Banda Magda

Cuesheet Performance Guide

Music for Young Audiences

All the music at the concert was written, or composed, by Magda. She has said that she gets inspired to write songs from languages, drawings and collages, long walks in New York City, folk music, movies from the 1950s and 60s, musicals, stories, and more. As you listen to the performance, see whether you can picture what might have inspired each song, and think about what might inspire you to create music.

Listen for…

Try Out the Instruments

■ how each of the band’s instruments, as well as the

Starting one hour before the concert, visit the Musical Instrument “Petting Zoo” in the Hall of States, where you can try out some of the instruments played on stage.

vocals, contribute to the different styles and rhythms.

■ pronunciations that create effects like percussion

(drums, cymbals, and more).

■ how the words and music communicate different

moods and feelings.

Think about…

The variety of music and instruments in the performance.

What would you like to learn more about (such as samba or the accordion)? Choose something and share three new things about it with a friend or family member.

Talk with the Band After the concert, stick around for a Creative Conversation, where you can ask questions and hear stories in an up-close-and-personal talk with some of the musicians.

Come Back for More Music Please come back and join us at these upcoming NSO Family Concerts performed by the full NSO: February 24, 2019—Let’s Go to the Moon!

April 7, 2019 —Symphonic Storytelling: The Travels of Babar

David M. Rubenstein

Additional support for Music for Young Audiences is provided by the Kimsey Endowment; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; and the U.S. Department of Education.

Deborah F. Rutter

Major support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by David M. Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

Mario R. Rossero

Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts.

Chairman President

Senior Vice President Education

★

Washington, DC

The contents of this Cuesheet have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education and do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. © 2019 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Bank of America is the Presenting Sponsor of Performances for Young Audiences

A Musical Melting Pot Music from different parts of the world sounds, well, different, right? That’s because the culture, history, and traditions of those places often shape the music.

Differences might include the rhythms and melodies, instruments, and playing styles.

For example, Brazil is known for its samba music rhythms, which use a lot of percussion (drums). That style came about from the unique mixing of musical traditions of African slaves and European settlers that took place there. Listen for samba and other interesting rhythms (patterns of long and short notes that make up the melody) during the performance.

And just like any good celebration, everyone will need to get in on the act, so be ready to clap out some great rhythms to help the band. Also, if Magda asks you whether you’d like to sing along, the answer is always “Yes!”

The Band in Her Hands You’ll notice that Magda plays a box-shaped instrument— that’s the accordion. It’s very expressive and creates a wide range of sounds, kind of like having a whole band in one instrument.

Magda’s instrument is called a piano accordion because it has a piano-like Piano Accordion keyboard on the right side. She presses those keys and buttons on the left side of the instrument to change the sounds. Like a woodwind instrument, the accordion uses air to create sound; but instead of blowing into a mouthpiece, Magda moves air by pulling apart and pushing together the bellows (flexible compartments in the instrument). Besides creating the air needed for sound, the motion itself can help communicate—watch how Magda can conduct the band (which includes guitar, drums, and bass) through the movement of her accordion.

Speaking of Music The songs at the concert will be sung in Greek, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and English.

Don’t worry: With Magda’s help and from sounds in the music, you will understand what the songs are about. And not knowing the words might help you better hear how Magda uses language as a musical instrument. First, the language she chooses affects the sound, with, say, French flowing more gently.

Second, how she pronounces each word also creates musical effects, such as forceful “P” and “B” sounds imitating bass drums or “S” sounding like cymbals.

Before she started her band, vocalist, musician, and composer Magda Giannikou wrote music for movies. And if you listen closely, you might hear how her band’s music helps create worlds and tell stories, even without the movie screen. She has said, “I see colors in everything I write.” As you listen to her music, what colors do you “see”?

Photo by Shervin Lainez

That’s how you say hello in Greek, and Greek is just one of six languages you’ll hear Magda Giannikou (pronounced GEE-ah-NEE-koo) sing at the concert. She was born in Greece but has adopted musical styles from all over the world for her band, Banda Magda. That’s why you’ll hear a range of languages, plus Latin rhythms, elements of American jazz and French songs, and storytelling, all rolled up into one joyful celebration of world music.

A Musical Melting Pot Music from different parts of the world sounds, well, different, right? That’s because the culture, history, and traditions of those places often shape the music.

Differences might include the rhythms and melodies, instruments, and playing styles.

For example, Brazil is known for its samba music rhythms, which use a lot of percussion (drums). That style came about from the unique mixing of musical traditions of African slaves and European settlers that took place there. Listen for samba and other interesting rhythms (patterns of long and short notes that make up the melody) during the performance.

And just like any good celebration, everyone will need to get in on the act, so be ready to clap out some great rhythms to help the band. Also, if Magda asks you whether you’d like to sing along, the answer is always “Yes!”

The Band in Her Hands You’ll notice that Magda plays a box-shaped instrument— that’s the accordion. It’s very expressive and creates a wide range of sounds, kind of like having a whole band in one instrument.

Magda’s instrument is called a piano accordion because it has a piano-like Piano Accordion keyboard on the right side. She presses those keys and buttons on the left side of the instrument to change the sounds. Like a woodwind instrument, the accordion uses air to create sound; but instead of blowing into a mouthpiece, Magda moves air by pulling apart and pushing together the bellows (flexible compartments in the instrument). Besides creating the air needed for sound, the motion itself can help communicate—watch how Magda can conduct the band (which includes guitar, drums, and bass) through the movement of her accordion.

Speaking of Music The songs at the concert will be sung in Greek, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and English.

Don’t worry: With Magda’s help and from sounds in the music, you will understand what the songs are about. And not knowing the words might help you better hear how Magda uses language as a musical instrument. First, the language she chooses affects the sound, with, say, French flowing more gently.

Second, how she pronounces each word also creates musical effects, such as forceful “P” and “B” sounds imitating bass drums or “S” sounding like cymbals.

Before she started her band, vocalist, musician, and composer Magda Giannikou wrote music for movies. And if you listen closely, you might hear how her band’s music helps create worlds and tell stories, even without the movie screen. She has said, “I see colors in everything I write.” As you listen to her music, what colors do you “see”?

Photo by Shervin Lainez

That’s how you say hello in Greek, and Greek is just one of six languages you’ll hear Magda Giannikou (pronounced GEE-ah-NEE-koo) sing at the concert. She was born in Greece but has adopted musical styles from all over the world for her band, Banda Magda. That’s why you’ll hear a range of languages, plus Latin rhythms, elements of American jazz and French songs, and storytelling, all rolled up into one joyful celebration of world music.

Cuesheet Performance Guide

Music for Young Audiences

All the music at the concert was written, or composed, by Magda. She has said that she gets inspired to write songs from languages, drawings and collages, long walks in New York City, folk music, movies from the 1950s and 60s, musicals, stories, and more. As you listen to the performance, see whether you can picture what might have inspired each song, and think about what might inspire you to create music.

Listen for…

Try Out the Instruments

■ how each of the band’s instruments, as well as the

Starting one hour before the concert, visit the Musical Instrument “Petting Zoo” in the Hall of States, where you can try out some of the instruments played on stage.

vocals, contribute to the different styles and rhythms.

■ pronunciations that create effects like percussion

(drums, cymbals, and more).

■ how the words and music communicate different

moods and feelings.

Think about…

The variety of music and instruments in the performance.

What would you like to learn more about (such as samba or the accordion)? Choose something and share three new things about it with a friend or family member.

Talk with the Band After the concert, stick around for a Creative Conversation, where you can ask questions and hear stories in an up-close-and-personal talk with some of the musicians.

Come Back for More Music Please come back and join us at these upcoming NSO Family Concerts performed by the full NSO: February 24, 2019—Let’s Go to the Moon!

April 7, 2019 —Symphonic Storytelling: The Travels of Babar

David M. Rubenstein

Additional support for Music for Young Audiences is provided by the Kimsey Endowment; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; and the U.S. Department of Education.

Deborah F. Rutter

Major support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by David M. Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

Mario R. Rossero

Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts.

Chairman President

Senior Vice President Education

★

Washington, DC

The contents of this Cuesheet have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education and do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. © 2019 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Bank of America is the Presenting Sponsor of Performances for Young Audiences