Rob in da Hood Follow Rob in her adventure as she learns about the orchestra…
TWSO EDUCATION CONCERTS 2019
Rob has always dreamed of being in an orchestra, ever since she was little‌ Follow along as she and her friends learn about the instruments that make up an orchestra.
The String Family
The largest section of the orchestra
Sit at the front of the orchestra, by the conductor
The string family is made up of four different instruments:
Violin
Viola
String instruments can be played in lots of different ways including:
Arco
Pizzicato
(using the bow)
(plucking the strings)
Cello Double Bass
Let’s meet the string section!
The Woodwind Family
The woodwind section sit behind the strings, and include the:
Oboe
Bassoon
Flute Clarinet Piccolo
Saxophone
Most woodwind instruments make a sound by blowing into a mouthpiece or reed
Woodwind instruments used to be made entirely of wood; now they are made of different materials including wood, metal, silver and sometimes gold!
Let’s meet the woodwind instruments‌ Which one is your favourite?
The Brass Family
The brass section are usually the loudest section of the orchestra!
Brass players made a sound by buzzing their lips (like blowing a raspberry) against the mouthpiece
The brass section is made up of:
Trumpet
French Horn
Tuba Trombone
Let’s meet the loudest section of the orchestra!
The Percussion Family
The percussion section sit at the very back of the orchestra
Made up of a lot of different instruments, depending on the style of the music. Some music uses one or two percussion instruments, while others use up to twenty!
The percussion family is split into two groups:
Untuned Percussion
Make a sound/rhythm
Tuned Percussion
Can play lots of different notes
including
including
Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Triangle, Cymbals, Tambourine, Wood Block
Xylophone, Marimba, Timpani, Piano, Keyboard
Let’s find out what it’s like to be play percussion in an orchestra!
Help our young knight put the instruments in the right place in the orchestra‌
How did you get on? Percussion
Timpani
Trumpets Trombones Clarinets Bassoons
The Brass Section
Tuba
Ke
yb oa
rd
h c en ns r F or H
The Percussion Section
Flute Piccolo Violin 2
Violin 1
Oboe Double Bass
Viola Cello
The Woodwind Section The String Section
After learning all the instruments that make up an orchestra, Rob wondered what it would be like to play in an orchestra‌
See for yourself! Move around the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra – how many instruments can you name?
Rob’s friend thought it might be fun to become a conductor. Wait… what does a conductor do again?
Rob’s friend
The Conductor
The leader of the orchestra (like a teacher!)
Uses a special stick called a ‘baton’
Tells the orchestra:
when to start and stop playing;
how fast or slow to play (called tempo);
how loud or soft to play (called dynamics)
Watch the following video of people conducting an orchestra. What happens when they move their arms slowly? What about if they make really big movements?
Help Rob’s friend conduct the William Tell Overture using the pattern above his head…
Hint: move one arm up and down – you need to be very fast!
Rob loves listening and learning about music too. Let’s learn about some of her favourite pieces.
Game of Thrones Theme
The theme song from the TV series
Composed in only 3 days!
Uses the cello as the main instrument
Salut D’Amour
Written in 1888
Originally for violin and piano
Means “Love’s Greeting”
Composed as an engagement present for his Fiancé
The composer – Edward Elgar
What does this song make you think of? How does it make you feel?
William Tell Overture
The Overture to the Opera William Tell, played at the start of the Opera
Composed by Gioachino Rossini in 1829
Used often in television and movies
Sounds like horses galloping, but isn’t about horses at all!
Pink Panther
Written by Henry Mancini for the 1963 film ‘The Pink Panther’
The opening credits of the film were animated to fit with the music which is very jazzy in style
World of Warcraft Medley
Medley of music from the popular online video game World of Warcraft
Features lots of percussion instruments
Intermezzo from Karelia Suite
Composed in 1893 by Jean Sibelius
Written near the beginning of his career, at age 28
Sibelius’ music was written to reflect his homeland Finland
Features the brass instruments in the orchestra The composer – Jean Sibelius
In the Hall of the Mountain King Edvard Grieg
Composed by Edvard Grieg in 1875
From the Peer Gynt Suite
The piece begins slowly and quietly, using the lowest instruments in the orchestra (cellos, double basses and bassoons). It goes round the orchestra getting higher, louder and faster towards the end
Often used in TV and movies including Johnny English and Trolls
Radetzky March
Written by Austrian composer Johann Strauss I
Written to celebrate a military victory, the piece is very celebratory and happy
Traditionally played every year in Vienna at the New Year’s Morning concert
The composer – Johann Strauss I
Can you march in time with the music? Clap along when the orchestra are playing loud
This is Me
From the musical film The Greatest Showman released in 2017
Written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who have also written music for Trolls, La la Land and Disney
Won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song
Sing along…
Rob’s friends like to make their own instruments‌sometimes out of vegetables!
Make your own instrument Have a go making your own instrument. What materials could you use from around your classroom? Ideas:
Make a drum out of an old tin can
Make some shakers out of a soda can
Make a violin out of a box and some rubber bands – can you play it pizzicato?
Thank you and see you at the concert!
www.orchestras.org.nz
admin@orchestras.org.nz