Teacher Guide: What Makes Music, Music?

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What makes music,

Music? 2021/22 Teacher Workbook

Made possible by


NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY EDUCATION SUPPORTERS These concerts are made possible by a generous grant-in-aid from the State of North Carolina, the Honorable Roy Cooper, Governor; D. Reid Wilson, Secretary, North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. NCS also gratefully acknowledges the following supporters:

EDUCATION SUSTAINERS ($50,000+)

EDUCATION BENEFACTORS ($25,000+)

EDUCATION PATRONS ($10,000+)

Anonymous, Anonymous Trust / Simple Gifts Fund, The Bastian Family Charitable Foundation

Robert P. Holding Foundation, Inc., Ina Mitchell Jordan Endowment Fund, Samuel P. Mandell Foundation, Youths’ Friends Association Inc.

EDUCATION PARTNERS ($1,000+) Alamance County Government Anonymous Fund Ashe County Community Foundation The Harold H. Bate Foundation Beane Wright Foundation Bell Family Foundation Bertsch Family Charitable Foundation, Inc. BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina The Borden Fund, Inc. R.A. Bryan Foundation, Inc. Carteret Community Foundation Chowan Community Funds Foundation The Cole Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey A. Corbett Corning Incorporated Foundation Edna Williams Curl and Myron R. Curl Charitable Fund The Dickson Foundation, Inc. William C. Ethridge Foundation, Inc. The Lundy Fetterman Family Foundation Trust Gipson Family Foundation Granville County Community Foundation Iredell County Community Foundation

Moore County Community Foundation Rete Mirabile Fund Onslow Caring Communities Foundation Onslow County Government Outer Banks Community Foundation James J. and Mamie Richardson Perkins Memorial Fund Poole Family Foundation Prescott Family Charitable Trust W. Trent Ragland, Jr. Foundation Rockingham County Community Foundation The Florence Rogers Charitable Trust The Norman and Rose S. Shamberg Foundation The Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Family Foundation, Inc. Southern Bank Foundation Swearingen Foundation Vance County Community Foundation Alex and Barbara Wilson Charitable Foundation, Inc. The Woman’s Club of Raleigh Margaret C. Woodson Foundation Yadkin County Community Foundation

MUSIC EDUCATION ENDOWMENT FUNDS The Joseph C. and Diane E. Bastian Fund for Music Education The Ruby and Raymond A. Bryan Foundation Fund The Mary Whiting Ewing Charitable Foundation Fund The Hulka Ensemble and Chamber Music Programs Fund The Janirve Foundation Fund The Elaine Tayloe Kirkland Fund The Ina Mae and Rex G. Powell Wake County Music Education Fund

SCHOOL SYSTEM SUPPORTERS Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Cumberland County Schools Durham Public Schools Edgecombe County Schools Harnett County Schools Lee County Schools New Hanover County Schools Orange County Schools Wake County Public Schools Supporters are current as of September 2021

Authors: Kim Demery, Monica Jones, Jennifer Sonstroem, Lindsay Williams Designer: Jennifer Blackman, Graphic Designer, North Carolina Symphony Editors: Jason Spencer, Director of Education, North Carolina Symphony; Christopher Short, Education Assistant, North Carolina Symphony; Ryan Godwin, Education Intern, North Carolina Symphony North Carolina Symphony, 3700 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 130, Raleigh, NC 27612, 919.733.2750, or toll free 877.627.6724 www.ncsymphony.org/education North Carolina Symphony Student and Teacher Handbook © 2021 by North Carolina Symphony Society, Inc. Reproduction of this book in its entirety is strictly prohibited.


Table of Contents Letter from Jason Spencer .............................................................................................................................. 2 Director of Education, North Carolina Symphony Information about the 2021/22 Education Concert Program ............................................................ 3 Education Programs of the North Carolina Symphony ........................................................................ 4 Author Biographies ............................................................................................................................................ 6 Ludwig van Beethoven .................................................................................................................................... 7 Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, I. Allegro con brio Jessie Montgomery .........................................................................................................................................17 Starburst Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ..........................................................................................................................22 Overture to The Marriage of Figaro Scott Joplin / arr. Gunther Schuller ............................................................................................................28 Maple Leaf Rag Anthony Kelley ..................................................................................................................................................31 Themes and Fanfares of Unity *Arturo Márquez ...............................................................................................................................................35 Danzón No. 2 **Edvard Grieg ..................................................................................................................................................35 “In the Hall of the Mountain King” from Peer Gynt Traditional / arr. Terry Mizesko .....................................................................................................................40 “America the Beautiful” *Carlos Simon ....................................................................................................................................................43 Fate Now Conquers **Ary Barroso / arr. John Wasson ................................................................................................................48 Aquarela do Brasil Additional Classroom Resources ................................................................................................................56 “Your Elephant, The Orchestra,” ...................................................................................................................58 A story by Jackson Parkhurst, to read before your concert *virtual concert only **live concerts only Web page links used in the lesson plans (printed in bold and underlined) can be accessed directly through the online version of this document at ncsymphony.org/education. 2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 1


Dear Teachers and Educators, Welcome to the 2021/22 North Carolina Symphony teacher workbook! As we turn the page to the 2021/22 school year, the music and education continue—now, both online AND in person. We are excited to release new online concerts and curriculum-aligned material for elementary students. Our Education Concert for grades 3-5, What Makes Music, Music?, will teach core musical concepts including tempo, rhythm, and dynamics, in alignment with the state curriculum. The concert, available online and in person, features a range of musical cultures with selections by composers of diverse backgrounds including Jessie Montgomery, Carlos Simon, Scott Joplin, North Carolina-born composer Anthony Kelley, Mexican composer Arturo Márquez, and more. Our bilingual concert for grades K-2, Peter and the Wolf, introduces younger students to music and the instruments of the orchestra through storytelling. Both online concerts are now available at ncsymphony.org/education-concerts. In alignment with the North Carolina Essential Standards set by the Department of Public Instruction, the resources on the following pages have been designed to introduce the key concepts of music through a carefully crafted concert program. Thank you to the authors of this year’s material—Kim Demery, Monica Jones, Jennifer Sonstroem, and Lindsay Williams—who contributed countless hours of their time and expertise to ensure this workbook is a valuable resource to teachers statewide. Thank you for all that you do to enrich the lives of students across North Carolina! Sincerely,

Jason Spencer Director of Education, North Carolina Symphony

Contact the North Carolina Symphony Education Department North Carolina Symphony 3700 Glenwood Ave., Suite 130 Raleigh, NC 27612 919.789.5461 Office education@ncsymphony.org

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Information about the 2021/22 Education Concert Program Education Concert Experience

Playing on Recorders

Our 2021/22 Education Concert for grades 3-5, What Makes Music, Music?, will be available in person and virtually. We are also excited to share a bilingual presentation of Peter and the Wolf for grades K-2, available virtually and paired with curriculum-aligned lessons. Both concerts are now available online.

For those attending the in-person concert, you are welcome to have students prepare the song “America the Beautiful” on recorders or other wind/string instruments. Playing the song “America the Beautiful” on recorders is an opportunity we extend to all school groups that attend and is completely optional. If you are planning to have students perform on instruments, here are few things to know:

Teacher Workshop The best way to prepare for your concert is to attend the Teacher Workshop held at the start of each year. A recording of each presentation, as well as supplemental resources and PowerPoints, will be made available online following the workshop. Those who register for the workshop (in person or online) will receive a link to access the recording, as well as a certificate for 0.4 CEU credit. The workshop and handbooks are free to music educators this year. If you have not yet registered for access to the workshop recording and materials, please register here.

“America the Beautiful” The highlight of our Education Concert each year is the opportunity to sing or play-along with the Symphony! Whether you are attending the concert in-person or watching online, the conductor will ask everyone to stand and sing “America the Beautiful” with the orchestra. Although we encourage students to memorize the lyrics, we understand that this is not always possible. At your discretion, decide whether or not to use song sheets or books from which your students can read. Your students should be encouraged to sing loudly so our musicians can hear them!

• Let us know in advance that you are planning to play recorders or other instruments, by contacting your district arts coordinator or education@ncsymphony. org. Performing groups will be seated in a special section and acknowledged from the stage, so it is critical that we know you are preparing to play. • Schools will play on their own, unless you make arrangements with another school to perform together. • We may have too many individual groups performing on instruments at one concert, in which case you may be asked to perform with another school. • Any groups performing on recorders will do so before the full orchestra plays “America the Beautiful” • This opportunity is open to other instruments including violins, Orff instruments, Boomwhackers, etc. • Please remind your students, whether they are performing or not, to be courteous and respectful of other students’ performances at their concert.

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Education Program Overview Programs for preschool students and teachers

Programs for middle, high school, and collegiate students and teachers

NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY MUSIC DISCOVERY: The North Carolina Symphony’s Music Discovery program, a part of PNC’s Grow Up Great initiative, combines music and storytelling for our youngest audiences.

FRIDAY FAVORITES CONCERTS: A Friday afternoon concert series perfect for young adult audiences. These 60-minute performances feature great classical music in a fun and informal setting. Discounted student group rates will be offered with pre-registration.

Programs for elementary school students and teachers

WORKSHOPS FOR STUDENTS: Classes during which young instrumentalists perform and are coached by visiting guest artists. Artists such as Zuill Bailey, cello; Caroline Shaw, composer; Michelle Cann, piano; James Ehnes, violin; and Thomas Wilkins, conductor, have given classes.

EDUCATION CONCERTS: Approximately 40 full-orchestra concerts given annually throughout the state to audiences of third through fifth grades. Digital and printed materials with a curriculum specifically designed for the music education concert are given to teachers at the start of each school year. This year’s Education Concert will be available in-person and online. Additionally, we are excited to offer a bilingual presentation of Peter and the Wolf for grades K-2, available virtually and paired with curriculum-aligned lessons. Register for access to both concerts at ncsymphony.org/education. VIRTUAL INTERACTIVE STAGE: To support remote learning, NCS has launched an interactive music education initiative that brings the concert hall to the classroom and reliably delivers a program that supports the learning objectives and standards for music. The live, virtual host discusses musical concepts and interacts with classroom or at-home students while presenting pre-recorded segments of the NCS Education Concert. EDUCATION CONCERT WORKSHOP: The Symphony’s professional development programs and resources aim to address North Carolina curriculum standards in education. The annual Teacher Workshop provides supplemental classroom resources and lessons for teachers through the North Carolina Symphony website. ENSEMBLES IN THE SCHOOLS: An in-school program that brings North Carolina Symphony small ensembles into classrooms for an intimate learning experience. Our musicians teach the elements of music and listening through this interactive program. Performances can be adapted for grade levels K-12. MEET THE INSTRUMENTS: Through our Meet the Instruments! series, sponsored by MetLife Foundation and Puffin Foundation West, Ltd., students will get to know the instruments that make up an orchestra—as well as the North Carolina Symphony musicians who play them!

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OPEN DRESS REHEARSALS: Middle school, high school, and college students are invited to orchestra open dress rehearsals where they will have the opportunity to observe the North Carolina Symphony at work. Conductors, symphony musicians, and guest artists meet with students during the break for a Q&A session.

Competitions and awards MUSIC EDUCATOR AWARDS: awards and cash prizes which are given annually in honor of Maxine Swalin, Jackson Parkhurst, and the North Carolina Symphony Musicians to outstanding music teachers in North Carolina who make a lasting difference in the lives of students of all backgrounds, positively affect their community in a lasting way, and are role models among music educators. Individuals are nominated by their peers and colleagues who write letters of support on their behalf. KATHLEEN PRICE AND JOSEPH M. BRYAN YOUTH CONCERTO COMPETITION: an annual competition open to musicians between the ages of ten and twenty-one, in both junior and young artist divisions, with a cash prize awarded to the first and second place winners in each division. The first-place winner of the young artist division will be offered an opportunity to perform their concerto movement with the North Carolina Symphony in an upcoming season. Application deadline: April 15, 2022. Apply today! For more information about the education programs of the North Carolina Symphony, please visit our website at ncsymphony.org/education, or contact our Education Department at education@ncsymphony.org.


Young People’s Concert Series MEYMANDI CONCERT HALL, RALEIGH WOOLNER STAGE DUKE ENERGY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS A FAMILY HOLIDAY CONCERT

THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING

A Family Holiday Concert SPECIAL DAY

FRI, NOV 26, 2021 | 1PM & 4PM

Michelle Di Russo, conductor Join us the day after Thanksgiving for a fun and festive family concert. This one-hour performance features music from The Polar Express and Babes in Toyland—plus all your wintry favorites! Concert Sponsor: Wegmans

Beethoven Lives Upstairs SAT, JAN 8, 2022 | 1PM & 4PM Michelle Di Russo, conductor Classical Kids Live!

BEETHOVEN LIVES UPSTAIRS

A madman has moved in upstairs, and young Christoph and his uncle are on the hunt to find out just what’s going on up there. Explore the world of Ludwig van Beethoven with music from his greatest works—the “Moonlight” Sonata, Für Elise, the Ninth Symphony, and more.

Fairy Tales & Dragons SAT, APR 2, 2022 | 1PM & 4PM Linda Gorham, storyteller Triangle Youth Ballet

FAIRY TALES & DRAGONS

Come dressed as your favorite fairy-tale character or dragon-trainer and enter the magical realm of mystery and imagination through storytelling and music from beloved tales such as Sleeping Beauty, Frozen, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, and How to Train Your Dragon.

SERIES SPONSOR

Dates, programs, artists, venues, and prices subject to change.

LINDA GORHAM

ncsymphony.org | 919.733.2750 2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 5


Author Biographies

Lindsay Williams, Swansboro Elementary School, Onslow County Schools, Swansboro, N.C.

Kim Demery, Parkside Elementary School, Wake County Public School System, Morrisville, N.C.

Lindsay Williams has been teaching in North Carolina for 15 years starting with middle school, and currently teaching general music, world music drumming, recorder, and ukulele at Swansboro Elementary in Onslow County. She is also the director of their musical club, Dreamers Club. She is an active NCMEA member and continues to involve her students in NCMEA events each year. She also currently holds the Recording Secretary office for the Elementary Executive Board. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, taking trips to all the fun places all over the State of North Carolina, especially the beach!

Kim Demery currently teaches K-5 general music at Parkside Elementary in Morrisville, and directs the Parkside Singing Sandpipers chorus. She has taught in Wake County Public Schools for 12 years as an elementary music teacher, and 1 year as a middle school choral director. Previously, as Director of Programming for Kidznotes, she set the pace for curriculum development, teacher recruitment, training, instruction, and program evaluation. Kim resides in Cary, North Carolina with her husband, Kenny, who is a musician and photographer. They enjoy traveling, mostly to places with great beaches, and attending live concerts and outdoor festivals. Monica Jones, Fox Road Elementary School, Wake County Public School System, Raleigh, N.C. Monica Keele Jones teaches K-5 general music at Fox Road Elementary in Raleigh. A native of Chesapeake, Virginia and graduate of Meredith College, she has taught in Wake County for more than 30 years. In addition to teaching at Fox Road Elementary, she is the organist at her church. In her free time, she enjoys Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) and spending time with her wonderful husband and two children. Jennifer Sonstroem, Laurel Park Elementary School, Wake County Public School System, Apex, N.C. Jennifer Sonstroem currently teaches K-5 general music at Laurel Park Elementary in Apex. During the 2020/21 school year, she collaborated with Wake County music colleagues and the Quaver Music Team to develop an aligned curriculum pacing guide for the district. Her classroom was featured in the Quaver Ed Teacher Voices article, ”Quaver Brings Learning Full Circle,” in September 2021. She has been awarded numerous grants and recognitions, including National Board Certification in 2009, as well certification to teach World Music Drumming, and a Bright Ideas grant for her school’s piano lab in 2012. She received her bachelor’s degree in jazz piano performance from UNC-Greensboro, and master’s degree in jazz piano and teaching certification from East Carolina University.

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Want to become an author for the North Carolina Symphony? Contact us! education@ncsymphony.org


Ludvig van

Beethoven BORN: December 1770, in Bonn, Germany DIED: March 26, 1827, in Vienna, Austria

BIOGRAPHY (in Student Book) Ludwig van Beethoven was born into a musical family during the winter of 1770. Both his father and grandfather were musicians at the Electorate of Cologne, based in his hometown of Bonn. Playing the piano created opportunities for him to perform for audiences and gain experience. Like many other composers, Beethoven traveled to Vienna, Austria, to find inspiration. He wanted to study under one of the most distinguished composers of the time, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, but never had the opportunity because of Mozart’s declining health. As an adult, he began to lose his hearing. Although this loss was devastating, he continued to compose for nearly 25 more years until his death in 1827.

FUN FACTS ABOUT BEETHOVEN (in Student Book) • Beethoven was very fond of nature and often took long walks in the countryside to find inspiration. • More than 20,000 people lined the streets of Vienna for his funeral procession. • He often dipped his head in cold water before composing!

BEETHOVEN’S LIFE • Beethoven struggled with deafness, but not from birth. It wasn’t until he was in his mid-20s that he started experiencing hearing loss. • Some of his most important works were composed during the last 10 years of his life. • Although the exact date of birth is uncertain, he was baptized on December 17, 1770. • At age 12, his first piece of music was published. It was called Nine Variations on a March.

FEATURED WORK: Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, I. Allegro con brio Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, also referred to as the “Fate Symphony,” is known around the world and particularly remembered by the opening 4-note motif: short-short-short-long. Beethoven himself was noted as saying the opening motif is similar to “fate knocking at the door.” Throughout history, those first four notes have been used time and time again. During World War II, the Allied Forces would even use it to signal a victorious moment. Today, the motif appears in everything from films to ringtones. The symphony was written at the same time as his Sixth Symphony, commonly referred to as his “Pastoral” symphony, and both debuted at the same concert. At the first performance, the symphonies were numbered differently, with the Pastoral being number five. After the performance, Beethoven renumbered the two works.

FUNDAMENTAL OF MUSIC: Introduction Notice how the various elements of music—tempo, texture, dynamics, melody, rhythm, and form—come together to create a feeling of energy and motion.

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Classroom activities provided by Jennifer Sonstroem, Laurel Park Elementary, Wake County

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #1: Listening for a Motif NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 4.MR.1

Understand the interacting elements to respond to music and music performances.

4.ML.3.3 Create rhythmic compositions which include the use of whole, dotted half, half and quarter notes; whole, half and quarter rests; and beamed eighth notes in duple and triple time and which are arranged using a variety of sound sources. 4.ML.2.4 Use standard symbols to notate rhythm, meter, and dynamics in simple patterns 4.CR.1

Understand global, interdisciplinary, and 21st century connections with music.

OBJECTIVE: Students will listen to and evaluate the main melodic motif in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. Students will then compose a similar motif with a partner or in a small group setting using either xylophone and/or Chrome Music Lab. MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: Symphony No. 5 in C Minor • Opening Motif Visual • Visual Listening Map • Chrome Music Lab - Visual Listening Map • Orff Instruments • Paper/pencil, audio recording device • White board or screen PROCESS: 1.

Play the first few phrases from the Education Concert video and have students name the composer and title.

2.

Ask the following questions: a. Why do you think this piece is so recognizable? b. How many notes do you hear in the first measure? Select a student to hum the musical idea. c. Play 0:03–0:06. How many notes are in the second measure? d. Were the two short phrases exactly the same, different, or similar?

3.

Explain that a short musical idea or short phrase is a motif (sometimes spelled “motive”). Provide examples of a motif (eg “Jaws” is a 2-note motif ) a. Does Beethoven’s motif have repeated pitches? b. How many pitches are the same? Then what happens?

4.

Play 0:00–0:06. Have students count how many times the motif ‘ti-ti-ti ta’ occurs.

5.

Display the Opening Motif Visual and distribute copies.

6.

Students will mark Xs for the first two times the motif is heard at the beginning, and continue marking an X each time the motif is heard.

7.

Play :00-:20. Have students share their answers of how many times they heard the motif. a. Think/pair/share or turn to talk with their neighbor. b. Different answers provide a good reason to listen to the recording again to re-check answers.

8.

Show students the Visual Listening Map and discuss how the motif is shown throughout, as texture changes from one family of instruments playing it to the entire orchestra.

9.

Mallets and/or Chrome Lab experimentation a. Have students work with a partner or in a small group and share one mallet instrument between them. Students will compose a motif similar to Beethoven’s, with 3 repeated notes followed by a different note that is a certain number of xylophone bars away from the first one.

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b. Then, the pair should do a self-assessment, make revisions, and decide upon a sequence of four occurrences of their motif that they will share with the class and write it down on paper any way that they want to. c. Video record the pieces on mallet instruments and play back the video for the class. d. Have students work collaboratively in small groups or individually in Chrome Music Lab. Choose an instrument (marimba, piano, electronic) and begin writing a motif similar to Beethoven’s. Use the rhythm ti,ti,ti, ta___ (short, short, short, long___). e. Have students present their work to see which ones sound the most similar to the original motif and which ones sound different. How are these the same or different from the original? Intervals? Instruments? Rhythms? f. Ask them to explain their process for composing and evaluate their own composition and performance 10. Discussion Questions a. What was the name of this famous piece, and who wrote it? b. How many notes were in Beethoven’s motif for this piece? c. How was your composition a little bit like Beethoven’s? 11. Classroom Activity Extension a. Play the entire recording and have students count how many times the motif is heard b. Play the second movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7. Listen for the rhtyhmic motif, “ta, ti-ti, ta, ta” used throughout the work. c. Share Visual Listening Map of Beethoven Symphony No. 7.

Opening Motif Visual

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CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #2: Playing Along with the Music NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 4.ML.1.1 Apply expressive qualities when singing or playing a variety repertoire of music representing genres and styles from diverse cultures. 4.ML.2.1 Interpret rhythm patterns, including whole, half, dotted half, quarter, and eighth notes and rests in 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 meter signatures. 4.ML.2.2 Interpret through voice and/or instruments simple pitch notation in the treble clef in major keys. 4.ML.2.3 Interpret standard symbols and traditional terms for dynamics, tempo, and articulation while performing music. 4.MR.1.1 Illustrate perceptual skills by moving to, answering questions about, and describing aural examples of music of various styles and cultures. 4.MR.1.3 Design a set of criteria for evaluating music performances and compositions. OBJECTIVE: Students will interpret the sound and symbol systems of musical notation by following a simplified score. Students will then play percussion instruments, looking and listening for expressive qualities in the music. Class will decide on criteria for self-assessment. MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: Symphony No. 5 in C Minor • Simplified Score for Non-Pitched Percussion • Assorted classroom instruments: Agogo, cowbell, triangles, finger cymbals • Audio recording device • White board or screen PROCESS: 1.

Explain what a musical score is and how a conductor uses it to conduct.

2.

Play :00-:23 and have students follow along with the simplified score. a. Explain how the three staves are connected and therefore happen simultaneously. As students listen, they will read vertically and horizontally, paying close attention to dynamics. Review piano, forte, fortissimo, and crescendo. b. Have students share the dynamic markings indicated

3.

Explain what a fermata is, and have students play the bottom line while patting or patsching their thighs. Longer note values may be shown by sliding hands toward the knee.

4.

Practice the middle line while using a two-finger clap, sliding across the hand for longer notes. Put the bottom line and middle lines together with half of the class patting and half clapping.

5.

Practice the top line while snapping, extending the snap upward for held notes.

6.

Put all three lines together by dividing the class into three groups.

7.

Transfer the three parts to the percussion instruments listed in the score. Students may offer suggestions for the first two non-pitched percussion parts. Emphasize following the conductor (or teacher) and noticing how the conductor showed the expression of the music and interpreted it. Tell students to be sure to play their instrument at the correct volume.

8.

Continue rotating students to play a different instrument/part. Explain how large and small gestures were used to indicate how loud or soft to play.

9.

Invite class to decide upon criteria to evaluate their performance. Write these on the board. Examples include: proper playing technique; played with proper expression; followed the conductor.

10. Record the class and play it back, allowing the class to make refinements and evaluate their performance.

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11. Discussion Questions a. What is a musical score? b. What is a fermata? c. What does a conductor do? d. What is the difference between a composer and a conductor? e. Can someone be both a composer and a conductor? Yes! Beethoven, Stravinsky, Copland

Simplified Score for Non-Pitched Percussion

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CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #3: Listening for Major and Minor Keys NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 4.ML.1

Apply the elements of music and musical techniques in order to sing and play music with accuracy and expression.

4.ML.1.3 Use voice and/or instruments to execute melodic movement through pentatonic melodies on the treble staff. 4.ML.2

Interpret the sound and symbol systems of music.

4.ML.2.1 Interpret rhythm patterns, including whole, half, dotted half, quarter, and eighth notes and rests in 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 meter signatures. 4.ML.2.2 Interpret through voice and/or instruments simple pitch notation in the treble clef in major keys. 4.MR.1

Understand the interacting elements to respond to music and music performances.

4.MR.1.1 Illustrate perceptual skills by moving to, answering questions about, and describing aural examples of music of various styles and cultures. 4.CR.1

Understand global, interdisciplinary, and 21st-century connections with music.

OBJECTIVE: Students will listen and recognize the difference between major and minor scales/keys and share their ideas about the popularity of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. Students will learn to play the opening motif on pitched percussion and utilize ear training. MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: Symphony No. 5 in C Minor • Xylophones (Orff Instruments) or keyboards • Simplified Score for Pitched Percussion • Paper practice xylophone • Audio recording device • White board or screen PROCESS: 1.

Play :00-:09 and have students identify major versus minor key signatures using the following hand motions: a. If major, form a large “M” with fingers of both hands. b. If minor, use sign language to form a small “m” by wrapping three fingers over the thumb.

2.

Ask the following questions: a. Does the beginning sound dark and urgent, as if to say “watch out?” Yes, most sources agree the motif meant “Fate knocks at the door.” b. Why do you think this piece is so famous and popular? Have students share their answers, letting them know that there are no right or wrong answers, just opinions that may differ and create interesting perspectives.

3.

Tell the class that they are going to learn how to play the beginning of this piece on the pitched percussion (Orff mallet) instruments.

4.

Explain that the original piece is in a key or tonality that won’t work on pitched percussion because some notes are missing. Instead, play it in the next higher key, using the “home tone” of D.

5.

Review proper mallet technique. Distribute “Paper Practice Xylophone, basic,” and replace the Bs with B-flats. Students may do this at the barred instruments, picking up the bars carefully with one hand on each end.

6.

Give students the beginning note of A and see if they can figure out how to play the opening by ear. Ask the following questions: a. How many times will you play A? 3 b. Is the next note higher or lower? Lower c. Can you figure out what the next note is? F d. After that note is held out, is the next note higher or lower? One step higher, G e. Will it then skip down the same way as the first time? Yes, down to E

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7.

Display the “Simplified Score for Pitched Percussion” and discuss as a whole. Explain what a key signature is and that a D-minor scale uses a flat or black key on the piano.

8.

Play :00-:22 and have students follow along with score while listening.

9.

Teach the parts, having students identify note names, finding them on their paper xylophones and playing the parts slowly. Students should alternate hands whenever possible.

10. Transfer the learning to pitched percussion instruments and have students take turns playing. 11. Record the students’ performance with or without the recording and then play it back, asking the class to identify criteria for evaluation, including: rhythmic accuracy or fluency, expression, or the ability to follow the conductor. 12. Discussion Questions a. What is the tonality of music and how is it shown in printed music? Tonality is the scale the music is based on or the key the music is in, shown in printed music by a key signature b. What are two common scales or tonalities used in music? Major and minor c. Which of these did we concentrate on today? Minor d. Why couldn’t we play our Orff instruments with the recording today? We were playing in a different key than the recording

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Simplified Score for Pitched Percussion

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EXTENSION ACTIVITY: Beethoven’s Life and Legacy – Motif and Meaning NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 4.MR.1

Understand the interacting elements to respond to music and music performances.

4.MR.1.1 Illustrate perceptual skills by moving to, answering questions about, and describing aural examples of music of various styles and cultures. 4.MR.1.2 Explain personal preferences for specific musical works and styles, using appropriate music terminology. 4.MR.1.3 Design a set of criteria for evaluating music performances and compositions. OBJECTIVE: Students will listen to the original version and write a journal entry about the 4-note motif heard at the beginning of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony based on biographic research. They will listen to at least three other versions of Symphony No. 5 and design a set of criteria for evaluating music performances and compositions by explaining their personal preferences. MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: Symphony No. 5 in C Minor PROCESS: 1.

Have students watch the North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 and ask the following questions: a. What does the motif heard in the very beginning of the piece mean to you? b. What do you think the piece is about? c. What do we know about Beethoven’s life during this middle period? d. Did he leave notes about his intent? Research Ludwig Van Beethoven in your media center or with your teacher’s help. e. What are some alternative versions of the familiar motif (short melody that is repeated, unifying the piece) used in Beethoven’s 5th symphony?

2.

Listen to various interpretations and alterations of the familiar motif from Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. What do these versions have in common? How are they different? a. Disco b. Rock c. Jazz d. Cuban Style Piano

3.

Design a set of criteria for evaluating music performances in order to determine the most enjoyable version. a. Was this version aligned with the composer’s original intent? b. Was it contrasting? What made it similar or contrasting? c. Did you like how the arrangement was performed? Explain your personal preferences for why you selected the version you did as your preferred arrangement. d. What was it about the performance that made it enjoyable?

16 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


Jessie

Montgomery BORN: 1981, in New York, New York

BIOGRAPHY (in Student Book) Jessie Montgomery is a violinist and composer raised in Manhattan, New York. She grew up in an arts-focused household: her father was a musician and her mother was a theater actress and storyteller. Following in her parents’ footsteps, she started her music career by taking violin lessons at Third Street Music School Settlement in New York, one of the oldest community organizations in the country. A rising star in today’s classical music scene with works performed by orchestras across the country, she has made a name for herself composing music described as “wildly colorful and exploding with life.”

FUN FACTS ABOUT MONTGOMERY (in Student Book) • Jessie Montgomery maintains an active performing career in addition to composing, traveling the world playing violin. • She attended New York University to study composition for film and multimedia. • One of the unique aspects of her music is her use of various genres such as folk music, spirituals, improvisation, R&B, jazz, hip-hop, and elements of poetry.

MONTGOMERY’S LIFE • Montgomery’s father was a musician, and her mother was a theater artist, leading her to develop a creative lifestyle. • She often finds herself asking the question, “What does it mean to be a Black woman in America?” as a guiding light for her compositions. • Both of her parents were active protestors during the civil rights movement, paving the way for her success today.

FEATURED WORK: Starburst Starburst by Jessie Montgomery was commissioned by the Sphinx Organization and premiered by the Sphinx Virtuosi in 2013. About her composition, Montgomery says: This brief one-movement work for string orchestra is a play on imagery of rapidly changing musical colors. Exploding gestures are juxtaposed with gentle fleeting melodies in an attempt to create a multidimensional soundscape. A common definition of a starburst, “the rapid formation of large numbers of new stars in a galaxy at a rate high enough to alter the structure of the galaxy significantly,” lends itself almost literally to the nature of the performing ensemble that premiered the work, the Sphinx Virtuosi, and I wrote the piece with their dynamic in mind.

FUNDAMENTAL OF MUSIC: Form Form can be described as the map, the layout, or the blueprint for the structure of the music. It is the overall organizational plan the composer creates, dividing the composition into sections arranged in a specific order. The form of this piece is organized by statement themes, meter, texture, and mood. Think of the Starburst candy colors to identify each of the sections, “rapidly changing musical colors”: Cherry, Lemon, Strawberry, and Orange.

2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 17


Classroom activities provided by Kim Demery, Parkside Elementary School, Wake County

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #1: Starburst Themes NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 3.ML.3.2 Create soundscapes using a variety of sound sources. 3.MR.1.2 Use musical terminology when describing music that is presented aurally. 4.CR.1.2

Understand the relationships between music and concepts from other areas.

4.MR.1.3 Design a set of criteria for evaluating music performances and compositions. 4.MR.1.2 Explain personal preferences for specific musical works and styles, using appropriate music terminology. OBJECTIVE: Students will analyze the form of Starburst by identifying repeated themes, meter, texture, and mood. They will make cross-curricular connections between Music and Earth in the Universe science standards. MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: Starburst • PowerPoint Presentation • Scarves or streamers • Starburst Call Chart • Redstar Theme (slide 10 of PowerPoint) • Assorted percussion instruments • Starburst candy (optional) PROCESS: 1.

Review the slide presentation and details about Jessie Montgomery and Starburst.

2.

Explore our Solar System and Universe, using NASA Science Space Place. Discuss what a galaxy is.

3.

Review the PowerPoint vocabulary, discussing the connection between music and the phenomenon of a Starburst Galaxy. Have students pair share using words to describe it.

4.

As students listen to Starburst, use the Call Chart and have them write down initial impressions and comments. “How does the music make you feel?”

5.

Divide students into groups of four and hand out the four Starburst candy colors to each group. As they listen again, they will place the corresponding Starburst on the Call Chart to match the theme.

6.

Using the Call Chart, practice the parts they will perform: a. Redstar Vocal Theme (slide 10 of PowerPoint) - Everyone sings this theme. b. Falling Star - Scarf toss c. Dancing Star - Partners take turns leading mirror movements to match the music. d. Starlight, Starbright - Triangles and tambourines play the starlight, starbright rhythm. e. Redstar Vocal Theme (repeat) - Everyone sings this theme. f. All students chant to the end, pose and freeze.

18 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


Starburst Call Chart Call #

Timing

Theme Name

Starburst Flavor

Perform

1

:00-:29

RedStar

Cherry

Vocal RedStar Theme (All)

2

:29-:57

RedStar (extended)

Cherry

Vocal RedStar Theme (All)

3

:57-1:13

Falling Star

Lemon

Floating scarves

1:13-1:35

Dancing Star

1:35-2:03

starlight, starbright

5

2:03

starlight, starbright (3x)

Strawberry

Triangles, tambourines

6

2:22

RedStar (extended)

Cherry

Vocal Redstar Theme

7

3:00

Coda Star

All Parts - chant “starlight, starbright”

8

3:12

Crescendo to end

Pose - Freeze

4

Orange

Comments

Mirror Moves Triangles, tambourines

2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 19


CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #2: The Milky Way Song and Dance NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 4.CR.1.2

Understand the relationships between music and concepts from other areas.

NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN DANCE: 4.CP.1.3

Use choreographic principles, structures, and processes to create dances that communicate ideas, experiences, feelings, and images.

NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN SCIENCE: 3.02

Observe that objects in the sky have patterns of movement including: Sun; Moon; Stars.

3.E.1.1

Recognize that the earth is part of a system called the solar system that includes the sun (a star), planets, and many moons, and the earth is the third planet from the sun in our solar system.

OBJECTIVE: Students will make cross curricular connections between music and science standards by singing a song about our Milky Way Galaxy. MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: Starburst • PowerPoint Presentation • Milky Way Listening Map: Star, Planet Earth, Sea, Land, Town, Street, House, Person PROCESS: 1.

Introduce the Milky Way Song (slide 15 in PowerPoint).

2.

Review Milky Way Listening Map and have students add movement to the song.

3.

Watch the Choreography Video (slide 16 in PowerPoint). Encourage students to sing and dance along.

4.

Sing and move to the video and have fun! Students can make up their own choreography and moves.

5.

Virtual Option: Have students submit a video of them dancing via Flipgrid

20 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #3: Write Your Starburst Story NORTH CAROLINA STANDARDS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS: 4.W.4.3

Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

4 W.4.4

With some guidance and support from adults, use digital tools and resources to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of word processing skills.

OBJECTIVE: Students will apply their knowledge about the universe and starbursts to write a narrative story about an imaginary galaxy that they create that is inspired by Jessie Montgomery’s Starburst. MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: Starburst • PowerPoint Presentation • Pencil and paper • Word doc or web-based application • Google Docs to collaborate on and publish story PROCESS: 1.

Review “starburst” vocabulary (slide 9 in PowerPoint)

2.

Share and explain the image M82: Starburst Galaxy with a Superwind

3.

Explore our solar system. Discuss what happens in galaxies that experience a “starburst.”

4.

Watch and listen to the North Carolina Symphony’s performance of Starburst and invite students to write a narrative about an imaginary galaxy. Suggest a prompt to begin their story, like In a galaxy far, far away… They may use their own opening statement.

5.

Their story should include the following: a. Plot, characters, setting, conflict or problem, climax or high point of the action, resolution or conclusion. b. Stories should contain a beginning, middle, and ending.

2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 21


Wolfgang Amadeus

Mozart

BORN: January 27, 1756, in Salzburg, Austria DIED: December 5, 1791, in Vienna, Austria

BIOGRAPHY (in Student Book) Born in Salzburg, Austria, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a child prodigy who showed promise at an early age. Watching his older sister practice the piano led to his basic understanding of musical concepts. It wasn’t long before his father, an accomplished composer and musician, tutored him to advance his playing. When he was six years old, he and his sister started performing for audiences. The stress of touring presented frequent health issues within the family and made for a difficult childhood. These obstacles didn’t stop Mozart from carrying on as a composer and a performer. As he got older, Mozart eventually arrived in Vienna where he wrote music, taught lessons, and performed in various venues. His life wasn’t long, but he performed often and collaborated with other composers to create timeless art. He continued to write operas, string quartets, symphonies, and more until the end of his life, becoming one of the most well-known composers in history.

FUN FACTS ABOUT MOZART (in Student Book) • Mozart had many different pets, including a horse, a dog, and two songbirds: a starling and a canary. • He was disorganized and would refuse to organize his music. Decades later, Ludwig Ritter von Köchel catalogued everything and saw how much music Mozart had written. • He spoke 15 languages! Traveling the world as a musician helped him pick up languages from nearly every stop.

MOZART’S LIFE • In the 1780s, Franz Joseph Haydn, another famous composer, told Mozart’s father, “I tell you before God and as an honest man, your son is the greatest composer known to me by person and repute, he has taste and what is more, the greatest skill in composition.” • He composed more than 600 works, including 41 symphonies, 27 piano concertos, 5 violin concertos, 27 concert arias, 23 string quartets, 18 masses, and 22 operas. • He spent 14 years travelling away from home out of his 35 years. He traveled to courts in Vienna, Prague, Munich, Paris, and London. • He married Constanze Weber on August 4th, 1782. They had two sons, Karl Thomas and Franz Xaver Wolfgang.

FEATURED WORK: Overture to The Marriage of Figaro The Overture to The Marriage of Figaro was first presented on the stage of Vienna’s Burgtheater in May of 1786. Mozart conducted from the keyboard which was very characteristic of him. When the piece was originally written, it contained a slow section in the middle that was taken out prior to the premiere. This opera was the first of three successful collaborations between Mozart and his partner Lorenzo Da Ponte, an Italian librettist. The opera was based on a controversial play by Pierre Caron de Beaumarchais. This play was banned in Vienna due to it containing potentially seditious content, challenging the power of the upper class and presenting the strength of common sense. With expected nervousness from upper-class figures, the opera was banned. The librettist, Da Ponte, had to rewrite large sections of the plot so that the opera would be accepted. The opera was a success in Vienna but gained even more traction when it expanded to new audiences around the world. To this day, it is one of Mozart’s most successful works. 22 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


FUNDAMENTAL OF MUSIC: Dynamics Dynamics in music refers to the volume of the composition. The words are often written in Italian. Some of the most common are: pianissimo (pp), very soft; piano (p), soft; mezzo-piano (mp), moderately soft; mezzo-forte (mf), moderately loud; forte (f), loud; and fortissimo (ff), very loud. Classroom activities provided by Lindsay Williams, Swansboro Elementary School, Onslow County

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #1: Dynamic Changes! NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 3.MR.1.2 Use musical terminology when describing music that is presented aurally. 4.MR.1.1 Illustrate perceptual skills by moving to, answering questions about, and describing aural examples of music of various styles and cultures. 5.ML.2.3 Apply understanding of standard symbols and traditional terms for dynamics, tempo, articulation, rhythm, meter, and pitch when reading and notating music. OBJECTIVE: Students will show the dynamic changes in Mozart’s Overture to The Marriage of Figaro, by using the EMOJI symbol that best represents each dynamic. MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: Overture to The Marriage of Figaro • EMOJI Pattern Worksheet (multiple sheets). • Teacher Tip: Print, laminate, and put on sticks. PROCESS: 1.

Review dynamics by showing The MUSIC SHOW Forte and Piano

2.

Define the following dynamics symbols and terms:

pp - pianissimo – very soft

p - piano – soft

f - forte – loud

ff - fortissimo – very loud

3.

Watch the North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video for dynamics, Mozart’s Overture to The Marriage of Figaro, and have the students pay close attention to the dynamic levels and changes.

4.

Introduce the following dynamic symbol and term:

fp - fortepiano – loud, then immediately soft

5.

Have students give you examples of this dynamic in the real world. Answers will vary.

6.

Ask students: “If you had to assign an emoji symbol to the dynamic terms, what would you choose?”

7.

Hand out the EMOJI Pattern Worksheet to each student in a group or individually.

8.

Play the Overture again and have students choose the emoji face that properly suits the dynamic heard. Student reactions/answers will vary.

9.

Ask students, “What dynamic made this piece the most interesting?”

10. Virtual Option: “What emoji would you rate this piece by Mozart?” Have students respond with their emoji of choice. (i.e., heart, thumbs up, fire, clap…)

2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 23


CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #2: Be a DYNAMIC Conductor! NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 3.MR.1.1 Illustrate the corresponding response to conductor gestures for meter, tempo, and dynamics. 3.MR.1.2 Use musical terminology when describing music that is presented aurally. 4.MR.1.1 Illustrate perceptual skills by moving to, answering questions about, and describing aural examples of music of various styles and cultures. 5.ML.2.3 Apply understanding of standard symbols and traditional terms for dynamics, tempo, articulation, rhythm, meter, and pitch when reading and notating music. OBJECTIVE: Students will show the dynamic changes in Mozart’s Overture to The Marriage of Figaro, through movement activities and conducting. MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: Overture to The Marriage of Figaro • Conducting utensil (pencil, popsicle stick, recorder cleaning rod) PROCESS: 1.

Begin with a class discussion about conducting: a. What is conducting? b. Who conducts and why?

2.

Teach students how to conduct a 2/4 time signature pattern:

3.

Define the following dynamics symbols and terms:

pp - pianissimo - very soft

p - piano – soft

f - forte – loud

ff - fortissimo – very loud

4.

Ask students: “How would you conduct each of those dynamics?”

5.

Watch Music K8’s Forte Piano and practice conducting.

6.

Watch and listen to Mozart’s Overture to The Marriage of Figaro, and have students notice the different dynamic levels and how the conductor indicates dynamic changes with the baton.

7.

Introduce the following dynamic symbol and term:

fp - fortepiano – loud, then immediately soft

8.

Ask students, “How would you conduct this dynamic?”

9.

Hand out conducting utensils or invite student to hand out.

10. Rewatch Mozart’s Overture to The Marriage of Figaro and have the students respond with the appropriate conducting movements to correspond with the dynamic they are hearing.

24 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #3: Saving Mozart! NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 3.MR.1.2 Use musical terminology when describing music that is presented aurally. 4.MR.1.1 Illustrate perceptual skills by moving to, answering questions about, and describing aural examples of music of various styles and cultures. 5.ML.2.3 Apply understanding of standard symbols and traditional terms for dynamics, tempo, articulation, rhythm, mater, and pitch when reading an notating music. OBJECTIVE: Students will choose the best dynamic that is represented in the listening examples to help Mozart escape from his pasta problem! MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: Overture to The Marriage of Figaro • Mozart’s Pasta Problem Game:

Teacher Link

Student Link

PROCESS: 1.

Watch the North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video for dynamics, Mozart’s Overture to The Marriage of Figaro, and have the students pay close attention to the difference dynamic changes that happen throughout the piece.

2.

Review the following dynamics symbols and terms: pp - pianissimo - very soft p - piano – soft f - forte – loud ff - fortissimo – very loud

3.

Introduce the following dynamic symbol and term: fp - fortepiano – loud, then immediately soft

4.

Explain to the students that “Mozart has gotten himself into a bit of a mess. He was lost in composing and wasn’t paying attention to his dinner. His pasta has spilled everywhere! He needs our help to clean up before his wife gets home!”

5.

Open Mozart’s Pasta Problem Game on Google Slides & start the presentation! Enjoy!

6.

Virtual Option: Share the link to the game with your students!

2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 25


Scott

Joplin BORN: circa 1867, in eastern Texas DIED: April 1, 1917, in New York, New York

BIOGRAPHY (in Student Book) Scott Joplin was an American composer and pianist who achieved fame for his ragtime compositions and was often referred to as the “King of Ragtime.” His father was a musician and quickly recognized his musical talent, so he started piano lessons as a child. By age 14, he was able to make a living for himself playing piano in music clubs. As a performer, Joplin was best known for his piano rags. A “rag” is a piece of music with a unique rhythm. Instead of emphasizing the main beats, composers accent the off-beats, also known as syncopation. In a rag, it’s as if the composer took a piece of music and “ragged” it or tore it up, because when the pieces are all put together, they don’t quite match!

FUN FACTS ABOUT JOPLIN (in Student Book) • Ragtime was almost forgotten after the death of Joplin. As jazz became more popular, ragtime slowly started to fade away. • His nickname was the “King of Ragtime,” but he actually called himself “The Entertainer.” • He had perfect pitch, or the ability to sing any pitch without having to hear it first.

JOPLIN’S LIFE • Joplin studied but never completely mastered musical notation. • He was quiet but expressed his thoughts through the music he wrote and played. • He wrote many kinds of music: ragtime, waltzes, marches, opera, and a ballet of African-American dances. • Long after his death, he was awarded a Pulitzer Prize (1976) for his contribution to American music. • His song The Entertainer gained new popularity in 1973 when it was used in the Academy Award-winning movie The Sting.

FEATURED WORK: Maple Leaf Rag Scott Joplin, son of a former slave, grew up around music. His father played the violin and his mother sang and played the banjo. While his father labored at odd jobs, his mother cleaned houses in the newly established town of Texarkana to give young Scott access to pianos. He was largely self-taught until he drew the notice of a local music teacher, Julius Weiss, at age 11. His German-born teacher introduced him to new rhythms, classical pieces, and the polkas of Europe. By the age of 23, Joplin was leading a band in Chicago; traveling with a vocal group, the Texas Medley Quartette; and working in Sedalia, Missouri, as a pianist in the Maple Leaf and Black 400 clubs. Within a few years he had published several songs, rags, and waltzes. The Maple Leaf Rag, likely named for the short-lived club in which he played piano, became the iconic and genre-defining tune. Written in 1899, it was ragtime’s biggest hit and had sold a half million copies by 1909. Its success sparked a nationwide craze and suddenly everyone was writing and publishing ragtime tunes. Ragtime incorporated march tempos, minstrel show melodies, and “ragged” or syncopated rhythms, and was heard wherever African-American musicians gathered. Joplin went on to compose many other rags, but none became as popular as Maple Leaf.

26 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


FUNDAMENTAL OF MUSIC: Rhythm “Rhythm” refers to placement of sounds as they move through time, usually forming a pattern. Every change in the pattern is a new rhythm. Classroom activities provided by Monica Jones, Fox Road Elementary School, Wake County

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY: About Maple Leaf Rag NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 4.ML.1

Apply the elements of music and musical techniques in order to sing and play music with accuracy and expression.

4.ML.2

Interpret the sound and symbol systems of music.

4.ML.3

Create music using a variety of sound and notational sources.

4.CR.1

Understand the relationships between music and concepts from other areas

4.MR.1

Use music terminology in explaining music, including notation, instruments, and performances

OBJECTIVE: Students will show the form for ragtime using manipulatives, and listen to advanced and simplified versions of the four themes. Students will sing and play the versions with non-traditional instruments. MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: Maple Leaf Rag • Google Slides Presentation • Teaching Comix • Different colored or shaped manipulatives for expressing the form • Optional: Access to Quaver Music PROCESS: 1.

Review syncopation with students. Clap a steady beat in 4, stressing the accents on beats 2 and 4. a. Quaver Option: Review sixteenth notes with Taiko video or learn the Sixteenth Note Samba.

2.

Discuss traditional ways of moving to and expressing meter in music using your body, including with your eyes, ears, mouth, toes, and hands. Explain how a conductor cues the orchestra and have students demonstrate.

3.

Review Google Slides Presentation for complete lesson and activities.

4.

Helpful Video Links a. Syncopation in Rhythm – What is It? b. Rhythm and Body Percussion Play Along

2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 27


Anthony

Kelley BORN: February 28,1965, in Henderson, North Carolina

BIOGRAPHY (in Student Book) Anthony Kelley is currently Associate Professor of the Practice of Music at Duke University. He joined the Duke University music faculty in 2000 after serving as Composer-in-Residence with the Richmond Symphony for three years under a grant from Meet the Composer, Inc. One of the main goals of this program was to introduce children to the idea that the word “composer” applies to people living among us today and not only people from hundreds of years ago like Bach and Beethoven. In addition to his composing, Kelley has spent much of his time introducing younger people to music creation. He likes to focus on helping young composers transfer their musical ideas from their minds into notes on a page. One of the ways that he does this is through teaching in a way that allows for freedom of musical ideas, regardless of the amount of classical music training students have.

FUN FACTS ABOUT KELLEY (in Student Book) • Anthony Kelley teaches at Duke University. • He writes movie music! A few of the movies Kelley has written music for include Kudzu Vine and The Doll. • Hewas inspired to pursue music as a career after hearing the second movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in high school. • He grew up in Henderson, an hour north of Raleigh. His first introduction to classical music was a field trip to see the North Carolina Symphony perform in Vance County.

FEATURED WORK: Themes and Fanfares of Unity From Anthony Kelley: “Around 1996, I heard the Ahmad Jamal Trio perform a remarkable rendition of Randy Weston’s High Fly. The piece started with a cool, marching drum cadence and a rather abstract bass line, and after some introductory, intentionally musically convoluted activity, the group exploded into a lucid, bouncy version of the Weston tune. This performance reminded me of the marvelously American quality of many rhythmic figures in marches...Normally, that term “fanfare” refers to a short, flashy concert opener involving significant brass and percussion. But how might I use the rest of the orchestra? I decided to expand the analogy to American life and music by making each orchestral family take on music of slightly different characters, symbolic of the diverse forces in our society which would, at their best, strive for eventual unity. I tried to keep one element in common—the interval of a half-step, which is the smallest interval in the common Western scale. This half-step, then, may be seen and heard as a symbol that, despite our differences, we’re still not too far from each other in the long run.”

FUNDAMENTAL OF MUSIC: Texture Texture is the aspect of music that involves tone color, or the way each instrument sounds. Composers choose and combine these individual sounds in music the way an artist chooses colors and combines them in a painting. There may be an instrument playing alone or many parts being played at the same time. These choices influence the mood or feeling of a piece of music. A “thin” texture may be one instrument playing a simple melody. A “thick” texture may be more than two instruments playing complex lines together. The texture usually become thicker or heavier when more instruments play together and when their parts are denser. 28 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


Classroom activities provided by Lindsay Williams, Swansboro Elementary School, Onslow County

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #1: Texture Map NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 4.MR.1.1 Illustrate perceptual skills by moving to, answering questions about, and describing aural examples of music of various styles and cultures. 4.MR.1.4 Classify instruments into Western orchestral categories of wind, string, percussion, and brass. 5.MR.1.4 Classify classroom, Western orchestral, and world instruments into categories based on how their sounds are produced. OBJECTIVE: While listening to the textural changes in Themes and Fanfares of Unity by Anthony Kelley, students will identify the orchestral instruments being used to cause these changes. MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: Themes and Fanfares of Unity • Orchestra Instrument Family Video PROCESS: 1.

Introduce the concept of texture: a. Musical texture are the different layers of sounds in a piece of music. b. Music can have a thick texture or thin texture depending on how many instruments are playing or how many musical ideas are happening at the same time.

2.

Watch and listen to Themes and Fanfares of Unity, and have students indicate when they hear texture change in the piece.

3.

Review the four instrument families and how they sound with this video.

4.

Divide class into four groups. a. Assign each group an instrument family. b. Explain that they will actively listen to Kelley’s piece again, but this time THEY will represent an instrument family. c. While their family is performing in the piece, they must make up a physical movement that represents their instrument family or show a physical indication that they have heard their instrument family. Teacher Tip: Give students time to come up with their movement. You may need to listen more than once.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #2: Comparing and Contrasting Different Textures NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 4.CR.1

Understand global, interdisciplinary, and 21st century connections with music.

5.MR.1.2 Use music terminology in explaining music, including notation, instruments, voices, and performances. OBJECTIVE: Students will compare and contrast textures between the orchestral piece by Anthony Kelley and other songs by 21st century musicians. MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: Themes and Fanfares of Unity • Compare & Contrast Sway Presentation PROCESS: 1.

Review the concept of texture: a. Musical texture are the different layers of sounds in a piece of music. b. Music can have a thick texture or thin texture depending on how many instruments are playing or how many musical ideas are happening at the same time.

2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 29


2.

Watch and listen to Themes and Fanfares of Unity.

3.

Go to Compare & Contrast Sway Presentation. a. Listen to the following examples of textures in music, according to 21st-century musicians. b. Have the class identify the texture(s) they hear (thick/thin). c. Compare and contrast these examples and decide which one is the most like Kelley’s orchestral piece.

LESSON EXTENSION: 1.

Both Kelley’s piece and the compare/contrast examples are centered around the subject of “Unity.” a. How do musicians and composers encourage unity in their music? b. What did you hear in Kelley’s piece that created a united feel?

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #3: Composing Different Textures NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 4.ML.3.2 Create compositions and arrangements using a variety of traditional and non-traditional sound sources. 5.ML.3.2 Create compositions and arrangements within specified guidelines. 5.MR.1.2 Use music terminology in explaining music, including notation, instruments, voices, and performances. OBJECTIVE: Students will create three different texture examples using Chrome Music Lab. MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: Themes and Fanfares of Unity • Chrome Music Lab – Song Maker PROCESS: 1.

Review the concept of texture: a. Texture is how the layers of sound in music interact. b. Music can have a thick texture or thin texture depending on how many instruments are playing or how many musical ideas are happening at the same time.

2.

As the final assessment assignment (classwork) on texture, students are to create two or three examples of texture using Chrome Music Lab – Song Maker. a. Example 1: Thin b. Example 2: Thick c. *Example 3: Polyphonic (for advanced students). For this part, students will need to create a thick or thin texture and add a vocal or instrument line on top.

3.

Have students open the website Chrome Music Lab and go to the “Song Maker” app.

4.

Students may turn in assignment using teacher preference (Google/Teams/etc.).

Teacher Tip: Have students create a document and add their share links to the document to turn in. Teacher Tip: Create a Flipgrid for students to share one of their examples using musical vocabulary to describe what they created; turn on commenting so class can interact with each other. (They LOVE this!)

30 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


Arturo

Márquez BORN: December 20, 1950, in Álamos, Mexico

BIOGRAPHY (in Student Book) Arturo Márquez was born in Mexico and grew up listening to a variety of musical genres. One of the avenues of exposure was from his father who was a mariachi musician. Growing up around the musical culture of Sonora, Mexico during his childhood would later influence his drive to become a composer and musician. Márquez began his musical education at La Puente, California in 1966. Already composing at age 16, he went on to study at the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico, followed by studies with French composer Jacques Castérède in Paris. His compositions draw inspiration from the ballroom dancing born out of Cuba in the 1800s, commonly known as “danzón.” This kind of music and dance atmosphere inspired him to compose not one, but a series of eight danzónes for orchestra.

FUN FACTS ABOUT MÁRQUEZ (in Student Book) • Márquez was born in the Sonoran desert, where summer temperatures can reach more than 110°F! • After completing his composition studies at the Music Conservatory of Mexico, he received a scholarship to continue his studies in Paris from the French Government. • In addition to playing in a mariachi band, his father played the violin and worked in construction to support his family.

MÁRQUEZ’S LIFE • Márquez comes from a musical family. His father and grandfather were both musicians. • Until the early 1990s, his music was rarely heard outside of his home country, until the popularity of Latin ballroom dancing music took off.

FEATURED WORK: Danzón No. 2* *Performed on virtual concert only Danzón No. 2 is a frequently performed selection that represents the Mexican classical music genre. In 1994, the National Autonomous University of Mexico commissioned Arturo Márquez to write the selection and it played a part in gaining him even more fame once it was completed. Popular orchestras across the world started to play his danzónes and it was widely loved as a masterpiece. Getting the music of Cuba out into the world was a step into integrating even more culture into the classical music scene then as well as now. Listening to the various rhythms, sounds, and phrases gives an inside look to the elegant culture of Cuban music and dance. Imagining partners dancing together in a dramatic yet elegant style makes this piece an important classic that will be cherished for years to come. Listen closely and feel the movement of Cuba as you experience the adored Danzón No. 2.

2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 31


FUNDAMENTAL OF MUSIC: Tempo Tempo is the speed of music. It is a steady, constant pulse, like a clock ticking or your heart beating. Tempi can be slow or fast or in-between, and can change during a song. Tempo influences how music sounds and feels. The same piece of music will sound different if it is played slower or faster. Classroom activities provided by Kim Demery, Parkside Elementary School, Wake County

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #1: Name That Tempo BPM NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 4.ML.2.3 Interpret standard symbols and traditional terms for dynamics, tempo, and articulation while performing music. 4.CR.1.2

Understand the relationships between music and concepts from other areas.

3.ML.2.1 Interpret rhythm patterns, including notes and rests in 3/4 and 4/4 meter signatures. OBJECTIVE: Students will identify tempo in Marquez’s Danzón No. 2. Students will learn tempo marking terms in Italian and how to measure these tempos with a metronome and BPM (beats per minute). MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: Danzón No. 2 • PowerPoint Presentation • Danzón No. 2 Call Chart • Tempo Markings BPM Chart • Metronome or Online Metronome. • Teacher Tip: If you have an electric keyboard, set the tempos for one of the onboard rhythm tracks PROCESS: 1.

Review Italian Greetings Chart (slide 10 in PowerPoint) and greet students using these greetings. Tell students that they will learn Italian and how it is used in music.

2.

Have students pair up and greet each other in Italian.

3.

Review Tempo Markings BPM Chart, and describe the tempo markings in Italian.

4.

Introduce the metronome and set it to varied BPM tempos. Describe how the metronome measures how many beats per minute and how fast or slow the music is.

5.

Using a metronome, play the various tempos used in Danzón No. 2. a. BPM = 116 (Moderato) b. BPM = 124 (Allegro) c. BPM = 132 (Allegro) d. BPM = 144 (Vivace) e. BPM = 160 (Presto)

6.

Listen to Danzón No. 2 and follow the Call Chart. Discuss with students how each section makes them feel, and how tempo can impact the mood and emotion of the music.

32 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


Tempo Markings BPM Chart These are some common markings, not all of them

Italian Tempo Markings

Definition

Beats per Minute

LARGO

SLOWLY

45-50 BPM

ADAGIO

STATELY, WALKING

66-76 BPM

MODERATO

MODERATELY

98-112 BPM

ALLEGRO

FAST, QUICKLY

120 - 156 BPM

VIVACE

LIVELY, VERY FAST

156-176 BPM

PRESTO

VERY, VERY FAST

169-200 BPM

Additional Tempo Markings RITARDANDO

SLOWING DOWN, LITTLE BY LITTLE

ACCELERANDO

SPEEDING UP, LITTLE BY LITTLE

RITENUTO

SLOW DOWN, SUDDENLY

Danzón No. 2 Call Chart Call #

Timing

Tempo

BPM

What is happening in the music?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

:00 :47 1:18 1:50 1:59 2:24 2:32 2:57 3:21 3:35 3:47

Moderato Moderato Moderato Allegro Allegro Allegro Vivace Vivace Vivace Vivace Vivace

116 116 116 124 136 144 160 172 172 172 172

Clarinet and claves play Theme A Oboe enters with clarinet Violas play Theme A Piano enters Theme B and accelerando

12

3:55

Vivace

172

Comments

Lots of percussion Woodwinds and strings Piccolo and piano only Full orchestra Triplet feel Coda - special ending crescendo to the end

2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 33


CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #2: Sing the Tempo Song NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 3.MR.1.2 Use musical terminology when describing music that is presented aurally. 4.ML.2.3 Interpret standard symbols and traditional terms for dynamics, tempo, and articulation while performing music. OBJECTIVE: Students will sing a song about tempo, and reinforce that tempo is the speed of the music. MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: Danzón No. 2 • Tempo Song Lead Sheet • Metronome or Online Metronome • Teacher Tip: If you have an electronic keyboard, set the tempos for one of the onboard rhythm tracks PROCESS: 1.

Introduce the Tempo Song and practice singing. Ask students if they recognize the main theme from Danzón No. 2.

2.

Use a metronome to sing the song at different tempos – Largo (60 BPM) and Allegro (120 BPM). Discuss how tempo affects the mood of the music.

34 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


Edvard

Grieg BORN: June 15, 1843, in Bergen, Norway DIED: September 4, 1907, in Bergen, Norway

BIOGRAPHY (in Student Book) Edvard Grieg was born in Bergen, Norway in 1843. His father’s family immigrated to Norway from Scotland many years before Grieg was born. His mother, Gesine Hagerup, belonged to a well-established Norwegian family. He studied piano with his mother starting at the age of six. After studying at the Leipzig Conservatory for five years as a teenager, he traveled to Copenhagen and became focused on northern folk tunes. In 1864, he became one of the founders of the Copenhagen concert society, Euterpe, which promoted performances of music written by Scandinavian composers (from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden). He married Nina Hagerup in 1867, and she became an authority on interpreting his songs. His later works include incidental music, arrangements of Norwegian dances and songs, and many vocal works.

FUN FACTS ABOUT GRIEG (in Student Book) • An encounter with the violin virtuoso Ole Bull resulted in the 15-year-old Grieg’s immediate transfer to the Leipzig Conservatory. • He was heavily influenced by Mendelssohn during his years at the Leipzig Conservatory, which Mendelssohn founded. • He had a collection of small dolls and one of them, a “lucky frog,” was his concert companion. Before stepping onto the stage as a pianist or a conductor, he would rub his lucky frog in his pocket for good luck.

GRIEG’S LIFE • Grieg had a chance to meet the man who wrote Norway’s National Anthem, which inspired him to compose music based on Norwegian folk melodies and the natural environment of Norway. • His first music lessons were taught by his mother, and he began composing when he was nine years old. • Some of his most famous compositions were written in a little cabin he built overlooking the mountains in Troldhaugen.

FEATURED WORK: In the Hall of the Mountain King from Peer Gynt* *Performed on live concerts only This music is from a longer collection of pieces telling a tale of the life of a young man called Peer Gynt (the legend of Peer Gynt is a Norwegian fairy tale about a very mischievous boy). “In the Hall of the Mountain King” was composed to accompany a scene where Peer is out in the forest and finds a cave that goes deep into the mountain and decides to explore it. Peer soon discovers that the cave is not empty—he has stumbled into the kingdom of trolls. Surrounded by hordes of ugly trolls, Peer is captured and taken before their leader, who goes by the name “Mountain King.” The king is furious with Peer for trespassing in his kingdom, but Peer tells him that he is just looking for a new home. The king finds that he likes the lad and invites Peer to live with the trolls—but only if he agrees to marry the troll king’s daughter and become a troll! To do this, Peer would have to grow a tail and live underground without ever seeing the light of day again. Peer does not want to be a troll, but he also does not want to make the king angry. So instead of refusing, he tries to sneak away. Peer tiptoes through the halls of the troll kingdom. At first he is unheard and unnoticed, but soon he is discovered by the troll guards! A frantic chase ensues, as the trolls swarm after Peer. They chase him through the tunnels under the mountain until finally they catch him and the troll king throws him out of his kingdom, back into the outside world! 2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 35


FUNDAMENTAL OF MUSIC: Tempo Tempo is the speed of music. It is a steady, constant pulse, like a clock ticking or your heart beating. Tempi can be slow or fast or in-between, and can change during a song. Tempo influences how music sounds and feels. The same piece of music will sound different if it is played slower or faster. Classroom activities provided in 2016/17 by Brenda Kris, Wendell Magnet Elementary School, Wake County

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #1: Listening and Responding NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 4.MR.1.1 Illustrate perceptual skills by moving to, answering questions about, and describing aural examples of music of various styles and cultures. 4.ML.2.3 Interpret standard symbols and traditional terms for dynamics, tempo, and articulation while performing music. OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to hypothesize a story to go with “In the Hall of the Mountain King” and compare and contrast their ideas with the actual story. MATERIALS: • Recording of In the Hall of the Mountain King from Peer Gynt (via Spotify) • Laptop/Digital Device PROCESS: 1.

Students will discuss how music helps to tell the story in films and in plays.

2.

Listen to the recording of In the Hall of the Mountain King from Peer Gynt (via Spotify) a. What do you imagine is happening in the story? b. How does the music show this? The music starts slowly and softly and becomes faster and louder, the work begins in a low register, gradually higher pitches are added and eventually high pitched squeals and shrieks are added. c. At the completion of the piece, students will compile a list of words/ideas that describe the feelings portrayed in the music d. Discuss students’ ideas in terms of the musical clues that triggered their thoughts. e. Introduce the notation of tempo—fast, slow, accelerando (gradually getting faster), and ritardando (becoming gradually slower)—by using a “follow my beat” activity (teacher conducts while class claps/plays pulse).

3.

Let the students know that this work is based upon the principal of a gradual accelerando

4.

Have the students watch Mel-O-Toons: Adventures in the Hall of the Mountain King

5.

Compare the story with what the students imagined using the Venn diagram.

36 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 37

Venn Diagram

Name ______________________________


CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #2: Listening and Singing NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 4.CR.1.2

Understand the relationships between music and concepts from other areas.

NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS W.4.2.B

Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.

OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to recognize a repeated theme and describe how the composer used tempo and dynamics to provide variety while repeating the melody. MATERIALS: • Recording of In the Hall of the Mountain King from Peer Gynt (via Spotify) • Laptop/Digital Device • Listening Map for In the Hall of the Mountain King PROCESS 1.

Play the opening of In the Hall of the Mountain King several times

2.

Learn the following text that goes with the tune

We are nasty little trolls, little trolls, little trolls We are nasty little trolls and now we’re after you

3.

Perform the tune starting slowly and softly, then gradually become faster and louder. Explain to the students that they are changing the tempo and the dynamics.

4.

Pass out the Listening Map for In the Hall of the Mountain King. a. Have the students follow along while listening to the music (via Spotify) b. Listen again while the students sing the text (above).

38 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


You can hear Peer’s soft footsteps played by the bassoon.

Peer runs into the Mountain King! He is very angry. Peer sees two doors and tries to open them — LOCKED! He runs around to find two more doors — LOCKED!

The trolls are now chasing Peer out of their castle! Some are carrying huge rocks to block his way back in. The music gets louder and faster!

Peer begins to sneak away from the Mountain King.

“In the Hall of the Mountain King”

The King grabs Peer by the back of his shirt, opens the last door and throws Peer out of his castle.

The chase gets faster and louder. More trolls join in.

The trolls begin to follow softly. You can hear different instruments join into the slow chase.

“In the Hall of the Mountain King” appears at the point in the story where Peer Gynt has insulted the trolls and their king by not wanting to marry the king’s daughter. Follow along as Peer tries to sneak away from the king and his trolls.


Terry

Mizesko BORN: September 21, 1946, in Morehead City, North Carolina

BIOGRAPHY (in Student Book) The beloved song “America the Beautiful” was arranged for the North Carolina Symphony by Terry Mizesko, who was bass trombonist for the Symphony from 1971–2017. He is a native of Morehead City, North Carolina, and a graduate of East Carolina University. Mizesko has conducted the North Carolina Chamber Players, the Governor’s School Wind Ensemble, the Raleigh Youth Symphony, and the Duke University Wind Symphony. He also appeared as guest conductor with the North Carolina Symphony and with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra in education concerts. He taught trombone for more than 20 years at several area schools including Duke University, UNC-Chapel Hill, and St. Augustine’s University. He now devotes much of his time to composition and his family.

FUN FACTS ABOUT MIZESKO (in Student Book) • Terry Mizesko was the North Carolina Symphony’s bass trombonist for 46 years. During his time with the North Carolina Symphony, he played for every music director except the founder, Lamar Stringfield. • The North Carolina Symphony has performed his compositions and orchestrations in classical, pops, and education concerts throughout the state. • He enjoys great art, good food, and spending time with his wife, who is a violist with the North Carolina Symphony, and their two children.

FEATURED WORK: “America the Beautiful” arranged by Terry Mizesko The words of this song came from a poem of the same title by Katharine Lee Bates (1859–1929). She wrote the poem in 1893 and then revised it twice; first in 1904 and then in 1913. The melody of the song was written in 1882 by composer and organist, Samuel Augustus Ward (1847–1903) and was originally titled “Materna.” The lyrics combined with the melody were first published in 1910. This tune, which is now greatly associated with “America the Beautiful,” wasn’t used until 1910. Before that, the song was sung to popular folk tunes like “Auld Lang Syne.” Many consider “America the Beautiful” as the unofficial national anthem of the United States. In fact, it was one of the songs being considered as the U.S. national anthem before “The Star-Spangled Banner” was officially chosen. This song is sometimes played during formal ceremonies or at the opening of an important event. Many artists have recorded their own rendition of this patriotic song, including Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, and Mariah Carey.

FUNDAMENTAL OF MUSIC: Melody Melody is defined as “a sequence of single notes that is musically satisfying.” It can also be described as “the principal part in harmonized music.” In a choral environment, it can be tempting for singers to follow the melodic line. Harmony is quite important to the melody—it supports and balances the melody so that it can shine through as the easiest part to recognize.

40 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


Classroom activities provided by Monica Jones, Fox Road Elementary, Wake County

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #1: Singing the Melody NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 4.ML.1

Apply the elements of music and musical technique in order to sing music with accuracy and expression.

4.ML.2

Interpret the sound and symbol systems of music.

4.MR.1

Understand the interacting elements to respond to music and music performances.

OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to sing “America the Beautiful” with accuracy, showing a clear understanding of rhythmic and melodic patterns, how they move, and/or repeat. Students be able to sing/translate some lyrics into Spanish for an even better understanding and emphasis on global studies. MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: “America the Beautiful” • PowerPoint Presentation and Materials • Additional Resources:

• “Getting to Know You” activity sheet (slide 31 in PowerPoint)

• Read-along books on America the Beautiful or other patriotic songs

• Select videos for learning to sign/ASL while learning vocabulary

• Assorted video selection of notable renditions

PROCESS: 1.

Day One: a. Students sing using solfege (Sol Sol – Mi Mi, Sol Sol – Re Re...) b. Play “America the Beautiful” c. Discuss what melody is, and listen for the ascending scale steps:

i. “for amber waves of” ii. “that sees beyond the” d. Sing with the lyrics again, and listen for the intervals: i. Measures 9-11 “Oh beautiful, for spacious skies” ii. Measures 14-15 “For purple mountain majesties” e. Discuss biographical information about the arranger, Terry Mizesko. 2.

Day Two: a. Share the video of the chicken playing “America the Beautiful” on piano b. Introduce Spanish lyrics in the melody:

And crown thy good with brotherhood ¡Y corone tu bien con hermandad ee koh-roh-nahr too byehn kohn ehr-mahn-dahd

From sea to shining sea! ¡De mar a brillante mar! deh mahr ah bree-yahn-teh mahr

2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 41


c.

Introduce new lyrics to the traditional tune:

Amer--ica, the Beau--tiful was loved by all mankind. They e--ven put the words-- to fit with the great Auld Lang Syne But Sam--uel Ward, church or--ganist, put Bates’ words to the test. His hymn--, “Materna”, soon-- became the tune to manifest!

Bing Cros--by and Sina--tra made remakes in the 60s. Ray Charles-- sang a rendi--tion, don’t forget Alicia Keys The Su--per Bowl had half--time guests to sing this song for you. From op--era greats to mo--vie stars, Inaugurations too!

3.

Day Three: a. Introduce Katharine Lee Bates and her role as a lyricist b. Play “America the Beautiful.” As students listen, have them write down three places they have visited or would like to visit. Think/pair/share about what they wrote c. Have students complete the word search.

4.

Day Four: Review a. Listen to “America the Beautiful” and share the illustrated version with students. b. Review “Getting to Know You” activity sheet (slide 31 in PowerPoint)

i. Teacher reads questions in each box, allowing students time to figure our which boxes they can fill for their classmates. ii. Students quietly circle the room allowing other students to sign their paper while listening to “America the Beautiful” iii. At the end of the listening, the class determines who got the most boxes filled.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #2: Listening for Patterns and Phrases NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 4.ML.1

Apply the elements of music and musical technique in order to play music with accuracy and expression.

4.ML.2

Interpret the sound and symbol systems of music.

4.MR.1

Understand the interacting elements to respond to music and music performances.

OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to play a simple version of “America the Beautiful” with accuracy showing a clear understanding of rhythmic/melodic patterns and chord changes. Students will be able to play and have a better understanding of global music and instruments. Students will understand the history of the composition and its relation to U.S. history. MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: “America the Beautiful” • PowerPoint Presentation and Materials • Traditional instruments (rhythm, recorders, bells, etc) and non-traditional instruments (boomwhackers, etc) PROCESS: 1.

Introduce the families and instruments of the orchestra, using the North Carolina Symphony’s “Meet the Instruments” series

2.

Review note names of the treble clef using stories and songs: a. I Knew You Were Treble b. All About that Bass (Clef) c. Mr. Everybody’s Musical Apartment

3.

Watch and listen to “America the Beautiful” and identify key skips, steps, and repeated melodic phrases

4.

Introduce the I, IV and V chords, having students move and change movements/directions as the chords change. Students may illustrate using graph paper for measures.

42 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


Carlos

Simon BORN: April 13, 1986, in Washington, D.C.

BIOGRAPHY (in Student Book) Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Atlanta, composer Carlos Simon has written, composer Carlos Simon has written music of many styles, from large and small ensembles to film scores influenced by jazz, Gospel, and neo-romanticism. He was recently named as one of the recipients for the 2021 Sphinx Medal of Excellence, which recognizes extraordinary classical Black and Latinx musicians. Highly sought-after as a composer, he has been asked to compose music for some of the country’s largest orchestras. Simon’s musical career started when he was just 10 years old. His father was a pastor at a church and his parents decided that he would play the piano for their services. Shortly after, he began writing music for services and teaching it to the congregation.

FUN FACTS ABOUT SIMON (in Student Book) • Simon often begins composing his pieces through improvisation which allows his ideas to flow freely. • He grew up listening to and playing Gospel church music first. In fact, his parents only allowed him to listen to Gospel music; anything else was forbidden!

FEATURED WORK: Fate Now Conquers* *Performed on virtual concert only This piece was inspired by a journal entry from Ludwig van Beethoven’s notebook written in 1815 referencing the Iliad. From Carlos Simon: “Using the beautifully fluid harmonic structure of the second movement of Beethoven’s 7th symphony, I have composed musical gestures that are representative of the unpredictable ways of fate. Jolting stabs, coupled with an agitated groove with every persona. Frenzied arpeggios in the strings that morph into an ambiguous cloud of free-flowing running passages depict the uncertainty of life that hovers over us. We know that Beethoven strived to overcome many obstacles in his life and documented his aspirations to prevail, despite his ailments. Whatever the specific reason for including this particularly profound passage from the Iliad, in the end, it seems that Beethoven relinquished to fate. Fate now conquers.”

FUNDAMENTAL OF MUSIC: Finale Listen for all the elements of music, including tempo, rhythm, dynamics, form, texture, and melody.

2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 43


Classroom activities provided by Jennifer Sonstroem, Laurel Park Elementary, Wake County

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #1: Meet the Composer NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 4.CR.1

Understand global, interdisciplinary, and 21st century connections with music.

4.CR.1.2

Understand the relationships between music and concepts from other areas.

OBJECTIVE: Students will listen to a recording of Simon’s Fate Now Conquers, learn about the composer and his inspiration for this piece, and then complete the “Meet the Composer” job application sheet to get to know more about Carlos Simon. MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: Fate Now Conquers PROCESS: 1.

Introduce Carlos Simon by sharing his biography and background. Read the Violin Channel’s article as well as the PolyArts write up about the composer and his work, Fate Now Conquers.

2.

Play the North Carolina Symphony video of Fate Now Conquers.

3.

Tell students that they will now help get Carlos Simon “get a job” by filling out the “Meet the Composer” sheet below. Distribute copies of the “Meet the Composer” job application for students to complete.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #2: Texture, Movies, Compare and Contrast NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 4.MR.1.1 Illustrate perceptual skills by moving to, answering questions about, and describing aural examples of music of various styles and cultures. 4.MR.1.1 Explain personal preferences for specific musical works and styles, using appropriate music terminology. 4.MR.1.3 Design a set of criteria for evaluating music performances and compositions. OBJECTIVE: Students will listen to Carlos Simon’s Fate Now Conquers and respond by answering questions about the piece. Students will also compare and contrast Simon’s inspiration, Beethoven’s 7th Symphony, 2nd movement. Students will explain personal preferences for creating a film score and discuss their criteria for evaluating music performances and compositions. MATERIALS: • North Carolina Symphony Education Concert video: Fate Now Conquers PROCESS: 1.

Compare and contrast Fate Now Conquers with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7. a. What comes to mind as you listen to Fate Now Conquers? b. How is this piece similar to the composer’s inspiration (Beethoven Symphony No. 7, II. Allegretto)? How is it different? Allow students to either discuss as a whole group or think/pair/share in small groups

i. Teacher Tip: Give students a piece of paper or provide a means to jot down their ideas to assist them in sharing with the class. After enough time has passed, bring students back together to discuss observations. 2.

Invite students to create a storyboard for a movie. a. If you could compose music for a movie, what would the movie be about? b. What instruments would you use in your film score and why? c. How would your musical composition reflect the theme or movie plot?

3.

Students can additionally create a cartoon strip representation of their ideas via Storyboard. Encourage them to create a rough outline of their movie, including a setting, characters, plot, theme, etc. Provide students with a copy of the staff below and use the two-measure treble clef staff to begin composing a melodic or rhythmic idea for their musical movie theme.

44 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


4.

Ask students, “What criteria do you use to evaluate music performances and/or compositions?” Have students brainstorm questions they might ask themselves as they watch or listen to a performance in order to evaluate it. They might think of things such as: a. Do the musicians play/sing the correct notes? b. Do they have good posture? Transition well? Seem prepared?

5.

More complex questions could include: a. Was the theme interesting? b. Did the music show emption? c. Did the performers seem passionate about the music? d. Did the music represent the culture well/accurately? e. Do the performers inspire you?

2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 45


ABOUT THIS ACTIVITY

MEET THE COMPOSER JOB APPLICATION

P E R S O N A L I N F O R M AT I O N

E D U C AT I O N

CO M P O S I T I O N S

46 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


F U N FAC T S

2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 47


Ary

Barroso BORN: November 7, 1903, in Ubá, Minas Gerais, Brazil DIED: February 9, 1964, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

BIOGRAPHY (in Student Book) Brazilian composer Ary Barroso lived an exciting life with a variety of jobs. In addition to being one of the most successful Brazilian songwriters and composers, he was a pianist, soccer commentator, and host of radio and television shows. He was the first composer to receive international recognition for writing sambas. Barroso’s parents passed away at an early age due to illness, leaving him an orphan. Although his father was a singer, his introduction to music came in the form of piano lessons from one of his aunts, who was sure that he would one day grow up to be a concert pianist. Contrary to his aunt’s dream, he spent most of his early years as a musician accompanying films and playing in nightclubs. This pathway ended up paying off when he traveled to the United States and wrote some of the music for the Disney film The Three Caballeros, eventually earning an Oscar nomination and a Merit Award from the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences.

FUN FACTS ABOUT BARROSO (in Student Book) • Barroso composed a total of 264 songs! • His dream was to create a lasting legacy through his music and to build a bridge between the generations. • In 1930, he won a song competition and used the prize money for his wedding.

BARROSO’S LIFE: • On the back cover of his 1955 album, Encontro com Ary, which included Brasil, Barroso wrote: “I want to leave to future generations something that time does not destroy. Many people, in the years ahead—who knows?—will hear about the popular composer Ary Barroso.” • In 1955, he received the Brazilian government’s National Order of Merit along with fellow composer Heitor Villa-Lobos. • During the 1930s, he often wrote music for Carmen Miranda, a notable actress and singer of the time. • In 1921, he spent time working towards a law degree, only to end up playing piano at movie theaters two years later.

FEATURED WORK: Aquarela do Brasil (“Watercolors of Brazil”)* *Performed on live concerts only Ary Barroso attained international fame for writing Aquarelo do Brasil, simply known as Brasil. Written in 1939, this samba is recognized throughout the world, and is known for bringing to the forefront this popular music from Brazil. Samba is both a style of music and a style of dance. The music is characterized by its driving hypnotic rhythms, catchy melodies, and simple harmonies. The dance uses hips, arms, and fancy footwork in a pattern of 1 – 2 – 3, with bounces, pivots, and turns. The samba is a social dance and is often performed in ballroom dance competitions. Samba music is central to Brazil and its culture. The city of Rio de Janeiro, known as House of Samba and at one time the Capital of Brazil (1822-1960), is recognized as one of the world’s most beautiful and interesting urban areas. Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival is one of the world’s biggest attractions and people from all over the world attend the festivities. The history of Rio’s Carnival can be seen as very complex celebrations in the present day encompass a fusion of African, Portuguese, and Indigenous culture traditions and is truly a time to celebrate for all. 48 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


FUNDAMENTAL OF MUSIC: Finale All elements work together to make music. Tempo, Dynamics, Texture, Form, Melody, and Rhythm come together for the exciting finish to the program. A Finale is the closing part, scene, or number in a public performance. This rollicking, rhythmic, samba is perfect for this occasion. Classroom activities provided by Kim Demery, Parkside Elementary School, Wake County

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #1: Brasil Three Ways - Sing the Samba NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 3.ML.2.1 Interpret rhythm patterns, including notes and rests, in 3/4 and 4/4 meter signatures. 4.MR.1.1 Illustrate perceptual skills by moving to, answering questions about, and describing aural examples of music of various styles and cultures. 4.CR.1.2

Understand the relationships between music and concepts from other areas.

OBJECTIVE: Students will identify a main melody from the piece and sing it on the syllable ‘Da.’ Students will compare and contrast different arrangements of this samba composition. MATERIALS: • Recording of Aquarela do Brasil (via SoundCloud) • Supplemental Videos: • Ray Conniff - Brasil • Brasil from Saludos Amigos • Comparison Worksheet • PowerPoint Presentation • Assorted percussion (claves, maracas, shakers, drums, etc) PROCESS: 1.

Play three versions of Brasil and have students compare and contrast using the Comparison Worksheet and Venn Diagram. a. Version 1: North Carolina Symphony b. Version 2: Ray Conniff - Brasil c. Version 3: Brasil from Saludos Amigos

2.

Have students follow the Brasil melody lead sheet (slide 11 in PowerPoint) and sing on “Da” (key of E-flat).

3.

Divide students into two groups. Group 1 sings and Group 2 performs percussion accompaniment (slide 11 in PowerPoint). Then switch parts.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #2: Dance the Samba NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 3.ML.2.1 Interpret rhythm patterns, including notes and rests in 3/4 and 4/4 meter signatures. 4.CR.1.2

Understand the relationships between music and concepts from other areas.

NORTH CAROLINA STANDARDS IN DANCE: 3.CP.1.1

Create simple dance sequences by combining dance phrases.

3.R.1.2

Identify examples of movement skills and elements observed in dance from one’s own and different cultures.

4.C.1.2

Exemplify connections between dance and concepts in other curricular areas.

MATERIALS: • Recording of Aquarela do Brasil (via SoundCloud) • PowerPoint Presentation 2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 49


Notes I hear...(name the instruments/voices)

The tempo is…

The mood is…

This music makes me feel…

Additional thoughts:

Comparison Worksheet Ray Conniff

These are some common markings, not all of them

NC Symphony

Saludas Amigos

50 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


Venn Diagram

2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 51


• Supplemental Videos: • Samba for Beginners • Beautiful Creatures from RIO 2 PROCESS: 1.

Watch Samba for Beginners, and have students form three to four lines across to practice along with video. Practice the samba steps slow, then at tempo.

2.

Have students perform samba moves to Beautiful Creatures from RIO 2. Encourage students to create new choreography.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY #3: Play the Samba OBJECTIVE: Students will play and chant rhythm patterns to samba music using a variety of percussion instruments. They will add a rhythmic accompaniment to a short film and identify the rhythm notations that are in featured in “Crab Rave.” NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 3.ML.2.1 Interpret rhythm patterns, including notes and rests in 3/4 and 4/4 meter signatures. 3.MR.1.4 Identify the sounds of a variety of instruments and voices, including many orchestral instruments, instruments from various cultures, children’s voices, and male and female adult voices. 4.MR.1.1 Illustrate perceptual skills by moving to, answering questions about, and describing aural examples of music of various styles and cultures. 4.CR.1.2

Understand the relationships between music and concepts from other areas.

MATERIALS: • Recording of Aquarela do Brasil (via SoundCloud) • PowerPoint Presentation • Assorted Percussion (claves, mini shakers, maracas, rhythm sticks, guiro, cowbell, agogo bells, etc) PROCESS: 1.

Have students classify percussion instruments and separate into groups (wood, metal, drum). Assign instruments to students.

2.

Using call and response, teach and play the rhythms (slides 16-22 in PowerPoint) to a steady beat. Organize students into groups by wood, metal, or drum, and practice the rhythms.

3.

Play Crab Rave video (slide 15 in PowerPoint). Identify and play along to match rhythms in the song.

Teacher Tip: Have students switch rhythms to play a different part on their instrument. Switch instruments and play again.

BONUS ACTIVITY: Instrument Password Game NORTH CAROLINA ESSENTIAL STANDARDS IN MUSIC: 4.MR.1.4 Classify instruments into Western orchestral categories of wind, string, percussion, and brass. OBJECTIVE: Students will identify the four instrument families of the orchestra. They will describe the sound quality and appearance of each instrument and create “nicknames” and “clues” to help them remember how to describe individual instruments when they play the Instrument Password Game. MATERIALS: • Recording of Aquarela do Brasil (via SoundCloud) • PowerPoint Presentation • Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra • Instrument Name Cards • Timer

52 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


PROCESS: 1.

Watch Benjamin Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.

2.

Start video at 2:07 for instrument families. Use the Instrument Category Chart (slide 25 in PowerPoint) to discuss families and individual instruments.

3.

Have students watch and follow along with the Study Score for Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. The readalong score includes facts about instruments as well as an introduction to the variations heard. There are great instrument description words in the score that can be used in the Instrument Password Game.

4.

Introduce the Instrument Password Game a. Divide class into two teams. Have students decide on their team names. Use Italian Greetings or Tempo Marking Terms learned in Classroom Activity #1 (Adagios vs. Allegros, Ciao Team vs. Bravo Team, etc) b. For their turn, the teacher will choose a team member to pull an instrument name card from the bucket. You can also use Wheel of Names to select a student. c. Selected student will pull an instrument card and show to the teacher. The teacher will tell the student which instrument family is in play. As they get better, the student will know which family of instruments is in play. d. The student will give a one-word clue and call on someone from their team to guess the instrument they have pulled. You can set a timer at 15 seconds for each guess. Two guesses per turn. e. A team gets one point if they guess the answer correctly, then play goes to the opposing team. If the team guesses two wrong answers, the opposing team takes over the instrument card until someone on their team guesses correctly. The team with the most points wins.

5.

Additional Game Options a. If a student is stumped for a word to describe the instrument, they can “phone a friend” or ask a teammate for help. The teammate will look at the instrument card and give the one-word clue. This option can only be used twice per team in each game. Encourage students to use a strong descriptive word as a clue. No rhyming words! b. Examples of word clues to describe instruments:

“We are in the brass family” Clue: “Paris” Answer: “French Horn” “We are in the brass family” Clue: Highest” Answer: “Trumpet” “We are in the percussion family” Clue: “Wooden” Answer: “Xylophone”

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Instrument Name Cards Teacher Tip: Print, cut out and laminate; or print on cardstock and cut out.

Violin

Viola

Cello

Double Bass

Piccolo

Flute

Oboe

Clarinet

Bassoon

French Horn

54 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


Trumpet

Trombone

Tuba

Triangle

Cymbals

Harp

Saxophone

Timpani

Xylophone

Bass Drum

Snare Drum 2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 55


What Does the Conductor Do? In the performance, it may look like the conductor is simply waving a wand from the Harry Potter movies in his or her hands as the orchestra plays the music. However, there is more to the job than waving a baton. The conductors’ work usually starts months before the performance and can take a lot of time and study. They are responsible for: A. Selecting the music The selection of the music is based on the type of program the conductor would like to present to the audience. The program can be a collection of show tunes, a collection of works from one composer, or a program that is thematic, following some idea like Nature, or Science Fiction. The selection of the music is also based on whether the orchestra currently owns the piece and has the right instruments to perform it. B. Preparing to rehearse Once the music is selected, conductors will begin studying the music so they are ready to lead and rehearse the orchestra. They usually do some analysis (looking at the details of the music) of the melody and the different instruments that present it, the harmony, and the structure or how the music is put together to present the idea the composer had when they wrote it. Conductors will look at the individual parts or at each line from each instrument to see if there are any difficult parts that may require more attention in rehearsal. They will begin to establish an interpretation of the work…in other words, how fast or slow, the tone color to use, the dynamics to use in different sections, etc. Just as artists choose colors and style of brush to use in applying those colors to a painting, conductors use sound and how that sound is presented to paint their musical picture for the audience. Conductors may listen to some recordings of other conductors/orchestras to hear how they performed the piece and then decide if they would like to perform it like they did or differently, creating their own interpretation. Occasionally, conductors have the opportunity to look at copies or rarely, the original of a score penned by the composer to see what the composer noted as far as the dynamics and the tempo settings. C. Rehearsing the orchestra Conductors will spend the most time rehearsing the orchestra. They watch the score as they listen to each of the sections/instruments play the parts and then they will stop and give the orchestra directions on how to play the music better. Perhaps it should go faster here, or slower here, or maybe the strings need to be louder here because they have the melody and the conductor wants the audience to hear the melody more clearly. Conductors have the chance to stop the piece and correct a part of it during rehearsal. D. Conducting the performance During the performance, the conductor visually reminds the orchestra of those things covered in rehearsal. He or she keeps the group together by conducting the meter and the spirit of the piece encouraging the musicians to perform their very best. Vocabulary Baton: A handled stick the conductor uses to conduct the orchestra Thematic: How pieces are related to each other based on a common theme or idea Analysis: To closely examine and understand the piece of music Melody: The primary tune(s) of the work Harmony: The music supporting the melody Structure: How the piece is constructed, its form Interpretation: Based on an understanding of the composer and the particular piece, the conductor will decide on tempos and dynamics to best represent the composer’s ideas Dynamics: How loudly or softly the music is played Tempo: How fast or slow the beat goes Meter: How the beat is divided into groups of notes 56 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


Seating Chart

Seating Chart

percussion timpani trumpets horns

trombones

clarinets

bassoons

flutes

first violins

tuba

second violins

oboes basses violas

cellos

Sections Sections

conductor

Percussion Brass Woodwind String

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“Your Elephant, The Orchestra” A story to read in class before your North Carolina Symphony Education Concert by Jackson Parkhurst Three blind men were asked to describe an elephant. The first felt the elephant’s trunk and said, “An elephant is like a fire hose!” The second felt the elephant’s side and said, “No, an elephant is like a wall!” The third felt the elephant’s tail and said, “You are both wrong. An elephant is like a rope!” Describing the North Carolina Symphony is somewhat like trying to describe that elephant. It is a jumble of trunks and tails, all of which come together to be what you will hear and see when it comes to visit you. Okay, what is the North Carolina Symphony? Well, for sure it’s people. But that’s too simple. Well, how about this, then? It is people who make music together. That’s true, but there is more. Wait! I think I have it now. An orchestra is a group of people who make music together, but it’s also people who work at desks to help organize the music makers, and others who help by doing jobs like driving the buses and setting up the stage for concerts. Well, there are the parts of our creature, but how do these parts work? The North Carolina Symphony cannot perform without the people who work in the office. These people do an important job. They help raise the money that pays for the orchestra. Also, when the orchestra travels they make sure that the musicians get to the right town and that everyone has a place to eat and sleep. Since our elephant, the orchestra, travels as much as 12,000 miles a year (which is halfway around the earth!), you can see why the office workers are so important. Like the tail of the elephant, the office staff is not often noticed. Now a trunk is a different matter entirely. Without one an elephant couldn’t eat peanuts or wash his back very well. Neither can our orchestra work well without the people who help them when they travel. One of these people is the stage manager who is responsible for setting up the necessary equipment before each concert. The North Carolina Symphony plays 175 concerts a year, and each chair and music stand has to be in its own special place every time. The stage manager has a crew of workers who help him do this. There are other musicians in disguise who do extra jobs. One of them is the librarian who puts the music on each music stand. Every player must get the correct musical part, or the orchestra will sound crazy. Then there is the personnel manager who gets to listen to everyone’s problems, but also gets to give out the paychecks! There are two more people who are the official bus drivers complete with uniforms and licenses. Without these two the orchestra couldn’t go anywhere. Oh yes, there is another musician who doesn’t have a musical instrument at all. That person is the conductor, and their job is to start and stop the music and help keep all the musicians playing together. They are also the one who talks to you during the concert. Now, what are we missing on our elephant? Oh yes, the body. When we assemble all of our music makers, we have the main body of the orchestra. This body is organized into smaller groups of instruments which we call families, and these are arranged in a special way on the stage so that you, the audience, get the most wonderful sound possible. This is a chart showing how the orchestra is arranged on the stage. An orchestra can, of course, only sound beautiful if each of these musicians works hard to play his or her best. The musicians of the North Carolina Symphony have been practicing and playing music since they were your age. If you add up all the years of practice of all of them, you will have a total of over 1,500 years! These individual musicians are the heart of our orchestra. Trunks and tails would be pretty useless without a heart, you know. So now we have described with words our elephant, the orchestra. Just as an elephant can best be understood by seeing it, an orchestra can best be known by hearing it – and you have one of your very own coming to play for you. Remember, the North Carolina Symphony is your elephant. Jackson Parkhurst was for many years the Director of Education for the North Carolina Symphony.

58 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


NOTES

2021/22 TEACHER WORKBOOK • 59


NOTES

60 • NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY


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