are hit with a drumstick
or a beater.
The Cymbals
The Marimba
The marimba (pictured) and
xylophone are definite-pitch
instruments that are played with
yarn-covered or rubber mallets.
The tambourine and cymbals (pictured)
are also indefinite-pitch instruments, but
they do not require a beater to play. The
tambourine is struck with the player’s
right hand, while the cymbals are crashed
together.
Vern Griffiths, Percussion
Vern began studying percussion after attending a concert where his cousin were playing and
says of his decision, “The percussionists looked like they were having the most fun!”
Vern was born and raised in North Vancouver, and has degrees in both Commerce and Music
from the University of British Columbia. Now the principal percussionist with the VSO, Vern
studied with John Rudolph who was, at that time, the principal percussionist himself. After
attending UBC, Vern moved to New York and earned his Master of Muisc degreen from the
Manhattan School of Music.
Vern has been with the VSO since 1997, and will be featured in the upcoming Kids Koncert
Series with his own show “Wall to Wall Percussion”. It feautres all the musicianship, zaniness
and creativity that go into being a percussionist.
PeterandtheWolf
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Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky: Waltz of the Flowers
Ecosystem: City
Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky
Strings
1840-1893
b. Votkinsk, Russian Empire
Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky began piano lessons
at the age of five. When his wather was appointed director of the
St. Petersburg Technical Institute in 1850, Tchaikovsky was able to
receive a great general education through the school, as well as
further his musical education through study with the director of
the school’s music library. His father supported his musical studies,
later paying for lessons with a well-known piano teacher from
Nuremberg, and then supporting Tchaikovsky while he attended
the St. Petersburg Conservatory.
Immediately following graduation, Tchaickovsky acted as
professor of harmony, composition, and music history at the
Moscow Conservatory for ten years. Finding teaching quite tiring,
Tchaikovsky left his position and began conduction. In order to
conduct, he had to overcome a strong case of stage-fright. He
eventually increased his confidence so much that he began to
regularly conduct his own works.
Tchaikovsky’s works include some of the most renowned music of
the romantic period. His music is recognized for its distinct Russian
flavour as well as its lush harmonies and exciting melodies.
Waltz of the Flowers (The Nutcracker)
The Nutcracker, based on the story by E.T.A. Hoffmann, is one of the most popular ballets in the world
today, but this was not always the case! When it premiered in 1892, the prodution was not a success. The
dancers and choreography and story-line were maligned by critics, who did give praise to the original,
melodious music.Tchaikovsky, however, extracted pieces of music from the ballet - twenty-minutes in
total - that was well received. Since then, the entire Nutcracker has become one of Tchaikovsky’s most
famous compositions.
The Waltz of the Flowers is taken from Act II, in which Clara and the Nutcracker Prince visit the Land
of Sweets, ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy. The Waltz, characteristically in 3/4 time, is one of the best
examples of Tchaikovsky’s natural talent for writing ballet music.
All in the Family?
The Waltz of the Flowers features a virtuostic passage (called a cadenza) for
the harp. Although this movement of The Nutcracker is one of the staples
of repertoire for this instrument, and it is featured alongside the stringed
instruments of the orchestra, the harp is not part of the string family.
To which orchestral family does the harp belong?
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Instrument Families: Strings
T he S t r i n g F a mi l y
The string section is the largest family of instruments in the orchestra, and is made up of four
instruments: violin, viola, cello, and double bass. They are made of hollow wood, with strings attached;
the musicians make sounds either by drawing a bow made of horsehair across the strings, or by plucking
the strings with their fingers.
The Viola
The violin is the smallest stringed
instrument and makes the highest
sound. There are two sections of
violins in the orchestra – first violins,
and second violins. The leader of the
first violins is the concertmaster. The
concertmaster works closely with the
conductor to coordinate all of the
strings.
The viola is the second smallest
instrument in the string family,
and is sometimes called an alto.
It looks exactly like the violin, but
is a bit bigger, and thus makes a
lower sound.
Strings
The Violin
The Double Bass
The Cello
The cello, sometimes called the
violoncello, is not held under the
chin like the violin or viola, but
between the player’s knees, resting
on a peg, with the neck extending
over the left shoulder of the player.
The double bass is the largest
member of the string family
– it stands seven feet tall! It also
makes the lowest sound of the
string instruments. To play it,
musicians either sit on a stool, or
stand.
Leader of the Pack!
Dale Barltrop, Violin
Dale is the leader of the first violin section, and is also called the concertmaster! The
job of the concertmaster is to work closely with the conductor, coordinating all the
stringed instruments. He also tunes the orchestra and plays solo violin melodies.
Dale is from Brisbane, Australia, and has performed across North America, Europe
and Australia. In 1998, Dale moved to the USA to study at the University of
Maryland, and later at the Cleveland Institue of Music. He has performed widely
as a soloist, and has a keen interest in teaching - having served on faculty with the
National Orchestral Institute, and worked regularly with the Greater Twin Cities
Youth Symphonies. In addition to playin the violin, Dale loves to travel and enjoys
swimming, running, hiking and skiing.
PeterandtheWolf
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Modest Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition: Ballet of the Chicks in their Shells
Modest Mussorgsky
Woodwinds
1839-1881
b. Karevo, Russia
As a child in Russia, Modest Mussorgsky received piano
lessons from his mother, and showed a large amount of
musical talent at an early age. When Mussorgsky was nine,
he was already giving performances of challenging works
for the piano! However, as an adult, he did not make his
living as a professional musician. Instead, he joined the army
at the age of 17, and was later in the civil service. He did,
though, mabnage to find time for music. Mussorgsky took
a few composition lessons with the Russian composers
Balakirev and Cui, as well as collaborating with another
Russian composer, Rimsky-Korsakov.
Mussorgsky and his composing friends, including Balakirev,
Cui, Rimsky-Korsakov and other composer, Bordin, were
deeply nationalistic. The five of them shared similar views
on the future of Russian music, wanting to create a kind
of music that was distinctly Russian - and not influenced
by European music of the time. The five of them became
known as the “Mighty Handful”.
Ballet of the Chicks in their Shells
(Pictures at an Exhibition)
Ballet of the Chicks in their Shells, along with the Great Gate of Kiev, is part of a larger work called
Pictures at an Exhibition. Mussorgsky found hsi inspiration for this work from his friend Victor Hartmann.
Hartmann was a painter, architect and designer who shared the artistic views of the “Mighty Hanful,”
producting art inspired by Russian legends and folklore. Upon Hartmann’s sudden death, there was an
exhibition of his works. Mussorgsky wrote his Pictures at an Exhibtion after attending this tribute to
Hartmann. Each section of this large work represents a Hartmann painting.
Ballet of the Chicks in their Shells is a piece in ABA (tertiary) form, with a literal repeat of the A section,
and a small coda (or tail of new material) at the end. Hartmann’s picture, was part of his decor design for
a ballet that he had worked on in 1870. The chicks, in the ballet, were fledgling canaries.
try this!
Curate your own “Pictures at an Exhibition” in your classroom, or have a
group of students, or even the entire class, work as curators. Start with
a common thread, or theme; this could be as simple as ‘art inspired by
music’. Discuss why students might place certain pieces of artwork in
specific locations. What are some logistical concerns? And what about
artistic choices that influence the look of the final exhibition?
Visit the Vancouver Art Gallery’s online educational home for further
inspiration! (see back cover for VAG website)
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Instrument Families: Woodwinds
T he W o o d w i n d F a m i l y
Like the string family, the woodwind family has four main instruments: flute, clarinet, oboe, and bassoon.
These instruments are hollow tubes with holes in them. The musician makes a sound by blowing air into one
end, and covering the holes to produce
The Flute
The Clarinet
Woodwinds
The flute, and its smaller sibling,
the piccolo, used to be made of
wood, but today, are made of
either silver or gold. The musician
holds the instrument sideways,
and blows across the hole.
The clarinet is a single-reed instrument,
meaning it has only one reed, while the
oboe has two. The bottom end of the
clarinet flares out, and is called the bell.
The Oboe
The Bassoon
The oboe is a double-reed instrument
that is used to tune the orchestra because
of its pure and steady sound. Reeds
are made from thin pieces of cane that
vibrate when air is blown across them.
The bassoon is also a doublereed instrument, and is the
lowest of the woodwind family.
The reed connects to the top of
one tube by means of a crook,
or hollow metal tube.
A Quartet of Woodwinds!
Cris Inguanti, clarinet
Julia Lockhart, bassoon
The VSO’s woodwind
section is a talented and
busy group of musicians!
Many of them play more
than one instrument.
Cris Inguanti also plays
the bass clarinet and
Julia Lockhart studied the
harpischord (a Baroque
keyboard instrument) in
addition to the bassoon.
Peter and the Wolf
features all four
instruments in the
woodwind family... which
one respresents the bird?
What about Grandfather?
The Duck?
The Cat?
Christie Reside, flute
PeterandtheWolf
Roger Cole, oboe
VSOElementarySchoolConcerts11/12 13
Modest Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition - Great Gate of Kiev
More Mussorgsky!
Great Gate of Kiev
Brass
(Pictures at an Exhibition)
The Great Gate of Kiev was Hartmann’s entry in a
competition to design a building in celebration of Russian
Tsar Alexander II. Mussorgsky’s music describes the
grandness of Hartmann’s gate, with it’s large arch and
magnificent bell tower.
Although Pictures at an Exhibition is one of Mussorgsky’s
best known works, it was written as a virtuostic piano
composition. It was until other composers, such as French
Impressionist composer Maurice Ravel, arranged the work
that it was known as an orchestral piece!
Call of the Wolf!
The musicians in the French Horn section have come from far and wide to play with the VSO! The
performers below come from Naples (Italy), Northern Ontario, Nova Scotia and New York. Richard
Mingus, Assistant Principal, has been a part of the Orchestra since 1985, while Benjamin was
appointed to his position of second horn in 2011.
The French Horn was preceded by the 17th century hunting horn, and is commonly associated with
hunting themes in music throughout history! However, in Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf,
the French Horn is used for the theme of the wolf, and not the hunting party.
The French Horn Section of the VSO, Left to Right:
Olivier de Clercq, David Haskins, Benjamin Kinsman, Richard Mingus
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Instrument Families: Brass
T he B r a s s F a mi l y
Brass instruments are shiny gold or silver-coloured instruments, made from metal. The musician makes sounds
by buzzing his or her lips in a mouthpiece. High and low notes are created by valves or slides, the size of the
mouthpiece, and how the musician uses his or her lips (the embouchure).
The French Horn
The Trumpet
The trumpet is the highest of
the brass instruments, and has
around 4 ½ feet of tubing. It
has three piston valves, which
allow the player to change the
pitch. Of the brass instruments,
it plays the melody most
often.
The Tuba
The Trombone
The trombone is the only brass
instrumentthat doesn’t need
valves. To change the pitch, the
player’s right hand moves a slide
up and down; finding the correct
pitch depends on the musician’s
ability to stop the slide at the
correct position.
The tuba is the lowest of the brass instruments,
but isn’t the longest. At 15 feet long, it is two
feet shorter than the French horn. It plays
lower than the French horn because its tubing
has a larger diameter. Like the trumpet, it has
three piston valves that allow the musician to
change pitch.
Maurice Ravel
1875 - 1937
b. Ciboure, France
Soon after Maurice’s birth, the Ravel family relocated to Paris.
Maurice Ravel began his musical education at the age of six,
giving a public piano recital at fourteen years of age. Around this same time, he was influenced by
the new musical styles coming from Russia; in particular the works conducted by Nikolai RimskyKorsakov at the World Exposition in 1889.
Ravel went on to become one of France’s most prominent composers. His works showed innovation
and synthesis of a variety of musical styles. In his early career, Ravel was dilligent in his study of
the scores of other master composers.
PeterandtheWolf
VSOElementarySchoolConcerts11/12 15
Brass
The French horn is a
tightly-curled instrument;
if you were to uncurl it,
it would be 17 feet long,
ending with a widely
flared bell. In its usual
playing position, the bell
points down and back,
and is partially closed by
the musician’s right hand.
Lesson Plans by Deb Ziolkoski
Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks
Volume II- Fun with Composers (Pre K-Gr. 3).
Copyright: D. Ziolkoski 2009
Music - Mussorgsky
Concepts: ti-ti, ta, whole note, staccato (short, detached) and legato (smooth)
Very soft (pianissimo) and loud (forte) dynamics, experience multiple Laban efforts within the music, form (A A B A)
Suggested Teaching Process:
Introduce the concept of an “unhatched” chick with a picture book. Amy Sklansky’s “Where do Chicks Come From” is a great
one to begin with.
Once children have a visual concept of what an “unhatched” chick looks like, inform them that a famous Russian composer
named Modest Mussorgsky, composed a piece about unhatched chicks. His music seems to tell the story of the chick’s journey
out of its egg shell. Discuss the following points below, and then match up the lyrics with the rhythm patterns provided.
Points to discuss:
• Ask students what they think it would feel like to be all scrunched up in a tight little oval.
• Are the little chicks inside dry or wet and sticky?
• What types of actions could a chick do to get itself out of its shell? (peck, kick, scratch, push)
• How would a chick walk the moment it emerged from the shell? Would its legs be wobbly or would it be sure footed?
Why do you think it might be wobbly? Can you demonstrate?
• How would a chick’s eyes feel after being trapped in an eggshell for so long?
Would it see straight right away, or would it’s vision be a bit blurred?
Charli and the Chicks Get Cracking!
D. Ziolkoski
“Section A”
Once upon a time, there was a group of little chicks who were very, very anxious to be born. You see, these
chicks were still in their shell, which day by day was getting to be a little tighter feeling, very squishy, hot
and uncomfortable. They were used to hearing the voices of their mother through the thin shells of the eggs. She seemed to be
so caring, kind and loving. The chicks all knew that they would be protected and loved the very moment they broke out of their
shells.
One day, when it was very hot outside, mother hen decided to leave her nest and take a short walk with
the chick’s papa to the pond to get a refreshing drink of water. While they were gone, something interesting
happened. One of the little chick’s eggs started to crack. The other chick’s could also hear that one of the chick’s were breaking
free, and decided that they too wanted to be freed from their very hot and sweaty home.
The chicks quickly went to work. First they stomped and kicked, yelling for their mother to get them out of their shells. They
soon realized that they were not going to get any help from their mother, or father…so they started to try to scratch their way
out. They scratched and they scratched, as quickly as they possibly could…but still nothing happened. So they stomped and
kicked and scratched one more time. Still nothing!
Feeling frustrated, they decided to try using their beaks as they were very strong! After pecking and pecking, they tried very
hard to push their bodies out of their shells. They pushed really hard, but that silly shell would not budge! Not wanting quit, the
little chicks all tried again. The second time however, they pushed so hard that their shells popped open, and they all hopped
out!
The leader of thepack was Charli the Chick. They were so excited to be out in the fresh air, and using their new “wobbly” legs,
they danced for joy, twirling and flitting about the yard. They soon realized though that
their mama and papa weren’t around. Knowing that their parents would be disappointed to have missed their arrival, the
chicks quickly climbed back into their shells, holding onto the tops to make it appear as if they had never been cracked. Soon,
the proud mama and papa returned to the nest and never suspected anything! The chicks knew that their parents would not
16
VSOElementarySchoolConcerts11/12
PeterandtheWolf
want to miss a single step as to how they cracked their shells. Charli lead his gang through the whole process one last time. It
turned out to be a very joyous occasion for all!
Suggested Teaching Process:
• Stomping/Kicking (Thrusting) Ask students to imagine they were in their egg shells. Play the hand
drum to rhythm (ta-ta-ta-rest) a How could you show that part with your bodies? (stomping/kicking)
What effort is this? (thrust), What might they be saying to this rhythm? (if using the CD with lyrics mention
you heard them whisper “let me out” followed by little gasps. If not, create your own.) Repeat this pattern.
• Stomping/Kicking (thrusting) - Play first two phrases again (ta, ta, ta rest) and (ti-ti-ti-ti,ti-ti-ti-ti :II) students move the same way they did the first time.
• Scratching (a combination of efforts – glide/flick) - Ask them if they remember how those little chicks
were feeling in the story when they had grown really big, and were still trapped in their shells (hot, sweaty,
uncomfortable). Play ti-ti’s on the hand drum by scratching your nails on the skin. How could they
move? What might they be saying to this rhythm? (Create your own or use given lyrics on CD. “icky-stickyicky- sticky I am feeling icky-sticky). The second time ask students to watch as you play this pattern on the skin moving from a low to high position. Discuss what is happening and the term “ascending”. Ask students to repeat that part after you.
• Pecking (dabbing) - Tap your mallet on the rim of the hand drum to the rhythm: (ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-)
Can they hear the short, light section after the second scratching part? What could this be? (pecking). Tell
students that the word for short and light sounding in the language of music is “staccato”. How could they move?
• Push (Press) - Tap the cymbal for a whole note. What could this be? (chicks pushing their eggshell apart to escape). How could they show this with their bodies? Is this long note played softly or is it a bit louder than the rest? Do the students remember what the word for soft is? (piano) How about loud? (forte)
“Section B”
What happens after the first push? (Section A repeats)
• Play a second time with students moving to the music.
Section B (Happy Dance)
• Play section “B” for the students (smooth flowing “legato” section in the middle of the piece). Ask students what they think
could be happening here. Brainstorm ideas and record them on the board.
• Was the music all smooth, or was it a bit bumpy in places? (towards the end of section B the melody line
becomes a bit erratic, creating a “bumpy, strange” sound.)
• How could they move to this smooth, flowing music? Do they know what “smooth” is called in music? (legato).How could they
move? (glide around room)
• What about to the “bumpy, strange” sounding music at the end of this section? (perhaps their heads turning quickly in a darting fashion, looking for their parents as they tell their siblings to get back into their shells!) What effort might be used? (thrusting)
• Continue listening to the end of the piece. What happened in the music? (Started in section A, then moved to section B, and
back again to section A)
• Were the first and last section A’s the same or different? (The chick pushes an extra time on the final section “A” and there is a
big sense of relief and a happy tone to the music as the chick is freed at last!)
Peter and the Wolf VSO Elementary School Concerts 11/12
17
Dramatize
• Take this a step further asking students to recreate their story, acting out their parts to the music.
Let’s Play!
• If possible add in the instrumental accompaniment to enrich their experience (either create your own
instrumentation, or refer to the suggested list below).
Suggested Instruments:
*Take time to brainstorm with the students as to what types of instruments would best suit the phrases above.
Discuss why they made the choices they did and if necessary guide students towards more appropriate choices. The
instruments listed below correspond to the sound qualities found in the music.
Section “A”
Lyrics: “Let me out…. (Thrusting movements: Kicking/stomiping and punching) Instrument suggestions:
hand drum played with a mallet on the ta’s. Perhaps the ti-ti could be played by a triangle/claves.
“Ick-y stick-y, ick-y, stick-y….” (a derivative of efforts: scratching from the bottom of the egg upwards (ascending motion))
Instrument suggestions: Cabasa/sand blocks/ guiro, scratching your nails on the skin of the drum to the rhythm of the music.
“Peck, peck, peck, peck” (Dabbing movement: pretending to peck randomly at the shell to crack it.) Instrument suggestions:
temple blocks/claves/wood block
“Push-----“ (Pressing movement: pretending to push the shell open)
Instrument suggestions: small cymbal played with a mallet, or even a tremolo.
Section “B”: Add in light, longer sounding instruments such as the triangle or finger cymbals to the smooth (legato) music,
and then sharper, jerky sounds to the ending of section B where the chicks realize their mother and father are not present,
and are trying to get back into their shells. (Guiro scraped in a sharp, jerky manner is a good choice).
Create rhythm eggshell cards: When students have experience moving through the music, create six rhythm eggshell cards
to represent each of the phrases in Section A. Mix them up on the board and ask students if they can help you place them in
the correct order.
Create Music Maps: Using the rhythm cards to guide your sequence for Section A, discuss the qualities found in each of the
phrases and how you might be able to recreate this using dots, squiggles, lines and creative markings.
For more information on our classical music curriculum or to contact me visit our website at www.funwithcomposers.com
see Apendix A and B for additional materials by Deb Ziolkoski!
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PeterandtheWolf
Peter and the Wolf VSO Elementary School Concerts 11/12
19
Sergei Prokofiev’s PETER AND THE WOLF
1891 - 1953
b. Sontsovka, Russian Empire
Sergei Prokofiev gained a vivid musicial reputation early in
life, known as “l’enfant terrible,” named so for his enjoyment
and tendency towards shocking his music teachers. This was
a common theme from a young age, and throughout his
career, as he continued to write works that aimed to startle
and provoke his audiences and critics alike.
Prokofiev started to write music when he was about five
years old, and by nine he was composing opera as well as
works for orchestra. When he eventually entured the Saint
Petersburg Conservatory, he was younger than all of his
classmates and many though he was arrogant and strange.
Prokofiev continued developping this image, earning him the
label of a ‘musical rebel,’ though his talent for composition
was acknowledged.
Before leaving the conservatory, Prokofiev entered the
competition for the Anton Rubinstein Prize, awarded to
the best student pianist. In a daring turn, Prokofiev chose
to perform his own work, his first Piano Concerto. When
he walked up to the piano, he looked out and saw the 20
judges, all with copies of his piece spread out over their laps!
In a tough competition, the prize was ultimately awarded to
Prokofiev.
Prokofiev wrote Peter and the Wolf in 1936 as a work for children, commmissioned by the Central
Children’s Theatre in Moscow; he wrote both the story and the orchestral music. With children
of his own, Prokofiev was deeply interested in the idea of introducing music to children from a
young age. He wrote the entire work in just four days!
The story follows Peter, and his animal neighbours (a duck, a bird, a cat), who are warned by his
grandfather not to be out of the meadow - what if a wolf were to come out from the forest?!
Peter insists that he’s not afraid, and indeed, a wolf does happen by....
The story, and orchestral music, have become a classic. Everyone from Disney to Eleanor Roosevelt
has taken a turn making the story their own. There are many book adaptations of this story, too!
The VSO suggests reading through the story (your local library should have a copy) with your class
before listening to the music. Then, listen to the musical excerpts without narration. Have your
students guess what animal is represented by each theme!
Chris Raschka’s story book version features vocables, or syllables that offer a great spoken
rendering of Prokofiev’s music! When students hear the music, they should be able to identify the
correspdoning animal from the tale.
20
VSOElementarySchoolConcerts11/12
PeterandtheWolf
The Conductor
Orchestral conductors stand on a podium with a baton (which looks a bit like a wand) in front of the orchestra, constantly
communicating directions to the whole orchestra during a performance. The primary responsibilities of the conductor are to set
tempo, indicate beats (particularly first or “down” beats) and to listen carefully and critically to the ensemble. Communicating
changes that need to be made within the ensemble (such as showing the violins you want them to play louder to balance the
sound) requires highly trained listening skills. There are no strict rules for conducting, and you will notice that different
conductors have very different styles. However, the very basics of beat indication do follow a set pattern that you can see below.
Maestro Bramwell Tovey is the Conductor and Music Director of the Vancouver Symphony. He led the VSO to break the world
record for the largest orchestra performance in an outdoor venue when he conducted over 6,000 musicians in a performance of
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Try a few of the conducting examples below with a baton or pencil. Tracks on the accompanying CD
are labelled with which pattern to follow so you can conduct along!
B) 2/4 Time
Fast music
Track: 4
A) 4/4 Time
Most common
Track: 12
C) 3/4 Time
Often heard in waltzes
Don’t forget to
conduct in 3/4 the
next time you sing
happy birthday for a
classmate! It’s a bit
tricky so here’s the
first four bars to help
- make sure to count
1,2 before you start!
Happy Birthday
Traditional
Happy
Birthday!
Hap - py birth - day
1 2 3
1 2 3
to
you!
Hap - py birth - day
1 2 3
to
you!
1 2 3
1 2 3
Bio: Suzanne Fulton (Lesson Plans Pages 22-27)
In 2000, mezzo-soprano Suzanne (Abbott) Fulton graduated from UBC with a Bachelor
of Music degree, majoring in Opera (Gold Medal recipient). While in university, she had
the privilege of performing in operatic roles, which included Meg Page in “The Merry
Wives of Windsor”, Rebecca Nurse in “The Crucible”, and Cherubino in “Le Nozze di
Figaro”. In oratorio and concert work, Suzanne has appeared as a soloist with various
organizations in the lower mainland and the interior. She has also enjoyed many years
singing with the Vancouver Cantata Singers. In 2002, Suzanne realized that her true
passion is for teaching music, so she returned to UBC to complete her Bachelor of
Education. Suzanne is currently enrolled in a Masters in Music Education at UBC. She
appears in “performance” on a daily basis at Gleneagles Elementary (West Vancouver)
teaching K-7 music. This year, Suzanne has also accepted a position at West Vancouver
Secondary School teaching Grade 8-12 concert choir.
Peter and the Wolf VSO Elementary School Concerts 11/12
21
Primary Lesson
Plans
Written by Suzanne Fulton (see bio page 19)
Primary Lesson Plans for “Peter and the Wolf” by S. Prokofiev
Materials required for the Prokofiev lessons below:
• CD player/iPod and a copy of Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf”
• A teacher copy of the lesson plan
• Posters of the instrument families (if possible)
• A classroom with enough room for students to move around freely
• White board or chalk board and white board pens/chalk
• A laptop cart, screen and projector (to show video links in the lesson plans)
• Craft supplies (as listed in lesson 3), an exacto knife and hole punch
• A hard copy of the “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” story (URL provided in lesson plan #5)
• An assortment of classroom percussion instruments (ex. xylophones, drums, glockenspiels, etc.)
Overall Goals:
The goals of the Prokofiev lesson plans are as follows:
• Students should become familiar with the instruments and characters in “Peter and
the Wolf” and how they are related
• Students should recognize that each character in “Peter and the Wolf” has a unique
musical motive (or “leitmotif”) and that the musical motives vary to demonstrate the
qualities of each character
• Students should demonstrate the ability to move their bodies in a way that suits the
style of a musical motive
• Students should be able to decorate a mask that represents the character they have
been assigned
•Students should be able to work cooperatively with the class to act out the characters
of “Peter and the Wolf”
Lesson # 1 – Identifying the instruments and characters in Prokofiev’s work
- Using a proxima projector and a laptop that is connected to the internet, watch the
following Youtube clip of Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot7m9i70JDg&feature=related
Please note that the video is approximately 13 minutes long.
- After watching and listening, discuss the piece with the students, showing pictures of the
instruments whenever possible (Note: you can also use a website, such as http://www.
sfskids.org/templates/instorchframe.asp?pageid=3, and a proxima projector to show
students what the instruments look like if you do not have posters of the instrument
families in your classroom.):
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VSOElementarySchoolConcerts11/12PeterandtheWolf
•
•
What instrument was playing whenever the wolf came around? (french horns)
What instrument was playing when the grandfather came around? (bassoon)
Continue this way until you have mapped out on the board a list of all of the characters and the
instruments that represent them:
Peter: string instruments
Bird: flute
Duck: oboe
Cat: clarinet
Grandfather: bassoon
Wolf: French horns
Hunters: percussion
Lesson # 2 – Musical Motives (or “Leitmotifs”) in Prokofiev’s work
- Review the characters and related instruments from “Peter and the Wolf” on the board. Explain to the
students that Prokofiev didn’t only give each character an instrument in his story, but he also gave each
character a specific melody that plays every time each character is mentioned. Tell the students that this
is called a musical motive.
- Play the beginning of the Disney “Peter and the Wolf” Youtube video again (http://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=Ot7m9i70JDg&feature=related), from approx. 0:42 to 2:30, to demonstrate this. Pause the video
after each character’s motive is introduced to have a discussion.
•
•
What instrument did you hear playing the motive for the…bird, cat grandfather, etc.?
How does this instrument sound like a…bird, cat, grandfather, etc.?
- Assign small groups of students (groups of 3 or 4, depending on your class size) to each of the
characters in Peter and the Wolf:
Group 1- Peter
Group 2- The bird
Group 3- The duck
Group 4- The cat
Group 5- The grandfather
Group 6- The wolf
Group 7- The hunters
!
PeterandtheWolf
You may wish to draw names for characters to avoid having students
who are upset about not getting the character they wished.
VSOElementarySchoolConcerts11/12
23
- As a whole class come up with a few words that describe the musical motive (or
“leitmotif”) of each group’s character. Replay the Youtube clip, from 0:32- 2:30, stopping
after each instrument to brainstorm words on the board beside each characters name.
For example: Bird/Flute- fast, high, light, crazy, happy, silly
- Once some descriptive words have been suggested for each character’s motive, have
each character group take a few minutes to discuss how they might move around the
room to their character’s music. The students should use the quality of the musical
motive as inspiration for their movement (for example, if the music sounds light, happy,
and fast, the students could run on tiptoe).
- After some think time, have each group (one at a time) demonstrate their movement
ideas with the class.
- Talk about behaviour expectations when moving together in an open space (ex. no
running). Invite all students to move around the room in character together, without
the music. This activity and discussion will set the tone for lesson #4.
Lesson # 3– Creating Masks for the Characters in “Peter and the Wolf”
*Note: You may wish to invite parent helpers in to help you with today’s lesson.
- Review the character groups each student was assigned in the previous class. Give
each character group a few minutes to review the words that describe their musical
motive and their movement ideas. As a review, have each group share briefly their ideas
as a reminder to the class.
- Explain to the students that they will each be creating a mask for their characters.
Hand out the following materials to each student in the class:
• Half a paper plate
• 2 pieces of ribbon, approx. 30 cm.
• Felt pens
• Assorted colours of construction paper
• Glue sticks or white glue
• Optional: glitter or glitter glue, dollar store crafting supplies such as felt, sequins, etc.
- Students will decorate the half paper plate as a facemask that represents their
character in “Peter and the Wolf”. As the children are working, have the VSO provided
recording of “Peter and the Wolf” playing in the background.
- Teachers and parent helpers will need to cut out holes for the eyes using an exacto
knife. When students are finished decorating, teachers can use a hole punch to make a
hole on either side of the plate, just above the child’s ear, to attach the ribbons (which
will be tied at the back of the head to hold on the mask).
24
VSO Elementary School Concerts 11/12 Peter and the Wolf
Lesson # 4– Acting During Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf”
- Have each character group put on their mask and stand in different spots against the
walls of the classroom (“off stage”). Tell students that as they hear their characters
musical motive, they should move around the room in character, as rehearsed in the
previous lesson. If students do not hear their motive, they should FREEZE in place and
listen to the story continue.
- Play the VSO provided recording of ”Peter and the Wolf” and watch as the students
create a dramatic presentation to Prokofiev.
Assessment Suggestion for Prokofiev Lessons #1-4
- Watch your students throughout the process of deciding on movements for their characters.
Who was able to move in a way that suited the quality of their musical motive? Who had trouble
being creative or allowing himself/herself to fully participate? Who was able to exhibit good selfcontrol during the class-wide drama presentation, by freezing where necessary and staying on
task?
Supporting Struggling Students?
- Some students might find it difficult to connect the characteristics of movement to the characteristics of the musical motives. For those students, you may wish to play assorted sound bytes of
instrumental music in all styles and ask your students to move to the music like the animal that
comes to mind when they hear the music. For example, the opening of Beethoven’s “Fur Elise”
might inspire students to move like a butterfly or a bird because it is light and flowing.
Lesson #5 – Creating musical motives for the characters in
“Goldilocks and the Three Bears”
- Go to the following URL to print out a copy of the story, “Goldilocks and the Three
Bears”:
http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/goldilocks_story.htm
- Explain that you would like the class to do what Prokofiev did with “Peter and the
Wolf”, by creating musical motives for the main characters in the story. Tell the students
that as a class they will need to create a motive for the following characters:
Goldilocks
Baby Bear
Mama Bear
Papa Bear
Peter and the Wolf
VSO Elementary School Concerts 11/12
25
- Read the story to the class to remind them how it goes.
- Ask the students what percussion instruments they would like to use for each
character’s musical motive. The choices of instruments that you provide your
students will depend on the instruments you have access to. Please note that your
class will be split into groups to perform the motives to the story. Select only those
instruments that you have enough of for ¼ of your class at a time.
Some options of instrument groups are as follows:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
assorted sizes of xylophones
glockenspiels
assorted sizes of metallophones
assorted sizes of drums
triangles
wood blocks and claves
shakers
finger cymbals
etc.
- Once you have selected the instruments to represent each of the four characters
in the story, invite the students to come up and give their ideas for a 4, 8 or 16 beat
(depending on the grade) motive to represent each character.
Notate on the board the notes and rhythms for each character once they have been
decided upon by the class. You may need to have a vote if there is disagreement.
- Once the motives are created, split the class into 4 groups. Have each group get
their instruments and rehearse their motive. Do this with all 4 groups.
- Read the story and after each character is mentioned, have the students in that
group play the musical motive. Have them wait to play until you say “one, two, ready,
play” to set the tempo.
- Switch groups until all students have had a chance to play the musical motive for all
four characters. Be sure to have a quick rehearsal of the new motives each time you
rotate characters.
Assessment Suggestion for Lesson #5
- Watch your students as they create, rehearse and perform their musical motives. Who is
participating and who is not?
- Note any students on a class list who are having difficulty staying on the beat as they play the
motives.
26
VSOElementarySchoolConcerts11/12
PeterandtheWolf
!
Bonus Idea for Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf”
Play students the following YouTube video of an amazing beat-boxing
flute player playing the melodies from Peter and the Wolf:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6SHsF1n9Qw
Sources Used/Cited in Lessons on Prokofiev:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_and_the_Wolf
(a basic site for general information about “Peter and the Wolf”)
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot7m9i70JDg
(a Youtube video of Disney’s “Peter and the Wolf”)
- http://www.sfskids.org/templates/instorchframe.asp?pageid=3
(the San Francisco Symphony Kids website that shows pictures of the various
instruments in each family of the orchestra)
- http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/goldilocks_story.htm
(at this site you can print out a version of the Goldilocks story)
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6SHsF1n9Qw
(a beat-boxing flute player, playing the melodies from “Peter and the Wolf”)
PeterandtheWolf
VSOElementarySchoolConcerts11/12
27
Appendix A: Deb Ziolkoski Colouring Sheet - Modest Mussorgsky
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VSOElementarySchoolConcerts11/12
PeterandtheWolf
Appendix B: Deb Ziolkoski Colouring Sheet - Ballet of the Chicks in their Shells
PeterandtheWolf
VSOElementarySchoolConcerts11/12
29
want to learn more?
Herearesomeadditionalresourcesthatwefoundtobeof
use!PleasebeadvisedthattheVSOisnotresponsiblefor
contentonthesewebsites.
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
www.vancouversymphony.ca
More Resources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conducting
www.classicsforkids.com/
Music Links!
Tips for Teaching Outdoors
www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/tips-for-teaching-inthe-outdoors
Vancouver Art Gallery Education
http://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/events_and_programs/school_education.html
Books!
ReadabouttheComposers!
Sergei Prokofiev http://www.prokofiev.org/
Aram Khachaturian http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khachaturian
Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyotr_Ilyich_Tchaikovsky
Modest Mussorgsky http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modest_Mussorgsky
Maurice Ravel http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Ravel
Peter and the Wolf by Chris Raschka
http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Chris-Raschka/1786251
Deborah Ziolkoski Just for kids: children’s guide
A simple , fun approach to classical music
http://funwithcomposers.ca
Soundscapes:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soundscape
soundscapes
Takeyourstudentsforawalkinanenvironment-itcanbefamiliarorunfamiliar,indoorsoroutdoors-
havingthemlistenforaurallandmarks.Beforeembarkingonyourwalk,takeafewminutestoopentheir
ears,andlistentothesilenceinyourclassroom.Isitreallycompletelysilent?Haveyourstudentsidentify
someofthesoundsthattheyhear.Howisthesoundlandscapeoftheenvironmentyou’vechosenforyour
walkdifferentandthesamefromtheclassroom?
1.
BrainstormecosystemsthatarerelevanttothestoryofPeterandtheWolftocreateshortsoundscapesin
smallgroups.Studentscanuseone,oracombinationof,words,foundsounds,andinstruments.
2.
Havestudentsthinkaboutthesoundsthattheyencounteredonyourclasswalk,andbrainstormdifferent
auralcuestheymighthearintheirnewecosystem.Considernature,humanandanimalinfluence.
Talkaboutdifferentwaystorepresentorrecreatethesesounds.Forexample,climbingamountaincould
besomethingassimpleasgettinghigherinpitch.
Thesoundscapescouldhaveanarrative,orsimplyaimtoevokeamoodoratmosphere.
3.
Forabonus,encouragethemtousefoundsoundsfromtheecosystemitself.i.e.ashortpieceaboutthe
mountainscouldbeaveritablerockopera!
Haveyourstudentsperformtheirsoundscapesfortherestoftheclass.Foratwist,keepeachgroup’s
ecosystemasecretoverthecourseofthecompositionalperiod.Thisway,thestudentscanguesswhat
ecosystemeachgroupisdescribingwiththeirmusic.Havethemremarkondifferentfeaturesofthe
ecosystemintermsofaurallandmarks.
Check out the link in the box above for
some ©
helpful
tips onSymphony
teaching outdoors!
Vancouver
2011/12
30
VSOElementarySchoolConcerts11/12
PeterandtheWolf