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2016 Wheeling Symphony

Young People’s Concerts

Teacher’s Guide

The Listener

April 4, 5, 6, & 8

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The Wheeling Symphony

&

Magic Circle Mime Company Present:

The Listener

2016 Young People’s Concerts

André Raphel, Conductor

2. A Letter from the Maestro

3. Meet the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra

4. The Conductor

5. The Concert Experience

6. Concert Etiquette

7. Introducing the Program

8 - 11. Meet the Mimes

12. Teaching Activity – Explore Mime

13. Teaching Activity – Be a Conductor

14. Glossary Terms

15 - 21. Families of the Orchestra

22. Orchestra Map

23 - 24. Teaching Activity – Instrument Families

25 - 31. Meet the Composers

32 - 35. Teaching Activities

36. Write a Letter to the Symphony

37. Teacher Evaluation

38 - 45. Instrument Photos for Teaching Activity on Page 23

(Instrument Families)

* CDs are available upon request. mp3 sound clips can be accessed by visiting:

http://www.wheelingsymphony.com/education-community/young-peoples-concerts/

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A Letter from the Maestro

Dear Friends,

The 2016 Young People's Concerts will be an

exhilarating experience with educational content

based on the concept of listening. For this year's

program, we welcome back the uniquely creative

Magic Circle Mime Company. The program

entitled "The Listener" will explore how the

orchestra plays a part in different art forms. From

theatre to film, dance and opera, students will

explore the role that orchestral music plays.

Students will hear music by composers such as

Benjamin Britten, Georges Bizet, Dmitri Shostakovich and even John Williams! In

this Guide, you will find more information about the program and composers. We

can't wait to play this fun program for the students! We look forward to seeing you

soon for the Young People's Concerts.

Best Regards,

André Raphel

Music Director, Wheeling Symphony Orchestra

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Meet the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra

The Wheeling Symphony was founded in 1929 by Mrs. Eleanor D. Caldwell. The

orchestra began as a group of local string musicians who rehearsed together in

Mrs. Caldwell’s home and were eventually "… prompted by a love of music and

because we believe a larger musical organization could undertake more

comprehensive programs for the entertainment of more people." The organization

continues to operate on the premise of its founders and carry out its mission to

entertain, educate and enhance the life of residents of its community.

Maestro André Raphel is the Wheeling Symphony’s eighth conductor. Maestro

Smith served as assistant conductor for the New York Philharmonic and the

Philadelphia Orchestra before coming to Wheeling.

This season, the Wheeling Symphony will perform four Masterworks concerts and

three Pops concerts. Free summer concerts draw thousands of tri-state area

residents for music and fireworks. A July Fourth celebration is held at Wheeling’s

Heritage Port Amphitheater, and a Labor Day weekend performance is given at the

Anne Kuchinka Amphitheatre, in Oglebay Park. The orchestra also performs in

various cities throughout West Virginia including Weirton and Canaan Valley.

In addition to performing its subscription concerts, the symphony places great

emphasis on education outreach. Annually, a Young People’s Concert Tour is

presented to thousands of West Virginia and eastern Ohio students and teachers.

An Artist in Education program, established in the fall of 2002, brings music to at-

risk students in Wheeling so that they can experience the joy and discipline that

music can inspire. The tuition-free Wheeling Symphony Youth Orchestra and Junior

Symphony give young musicians the opportunities to further their musical

development.

For more information about the Wheeling Symphony or to learn more about

upcoming events and concerts, please visit www.wheelingsymphony.com.

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The Conductor

What is a conductor?

The person who guides the musicians as the orchestra is playing so everyone will

play together perfectly.

What does the conductor do?

The conductor uses both hands, eyes, and entire body to express the music. He or

she shows the beat and speed of the music (tempo) with his or her right hand while

holding the baton. Conductors use their left hands to express the interpretation

(feeling and volume) and cue the entrances of specific musicians.

Why does the conductor walk on stage after everybody else?

After the musicians are tuned and ready to play, the entrance of the conductor

signals the beginning of the performance.

What is a baton?

A baton is the small white stick held in the conductor’s right hand used to keep

time. They come in different sizes and can be made from wood, carbon, or plastic.

Even left-handed conductors hold the baton in their right hands!

What is the difference between the music a conductor reads and the music the

musicians read?

The conductor uses a special piece of music called a score. The score contains all of

the musical parts of all the instruments in the orchestra. The conductor may be

reading as many as five to fifty lines of music at the same time! The music that the

individual musicians read includes only their specific parts.

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The Concert Experience

Pre-Concert Preparation

Before the concert begins, many people are busy getting ready. The musicians

have to learn their parts alone at home, and then they get together as a group to

practice. The conductor tells them how to play each part: how fast, how loud, and

when to begin and end. Mainly, the conductor makes sure that all the separate

parts come together and make a beautiful piece of music, like the director of a

play makes sure all the actors know their lines, where to stand and what to do.

There are other people busy getting ready for the concert, too. Stagehands work

behind the scenes to put the right number of chairs and music stands in the right

places. They operate the lights and technical equipment for all the staging needs.

You might see them with headsets on during the concert and wearing dark clothes

so they don’t distract your attention.

The Orchestra Takes the Stage

You will notice that members of the orchestra come out on stage in no particular

order and start playing their instruments to warm up before the concert begins.

You might hear funny sounds like a brass player blowing into his mouthpiece or an

oboe player make a sound as he tries a new reed. You may also notice some

beautiful melodies coming from a violinist or the sounds of the timpani as

percussionists prepare for the concert.

The Lights Dim – It’s Time to Begin

When the lights come back on and the audience is quiet, the Concertmaster comes

out. Our Concertmaster is Rachel Stegeman. You can clap to welcome her. She is

an excellent violinist with several jobs. First, she tunes the orchestra so everyone is

in tune and sounds good together. She is also responsible for helping the

conductor keep the orchestra together. Finally, it is the Concertmaster’s job to play

all of the violin solos.

Now the conductor comes out. His name is André Raphel. You can applaud to

welcome him, too. Be very quiet during the concert so you can hear everything the

orchestra is playing.

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Concert Etiquette

As at any public gathering, there are rules, manners and traditions that make the

event more enjoyable for everyone. This is true in the classroom, at a restaurant,

movie theater, church or park, and at a symphony concert. We ask that you please

review the following with your students before attending the concert.

Some Teaching Suggestions:

Ask students about some of the rules, manners and traditions they have experienced when

attending different events. Discuss what manners made the experience more and less enjoyable.

List some rules and manners that the students think would be suitable for the concert hall and

discuss the reasons for their choices.

Review some other rules and manners for the concert hall that the students did not mention. They

may include:

Enter the concert hall quietly and in an orderly fashion – no shouting or running.

Follow the usher and teacher in order to find your seats.

Listen to the music without talking.

Clap only when the conductor enters and at the end of each piece of music. We know

when a piece ends because the conductor will turn around and face the audience.

In the concert hall, we show our approval by clapping only. At a concert, we never

shout, whistle, or stamp our feet.

We sit in the chairs with our feet on the floor.

While the orchestra plays, we remain very quiet so that everyone in the audience can

hear and enjoy the music. Any noise may distract the musicians.

At the end of the concert, we leave quietly as a group. Be sure not to leave any

personal belongings on the seats or on the floor.

During the concert, may we suggest stationing chaperones/teachers among the class. This seating

will make you readily available to handle any problems. Your good conduct will be a shining

example for the children to follow.

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Introducing the Program

The Listener

"Many emotions are experienced at a symphony concert but wonderment is

seldom one of them.... It was as if everyone in the audience had created the

magic himself." -Seattle Post Intelligencer

This program, which received the Washington State Arts Commission's

highest rating for quality, introduces new audiences to the workings of a

concert orchestra and explores the active relationship between the listening

audience and the musician. The art of listening requires talent and training.

"The Listener" establishes this important concept through fifty minutes of

humor, drama, and dance; leaving the audience appreciating their own

abilities as well as the orchestra's.

In the dramatic storyline, the conductor has prepared a program of music

from the various artistic disciplines but finds his efforts complicated by the

unexpected participation of two audience members. Musical challenges

between bugle and trumpet and tap dancing to ballet music are just part of

the action as these two characters and the audience learn about the

orchestra, its music, and the art of listening.

The Music

A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (Themes B-F and Fugue) - Britten King Stephen Overture - Beethoven

Polka from "The Age of Gold" - Shostakovich Raiders March (from the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark) - Williams

"Dance of the Little Swans" - Swan Lake (Suite, Op. 20 - Dance #3) - Tchaikovsky "Entrance of the Toreadors" - Carmen (Suite No.1 - Les Toreadors - Bizet)

Symphony No.39 - Finale – Mozart

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Meet the Mimes

Magic Circle Mime Company

MAGIC CIRCLE MIME Co. is regarded as one of today’s premier family attractions. Their

highly acclaimed performances, which unite the concert orchestra with visual theater, are

consistently praised for imaginative and innovative content.

Magic Circle Mime Co. performs with virtually every major orchestra in North America and

has performed on numerous occasions with the Symphony Orchestras of Atlanta, Detroit,

Chicago, Montreal, Saint Louis, Seattle and Toronto; Cleveland Orchestra, Minnesota

Orchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra; and on more than half a dozen occasions at The

Kennedy Center For The Performing Arts with the National Symphony Orchestra.

Magic Circle Mime Co. also has a growing reputation outside North America. In the Pacific

Rim and Far East they have performed at festivals and with major orchestras in Australia,

China, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan. Appearances

include the Beijing Music Festival, Shanghai International Children’s Festival, Taiwan

International Children’s Festival, the Hong Kong Philharmonic (six times), the Tokyo

Philharmonic, the Taipei Symphony Orchestra, the West Australia Symphony Orchestra and

the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. They made their European debut with the Palau de la

Música de Valencia in April of 2007.

Magic Circle Mime Co. is the creative partnership of Maggie Petersen and Douglas

MacIntyre. Both artists have backgrounds in theatre and instrumental music, and have

utilized that training to create their highly regarded programs.

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Mark Douglas MacIntyre

Founding Partner

After completing his university studies in Theatre Arts, Mr.

MacIntyre began his professional acting career in 1974 working

variously as an actor, playwright and director in a number of

regional theatres in the West and Midwest. In 1977, following an

opera production in which he served as an assistant stage director,

Mr. MacIntyre was approached by the Music Director of the

Spokane Symphony and offered the opportunity to create and

perform a touring educational concert for symphony orchestra.

This program proved so singularly successful that it soon led to

invitations from other orchestras.

With his creative partner, Maggie Petersen, Mr. MacIntyre formed

the Magic Circle Mime Company in 1978 and since that time they

have created and performed concert programs with orchestras throughout the United States,

Canada, Asia and in Europe. Mr. MacIntyre’s North American appearances include Carnegie Hall,

Lincoln Center, The National Arts Centre of Canada and numerous appearances at The Kennedy

Center for Performing Arts. International appearances include the Beijing Music Festival, Shanghai

International Children's Festival, Taiwan International Children's Festival, Hong Kong Philharmonic

Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic, Taipei Symphony Orchestra, National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra,

West Australia Symphony Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra and the Palau de la Música

de Valencia.

In addition to performing Mr. MacIntyre has created and led workshops in theatre and music for

numerous public and private schools, youth orchestras, The Kennedy Center for the Performing

Arts and in 2010 for the U.S. Army School of Music.

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Maggie Petersen

Founding Partner

Maggie Petersen began playing the piano at quite a young age,

mostly because her mother was a piano teacher. At Montana

State University she continued to study piano but also began to

pursue her interest in mime and movement theatre. After

graduating from MSU in 1977 Ms Petersen began her acting

career and with her partner Douglas MacIntyre started the Magic

Circle Mime Company in 1978.

With Magic Circle Mime Company, Maggie has created and

performed concert programs with orchestras throughout the United States, Canada, Asia and

Europe. She has performed at Carnegie Hall, at the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center, and

The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Internationally, she has appeared at the Beijing Music

Festival, Shanghai International Children’s Festival, Taiwan International Children’s Festival, Hong

Kong Philharmonic, Tokyo Philharmonic, Taipei Symphony, West Australia Symphony Orchestra,

Singapore Symphony, the National Arts

Center of Canada, and the Palau de la Musica de Valencia.

Maggie lives with her family in Walnut Creek, California. In addition to piano she now also plays the

accordion and the harp, and teaches music and movement in workshops throughout the San

Francisco Bay Area.

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K. Brian Neel

K. Brian Neel comes to the Magic Circle Mime Company with more

than twenty years of experience in professional theatre. While a

student at the University of New Mexico Brian began working with

a physical improvisation company. This eventually led to his

moving to Seattle, Washington in 1989 where he completed his

studies at the University of Washington. Since then he has worked

in numerous Seattle area theatres and toured throughout the U.S.

for eight years with the Seattle Mime Theatre. Brian's eclectic

resume includes musical performances at the Edinburgh Festival

Fringe, stage directing Verdi's "Louisa Miller" for Puget Sound

Opera, clown work for Teatro Zinzanni and performing in the web based science fiction series, "The

Coffee Table." He has also created six solo theatre pieces, including a one man ukulele opera, with

which he has toured the US, Canada and Australia. His performances with orchestra include the

Seattle Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Wheeling Symphony and Regina Symphony. Brian

resides in Seattle with his wife and two daughters in a house that he largely designed and built

himself - a holdover activity from his days as an architecture student in New Mexico.

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Teaching Activity:

Explore: Mime

Objective: Discover basic knowledge about mime. A teacher-led discussion will

enable students to become familiar with this performance style.

Teacher asks leading questions:

What is a mime?

o A mime is a performer who tells a story or portrays a character, mood,

or idea using gestures and body movements without the use of words.

Have you ever seen a mime? How did you know the performer was a mime?

Where do you think you might see a mime (if you haven’t seen one before)?

o Street artists, silent film

Mimes in the early days of movies were very important. There

wasn’t sound in movies then, except for music, so the actors had

to be very good at using their faces and bodies to tell a story.

Street artists can be found in cities like New York City or Paris.

They perform for the crowds that pass by, often interacting with

the people who stop to see them.

Have students mime emotions: happy, sad, excited, tired, etc.

Using a well-known fairy tale or nursery rhyme (or classroom reading

content), have the students tell a story without words. Encourage them to

use their whole bodies to portray their characters and the action of the story.

Later, when learning the families of the orchestra, students will have another

opportunity to use their mime skills.

Students: Answer questions, use mime to express emotions and tell a story.

[Pictured below (left to right): Charlie Chaplin, Blue Man Group, Buster Keaton]

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Be a Conductor

A conductor is much like a mime. Conductors communicate to the musicians with

their body movements and facial expressions. Using a baton and beat pattern, he

makes sure that every musician knows when to play and knows the speed, or

tempo, of the piece. Use the pictures and descriptions of the beat patterns below

to try conducting to your favorite songs. The next time you visit the Wheeling

Symphony, watch the conductor carefully and see if you can tell what kind of beat

pattern Maestro Raphel is using.

Use this pattern when

each measure has two

beats. Some songs that

you might know that use

this 2/4 pattern are Jingle

Bells and Old McDonald

Had a Farm

Use this pattern when

each measure has three

beats. Some songs that

you might know that use

this 3.4 pattern are Star

Splangled Banner, Silent

Night, and Amazing Grace

Use this pattern when

each measure has four

beats. Some songs that

you might know that use

this 4/4 pattern are

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,

Row, Row, Row Your Boat,

and America the Beautiful.

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Glossary Terms

Waltz: An extremely popular ballroom dance of the 19th century in triple meter.

Triple Meter: A metrical pattern having three beats to a measure.

Crescendo/Fortissimo/Pianissimo: These are musical terms that tell a musician how loud

or soft to play. Crescendo tells a musician to get louder; Fortissimo tells the musician to

play very loud; Pianissimo tells a musician to play very softly.

Allegro: This is a term that refers to the tempo or speed the music is to be played. Allegro

means fast!

Conductor: The Conductor is the leader of the orchestra

Orchestra: A group of musicians who perform together playing a variety of instruments.

Concert Hall: The place where most symphony orchestras perform.

Tempo: Speed of the music.

Movement: A separate section of a larger musical work.

Dynamics: The loudness or softness of music.

Texture: How many instruments are playing determines texture. Texture can be thick if

many instruments are playing and thin if only a few. It can be compared to fabric (wool or

silk).

Rhythm: Beats are put together to form rhythm. The length and accents of sounds form

the rhythm.

Melody: A group of sounds put together to form a pleasing phrase.

Harmony: Several sounds played together

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Families of the Orchestra

When we talk about musical instruments, we often talk about them as being part of

a family. That's because, just like in human families, the instruments are related to

one another. They are often made of the same types of materials, look similar to

one another, and produce sound in comparable ways. Each instrument of the

orchestra family has like characteristics, but they also have different qualities that

make them individuals.

The orchestra, made up of 4 families of instruments, acts as a team. This team must

play together by listening very carefully to each other and following signals from

their team leader, the conductor. In addition, the “teammates” must play only when

they are supposed to and sit in the correct seat.

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The String Family is made up of the violin, cello, bass and harp. Instruments in this

family produce sound by vibrating strings. The strings are vibrated in two ways:

using a bow (made out of horsehair stretched on a wood stick) to rub the strings or

plucking the strings, usually with the hand. The pitch is changed on string

instruments by adjusting the length of the string. This is typically accomplished by

putting fingers down at some point to shorten the length of the vibrating string.

String instruments have a very mellow, rich sound. There are many string players in

an orchestra because each instrument alone doesn’t have a very loud sound

compared to other instrument families.

The violin is the highest member of the string family. Like its other string family

members, it has four strings. The violin quite often has the melody and its tone is

sweet and quite expressive. There are two violin sections in an orchestra - First and

Second. First violins usually play the melody, while second violins alternate between

melody and harmony. A typical-sized violin is nearly 24 inches long with a slightly

longer bow. The violin is played by resting it between the chin and left shoulder. The

left hand holds the neck of the violin and presses down on the strings to change the

pitch, while the right hand moves the bow or plucks the strings.

The viola is the middle-voiced member of the string family. It is slightly larger, just

over two feet long, and its four strings are thicker than the violin’s, producing a

richer, warmer sound. They almost always play the harmony. The viola is played the

same way as the violin, by resting it between the chin and shoulder. The left hand

holds the neck of the viola and presses down on the strings to change the pitch,

while the right hand moves the bow or plucks the strings.

The cello differs from the violin and viola in that it is held between the knees in front

of the player. Standing approximately 4 feet high, the body of the cello rests on the

ground and is supported by a metal peg. The cello is played in a similar manner to

the violin and viola, using your left hand to press down on the strings, and your right

hand to move the bow or pluck the strings. Its bow is shorter than the violin’s and its

strings are thicker than both the violin and viola. It can make a wide variety of tones,

from warm low pitches to bright higher notes, playing both harmony and melody.

The bass is the largest member of the string family. Sometimes a bass, also called

the double bass, may have a fifth string. The instrument is so large that most

musicians stand to play it. The bass rests on a wooden or metal peg and is

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approximately six feet tall. Its tone is deep and very rich. The double bass almost

always plays the harmony. Sound is produced just like on a cello, using the left hand

to change pitch and the right to move the bow or pluck the strings.

The harp is one of the oldest instruments (dating back to the Greeks). It's tall –

almost six feet high –and has 47 strings of varying lengths which are tuned to the

notes of the white keys of the piano. The harp is played sitting down with the

musician’s legs on either side and the neck of the harp leaning against the right

shoulder. Each string sounds a different note (they come in different colors to help

tell one from another) and are played by plucking the strings with the fingertips and

thumb. Attached to the bottom of the harp are seven foot pedals, which change the

pitch of each string and allow them to sound the pitches of the black keys on the

piano.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Woodwind Family includes the flute, clarinet, oboe and bassoon. This family

produces sound by blowing a vibrating column of air inside some form of tube. In

the past, woodwind instruments were all made of wood, but now some instruments,

such as the flute, are made out of metal. Woodwinds create the vibrating column of

air in different ways. Flutes blow across the top of an open hole. Clarinets blow

between a reed – usually a small piece of bamboo – against a mouthpiece. That is

why clarinets are called “single-reed” instruments. Bassoons and oboes blow

between two reeds that vibrate against each other. That is why bassoons and oboes

are called “double-reed” instruments. Woodwind instruments have a very beautiful

singing sound. They are often used to play solo parts during symphonies when their

unique tonal qualities can be heard even if the entire orchestra is playing.

The flute is the highest pitched instrument in the woodwind family. A standard flute

is a little over 2 feet long and is often featured playing the melody. It is held to the

right side of the face and the musician blows a column of air across a small opening

near the top of the instrument (much like blowing air over the top of a soda bottle).

The musician’s fingers open and close the keys, which changes the pitch. For many

years the flute was actually made of wood, but now most flutes are metallic: silver,

gold or platinum.

The oboe belongs to the “double reed” part of the woodwind family in that its reed

is actually made of two small pieces of cane held together by twine wound around

one end. The oboe is made of wood, perforated with many holes, and has a gently

tapering conical tube approximately 25 inches long. The oboes produce a wide

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range of pitches, from haunting sounds to warm, velvety smooth notes, which make

for a very memorable sound.

The clarinet looks somewhat like the oboe, except for the mouthpiece, which uses

a single reed. Clarinets come in a number of different sizes, and the standard B-flat

clarinet is just over 2 feet long. Some musical works require the clarinetist to play

several types of clarinet in the same piece, such as the bass clarinet. They have a

dark rich sound in their lower notes, while the upper part of the clarinet's range is

bright and resonant. Its tone quality makes it well suited for rapid, fiery passages.

The clarinet is played like an oboe, by holding it upright, blowing through the reed,

and using one’s hands to change the pitches by opening and closing the keys with

your fingers.

The bassoon is the bass instrument of the woodwind family. The bassoon is played

by holding it upright and blowing through the double reed. The air travels down

the tube and then makes a u-turn and goes up and out the top. Just like the oboe,

you use both hands to press on the keys to open and close the holes and change

the pitch. It is a long pipe, doubled in half, made of wood, with many keys. The

bend in the pipe makes it possible for musicians to play it comfortably. If it were

straight, the bassoon would be around 9 feet long!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Brass Family is one of the oldest families of the orchestra and includes the

trumpet, French horn, tuba and trombone, which are all made of brass! Sound is

produced when a brass player buzzes his or her lips into a cup-shaped mouthpiece

to produce vibrating air. The vibrating air then travels through a long metal tube

that modifies and amplifies the vibrations. Brass instruments have a very sweet and

round sound. They can also play very loudly and are often used in the most

exciting parts of a piece.

The French horn is one of the oldest instruments, dating back to the 17th century

French hunting horn, and produces a wide variety of sound ranging from very loud

to very soft, and from harsh and blaring to mellow and smooth. The French horn's

18 feet of tubing is rolled up into a circular shape, with a large bell at its end. To

play the French horn, a musician holds it with the bell curving downward and away

from the audience and buzzes into the mouthpiece. His left hand plays the three

valves and he can change the type of sound that is made by the way he places his

right hand in the bell.

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The trumpet is a heroic and festive sounding instrument. Throughout history it has

been used to sound alarms, gather people together, as a call to war, and to add

luster to parade music. Like the violin, the trumpet is the smallest member of its

family and plays the highest pitches with its bright and vibrant sound. Today's

modern trumpet is a slender brass pipe with three attached valves, which is curved

and bent into long loops. If you stretched out the trumpet to its full length, it would

be 6 ½ feet long! Play the trumpet by holding it horizontally, buzzing your lips into

the mouthpiece, and pressing down the three valves in various combinations to

change pitch.

The trombone is an instrument of power, solemnity and antiquity. Except for some

variations in the mouthpiece, the trombone has not changed in the last five

hundred years! The trombone is the only instrument in the brass family that uses a

slide instead of valves to change pitch. A standard trombone is made of long thin

brass pipes. Two U-shaped pipes are linked at opposite ends to form an "S." One

pipe slides into the other so the total length of the pipe can be extended or

shortened. You play the trombone by holding it horizontally, buzzing into the

mouthpiece, and using your right hand to change pitch by pushing or pulling the

slide to one of seven different positions. If you stretch the trombone out straight, it

is about 9 feet long.

The tuba is the largest and lowest brass instrument and anchors the harmony not

only of the brass family but the whole orchestra with its deep rich sound. Like the

other brasses, the tuba is a long metal tube, curved into an oblong shape, with a

huge bell at the end. Tubas range in size from 9 to 18 feet; the longer they are, the

lower they sound. Standard tubas have about 16 feet of tubing. There is generally

only one tuba in an orchestra. The tuba is played by sitting down with the

instrument in the lap and the bell facing up. Air is blown and buzzed into a very

large mouthpiece while the hand presses down on the valves to change the sound.

It takes a lot of breath to make sound with the tuba!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

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The Percussion Family is probably the most varied family in the orchestra. Sound

on percussion instruments is created by hitting, rubbing or shaking either a solid

material, like a metal triangle, or a membrane, like the top of a snare drum. The

membranes used to be made out of animal skins, but today most drums use a

synthetic material. Only a few percussion instruments produce a specific pitch.

Pitched percussion instruments that use a solid material, like a xylophone, change

pitches when hit. Pitched percussion instruments that use a membrane, like a

timpani, change pitch when the tension of the membrane is changed. There are

many different kinds of percussion instruments used in an orchestra including the

snare drum and maracas. Percussion instruments produce many different types of

sounds, but they are usually used in an orchestra to provide rhythm for the music.

Often at the most exciting part of a piece there are many percussion instruments

being played.

The timpani, also called the kettledrums because of their shape, are the backbone of

the percussion section. They are big copper pots with drumheads made of calfskin

or plastic stretched over their tops. Timpani are tuned instruments, which mean they

can play different notes. The timpanist changes the pitch by stretching or loosening

the drumheads, which are attached to a foot pedal. Timpani are a central part of the

percussion family because they support rhythm, melody and harmony. Most

orchestras have four timpani of different sizes and tuned to different pitches, and

are usually played by one musician, who hits the drumheads with felt-tipped mallets

or wooden sticks. The timpani player must have a very good ear because he/she

usually needs to change the pitches of the drums during performances.

The cymbals are the biggest noisemakers of the orchestra! They are two large

metal discs, usually made of spun bronze. The cymbals are made in a convex shape

so that only the edges touch when struck. Cymbals, which are untuned, come in a

range of sizes, from quite small to very large. The larger the cymbal, the lower the

sound they make. Cymbals can be used for drama and excitement, to accent the

rhythm or create delicate sound effects. You can play the cymbals either by hitting

one cymbal against the other, or you can use sticks, mallets or brushes to hit one or

both cymbals. Cymbals may be struck together, lightly touched together, or tapped

singly with a variety of sticks and mallets.

The bass drum is the largest drum in the percussion family and is capable of

thunderous noise or soft, delicate sounds. The bass drum is an untuned instrument.

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The bass drum is played by hitting either drumhead with sticks that have large soft

heads, often covered with sheepskin or felt. It can produce a lot of different sounds

from roaring thunder to the soft, delicate whispers, which are said to be felt rather

than heard. The bass drum is usually 30 inches in diameter and the musician plays

it with a soft mallet held in the right hand.

The snare drum marks rhythm and adds spice to the music. This smallish drum - 15

inches in diameter, about 6 inches deep – is made of wood or brass with drumheads

made of calfskin or plastic stretched over both ends of a hollow cylinder. It has a set

of wire-wrapped strings stretched across the bottom head (the snare), which give the

snare drum its unique "rattling" sound when the drum is hit. A small switch on the

side of the drum allows the player to turn the snare on or off depending on the

requirements of the piece. The snare drum is an untuned drum, so it doesn't make

distinct pitches. The snare drum is played with a pair of wooden sticks.

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Teaching Activity – Instrument Families

Teaching Objective:

Students will learn to identify and understand the instrument families and their place

in the orchestra.

Resources/Materials:

Orchestra Map from the Teacher’s Guide (page 22)

Instrument Families from the Teacher’s Guide (pages 15 - 21)

2016 YPC mp3 tracks or CD

Preparatory Activities:

Discuss with the class the meaning of “family.” Discuss different types of families;

their immediate and extended family, the “family” of the school or class, a “family” of

cars by a car manufacturer, etc. Discuss how families are defined and how certain

characteristics are shared and others are not shared within a family.

Teaching Sequence:

1. Pass out copies of the Four Families of the Orchestra page and the Instrument

Families page.

2. Review these pages and discuss the various characteristics of each instrument

family.

3. Divide the class into four groups, each representing one of the instrument

families. Hand out copies of the Orchestra Map and have the groups arrange

themselves in the same placement as they would be in the orchestra.

4. Play a recording of an orchestral piece from the 2016 YPC CD or mp3s.

Instruct the students to listen specifically to their instrument family. Have

them note when they heard their family, what kind of sounds they made, what

type of timbre they produce, how often they played, etc.

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5. Have the class sing a simple song, i.e. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star or Jingle

Bells. Instruct the class to sing the song again and try to have each group

sing the way they think their instrument family would sound.

6. Have the class sing the song again and act as conductor, showing different

groups when to sing and how loud or soft to sing.

7. Before attending the Young People’s Concert, remind the students of their

instrument families and instruct them to watch and listen especially closely to

their family.

Culminating Activity:

Discuss with the class the way their instrument family looked and sounded at the

concert. Discuss how it met or did not meet their expectations.

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Meet the Composers Resources (classicsforkids.com & makingmusicfun.net)

Benjamin Britten 11/22/1913 - 12/4/1976

Born in Great Britain

Benjamin Britten was an expert in three different

musical fields -- conducting, composing and

playing the piano. Britten was born in Lowestoft,

a town on the English seacoast. (His birthday,

November 22nd, happens to be the saint day of

the patron saint of music, St. Cecilia.) Benjamin's

father was a dentist; his mother loved to sing, and regularly held

concerts in their home.

From the moment he started playing the piano, Britten knew he wanted

to earn his living as a composer. His first paying job was writing music

for films.

Britten was a pacifist -- he didn't believe in fighting wars. So when it

became obvious that England would go to war with Germany in 1939,

Britten left for America. But it was impossible to take the “Brit" out of

Britten. In the middle of World War II, he sailed back to his native

country.

When the war was over, the biggest opera company in England held a

gala reopening, and commissioned Britten to write a new opera for the

occasion. Britten was also asked to compose an opera when Elizabeth II

was crowned Queen of England.

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Ludwig van Beethoven 12/16/1770 - 3/26/1827

Born in Germany

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn,

Germany. His father, who was a singer, was his

first teacher. After a while, even though he was

still only a boy, Ludwig became a traveling

performer, and soon, he was supporting his

family.

In his early twenties, Beethoven moved to

Vienna, where he spent the rest of his life. Beethoven was one of the first

composers to make a living without being employed by the church or a

member of the nobility. At first, he was known as a brilliant pianist. But when

he was around 30 years old, Beethoven started going deaf. Even though he

could no longer hear well enough to play the piano, Beethoven composed

some of his best music after he was deaf!

Beethoven is considered one of the greatest musical geniuses who ever lived.

He may be most famous for his nine symphonies, but he also wrote many

other kinds of music: chamber and choral music, piano music and string

quartets, and an opera.

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Dmitri Shostakovich

9/25/1906 - 8/9/1975

Born in Russia

Dmitri Shostakovich started composing

early, completing his Symphony No. 1 when

he was only 19 years old. For some time, he

wrote traditional music that was well

received by Russian audiences. He ran into

trouble, however, with an opera called Lady

Macbeth of Mzensk.

In 1917, the Russian Revolution had taken place and the new leadership of the

country, under the direction of Joseph Stalin, had its own ideas as to what

appropriate music should sound like. It banned any sort of innovative works and

demanded that composers produce bland pieces that had a Socialist theme. The

Lady Macbeth opera incensed Stalin, who left the theatre after the first act in a

towering rage.

Fearing imprisonment, Shostakovich started composing “safe" music, including his

famous Symphony No. 5. However, in so doing he stifled his true creativity. Despite

these efforts to conform, the criticisms continued and in 1948 nearly every

important Soviet composer was attacked. Most apologized profusely, promising to

mend their ways! Russian music became dull, lifeless and boring.

While Shostakovich continued to compose, he became bitter, knowing what he

could have done if he had the freedom to write as he had wished. His later years

were most unhappy, and he died at the age of 69.

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John Williams

Born 2/8/1932

Born in New York

John Williams was born February 8, 1932 in

Floral Park, New York. In 1948, John moved

with his family to Los Angeles, California. He

later attended college nar his home in Los

Angeles where he began to study composition.

After college, he was drafted into the United

States Air Force where he had the opportunity

to arrange music for, and conduct the Air Force band.

In 1954, when his services ended, Williams moved to New York City and enrolled in

the Julliard School of Music. After completing his education at Juilliard, Williams

moved back to Los Angeles to begin working as a film studio orchestrator.

Eventually he was given the opportunity to compose the theme to the television

series Lost in Space. For Williams, this marked the beginning of a career that has

spanned six decades producing some of our best music for film.

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Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

5/7/1840 - 11/6/1893

Born in Russia

Piotr (or Peter, as we would say in English) Ilyich

Tchaikovsky was born in Votkinsk, a town in

Russia's Ural Mountains. When he was 8 years old,

his family moved to the capital city of St.

Petersburg. Even though Tchaikovsky was a good

musician as a kid, that wasn't considered an

"acceptable" profession, so his parents made him

study law instead.

But even in law school, Tchaikovsky continued to study music. Eventually, he gave

up his legal job and went to the St. Petersburg Conservatory. After he graduated,

he moved to Moscow to teach at the new conservatory there. It's now named for

him.

For years, Tchaikovsky had a patroness named Nadezhda von Meck -- a wealthy

widow who was a big fan of Tchaikovsky's music. She regularly sent him money so

that he could concentrate on composing without having to worry about making a

living. But Nadezhda von Meck didn't want to meet Tchaikovsky. For 14 years, they

only communicated by writing letters to each other. Tchaikovsky dedicated his

Fourth Symphony to his patroness.

Tchaikovsky traveled all over Europe for performances of his music. In 1891, he even

came to America for the opening of Carnegie Hall, where he was invited to conduct

his music.

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Georges Bizet

10/25/1838 - 6/3/1875

Born in France

Georges Bizet was born in Paris, France. Both

his parents were musicians, and they actually

wanted their son to become a composer when

he grew up! Bizet loved music, but he also

loved to read books. His parents wound up

hiding his books so that he would spend more

time on his music.

When Georges was 10 years old, his father

enrolled him in the Paris Conservatory. While he was there, he wrote his only

symphony, but it wasn't performed until many years after he died. Bizet graduated

from the Conservatory with awards in both composition and piano.

Bizet also composed operas. His most famous opera is Carmen. When Carmen first

opened in Paris, the reviews were terrible. Many critics said there were no good

tunes in it, so audiences stayed away.

In the middle of the night during the first round of Carmen performances, Bizet

died. He was only 36. Four months later, Carmen opened in Vienna, Austria, and

was a smash hit. It is now one of the most popular operas ever written. Bizet never

knew that audiences would come to consider it his masterpiece.

Bizet was also very good at writing dramatic music. The music he wrote for the play

L'Arlesienne (The Girl from Arles) is still enjoyed today.

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Wolfgang

Amadeus Mozart

January 27, 1756 - December 5, 1791

Born in Austria

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in

Salzburg, Austria, where his father

Leopold was a violinist and composer.

Wolfgang (or Wolferl, as his family called

him) was a child prodigy. He composed

his first piece of music at age five; he had his first piece published when he was

seven; and he wrote his first opera when he was twelve. By the time Wolfgang was

6, he was an excellent pianist and violinist. He and his sister Maria Anna (known as

Nannerl) traveled all over Europe performing for royalty.

When he grew up, Mozart moved to Vienna, and tried to earn a living as a pianist

and composer. But he had a lot of trouble handling the fact that he was no longer a

child prodigy. Mozart was still a musical genius, but after he stopped being a cute

kid, people stopped making a big fuss over him. Back then, musicians were treated

like servants, but Mozart did not, and could not think of himself as a servant.

Mozart was only 35 when he died. During his short life, he composed in all different

musical forms, including operas, symphonies, concertos, masses, and chamber

music. Today, he is still considered a genius!

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Following are classroom activities to prepare your students for

The Listener. Please use them as they are, change them in any manner,

or extend them to help you discover additional methods for teaching your

students.

Instrument Families

1. Create teams and give points for correct answers.

2. Construct 4 rings on the floor using string or hula-hoops. Label the

rings as follows: strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion.

3. Cut out a picture of each instrument (pages 38-45) and place them

in a hat or bag.

4. Have each student reach into the hat and draw an instrument card.

5. The student should be able to identify each instrument and place

them in the appropriate ring’s instrument family.

Become an Active Listener

Sometimes we just listen to music for enjoyment. Sometimes we listen to the

music for detail. Listen to all of the works on the program:

To identify each different instrument we hear

o At a concert, not only do we identify the instrument by hearing it, but

by seeing it as well

To describe the texture

To learn the rhythm

To decide if the key is major or minor

To hear the melodies

To listen to harmonies

To hear dynamics

To compare tempi

To discover the form

To listen for changes in the key, texture, rhythm, tempo, dynamics, and form.

Of all the listening we do, listening for changes is one of the most intriguing and

when we hear changes, we may become better at discovering form.

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Become an Artist

Music is a story written by the composer with notes instead of words. If you listen

very closely, you will be able to tell if the story is happy or sad, exciting or scary. It

is important not to talk while listening to the music so you are able to hear the

entire story…you don’t want to miss the magic moments that the composer and

musicians are trying to create! Since music is a magic moment in sound, you do

not want to have other sounds competing to be heard.

1. Listen to one of the pieces from the accompanying CD or mp3 downloads.

The students should close their eyes while they listen so they can envision the

“story.”

2. Have each student draw a picture of what he or she envisioned.

3. Play the piece several times over while they draw.

Let the students’ imaginations run wild! Pictures can express emotions, colors,

sounds, and action. Be creative!!!

Creative Writing Assignment

Several days before the concert is to take place, ask your students to write a letter

to themselves. Following the concert, ask them to re-read their letters and write

another about how their experience may have been different from their

expectations to demonstrate their growth to themselves and also to help fix the

concert experience in their memories.

To begin, you may wish to explain the activity in this manner:

We’re about to share a concert experience. I know all of us have expectations and

questions about what the concert will be like. I’d like us to take a few minutes now

to write a letter to ourselves about what you think the concert will be like. (Think

about what will happen at the concert, how the music will make you feel, what it will

be like sitting in the auditorium with so many other people, etc.) Your letter will be

sealed.

When we return from the concert, we’ll re-read this letter and write another one to

ourselves about how our experience confirmed or was different from our

expectations. In the second letter, we will be able to recognize the performance’s

impact on the students’ lives. This activity has two effects: it allows students to

carefully think through the event ahead of time, and it impresses the experience

and its lessons on the students’ minds.

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Instrument Word Search

Names of instruments found in the orchestra can be found

in the letters below. They may appear forward, backward,

up or down!

E R H T G V R C L S C D H Y V G J A H

N M Y O O U S L C S B N E A I U L Z Y

O E I L B D W A T A I W T G N O G B O

B H O L O E A R A B E L V I G Y L X I

M Y Z E E P V I B E T A T D Z T F W T

O T J C W M B N U L U B O N A I P L F

R K E V R Q G E T B L M C F R E N H M

T Y S P V E U T P U F Y G H N H I F W

B U V M M I U X R O K C E G K Y L R S

R N G T U U O X A D V O L U U V O E D

A O L I S R R L H J D I L F M R I N N

S I P M M T D T A L S K J K O E V C I

S S V P G J R L S H F Q K L D C H H W

R S C A P U S I H G X F O J X Y T H D

K U I N X P A O N C O C Q D V A L O O

O C P I E Y R U L G C C H I M E G R O

K R A H L N L U N I S L N B K I N N W

I E K D E W R O P D B A S S O O N C F

Z P T F C Z G B H F Y B L T I I W H M

Bassoon Flute Timpani

Brass French Horn Trombone

Cello Gong Trumpet

Chime Harp Tuba

Clarinet Oboe Viola

Cymbal Percussion Violin

Double Bass Piano Woodwinds

Drums Piccolo

English Horn Strings

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Write a Letter to the Symphony!

The Wheeling Symphony would love to hear what your students thought of the

program. Have them write a letter to any performer – the conductor, the narrator,

a musician – telling about their concert experience, what they liked most, if they

liked a particular instrument or piece. Please mail the letters to:

Wheeling Symphony

Attn: Lauren Baker, Education Coordinator

1025 Main Street, Suite 811

Wheeling, WV 26003

or email them to boxoffice@wheelingsymphony.com.

Thank you to our generous sponsors of the 2016 Wheeling Symphony

Young People’s Concerts!

Helen J. Prince Foundation

Schenk Charitable Trust

Hess Family Foundation

W.E. Stone Foundation

American Electric Power

Robert L. and Helen E. Levenson Charitable Trust

Ohio River Border Initiative

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

2016 YPC Teacher Evaluation

Thank you for attending a WSO Young People’s Concert.

We hope that you and your students were entertained, educated, and enlightened!

Please take a few minutes to complete the following evaluation form.

Return this evaluation by fax: 304.232.6192 or by email:

boxoffice@wheelingsymphony.com

Date: _______________ Time: _____________ Location: _________________________________

Your Name: ________________________________ Title: _________________________________

Email: _____________________________________________________________________________

School / County: _________________________________________________________________

I attended the concert with __________number of students in the _____________ grade.

Have you attended a WSO Young People’s Concet before? Yes / No

If yes, how many? ______________

Did your students listen to YPC CD before the concert? Yes / No / N/A

Did you feel the programming was age-appropriate? Yes / No

Please explain______________________________________________________________________

Please evaluate the MP3 tracks/CD and Teacher’s Guide. Please include suggestions for

improvement.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

List suggestions for improving the concert itself, including future repertoire.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

What did your students enjoy most about the concert? (Add any anecdotal story that

shows how the concert had an impact on your students).

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Would you bring students to a future WSO Young People’s Concert? Please explain.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Additional comments:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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