The Partners in Crime Lemony Snicket (also known as Daniel Handler) is a popular children’s author who wrote the story The Composer Is Dead plus the 13 books in A Series of Unfortunate Events, among other works. Snicket’s friend, Nathaniel Stookey, is a composer who is very much alive and creating new musical compositions all the time. His work has been performed by some of the world’s most well-known orchestras.
75 Musicians Led by One Conductor At today’s concert, conductor Edwin Outwater will lead the 75 members of the National Symphony Orchestra in playing the music. Conductors develop their own ways to communicate with musicians. Some use a slender white stick called a baton (buh-TAHN) as they conduct, while others do not. Generally, conductors use their right hand to tell the orchestra the tempo to play, and use their left hand to tell the musicians how loud or soft to play.
A Good Audience … • Stays seated. • Stays quiet. • Watches and listens carefully. • Claps at the end when the (live!) conductor turns around.
Wait! There’ s More! Musical Instrument “ Petting Zoo” Enjoy hands-on fun with the instruments that the musicians will play on stage. At 12 noon and 2 p.m. in the Kennedy Center Atrium on the Terrace Level. A project of the Women’s Committee for the NSO.
Kids’ Chat
After the 3 p.m. performance, stick around to ask questions of the concert artists on stage.
David M. Rubenstein Chairman Michael M. Kaiser President
Iván Fischer Principal Conductor, National Symphony Orchestra Christoph Eschenbach Music Director Designate, National Symphony Orchestra Washington Gas is the proud sponsor of the NSO Family Concerts.
The NSO Family Concerts are supported through a generous endowment from the Ryna and Melvin Cohen Family Foundation. Additional support is provided by the U.S. Department of Education, Verizon Foundation, Mr. Martin K. Alloy and Ms. Daris M. Clifton, the Estate of Joseph R. Applegate, the Carter and Melissa Cafritz Charitable Trust, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, The Clark Charitable Foundation, Clark-Winchcole Foundation, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Fight for Children, Dr. and Mrs. Ronald A. Paul, The President's Advisory Committee on the Arts, National Committee for the Performing Arts, and Dr. Deborah Rose and Dr. Jan A. J. Stolwijk. Illustrations from The Composer Is Dead written by Lemony Snicket and illustrated by Carson Ellis.
Music by Nathaniel Stookey Lyrics by Lemony Snicket Presented in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall
Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, a program of the Kennedy Center Education Department. ARTSEDGE is a part of Thinkfinity.org, a consortium of free educational Web sites for K-12 teaching and learning. www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org For more about the performing arts and arts education, visit www.kennedy-center.org /education The U.S. Department of Education supports approximately one-third of the budget for the Kennedy Center Education Department. The contents of this Cuesheet do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. © 2010 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Edwin Outwater, conductor
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The Perfect Pitch Web Site After the concert, get to know the instruments of the orchestra even better at artsedge.kennedy-center.org/perfectpitch.
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