Online Sensory FriendlyConcert with VC2 Cello DuoPresented in collaboration by Ottawa Chamberfest and Lotus Centre for Special Music

Education

CelloThe cello is a string instrument that has four strings and plays low notes. The cello is a

bigger instrument, so musicians have to sit down when playing and hold the cello

between their knees! You can make sound on the cello by playing with a bow or by

plucking the strings with your fingers. Listen carefully today to hear the difference

when Bryan and Amahl play with their bows or play with their fingers.

Click below to listen to some more cello music:

Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major by J. S. Bach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=xR4IElye7eg

The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber: https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=qpbX7SbXOtU

Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber: https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=Hc8gYoXkLZ4&list=RDHc8gYoXkLZ4&index=1

Thank you for joining us for another sensory friendly concert! Keep reading to learnmore about the instruments, composers, and types of music you will hear during theconcert. There are also some fun activities for you to try before or after the concert!

Luigi BoccheriniLuigi Boccherini was an Italian composer born in

1743. He was also a skilled cellist, and because of

this, he was able to write many interesting and

beautiful cello pieces. He was well-known for

writing string quintets, which are pieces written

for 2 violins, 1 viola, and 2 cellos. Fun fact:

Boccherini used to play the piece that you will

hear today with his father.

Click below to hear some more music by

Boccherini

String Quintet, Op. 11, No. 5 - Minuet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWwj-HbBLi8

Cello Concerto No. 6 in G Major: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEGNuBO4EsA

Cello Sonata in C major: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IheofS_rYCE

The Swan by CamilleSaint-Saëns

"The Swan" is part of a larger musical work

called "The Carnival of the Animals." It is a

funny musical suite with fourteen movements.

Each movement is about a different animal,

like kangaroos, hens, and elephants! "The

Carnival of Animals" was written for many

different instruments to play together, but

"The Swan" movement was written for cellos.

See if you can imagine the swans swimming

through the water as you listen to the music

today!

Click below to listen to some other movements from "The Carnival of Animals":

Characters with Long Ears: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY8_G8cYi_Y

Aviary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1PQRu_C5fQ&list=RDlY8_G8cYi_Y&start_radio=1

Tortoises: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba_kOUmlDME

Theme and VariationTheme and variation is a popular musical form composers use when writing music. The

composer begins with a theme, which is a melody. The theme is simple and easy for listeners

to recognize. The theme repeats several times through the piece, but each time the theme

repeats, it is changed or "varied" so that it is a little bit different. These are the variations.

Listen carefully today to see if you can hear how each variation in "Variations on the Theme

of Judas Maccabeus" sounds different!

Extra activity: Below are two faces that look similar, but are a bit different (just like our

variations!) Can you draw two other faces that are different?

Arboreto Salvatico"Arboreto Salvatico" is another piece with many

movements (just like "The Carnival of Animals"). For

this piece, each movement is about a different plant

or tree. Today, you will hear "La sequoia" and "Il

tasso" which are about a pine tree and a yew tree.

Pine trees grow in Canada, as well as all over the

world, and there are at least 126 different types of

pine trees. Yew trees are evergreen trees that grows

in Europe. They look pretty, but be careful! Yew

leaves and seeds are poisonous!

Extra activity: Use the back of this page (or a separate

page) to draw your version of a poison tree.