PLATYPUS THEATRE’S
How The Gimquat Found Her Song
presented by Hartford Symphony Orchestra
DISCOVERY CONCERT SERIES 2016-17
Classroom Guide for Teachers
Copyright © 2017
Platypus Theatre’s
HOW THE GIMQUAT FOUND HER SONG
Presented by Hartford Symphony Orchestra Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at 10:30 AM
Conducted by Music Director Carolyn Kuan The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Audiences embark on a musical expedition across continents and through
centuries to help a discouraged bird called a Gimquat discover her unique voice. Young audiences laugh, chant and sing along with the Gimquat and her wizard guide as they explore musical styles from Gregorian chant to rap. (Grades K-7)
Written by Peter Duschenes Stage direction and puppet design by Peter Duschenes and Meredyth Babcock
Originally produced by Michael Duschenes
Performers: Danielle Desormeaux, Gimquat
Peter Duschenes, Wizard
Stage Manager: Wendy Rockburn
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Meet the Conductor 9
Meet the Orchestra 10
Classroom Activities 15
Field Trip Day! 21
3
Meet the Cast & Crew 13
Concert Program 5
CAROLYN KUAN conductor HARTFORD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
With excerpts from the following works:
CARMEN SUITE NO. 1: Georges Bizet Act I Prélude 1838—1875, French THE FOUR SEASONS: Antonio Vivaldi Spring 1678—1741, Italian SAD DANCE Mario Duschenes 1923-2009, German Canadian
JIMINY CRICKET Duschenes AWAKENING Duschenes GREGORIAN CHANT Anonymous TORDION Anonymous SUITE No. 2: Johann Sebastian Bach 7. Badinerie 1685—1750, German ST. MATTHEW PASSION Bach Ich bin’s, ich sollte büßen THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Overture 1756—1791, Austrian SYMPHONY NO. 5: Ludwig van Beethoven 1. Allegro con brio 1770—1827, German SOPHISTICATED LADY Duke Ellington/arr. Custer 1899—1974, American MOTHER GOOSE SUITE: Maurice Ravel 5. The Fairy Garden 1875—1937, French 1. Pavane of the Sleeping Beauty
5 6 CONCERT PROGRAM
The
CO
MPO
SER
is
the
pers
on w
ho w
rites
the
mus
ic! H
ave
you
ever
writ
ten
a so
ng b
efor
e?
On
ce u
pon
a t
ime…
T
he li
fe a
nd t
imes
of o
ur c
ompo
sers
!
1600
17
00
1800
19
00
2000
Vivaldi
Bach
Mozart
Beethoven
Bizet
Ravel
Ellington
1610
Gal
ileo
first
sees
Jupi
ter’s
moo
ns
thro
ugh
his t
eles
cope
1619
Dut
ch
ship
brin
gs fi
rst
Afri
can
slave
s
to N
orth
Am
eric
a
1643
Taj
Mah
al
com
plet
ed in
Indi
a
1755
Uni
ted
Stat
es p
osta
l
serv
ice
esta
blish
ed
1775
A
mer
ican
Rev
olut
iona
ry
War
beg
ins 17
92 M
ary
Wol
lston
ecra
ft
publ
ishes
“A
Vin
dica
tion
of th
e R
ight
s of W
oman
,”
one
of th
e ea
rlies
t wor
ks o
f
fem
inist
phi
loso
phy
1799
R
oset
ta
Ston
e
disc
over
ed
in E
gypt
1825
Firs
t
pass
enge
r-
carr
ying
trai
n,
in E
ngla
nd
1861
Am
eric
an C
ivil
War
beg
ins 19
14 W
orld
War
I
begi
ns
1939
Wor
ld W
ar I
I
begi
ns
Duschenes
1989
Pla
typu
s
The
atre
laun
ched
What’s this? Match the musical term to its definition
Arrangement
Chorale
Harmony
Movement
Overture
Pavane
Prelude
Suite
Symphony
Theme
A combination of notes sounding together
A German Protestant church song usually sung in four-part harmony
A melody that is repeated or elaborated in a
piece of music
A musical introduction
A musical introduction at the beginning of a play, opera, ballet, or musical which
includes important themes that you’ll hear later on in the performance
An extended work for orchestra, consisting
of several movements
An ordered set of pieces
A piece of music written for the dance by the same name, a slow and courtly
processional dance popular in Europe during the 16th century
A section within a larger musical work
Changing a written piece of music so that it can be played by different instruments, or
adapting it to be playable in a different genre of music
Sing-along at the HSO Learn to sing this Bach Chorale with your class, then join all of the other kids
at the concert in singing from the audience along with the orchestra
The Magic Chant Practice this incantation until you can recite it from memory
so that you and the Wizard can help the Gimquat find her song!
Jiminy Cricket, Raggedy Ann Winnie the Pooh, Yosemite Sam Up in the air, through space and through time A new place in history, not yours and not mine
7 8
9 10
CAROLYN KUAN Music Director and Conductor HARTFORD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Percussion
Brass
Woodwinds
Violin 2
Violin 1
Viola
Cello Conductor
MEET THE CONDUCTOR
Carolyn Kuan is the 10th Music Director of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, and the first woman to hold that position. Recognized as a conductor of extraordinary versatility, Ms. Kuan has enjoyed successful associations with top-tier orchestras, opera companies, ballet companies, and festivals worldwide. Ms. Kuan’s commitment to contemporary music has
defined her approach to programming, and established her as an international resource for new music and world premieres. The recipient of numerous awards, Ms. Kuan holds the distinction of being the first woman to be awarded the Herbert von Karajan Conducting Fellowship by the Herbert von Karajan Centrum and American Austrian Foundation in 2003, resulting in her residency at the 2004 Salzburg Festival. She was
also the winner of the first Taki Concordia Fellowship.
B.A., Smith College M.M., University of Illinois
Performance Diploma, Peabody Conservatory
The CONDUCTOR stands front and center onstage and leads the orchestra.
He or she uses a BATON to show the instruments when to play, as well
as how loud or soft, fast or slow, choppy or smooth, aggressive or gentle. Keyboards These instruments don’t belong to any of the four traditional orchestral families, so they are often grouped together as “Keyboards.” Some people say they belong to the String Family, however. Can you guess why?
MEET THE ORCHESTRA
Harp Piano Celesta
THE FAMILIES OF THE ORCHESTRA
11 12
The String Family
Violin Viola Cello Bass
These musicians use a bow with hair from my tail to play these string instruments!
The Woodwind Family
Piccolo
Flute
Clarinet Oboe Bassoon
The oldest instrument
in the world is in the
woodwind family.
Archaeologists once found
a flute made of bone that was carved 43,000 years ago!
The Brass Family
Trumpet
French Horn
Trombone
Tuba
The Percussion Family
Xylophone
Maracas
Drumset
Triangle
Bongos
Congas
Tambourine
Snare drum
Cymbals
Tubular bells
Timpani
Bass drum
There are 2 main categories of percussion:
PITCHED, meaning that it makes
a sound on a specific note,
and UNPITCHED, which means
it makes noise without sounding
a specific note.
Can you guess which of these instruments
here belong in each category?
MEET THE CAST & CREW PETER DUSCHENES Artistic Director, Writer, Actor
Thousands of young classical music fans have Peter to thank for introducing them to symphonic music. He cofounded the Platypus Theatre touring company in 1989 to make orchestral music accessible for youth, and more than half a million concert-goers have benefitted from his creativity. As an award-winning playwright, Peter’s writing credits include - among others - all eight Platypus productions, the television adaptation of How the Gimquat Found Her Song which won Best
Children’s Program at the prestigious Banff World Television Festival in 2008. In addition to his roles in Platypus shows, he has also acted and di-rected with companies across Canada and the United States. When Peter isn’t busy helping the Gimquat find her song, he and his wife Sarah are helping their children, Magda and Theo, find their socks.
DANIELLE DESORMEAUX Actor Danielle is one of the more adaptable creatures in the Platypus Theatre touring company. You can see her as the Gimquat in How the Gimquat Found Her Song, as Corky in Bach to the Future, as Emily in Emily Saves the Orchestra and as a hobo in Rhythm in Your
Rubbish, a production she helped create. She is a highly-accomplished actor who has worked extensively in theatre, in film, and also as several animated characters on TV. She is also an experienced improviser and clown, and has written and created a number of critically-acclaimed works. Danielle has been a part of the Platypus touring company for 17 years but will never forget “the first time I heard a live orchestra playing on stage with me it literally took my breath away. I couldn’t believe how powerful the sound was. Then I thought: Wow! Best job ever!”
WENDY ROCKBURN Stage Manager Want to know who and what goes where and when and how? Wendy’s the one who has it well under control. Since 2005, Wendy has expertly juggled all of the details for Platypus Theatre productions, from monster’s heads to lighting cues. Not only does she manage the Platypus touring company’s stage, but she also works with theatres all over Eastern and Central Canada. And as often as possible, she jets off to far places to
photograph the world, and has been known to skydive over the desert in Namibia or outrace a gaucho in Argentina. Her favorite
part about Platypus shows is watching the kids follow every turn in the story in rapt attention. And the climax of the Gimquat still makes her cry, even after all of these years. No wonder we’re wild about Wendy!
PLATYPUS THEATRE Since 1989, almost one million young audience members have been introduced to classical music through Platypus Theatre. After more than 500 performances with more than 60 orchestras world-wide, Platypus has established itself as one of North
America’s premiere music education theatre companies. Original and engaging storylines are presented in an intelligent and interactive way, with music always taking the lead role. Children laugh, sing and empa-thize with the characters while learning musical concepts, styles, and much more. In 2006, one of Platypus’ most cherished productions How the Gimquat Found her Song was produced for TV and went on to win several awards including Best Children’s Program at the prestigious Banff World Television Festival. In 1991, Platypus was the subject of a nationally broadcast documentary on CTV, followed by a PBS full-performance broadcast in 2000. During its 25th anniversary year, Platypus will premiere its eighth original production, Latin Beats, Heroic Feats, in partnership with four orchestras across Canada. Other Platypus Productions include Emily Saves the Orchestra, Rhythm in your Rubbish, Bach to the Future, Charlotte and the Music-Maker, Flicker of Light on a Winter’s Night, and Peter and the Wolf.
13 14
15 16
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY 1
The Gimquat listens to music from many peoples,
places, and times, to try to find her song.
What kind of music represents who you are?
What kind of music represents how you want others to see you? Is this the
same kind as the first kind?
Do you think your music will change as you get older?
Write a letter to yourself, describing your
song, to read when you are older.
What is your song?
ACTIVITY 2
The Gimquat’s journey
starts in the year 1003
and ends all the way up
in the present. That’s a
lot of time travel!
If you could travel back
in time to one year and
place, when and where
would you pick and
why?
Looking back at the timeline on page 6, make a class time-
line showing where all of you end up, and what you do
when you get there!
17 18
ACTIVITY 3
One of the pieces you’ll hear at the performance is
the Overture from Mozart’s famous opera, The Marriage of Figaro. An opera is like a play, but the
actors sing their lines instead of speaking them, and
you have an orchestra performing as well, to
support the singers and help tell the story musically.
Putting on an opera takes more than just great
singers and great orchestras, though; everything you
see onstage is meticulously planned by an
army of talented people in different professions:
directors, stage managers, set designers, lighting
designers, costume designers, carpenters, painters,
electricians, seamstresses, props masters, and more!
For every person you see performing onstage, there
are many, many more behind the scenes.
* *
Check out the video at the YouTube link below, where you’ll
see the Washington National Opera preparing for a
production of Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle. You’ll see all
sorts of people working on the show. What kinds of jobs do
you see? What talents and interests do you have that could
help put on an opera?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZJKbFbe5uA
Take this activity to the next level by putting on a puppet
show with your class! You’ll see puppets onstage at the
performance at The Bushnell, so here’s a chance to go
behind the scenes and practice some of those skills you saw in
the video. Cut out the kids below and on the next page, tape
them to popsicle sticks, design your show, and curtain up!
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Another piece you’ll hear
at the concert is the
Mother Goose Suite, by
Maurice Ravel.
How many of these
Mother Goose nursery
rhymes can you recognize? Fill in the blanks below and
see if you can figure out what all of these answers have in
common!
Baa baa black ______, have you any wool? …
Eenie meenie miney mo, catch a ______ by the toe …
Hickory dickory dock, the ______ ran up the clock …
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;
All the king’s ______ and all the King’s men, Couldn’t put Humpty together again.
The itsy bitsy ______ climbed up the water spout …
Mary had a little ______ lamb, its fleece was white as snow ...
ACTIVITY 5
ACTIVITY 5
Vivaldi’s “Spring” from The Four Seasons evokes spring-like sounds and moods.
Start at 8:14 to take a listen!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=BemE4sgctsY
How do you think Summer, Fall, and Winter will
sound? Take a guess, then start listening again at
the beginning of the video to see if you’re right!
And then come check out our fourth Discovery Concert,
SEASONS, premiering on May 24, 2017 at 10:30 AM!
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FIELD TRIP DAY! TRANSPORTATION
TICKETS
All students, regardless of age, need an escort to leave the auditorium to use the restroom or for any other purpose. Ushers will not allow unattended students to exit without an adult chaperone.
Anyone leaving the auditorium during the concert will have to wait for an appropriate break in the program to re-enter. People re-entering may not always be able to go back to their original seats depending on the pro-gram and may be asked to take available seats in the back.
Groups arriving after the start of the concert will be seated at the discretion of House Management.
It is prohibited to use cameras, audio-video or other recording devices, cell phones, digital games, and music players in the hall.
A chaperone will be required to sit in the front row with any group seated on an upper level.
Please arrange children in a desired seating order prior to entering the building. Once seating load-in begins, students must quickly move straight across, down the rows. The high number of audience members does not leave time to accommodate traffic jams caused by “boy/girl seating” or for certain classes to sit with each other, etc. Once a group is seated, teachers may move individual students within the section.
No one is allowed to sit on the floor or in the aisles at any time.
No hats may be worn inside the building.
No food or beverages are allowed in the building.
Please plan to arrive no later than a half hour before the start of the performance. Students are seated by school, and it will take a long time to get everyone into their sections of the auditorium. If you are late, you may not be able to be seated.
Students are to disembark where their bus parks. Parking meters will be bagged along neighboring streets: Trinity, Capitol, and Buckingham. The meters will be bagged or designated with a “no parking” stake. Please make a mental note of where you are parked.
Please enter the Bushnell complex through Mortensen Hall via Trinity Street or via the brick courtyard on Capitol Avenue.
Buses with handicapped students should stop at the Trinity Street entrance, where the ramp is, and drop off only the special-needs individual(s), along with at least one chaperone.
The bus should then proceed to one of the bagged meters and park, at which time the other students will walk to the theater.
HOUSE RULES
Ushers will be posted everywhere to guide you to your seats; let one of them know from which school you have come.
You will not receive actual tickets. When you arrive, we will direct you to your seats based on your school, which we will have already allotted a certain location in the hall. Seating is determined based on special needs and group volume.
Please remain seated at the end of the performance. An usher will dismiss students by school from the stage.
MORTENSEN HALL
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You’ll be seeing your concert in Mortensen Hall, the 2,800-seat theater and original building of The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, the premier performing arts center in the region. The building was designed by the same architects as that of New York City's famous Radio City Music Hall, and opened in 1930, right at the beginning of the Great Depression.
Named in honor of William H. Mortensen, The Bushnell's first managing director, Mortensen Hall is renowned as one of the world's greatest examples of the Art Deco style, an artistic style of the 1920s and 1930s that is recognizable by its bold geometric shapes and bright colors.
When you go into the theater, look up! You’ll find the largest hand-painted ceiling
mural in the United States, measuring 187 feet by 40 feet. That’s 4 school buses
long and 1 school bus wide!
The artist Barry Faulkner and his team called the piece “Drama,” named for its artistic centerpiece, the Muse of Drama.
Surrounding the goddess are vivid representations of performance, progress, and hope from ancient mythological times to the 20th century.
You’ll find older symbols such as ancient images of the sun, moon, and stars — symbolizing light, knowledge, constancy, and eternity — as well as more modern icons like airplanes. Try to spot as many of these symbols as you can!