YOUNG PEOPLE’S CONCERT March 16, 2016

CONCERT STUDY GUIDE

Young People’s

Concert

www.alabamasymphony.org

How to Be a Perfect Audience Member

Come into the hall quietly and be seated before the concert begins.

When you arrive, you will see musicians warming up on stage. You will know when it is time forthe concert to begin when the first violinist, who is called the concertmaster, stands up, facesthe orchestra and they tune. Applaud the concertmaster and the orchestra to let them knowyou are ready!

The orchestra will tune before the conductor enters.

The conductor will enter and have the orchestra stand up. Now you can applaud the conductorand the orchestra as a sign of welcome.

Applause is also the audience’s way of thanking the conductor and the musicians for theirperformance when a piece is over. You will know it is time to applaud a piece when theconductor turns around to face the audience.

During the performance you should be listening as closely as possible. Please do not talk duringthe performance.

Remain seated throughout the performance unless there is an emergency, in which case a lookfor your closest teacher or chaperone.

No food, drink, gum, cameras, or tape recorders are allowed in the hall.

Please turn off all cell phones and watch alarms before the performance.

After the concert is over, remain in your seat quietly until your school is dismissed.

Dear Parents and Teachers,

Welcome to your Alabama Symphony Orchestra’s March "Young People’s Concert”. We are so excited to have you with us today. Today we will be lead on a symphonic adventure by Maestro Peter Rubardt.

In order to make the most of your concert experience, we are pleased to bring you this Study Guide and list of recommended recordings to help prepare your students. In this guide, you will find the program for the concert, complete with information on each composer and piece. In addition, there are links to recommended YouTube performances of the pieces on the program. There are suggested questions that correspond to each video. Use these questions as a starting point for conversations, feel free to come up with your own discussion questions and listening activities as well.

The Study Guide also contains information about the orchestra, hands-on activities for students.

The Study Guide is also available for download on-line at www.alabamasymphony.org.

We look forward to seeing you on March 16th!

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Berkeley, California. I took piano lessons as a young kid, and also got early ex-

perience and training as a member of the San Francisco Boys Chorus. Being a boy soprano

in performances with the San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Opera was a forma-

tive experience for me.

Where did you go to school?

Lots of places! I studied in school for a long time, and I'm still learning every time I con-

duct. I have a doctoral degree from Juilliard, in New York, and I also studied at the

Hochschule für Musik in Vienna, Austria.

Do you play any instruments?

Piano and violin were my main instruments. I don't really try to play violin much anymore,

but I still enjoy chamber music performances on the piano.

What’s the hardest thing about being a being a conductor?

Staying relaxed and aware, being in the moment. There is so much complexity in an or-

chestral performance, so much information that comes so fast. I try not to over-think it, but

rather to trust my preparation and the skill of the orchestra. That way the music becomes

the most important thing.

What’s the most fun thing about being a conductor?

When a stage full of super talented and skillful musicians come together to play a master-

piece by a great composer it creates something that's greater than the sum of its

parts. Being in the middle of that is an incredibly exhilarating feeling.

What kinds of music do you like to listen to?

Honestly, I treasure silence whenever I can get it. But when I do listen to music for pleasure,

I'm a big jazz fan.

What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?

That's a tough one… I think I'd have to go with Mocha Almond Fudge.

MEET THE CONDUCTOR

Peter Rubardt Guest Conductor of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra

FIRST VIOLIN

Daniel Szasz, Concertmaster

Jinsong Gao, Associate Concertmaster

Mayumi Masri, Assistant Concertmaster

Yifan Zhou, Assistant Concertmaster

Ai-Yi Bao Sarah Dennis

Viktor Dulguerov

Roger James Anne Pandolfi

Pei-Ju Wu

SECOND VIOLIN

Yuriko Yasuda, Principal

David Handler, Assistant Principal

Karl Braaten

Levon Margaryan

Serghei Tanas

VIOLA

Michael Fernandez, Principal

Zakaria Enikeev, Assistant Principal

Lucina Horner Rene Reder

Meredith Treaster

HORN David Pandolfi, Principal

Kevin Kozak

Jeffrey Solomon, Assistant Principal

Nina Adair

TRUMPET Ryan Beach, Principal Nicholas Ciulla, Assistant Principal

TROMBONE Jay Evans, Principal Jason Robins

TUBA Andrew Miller, Principal

TIMPANI

Jay Burnham, Principal

PERCUSSION Mark Libby, Principal

Bill Williams

HARP Judy Sullivan Hicks, Principal

CELLO

Warren Samples, Principal Andrew Dunn, Assistant

Principal Mary Del Gobbo Peter

Garrett

Clayton Vaughan

Mara McClain

BASS Daniel Carson, Principal Richard Cassarino,

Assistant Principal

Michael Bradt

Mark Wilson

FLUTE Lisa Wienhold, Principal

Hilary Tidman, Assistant Principal

OBOE James Sullivan, Principal

Machiko Ogawa Schlaffer, Assistant Principal

CLARINET Kathleen Costello, Principal

Brad Whitfield, Assistant Principal

BASSOON

Tariq Masri, Principal

Alex Zdanis, Assistant Principal

ABOUT THE ORCHESTRA

The Alabama Symphony Orchestra is the only full-time, professional orches-

tra in the state of Alabama. For more than 70 years, the ASO has shared

the joy of music and performances of the highest quality with audience

members of all ages. The ASO gives over 140 concerts a year, including

the Masterworks Series, Pops Concerts, Family Concerts, Education Con-

certs, and special performances with the Alabama Ballet, Opera Birming-

ham, and the Birmingham Concert Chorale.

The ASO is led by Music Director Carlos Izcaray, but is also conducted by

Resident & Principal Pops Conductor Chris Confessore. The Orchestra is

made up of 53 full-time Musicians.

ALABAMA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS

Orc

hes

tra S

eati

ng C

hart

Co

nd

uct

or

Young People’s Concert

Klaus Badelt—composer/ Ted Ricketts—arranger This is a special piece that has both a composer and an arranger.

Composer—Mr. Badelt wrote the melody and theme of this piece.

Arranger—Mr. Ricketts is the person who takes Mr. Badelt’s melodies and themes and assigns them to different instruments in the

orchestra. He helps to create the musical color and texture.

You will hear: Selections from Pirates of the Carribean This piece is made up of some of the most familiar and popular music from the movie the Pirates of the Caribbean. In today's program we explore the different families of the orchestra. This piece highlights several families of the orchestra including the brass

and percussion.

Suggested recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zTc2hD2npA

1. This music is written to help tell a story about pirates. What kinds of images do you think of when you think about pirates?

2. Do you hear some of these things that you listed in the music?

3. Which brass and percussion instruments do you hear?

Peter Illyich Tchaikovsky (1840—1893) Tchaikovsky is consider one of the most popular Russian composers in history. His works include The Nutcracker and Sleeping

Beauty. He wrote six symphonies. Today we will hear a movement from the Fourth Symphony.

You will hear: The scherzo: Pizzicato ostinato from Symphony No.4 in f minor

Suggested Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HGL81ZMzrY

1. What is the first thing that you notice about this piece? What is the technique that the string players are using?

(answer: pizzacto)

2. There are various families that are featured in this movement. As you listen call out the different families as you hear them.

3. Scherzo means “joke” in Italian. Does this movement seem a bit silly to you?

Manuel de Falla (1876—1946) Manuel de Falla is regarded as one of the greatest Spanish composers. He took a great interest in the music of his home country and

is greatly influenced by Spanish folk music. He also enjoyed working with dancers and opera singers writing many ballets and operas.

You will hear: Spanish Dance no.1 from La vida breve Falla’s opera La vida breve is a two act opera that is about love and betrayal. This dance movement is from the second act of the opera.

Suggested recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUJryf1osSg

1. This is a dance movement. What kind of dance do you imagine being done to this piece?

2. What percussion instrument do you hear throughout the movement?

Henry Mancini (1924—1994) Henry Mancini was born in Cleveland, OH and grew up outside Pittsburgh, PA. He played piano and flute. In addition to being an

instrumentalist he was a composer and arranger. He wrote several television and film scores including the beloved theme to the

Pink Panther.

You will hear: Ohio Riverboat: This is music from the film score that Mancini composed for the movie Ohio Riverboat.

Suggested recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL5bHeNZasM 1. What are the two solo instruments at the beginning of the piece?

2. What is the next family of instruments to be featured?

3. Does this piece feel like it is in duple or triple meter?

John Williams (b. 1932)American composer and conductor John Williams has written some of the most well-known film scores in Hollywood history,

including Jaws, Star Wars, Superman, and Harry Potter.

You will hear: Summon the Heroes and the Main Theme from Star Wars No concert about outer space would be complete without the music from Star Wars! All of John Williams’ film scores are recorded

by a full symphony orchestra, so the music you hear on the concert sounds just like what you hear in the movie.

Vibration StationAll musical instruments use vibration to make sound, but different instruments vibrate

in different ways. You can use everyday objects to discover how each family of the orchestra makes its unique sound.

String instruments, like the violin, make sound when their strings vibrate.

You try it: Take the top off of an empty shoebox and place several dif-ferent sized rubber bands around it. Pluck the rubber bands, watch them vibrate and listen to the sound they make. Which rubber bands vibrate faster? Which ones vibrate slower? Do some rubber bands sound higher or lower than others?

Woodwind instruments, like the flute, make sound when air vibrates through them.

You try it: Blow across the top of an empty water or soda bottle and listen to the sound that the vibrating air creates. Try filling the bottle with different amounts of water. Does more water in the bottle make the sound higher or lower? Also, try blowing across different sized bottles. Do small bottles sound different than large bottles? Fill several bottles with different amounts of water, and you can even play a song!

Brass instruments, like the trumpet, make sound when you vibrate

your lips together and put them up to the mouthpiece.

You try it: Purse your lips together like you are going to whis-tle. Now “buzz” your lips so that they vibrate. What does it feel like? Can you make the sound go higher or lower? Can you “buzz” a tune? Try buzzing into a paper towel tube. What happens to the sound?

Percussion instruments, like drums, cymbals, and maracas, make sound when you hit them or shake them, causing the instrument itself to vibrate.

You try it: Play several different percussion in your music classroom or find things at home that you can hit or shake. What is each instrument made of? What does each material look like and sound like when it vibrates? Hit something metal, then grab it with your hand: why does the sound stop?

Did you know that your voice is a musical instrument too? It makes sound when air passes through your vocal cords and makes them vibrate.

You try it: Put your fingertips on your throat and make a sound with your voice. Can you feel the vibrations? How many different sounds can you make? How do the vibrations change? Can you make them go faster or slower?

Musical Glossary

Adagio - slow

Allegro - to play music brisk and happily, sometimes fast

Andante - moderate tempo or pace of music

Crescendo - growing steadily louder

Dolce - to play a piece of music sweetly

Forte - to play music loudly or strongly

Legato - to play music smoothly, to blend notes together

Lento - slowly

Pizzicato - when you pluck the strings on a stringed instrument, rather than playing them with a bow

Solo - played by a single musical instrument or voice

Sotto voce - quietly

Staccato - when each music note is played sharply and by itself.

Tempo - timing or speed of the music

Conducting 101

You can see shapes, lines, and patterns in the orchestra just by watching the conductor. Depending on the meter of a piece of music, the conductor uses special patterns to show the orchestra where the beats are.

START

1

2

When a piece of music is in groups of two beats, or duple meter, the conductor beats “in 2.” Start with your hand near the middle of your body. Move your hand straight down for Beat 1, then straight up for Beat 2.

What kind of shape or lines does this look like?

Conduct along in 2: Rigaudon from Le Tombeau de Couperin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUxbre-0dpw

Perpetuum Mobile: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-2j_27FeH0

START

1

2

3

When a piece of music is in groups of three beats, or triple meter, the conductor beats “in 3.” Start by moving your hand down for Beat 1 like before. This time, move your hand up and to the right for Beat 2, then up and back to center for Beat 3.

What kind of shape or lines does this look like?

Conduct along in 3: Song to the Moon (after singer begins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCc9vJ9UQFI

Fanfare from La Peri https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCc9vJ9UQFI

START

1

2 3

4

Sometimes a piece of music with duple meter has longer phrases, so it works better for the conductor to beat “in 4” instead of “in 2.” To conduct in 4, move your hand down for Beat 1, up and to the left for Beat 2, straight across to the right for Beat 3, and up and back to center for Beat 4.

What kind of shape or lines does this look like?

Conduct along in 4: “Little” Fugue in G minor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO8i5D2uz84

“La Garde montante”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOrBu2nyYsQ

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Now that you’ve seen an ASO Concert, write us a letter and tell us about your experi-

ence. You can write your own letter or use this sheet as a guide. Send your letters to:

Alabama Symphony Orchestra

Attn: Education

3621 Sixth Avenue South

Birmingham, AL 35222

Date

Dear Alabama Symphony Orchestra,

I just came to see a Young People’s Concert .

One thing I liked about the concert was

.

My favorite piece of music you played was

.

Something new that I learned was

.

If I could play an instrument in the orchestra, I would play the .

Sincerely,

Name

Address