Brass of Peace: National Symphony Orchestra Kinderkonzert

A Good Audience…

stays seated, stays quiet, doesn’t eat, listens, and claps.

Have fun!

Wait! There’s More!

Musical Instrument “Petting Zoo” Before the concert, enjoy hands-on fun with the instruments that the musicians will play on stage in the Hall of States. A project of the Women’s Committee for the NSO.

Kinderkonzert David M. Rubenstein Chairman Michael M. Kaiser President Darrell M. Ayers Vice President, Education

Christoph Eschenbach Music Director, National Symphony Orchestra Additional support for Performances for Young Audiences is provided in part

by The Clark Charitable Foundation; the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities; Mr. James V. Kimsey; The Macy*s Foundation; The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc.; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; the Park Foundation, Inc.; the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; an endowment from the Ryna and Melvin Cohen Family Foundation; the U.S. Department of Education; the Verizon Foundation; Washington Gas; and by generous contributors to the Abe Fortas Memorial Fund, and by a major gift to the fund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widow of Abe Fortas.

Major support for the Kennedy Center’s educational programs is provided by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

“Preview” the Concert Hall We hope you have so much fun at the concert that you’ll come back soon to hear a performance of the full National Symphony Orchestra—that’s 100 musicians! When they all play together, they perform on the big stage in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Get a sneak peak at the Hall (and even go backstage) in the playful online tour led by former NSO Associate Conductor Emil de Cou at: artsedge.kennedy-center.org/nsoed.

Upcoming Family Concerts Please build on your Kinderkonzert experience by joining us at this season’s remaining National Symphony Orchestra Family Concert, performed by the full NSO:

www.kennedy-center.org/artsedge Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, an education program of the Kennedy Center.

ARTSEDGE is a part of Verizon Thinkfinity, a consortium of free educational Web sites for K-12 teaching and learning.

Learn more about Education at the Kennedy Center at www.kennedy-center.org/education The contents of this Cuesheet do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement from the Federal Government. © 2012 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

May 13, 2012 — Carnival of the Animals The NSO also presents full orchestra Young People’s Concerts for school groups in the Concert Hall each season during the school day for grades 3 through 6.

For more about NSO education programs, see www.kennedy-center.org/nso/nsoed

Please recycle this Cuesheet by sharing it with friends!

Conducted by NSO hornist Sylvia Alimena Performed by the Brass of Peace Scholars

Ready for some BIG musical sounds? Look no further than the brass instruments. At the concert, you will get to know these instruments and the music they make. Sylvia Alimena, a French horn player from the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), will lead the way, and the Brass of Peace Scholars (13 area high school student musicians) will perform and show and tell about their instruments.

Orchestra Interactive Enjoy an interactive exploration of orchestras, their instruments, and their music at the Perfect Pitch Web site at: artsedge.kennedy-center.org/perfectpitch

Performances for Young Audiences is made possible by

David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of the NSO.

All in the Family

The French Horn

Brass instruments are related to one another, and that’s why we call them a family. You’ll often find them in an orchestra, sharing the stage with three other instrument families—the strings, woodwinds, and percussion. The brass instruments stand out because they are big and shiny. They make loud, full, and sometimes very deep sounds.

Although the French horn (sometimes simply called “horn”) looks compact, if you unwound all the tubing, it could be as long as 12 feet! Players keep one hand in the large bell almost all the time, which creates the special tone of the French horn.

These instruments are made of twisted metal tubing that opens into a bell shape. To make sound, players “buzz” their lips on the instrument’s mouthpiece. Players can change the sound of the instrument by: n n n

changing the shape of their lips against the mouthpiece changing how strongly they blow air through the mouthpiece moving parts of the instruments called slides (on the trombone) or valves (on the other brass instruments)

Even though these instruments are related, they are not exactly the same—they are different shapes and sizes and are played in slightly different ways. That means each sounds a little different. During the concert, you will learn lots more about these instruments, but let’s take a sneak peek right now.

The Trumpet

The Tuba

The brass family’s smallest instrument is about 1.5 feet long as you see it in a performance; if you uncoiled it, it would be nearly 5 feet long. The trumpet has three valves that are pressed to make different notes. Listen for its bright, clear tones— the highest sounds of the group.

You can’t miss the largest instrument in the family, the tuba. If you stretched all its tubing out, it would be about 18 feet long. Listen for loud sounds (melodic and oom-pahs) that are the lowest of the brass family (and usually of the whole orchestra). And be on the lookout for what looks like a “baby tuba”—that’s the baritone horn.

The Trombone The name “trombone” comes from Italian words meaning “large trumpet.” The trombone has a U-shaped slide that the player pushes back and forth to create different sounds.

Listen for its rich tone and glissando (pronounced glih-SAHN-doh)—the effect of gliding from one note to another.

Try This!

During the performance when the musicians play together, close your eyes and try to identify the sound of each instrument.

(It’s okay to peek to check.)

The Concert Musicians Sylvia Alimena, your host and the concert conductor (leader), knows a lot about brass instruments. That’s because she’s been playing the French horn since she was nine years old. Many of the students on stage joined the Brass of Peace program to learn from Ms. Alimena.

They practice every week and give concerts like this one all during the school year. If they work real hard, maybe they can join a big, professional orchestra someday.

All in the Family

The French Horn

Brass instruments are related to one another, and that’s why we call them a family. You’ll often find them in an orchestra, sharing the stage with three other instrument families—the strings, woodwinds, and percussion. The brass instruments stand out because they are big and shiny. They make loud, full, and sometimes very deep sounds.

Although the French horn (sometimes simply called “horn”) looks compact, if you unwound all the tubing, it could be as long as 12 feet! Players keep one hand in the large bell almost all the time, which creates the special tone of the French horn.

These instruments are made of twisted metal tubing that opens into a bell shape. To make sound, players “buzz” their lips on the instrument’s mouthpiece. Players can change the sound of the instrument by: n n n

changing the shape of their lips against the mouthpiece changing how strongly they blow air through the mouthpiece moving parts of the instruments called slides (on the trombone) or valves (on the other brass instruments)

Even though these instruments are related, they are not exactly the same—they are different shapes and sizes and are played in slightly different ways. That means each sounds a little different. During the concert, you will learn lots more about these instruments, but let’s take a sneak peek right now.

The Trumpet

The Tuba

The brass family’s smallest instrument is about 1.5 feet long as you see it in a performance; if you uncoiled it, it would be nearly 5 feet long. The trumpet has three valves that are pressed to make different notes. Listen for its bright, clear tones— the highest sounds of the group.

You can’t miss the largest instrument in the family, the tuba. If you stretched all its tubing out, it would be about 18 feet long. Listen for loud sounds (melodic and oom-pahs) that are the lowest of the brass family (and usually of the whole orchestra). And be on the lookout for what looks like a “baby tuba”—that’s the baritone horn.

The Trombone The name “trombone” comes from Italian words meaning “large trumpet.” The trombone has a U-shaped slide that the player pushes back and forth to create different sounds.

Listen for its rich tone and glissando (pronounced glih-SAHN-doh)—the effect of gliding from one note to another.

Try This!

During the performance when the musicians play together, close your eyes and try to identify the sound of each instrument.

(It’s okay to peek to check.)

The Concert Musicians Sylvia Alimena, your host and the concert conductor (leader), knows a lot about brass instruments. That’s because she’s been playing the French horn since she was nine years old. Many of the students on stage joined the Brass of Peace program to learn from Ms. Alimena.

They practice every week and give concerts like this one all during the school year. If they work real hard, maybe they can join a big, professional orchestra someday.

A Good Audience…

stays seated, stays quiet, doesn’t eat, listens, and claps.

Have fun!

Wait! There’s More!

Musical Instrument “Petting Zoo” Before the concert, enjoy hands-on fun with the instruments that the musicians will play on stage in the Hall of States. A project of the Women’s Committee for the NSO.

Kinderkonzert David M. Rubenstein Chairman Michael M. Kaiser President Darrell M. Ayers Vice President, Education

Christoph Eschenbach Music Director, National Symphony Orchestra Additional support for Performances for Young Audiences is provided in part

by The Clark Charitable Foundation; the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities; Mr. James V. Kimsey; The Macy*s Foundation; The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc.; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; the Park Foundation, Inc.; the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; an endowment from the Ryna and Melvin Cohen Family Foundation; the U.S. Department of Education; the Verizon Foundation; Washington Gas; and by generous contributors to the Abe Fortas Memorial Fund, and by a major gift to the fund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widow of Abe Fortas.

Major support for the Kennedy Center’s educational programs is provided by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

“Preview” the Concert Hall We hope you have so much fun at the concert that you’ll come back soon to hear a performance of the full National Symphony Orchestra—that’s 100 musicians! When they all play together, they perform on the big stage in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Get a sneak peak at the Hall (and even go backstage) in the playful online tour led by former NSO Associate Conductor Emil de Cou at: artsedge.kennedy-center.org/nsoed.

Upcoming Family Concerts Please build on your Kinderkonzert experience by joining us at this season’s remaining National Symphony Orchestra Family Concert, performed by the full NSO:

www.kennedy-center.org/artsedge Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, an education program of the Kennedy Center.

ARTSEDGE is a part of Verizon Thinkfinity, a consortium of free educational Web sites for K-12 teaching and learning.

Learn more about Education at the Kennedy Center at www.kennedy-center.org/education The contents of this Cuesheet do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement from the Federal Government. © 2012 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

May 13, 2012 — Carnival of the Animals The NSO also presents full orchestra Young People’s Concerts for school groups in the Concert Hall each season during the school day for grades 3 through 6.

For more about NSO education programs, see www.kennedy-center.org/nso/nsoed

Please recycle this Cuesheet by sharing it with friends!

Conducted by NSO hornist Sylvia Alimena Performed by the Brass of Peace Scholars

Ready for some BIG musical sounds? Look no further than the brass instruments. At the concert, you will get to know these instruments and the music they make. Sylvia Alimena, a French horn player from the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), will lead the way, and the Brass of Peace Scholars (13 area high school student musicians) will perform and show and tell about their instruments.

Orchestra Interactive Enjoy an interactive exploration of orchestras, their instruments, and their music at the Perfect Pitch Web site at: artsedge.kennedy-center.org/perfectpitch

Performances for Young Audiences is made possible by

David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of the NSO.