DOCENT MANUALDOCENT MANUAL Property of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild Compiled in 1992 for the Education Committee of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild by Lu Downey

DOCENT MANUAL

Property of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild

Compiled in 1992 for the Education Committee of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild by Lu Downey and Frances Schwemmer who are grateful for the help given by:

Susan Anderson Evelyn LoehrleinJean Berry Linda MaccubbinMackie Bethay Eugenia McCoyHoyt Farquhar Patrick RichardsonJoanne Horn Lynda StaggsMartha Sue Hutchens Betsy Stevenson

Revised in 1997, 2001, 2004, 2006 by Lu Downey and Frances Schwemmer

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Copyright © Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild, P.O. Box 2400, Huntsville, AL 35804 1

PURPOSE OF A DOCENT...........................................................................................................................3

CHECKLIST FOR DOCENT.......................................................................................................................4

TEACHER CHECKLIST..............................................................................................................................6

SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR DOCENT'S INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDENTS....................................7

CONCERT MANNERS.................................................................................................................................9

A SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA...................................................................................................................11

A SAMPLE SCORE USED BY THE CONDUCTOR...............................................................................13

THE SEATING ARRANGEMENT OF THE HUNTSVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA...............14

FACTS ABOUT THE HUNTSVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND ITS PLAYERS.................15

MUSIC...........................................................................................................................................................17

STYLES OF “CLASSICAL” MUSIC.......................................................................................................19

WHY TEACH MUSIC?...............................................................................................................................21

WHY WE TARGET THE 4TH GRADE....................................................................................................22

THE PROGRAM..........................................................................................................................................23

THE COST....................................................................................................................................................24

THE YOUNG ARTISTS AUDITION.........................................................................................................25

CONCERTO................................................................................................................................................26

VOCABULARY............................................................................................................................................27

GAMES..........................................................................................................................................................28

ANSWER SHEET FOR DOCENTS...........................................................................................................32

THE ART CONTEST FOR THE STUDENT BOOKLET.......................................................................33

USHERS AT YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONCERT.........................................................................................34

HSOG'S INSTRUMENT COLLECTION.................................................................................................35


PURPOSE OF A DOCENT

The purpose of a docent is to teach. The docent prepares students and their teachers for the annual Young People's Concerts by the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra.

The docent lets them know about our community’s orchestra, teaches them the concept of a formal concert, familiarizes them with orchestral instruments, introduces them to the Young Artist Winners, and imbues them with his/her love and appreciation of classical music.

The docents go to all fourth grade classrooms in the Huntsville City and Madison City and County schools (as well as to some private schools) during the month prior to the concert. Each presentation lasts 30 minutes to 1 hour. The Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild has been sponsoring this program since 1968.

Preparation for this concert involves over 7,700 students from more than 103 schools. Many students know little about classical music or the Symphony Orchestra. Most students have been to the Von Braun Center; others have been in the Concert Hall. In many cases the classroom teachers have never attended one of our orchestra's concerts.

These schools are invited: Huntsville City, Madison County, Madison City, students who are enrolled in private schools and students who are home schooled. Other schools invited to the Young People’s Concerts are: Decatur, Hartselle, Morgan County, Athens, Limestone County, Scottsboro, Jackson County, and Marshall County in Alabama, and Giles County, Franklin County, and Lincoln County in Tennessee.

In the one short visit that the docent makes to the classroom, he/she is at once a teacher, an entertainer, and a GOODWILL AMBASSADOR.

The Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild provides classroom teachers background material for the total presentation that includes a CD with selections from the music to be played at the Young People’s Concert. Symphony players are scheduled to go into the classrooms with the docents to give the students a hands-on introduction to the music. The orchestra members also familiarize the students with their particular instrument and give a close up view of this orchestra member. This project is funded in part by a grant with matching funds from the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild.


CHECKLIST FOR DOCENT

The school should be contacted in advance to set up the lecture time. Initial contact with the school should be made prior to the HSOG’s orientation session. A follow-up call should be made to the school a few days before the lecture is scheduled to confirm that the school is ready for the presentation and confirm the number of fourth grade students so that sufficient booklets for the students and teachers can be provided. Many teachers prefer to be contacted by email.

Orchestra members used to go into the schools on a voluntary basis, but are now paid to go into the schools with docents. This part of the Guild’s education program started in 1997 when the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Association made money available for musicians to go into a few schools to complement the docent’s presentation. The following year this was expanded by the award of a grant with matching funds furnished by the Guild. This arrangement continues to be available.

The musician (possibly more than one) is scheduled by the Huntsville Symphony Office to go into the school. The musician should be prepared to talk about his/her instrument, play it for demonstration, present composers and program, play some of the themes, tell the different families of the orchestra, give information about himself/herself, and take questions. The docent must remember that many things can happen the day of the presentation - sickness, traffic jams, etc. Therefore, the docent needs to be prepared on these topics.

When contact is made with the school ascertain:Length of time for lecture (suggest 45 min.)Size of room where lecture will beNumber of classes and students in the 4th gradeHow many classrooms may be comfortably accommodated at each presentationAddress and directions to the school

When preparing to go to the school:Count your booklets (one per student and teacher)Take concert postersTake instrument cards if the school does not have themTake watch or clockTake VBC bus route and time for your schoolTake “Reminders for the Classroom Teacher” which is a separate piece of paper from the manual to give to the teacher

Allow plenty of time to arrive early--at least 30 minutes. When you arrive at the school, check in at the office. It would be nice for you to introduce yourself to the


principal and, when you leave, to thank the principal for letting you come to the school.

When you get to the classroom, introduce yourself to the teacher and go over the “Reminder for the Classroom Teacher” with him/her.

Write the school a thank you note for letting you share your interest in our orchestra and your love of music with them. Schools with addresses are listed in the blue pages of the telephone book.

Students may be encouraged to write a thank you to the sponsors of this concert and to the Huntsville Symphony. The addresses of the sponsors are listed in The Student Booklet. The address of the HSO is P. O. Box 2400, Huntsville, AL 35804.


TEACHER CHECKLIST

Date and time for the concert______________________________.

The Conductor will announce the program; therefore, there will be no need for the students to bring the booklets to the concert.

Have the students practice singing the "Star Spangled Banner" before attending the concert. Be sure that they know the words to our national anthem.

Have students use water fountains and restrooms before getting on the bus, not at the VBC.

Teachers and/or principals need to order the bus for their concert and confirm which entrance to the VBC their school will use.

Each bus will be met at the VBC and the lead teacher will be given further instructions.

Each seat on each row in the Concert Hall must be filled. No seat may be skipped because of the number of students attending the concert.

Handicapped seating is reserved. Kits are available for the hearing impaired. Be sure the school system is aware of these needs before the concert.


SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR DOCENT'S INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDENTS

I am delighted to be here today at (name of school) Elementary School to tell you about the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra and to invite you to attend the Young People's Concert presented by the Orchestra for all fourth grade students in Huntsville and Madison County and surrounding counties. You will be going to the concert at (day and time). (School scheduled for which concert should have been available at the Guild Orientation Meeting.) You will be going by bus during the school day.

This concert will be in the Concert Hall of the Von Braun Center. Have you been there? (Most will have been to The Nutcracker in the Concert Hall in the third grade. If you are at a school that did not go, it is good to talk a little bit about the difference in the Concert Hall and the Arena, where most have been. This helps emphasize better manners, better decorum.) Do you know where the name Von Braun came from? Dr. Wernher von Braun, a noted German rocket scientist, who was brought to the United States after World War II and worked in Huntsville from 1950 -1971. You will notice his portrait hanging above the Concert Hall steps as you enter.

As I have said, the Symphony puts this concert on for fourth graders only so there will be over 2,000 fourth graders at your concert. The Symphony Orchestra Association spends approximately $30,000 just to present this concert to you.

When you get into the Concert Hall you will see chairs and music stands arranged on the large stage. There may be a few people sitting in the chairs playing their instruments. Gradually all of the chairs will fill and you will hear a cacophony of sound (that is a lot of different sounds that do not go together). No two musicians will be playing the same thing. Some will be tuning their instruments, some will be practicing passages of a piece that might be especially difficult, and some might be limbering their fingers by playing before the concert begins.

Suddenly they will all stop playing when a person holding a violin will stride to center stage. This is the orchestra's concertmaster and first violinist. The concertmaster will bow to the audience and you will clap. The concertmaster will then turn to the orchestra and point to the oboe. The oboe player will play the Note A, which is located above the note Middle C. All instruments will then playan A until they are all in tune. The oboe maintains the truest sound. Heat and humidity cause no noticeable difference in its sound. The entire orchestra listens to the oboe note because that instrument has the least ability to change its length, and consequently its pitch. The string players can tighten or loosen the strings on their instruments, the wind players can pull or push parts of their horns together to alter the length (and the pitch), but the oboe’s length is determined


when the musician creates the instrument’s double reed. That's why the orchestra tunes to the oboe. However, when an orchestral piece includes a solo instrument (for instance, a piano), the orchestra tunes to that solo instrument's note A instead of to the oboe.

After the orchestra is all in tune, the concertmaster will sit in the vacant chair to the left of center stage. Now the conductor enters and will come to center stage and bow. You will clap. The conductor will turn toward the orchestra, step up on the podium, and pick up a baton. That is the signal that the concert will begin.

Docent should next cover all points in the following CONCERT MANNERS.

Docent should cover the information in THE YOUNG ARTISTS AUDITION, paragraphs one and three.

If the docent wishes, this information may be enhanced with information from CONCERTO.

The final subject for the docent to cover is the Young Artists themselves. A two or three sentence biography of the artists, their instrument, and the piece the soloist will play at the concert this school will attend should be covered. Especially emphasize how close in age the soloists are to the fourth graders (Work hard and you, too, could be on this stage in a few years!)

Docent should cover these points using questions and involving students in dialogue as much as possible.

Docent should introduce the musicians by name and instrument.

This introduction in outline form is available as a handout at the HSOG Orientation meeting.


CONCERT MANNERS

This concert is a formal concert. Come into the hall quietly and be seated before the concert begins. This is not like a sports event, or a rock concert, or even a movie. You don't get up to go to the restroom or to get refreshments. We do not eat and drink or chew gum during the concert. Please disconnect electronic signals on watches, pagers or cell phones before the performance begins. Out of courtesy to your neighbor and the orchestra, you should not talk during the performance. In a formal concert you give the performers your undivided attention. You don't do anything that would distract the performers or the audience. Sometimes the music gets very quiet; sometimes there are even pauses in the music. No one would want to be talking, rattling paper, or even coughing at that time. That is the reason for NOT taking the booklets you will be given to the concert.

The concert is not quite an hour long, so everyone needs to remain seated throughout the performance unless there is an emergency, in which case, students must be accompanied by a teacher or chaperon. It is not difficult to remain in your seat. You want to be as polite for the musicians as they are for you. This is your opportunity to look while you listen.

The musicians will come on stage with their instruments before the concert begins and rehearse parts of the music they will play. When the concertmaster comes on stage, it is customary to applaud. The concertmaster will tune the orchestra to a certain pitch, called “concert A (440 vibrations per second)” located above Middle C. The conductor will come on stage. The audience will applaud as a sign of welcome.

Clapping is important to a performer because it lets him/her know how much you enjoyed the performance. Applause is your way of showing the performers your appreciation. In a formal concert you have to know when to applaud. You may notice several breaks in the music, enough to make you think the piece is over; however, there are sections or movements of music between which you do not applaud. It is better to watch the conductor. When the conductor lays the baton down and/or puts his/her hands down, then that is a clue that the piece is over and it is time to applaud

To help you listen...close your eyes, just let the music be all that you are focusing on...then perhaps try watching...look at the conductor, see which instruments are getting ready to play next, notice the body movements of the different instrument players...notice how the bows of the strings are all going in the same direction...notice who is turning the pages...feel the beat...is the music dying away?...is the music building tension?...can you guess what is coming next?...


The Star Spangled Banner is our national anthem. When it is played by the orchestra we all stand and sing, looking toward the American flag that is on the stage. Be sure to practice singing it and memorize the words.

When the concert is over, everyone should remain seated until your school makes its exit.


A SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

A symphony orchestra is large and has all the instruments needed to play symphonies. It doesn't march and it has a string section, thereby making it different from a band. There are four major families of instruments: strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion.

Strings -- The largest family is made up of stringed instruments. Many of the stringed instruments are several hundred years old. The stringed instruments and the piano have remained unchanged since the 1700s. The sound of each of these instruments is made by moving a bow across its strings or by plucking the strings. The strings are made of gut or sometimes steel; the bows are slender sticks strung with horsehair, which may be tightened by a screw at the end. The string instruments are tuned by tightening or loosening the tuning pegs located at the end of the narrow part of the instrument. Instruments in this family include violin, viola, cello, bass, and harp. The harp has 47 strings, which are color-coded, and seven foot pedals, which change the pitch. Other instruments, which are usually played by themselves, are banjo, ukulele, mandolin, and guitar. In classical music the strings are the backbone of the orchestra because they are used throughout most compositions with only short interruptions. Generally, the first violins play melody and the second violins play harmony.

Woodwinds -- The second family is grouped together because at one time they were all made of wood. These instruments are called woodwinds, or winds. Today they are also made of metal or plastic. Woodwinds produce tones when air is blown through a tube either directly or past a vibrating reed. Covering holes in the tube with the fingertips makes different notes. Air must be blown across the hole in the tube of the flute to produce sound. The clarinet and saxophone have a single reed which air makes vibrate against a slot in the mouthpiece. The oboe, bassoon, and English horn are double reed instruments, which means they have two thin pieces of reed, vibrating together when air is blown into them. Each woodwind has its own tone color or timbre (rhymes with amber, meaning sound).

Brass -- All instruments in the brass family are made of brass and have long tubes, or bores, with mouthpieces at one end and flaring bells at the other. They produce sound when air is blown into the mouthpiece. Many brass instruments have valves that serve to lengthen or shorten the tube, therefore lowering or raising the pitch. The trombone has a slide instead of valves to lengthen the tube, or bore. Other brass instruments are the trumpet, bugle, French horn, baritone, and tuba. If the tuba were uncoiled it would be about 15 feet long. The brass group is the "heavy artillery" of the orchestra and is used as a reinforcement for the larger climaxes of sound. The brass section has different pitch registers. The trumpets are the soprano brasses, horns are the alto or tenor, the trombones are the tenor or baritones, and the tuba is the true bass.

Percussion -- The percussion family consists of instruments that are struck, or


hit, to produce sound. Some of these instruments can be tuned to a specific pitch; they are the kettledrums, or timpani, chimes, glockenspiel, marimbas, tubular bells, and xylophones. Indefinite-pitch instruments include the rest of the drum family, castanets, cymbals, gongs, tambourines, triangles, and many others. The percussion instruments have changed in recent years because some contemporary compositions require exotic instruments beyond the scope of the percussionist’s collection. When unable to locate a comparable instrument, the percussionist will craft it from various media including metal, wood, or gourds! The percussion family gives rhythmic background and special tone color effects. This group is fun to watch as well as to listen to. The percussion family can be divided into another part or a fifth family, which is the keyboard instruments which have keyboards connected with a mechanism for producing tones. The harpsichord, piano, celesta, and organ are in this family. These next instruments make a sixth family. They are the accordion, concertina, harmonica, bagpipe, and ocarina. They produce a sound by various methods.

Facts in General -- Sound is caused when something moves back and forth in quivering motions called vibrations. When an object vibrates, it makes the surrounding air vibrate. When you listen to music you are hearing special kinds of vibrations made by instruments. The speed of the vibrations determines the sounds produced. A very slow vibration produces a low, deep sound while a quick vibration produces a high shrill sound. The lowness or highness of a sound is called pitch.

The instruments in the orchestra are built differently. The differences are in the size, the material of which they are made, and the manner in which they are played. The strings are the easiest examples of the principle that the larger the instrument the lower the sound, the smaller the instrument the higher the sound. Another example is the piccolo, which is half the length of the flute and is 2 octaves higher (15 notes). Each composition for the orchestra is scored (or written) for different instruments; therefore, you notice some players are not playing in all pieces. Orchestra members will leave the stage if they are not needed for an entire piece. The composer who writes the music determines the number of instruments needed. Musicians do not always play during the entire composition, but never think that musicians are just sitting idly. They are counting, 1 2 3 4, 2 2 3 4, 3 2 3 4, etc., so that they know the exact place in the music at all times.

Recognition of the instrument playing at any given time is easier during a live performance because you not only hear the instrument, but also can see it being played. There is also the added thrill of seeing the players at their work--the great body of violinists with arms and bows working in unison, the brass and woodwinds making their entrances with precision and clarity, and the conductor producing seeming magic by the slightest movements of the baton or hands.


A SAMPLE SCORE USED BY THE CONDUCTOR


THE SEATING ARRANGEMENT OF THE HUNTSVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The Orchestra may or may not be seated on stage according to the “Seating Arrangement” picture in the student booklet and in our Docent Manual. Our present conductor is experimenting with the placement of the instruments according to the piece performed. He is also considering the acoustics of our concert hall.

THE PLACEMENT OF THE INSTRUMENTS IS CHANGED BY THE CONDUCTOR ACCORDING TO THE MUSIC BEING PLAYED.


FACTS ABOUT THE HUNTSVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND ITS PLAYERS

The Huntsville Symphony Orchestra had its beginning in 1955 under Dr. Arthur Fraser, founding conductor. Forty players attended the first rehearsal. In 1959 Russell Gerhart became the first resident conductor. Upon his retirement in 1971, Dr. Marx Pales succeeded him. In 1989, Dr. Taavo Virkhaus became the conductor. From 2003 to 2011, Carlos Miguel Prieto was our conductor. In May of 2011, Gregory Vajda became the Huntsville Symphony’s newest conductor.

The conductor chooses the music to be played, chooses the musicians by audition each year, rehearses the orchestra, and conducts the orchestra during the actual performance. He/she has a “full score” in front of him/her, which contains all of the players’ parts. Sometimes he/she conducts without the score, which means the entire score has been memorized. The conductor leads by means of the baton, hand gestures, facial expressions, and body movements. The concertmaster (man or woman) is the first violinist whose duties include tuning the orchestra, marking the music for bowing for the strings, and being available to help other orchestra members interpret the conductor’s instructions. This position is obtained by audition.

The principle is the first chair orchestra member of each instrument section. The principle plays most of the solos or leads for his/her instrument section. The principle marks bowing and, if needed, writes in fingering and makes suggestions to other players to solve technical problems. Principles are chosen by audition in August before the concert season begins in September.

The players audition for their chair, or seating, in the orchestra. If there are 5 French horns, all 5 may or may not play the same notes; however, in the string section usually all of the players in one section (for an example, all cellos) play the same notes. Each orchestra piece is scored differently (for an example, some music is scored for less than 5 horns) so it is not unusual to see symphony players leave the stage and others return between pieces. There are several rehearsals before each classical concert. Absences are reported to the Symphony Manager.

The musicians come from all over Alabama and parts of Tennessee. Music is the full-time occupation for many of the orchestra members. Most of the musicians take lessons themselves during the year. There is an average of 82 players for a formal classical concert by the HSO. Usually there are 64 players at the Young People’s Concert.


The instruments for a Classical Concert are:

12 first violins 3 flutes, or 2 flutes, 1 piccolo9 second violins 2 oboes9 violas 2 clarinets9 cellos 2 bassoons7 string basses Sometimes an English horn,46 strings in all bass clarinet, and/or contrabassoonSometimes 1 harp, or 2 harps, 3 trumpets3 percussionists, and 1 timpani 3 trombonesAt times piano, celesta, harpsichord, 5 French hornsand organ are used 1 tuba

With the exceptions of the percussion, timpani, and keyboard instrument players, the musicians in our orchestra own their own instruments. The typical string instrument costs about $20,000 to $30,000. There is an additional expense of buying a bow, which can cost in the thousands of dollars range. The woodwinds and brass instruments range in price from about $4,000 to over $12,000. Some of the best bassoons cost about $20,000 or more. Good instruments can be found in the low thousands of dollars, but most instruments are quite expensive. Some concert artists have instruments that are valued in the million-dollar range.

A musician who plays a large instrument has an extra expense. He/she must own a vehicle into which the instrument will fit. When a harpist, cellist, or string bass player travels a great distance, he/she must buy a ticket for the instrument as well as himself/herself because the instrument is too delicate to travel in a baggage compartment.


MUSIC

When we snap our fingers, tap our feet, clap our hands, hum, or sing a tune, we are making music. When we turn on the radio, watch television, go shopping, go to a baseball or football game, we hear music. We hear music every day and the music can make us feel many different ways.

Music has been called a language of emotions, for music (like language) aims to communicate meaning. It has a grammar, syntax, rhetoric, but it is a different kind of language. Words are concrete; tone is fluid and intangible. A word taken by itself has a fixed meaning; a tone in music assumes meaning only when it is in association with other tones. Words convey specific ideas; music suggests elusive states of mind. It will heighten our perception if we know something about the elements of which music is composed. How do composers go about organizing tones into patterns or forms?

1. MELODYMelody is that part of music which has the most direct appeal. This is the part of music that we remember and whistle and hum. A melody is a succession of tones which has a particular arrangement. There are just 12 different tones and 7 alphabet letter names with which to work when composing music. We hear the words of a sentence in relation to the thought as a whole. So we hear melody tones in a relationship with each other within a pattern. Tones move up and down --- they may skip, step, or repeat. They may move faster or slower in time. This interaction of musical space and time emerges as the total unit which is melody. The musical line guides our ear through a composition. Aaron Copland said, "The melody is generally what the piece is about."

2. HARMONYThe tones that are not melody are classified as harmony. Melodies are usually heard against a background of supporting tones which adds another dimension --- depth. It gives richness and color along with weight and body to the musical sound. Harmony is to music what perspective is to painting. It clarifies direction and creates meaning. An example would be a singer and an accompanist.

3. RHYTHM and METERRhythm organizes and regulates the duration of the tones. Rhythm is the element of music closely allied to body movement, to physical action. Rhythm has been called the heartbeat of music. We hear rhythm in regular pulsations of strong and weak beats. Tones are rhythm in regular pulsations of strong and weak beats. Tones are organized into a pattern of musical time. Examples would be: MY coun try 'TIS of thee = One two three, One two three (meter) andTWIN kle TWIN kle LIT tle STAR = One two, One two, One two, One two (meter).


4. TEMPOThe flow of music in time involves three matters: meter, which organizes musical time into measures; rhythm, which organizes time values within the measure; and tempo, which determines the speed of the beats, their duration in actual time. We respond to musical tempo physically and psychologically. Our pulse, our breathing, our entire body adjusts to the rate of movement in music. Composers use Italian words to indicate the pace. Largo, Lento, and Adagio are rather slow. Moderato and Andante (ahn DON tay) are at a walking pace, while Allegretto, Allegro and Presto are quite fast. These are only a few of the words that are used to indicate a rate of speed as well as a mood. An example of this would be -- a lullaby to put a baby to sleep -- not a RAP song!

5. TIMBRE (rhymes with amber)This is the musical color. A tone produced by a trumpet will have a certain quality; the same tone on a violin will sound quite differently. The difference lies in the characteristic color (or timbre) of each instrument. An example might be our voices. Why can we recognize a certain person on the telephone? -- by the coloration of his/her voice. Amplification changes the sound or timbre of all instruments. During the last few years advances in technology have produced a wealth of electronic instruments and music written for them. The instruments in the symphony orchestra are classified as acoustic instruments. Acoustic instruments do not have power cords, nor are they amplified.

How these five essential elements of music are combined into a particular piece is a work of art. In the early 1700s orchestras probably had around 20 players; in the early 1800s there were 30 or so players; and in the modern orchestra there could be more than a hundred players.


STYLES OF “CLASSICAL” MUSIC(The 5 Periods of Music History)

1. The Baroque Style of music was from 1600-1750, which was a time of glittering royal courts in Europe. This music was often highly ornate and the melodies were ornamented with trills and other embellishments. It was also known for its use of counterpoint, which is the technique of interweaving two or more melodies together that imitate and support each other. During this time the men wore wigs and the colonization of America was taking place. Johann Sebastian Bach was the most famous of all of the Baroque composers.

2. The Classical Style of music was from 1750 to around 1830. In this period the American Revolution in 1776 and the French Revolution in 1789 were fought and Thomas Jefferson and Napoleon were two important political figures. The men still wore wigs and lace on formal occasions, the women curtsied and men bowed as they politely danced the minuet. Music of this period was elegant, balanced, proportioned, and melodic. These composers valued simplicity, thus avoiding the fancy ornamentation of the previous period. Three major composers of the classical period were Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.

3. The Romantic Style of music was from about 1830 -1910. Writers, composers, and artists used their imaginations to highlight their feelings and create their art based on legends, folk songs, and fanciful tales of romance. This was in stark contrast to the balanced, formal writing of the classical period. The instruments changed and they were capable of a much wider range of dynamics and beautiful color effects. This was a time of industrial growth in Europe and America; the United States fought the Civil War and Queen Victoria reigned over the British Empire. Important Romantic composers were Tchaikovsky, Schumann, Brahms, Liszt, and Chopin.

4. The Impressionistic Style was between the Romantic and Contemporary periods of musical history, around 1890 -1910. This music has much to do with color, imagination, rhythm, and whole tone and pentatonic scales. Two of the most important composers of this period were Ravel and Debussy.

5. The Contemporary Style of music extends from 1900 to the present time. It was the time of World War I, World War II, the development of the automobile, the telephone, putting man on the moon, and the computer. The music is wide and varied. Characteristics include dissonant harmonies, exciting rhythms, and a wide range of dynamics. Composers experimented with different harmonies, complex rhythms, percussive effects, and abrupt changes of mood. Some major composers of this time were Bartok, Gershwin, Ives, Stravinsky, and Copland.


Popular Music includes folk music, jazz, rock, country, and music written for musicals and motion pictures. Another classification of music is the sacred or church music. Secular or popular music is generally much simpler than classical music and few popular songs keep their appeal for many years. The music that J. S. Bach wrote has survived over 300 years and is played often by young musicians as well as by symphony orchestras. Jazz became popular around 1900 and is an important contribution from America. Technology has created electronic equipment that can imitate sounds from traditional instruments such as the violin, saxophone, organ, symphony orchestra, steel drums, and many other combinations. The General MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) chart of sounds numbers 128 different instruments. In today’s musical world the acoustic and electronic instruments are used together according to the composers wishes.


WHY TEACH MUSIC?I. Music Is Science

It is exact, specific, and it demands exact acoustics. A conductor's full score is a chart, a graph which indicates frequencies, intensities, volume changes, melody, and harmony all at once and with the exact control of time.

II. Music Is MathematicalIt is rhythmically based on the subdivisions of time into fractions, which must be

done instantaneously, not worked out on paper, and often in multiple combinations simultaneously.

III. Music Is A Foreign LanguageMost of the terms are in Italian, German, or French. The notation is certainly not

in English, but a highly developed kind of shorthand that uses symbols to represent ideas. The semantics of music is the most complete and universal language.

IV. Music Is HistoryMusic usually reflects the environment and times of its creation and often even

the country and/or racial feelings.

V. Music Develops Insight and Demands ResearchPatterns are analyzed, similarities and differences identified, and style and period

characteristics observed.

VI. Music Is Physical EducationIt requires fantastic coordination of fingers, hands, arms, feet, lips, cheeks, and

facial muscles, in addition to extraordinary control of the diaphragmatic, back, stomach, and chest muscles, which respond instantly to the sound the ear hears and the mind interprets.

VII. Music Is All These Things -- but most of all, Music Is ArtIt allows a human being to take all these dry, technically boring (but difficult)

techniques, and use them to create emotion. That is one thing science cannot duplicate: humanism, feeling, and emotion -- call it what you will.

THIS IS WHY WE TEACH MUSIC!Not because we expect you to major in music...Not because we expect you to play or sing music all your life...Not only so you can relax or just have fun...BUT ...so you will be human

...so you will recognize beauty

...so you will be sensitive

...so you will have something to retain for enrichment

...so you will have more love, more compassion, more gentleness...in short, more LIFE! Of what value will it be to make a prosperous living unless you know how to live?Reprinted by permission and this may explain why we volunteer as docents!


WHY WE TARGET THE 4TH GRADE

Copyright 1997, USA TODAY. Reprinted with Permission.


THE PROGRAM

The program may change each year. A paragraph will be written about each piece to be performed at the Young People's Concert and this information will be in the student booklet.

PROGRAM NOTES will include:

1. The name of the piece.a. When was it written?b. Why was it written? Perhaps for a certain occasion?c. What is it about?d. Does it tell a story?e. What is the form or structure?f. What is the mood or character (happy, sad, majestic)?

2. The name of the composer, the person who wrote the piece of music.a. When did he/she live?b. Where did he/she live?c. A biographical sketch relating this time period to an

historical event (perhaps this composer livedduring George Washington's presidency, etc).

3. The Young Artist Winners – Biographical Informationa. Ageb. Schoolc. Teacherd. Length of studye. Number of instruments playedf. Honors and activities

* Pronunciation guidelines for the Composers and the Music will be included.


THE COST (FOR YOUR INFORMATION)

The Young People's Concerts are presented for city and county students at great cost to the Orchestra Association. The Von Braun Center has to be rented for the performances and rehearsals, the music from which the players play must be rented, and the players and conductor have to be paid. The musicians are paid for each individual rehearsal and performance. The number of players and the number of instruments vary with each piece of music. The cost of hiring these musicians is around $20,000 for each concert. Certain pieces require more instruments; therefore, the cost will be more. In addition the concert hall must be rented and security personnel must be hired for each rehearsal and concert. These expenses round out to about $30,000 to put on this concert for fourth graders. {Dues are paid to the composers' union, ASCAP, and the broadcasters union, BMI, yearly. These dues pay for the right to use the music played and are based on a percentage of the orchestra's annual budget. A program of every one of the orchestra’s concerts is sent to ASCAP.}

Musical scores are expensive to rent. Although our orchestra owns some orchestral scores, it is more practical to rent them. All music written in modern times has been copyrighted. The first copyright law in the United States was enacted in 1790. There are now international copyright laws. Copyright laws are complicated. The United States has passed several laws since 1950 that change the length of a copyright. Currently, a creator holding a copyright as of January 1, 1978 has the copyright for life plus fifty years.

To play a Beethoven or Mozart work will cost about $1,000 for rental of the musical score, but to play a popular piece written recently would cost several thousand dollars for rental of the music alone.

Another factor is the VOLUNTEER time. This time is unpaid and given freely by people who love music. Volunteers serve as docents and ushers. Other volunteer efforts produce the student booklets, compile the docents' manuals, coordinate the Young Artists Audition, sponsor the art contest for the student booklets, and handle publicity donated by local radio, TV, and newspapers. More than 700 volunteer hours are required for these activities to support the Young People's Concerts. The list below is an estimate by category of this volunteer time.

Preparation of Docent Manual 30 hoursYoung Artist Audition Time 20 hoursPreparation for Orientation 80 hoursOrientation Meeting 40-45 people x 2 hours 90 hoursTrip to school -- 1 ½ hours for 1 lecture

2 ½ hours for 2 lectures at 1 school 110 hoursPreparation to lecture in school

4 hours per lecturer 160 hoursUshers at concerts, 30 for 8 hours 240 hoursTOTAL-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------730 HOURS


THE YOUNG ARTISTS AUDITION

This event is scheduled for a Saturday in the Fall before the concert. Music students who live in this area and are of elementary through high school age are eligible to enter this audition. A movement from a concerto is committed to memory and performed for qualified judges. A concerto is a piece of music written for a solo instrument and the symphony orchestra. Each contestant is responsible for securing his/her accompanist and extra scores are given to the judges for this audition.

An application form and a list of rules is available at www.hso.org (click on YAA link) or by calling the Huntsville Symphony Office at 256.539.4818. There is a listing of approved repertoire from which to choose the audition piece. If the piece is not on this list, the Symphony Conductor must approve the piece before the audition. The pieces performed are usually between 6 and 12 minutes in length.

Out of town judges choose several Finalists at this audition. These students perform at a Winners’ Recital soon after the audition. The Winners, who will perform at the Young Peoples Concert, are chosen by the conductor and other judges.

The main prize is the honor of performing with an orchestra instead of performing with a piano accompanist who plays an orchestral reduction. Each Finalist receives a cash award at the Winners’ Recital and the Young Artist Winners receive yet another cash award at the Young Peoples Concert.


http://www.hso.org/

CONCERTO

The Huntsville Symphony Orchestra's Young Artist Winners perform a movement of a concerto at the Young People's Concert. The information about the concerti (concerto is singular and concerti is plural) to be performed is provided in the Program Notes and is an insert in this docent manual.

The concerto is a large-scale work in several movements for solo instrument and orchestra. The attention is focused upon the solo performer. Most concerti are in three movements, but our Young Artists will play only one movement, which will last approximately 6 -12 minutes. There is usually an introduction by the orchestra, followed by the soloist playing alone, and then there are times when the soloist and the orchestra play separately and together.

The form is usually called a Sonata-allegro form which has certain elements: Exposition, Development, and Recapitulation, followed by a Cadenza (a solo passage without the orchestra) which is the opportunity for the soloist to "show off ” his/her technical virtuosity. This cadenza should sound improvised and spontaneous. There may be trills (two fast repeated notes -- ededededcdc), arpeggios (broken chords), and fast passagework. The cadenza is written for the end of the piece in a Classical concerto. In some Romantic and/or Contemporary concerti the cadenza could be in the middle or at the end of the piece. The orchestra usually concludes the piece with a short closing statement. A cadenza can be written for any instrument -- harmonica, drum, harp, oboe. If a particular orchestra player gets to play a solo in the middle of a large work -- that is a cadenza!

We might compare a concerto to a book -- it has a beginning, a plot, development of the plot, and a conclusion with a purpose to us the reader. Music is written in phrases, paragraphs, and sections. Composers agonize over their writing by writing, re-writing, editing, and finally, after much hard work, they produce a finished, completed piece.


VOCABULARY

APPLAUSE - handclapping by people expressing approvalAUDIENCE - the people who attend a concert to listen and enjoyAUDITION - a trial performance to test the ability of the prospective performerBATON - the stick used by the conductor to direct the ensembleBOW (rhymes with no) – a piece of wood with horsehair stretched between its

ends used for playing the violin, viola, cello, and string bass BOW (rhymes with now) - bending the body and head in greeting the audienceCACOPHONY - harsh, discordant sounds CADENZA (kuh DEN za) - a solo passage in the style of a brilliant improvisation,

giving the performer an opportunity to exhibit technical skillCELESTA (che LES ta) - a keyboard instrument resembling a small upright

piano, with the hammers striking small steel barsCODA - the concluding passage to heighten the impression of finalityCOMPOSER - the person who writes the musicCONCERTMASTER - the first violinistCONDUCTOR - the person who directs the orchestraCOUNTERPOINT - music consisting of two or more melodies sounding

simultaneouslyCRESCENDO (cre SHIN dough) - gradually getting louderCUE - a signal from the conductor to the orchestra to do somethingDIMINUENDO (dee min u EN dough) - gradually getting softerDYNAMICS - louds and softs in music indicated in Italian words by the composerFAMILIES OF INSTRUMENTS

Brass = French horns, trumpets, tuba, trombonePercussion = timpani (TEMP uh nee), bass drum, snare drum, cymbals,

chimes, piano, harp, celesta, triangleStrings = violins, violas (vee OH las), cellos (CHEL los), string basses, or

double bassesWoodwinds = flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons

FIRST CHAIR - the principle of that group of instrumentsFORTE (FOR tay) - a dynamic indication for loudHARMONY - a vertical succession of musical tonesMELODY - a horizontal succession of musical tonesMOVEMENT - a general term for single pieces forming part of a whole

(such as a Symphony has 3 or 4 movements, or parts) whichmay be played separately or all together

OPERA - a drama or play in which the text is sung rather than spokenORCHESTRA - a large ensemble of instrumentalistsPIANO - a dynamic indication for soft, or quiet (also a keyboard instrument)PITCH - the high-low quality of a musical sound, which is determined by the

number of vibrations per second ... USA standard concert A is 440 vibrations per second for the A above middle C

PIZZACATO (pits uh KAH toe) - plucking a string instrument with the fingers


PODIUM - the platform where the conductor stands to conductRHYTHM - everything pertaining to the duration of sound (long - short)RITARDANDO (ree tar DAHN dough) - gradually get slowerRONDO - a musical form used for the last movement of sonatas and

symphonies, which is A B A C A, and usually played quite fastSCORE - the written music, includes parts for all instrumentsSOLO - any performance for one person aloneSYMPHONY - a long musical composition for a full orchestraTEMPO - the rate of speedTEXTURE - the combination of the horizontal and vertical relationship of tones,

a comparison would be to woven fabric (thick - thin)TIMBRE (rhymes with amber) - tone color (compare the sound of a flute to a

violin)VIBRATO (vuh BRA toe) - a shaking motion to create a minute fluctuation of

pitch


GAMES

These are suggestions of activities to use during the presentation to the students. Use your own discretion as to what you'll use and how you want to present it.

There are 2 copies of the game Instrument Bingo, which are owned by the HSOG, and these games may be checked out at the Orientation meeting.

Be a CONDUCTOR!

Listen to several kinds of music -- a waltz, a march, a slow atmospheric selection, and/or a percussive, rhythmic piece. Discuss the different moods and emotions expressed. Ask the students to clap the strong beat and snap the weaker beats. An example would be a waltz -- clap, snap, snap, for strong, weak, weak. Students can learn about the downbeat -- a strong downward motion with the arm, an upward motion for weaker beats. You might want to discuss down beats and up beats. An example would be: "My Country 'Tis Of Thee" and "Jingle Bells" -- these pieces begin on a definite down beat; "The Star Spangled Banner" -- this piece begins on an up beat, as does the song, "Happy Birthday."

MY coun try TIS of thee SWEET land of LIB er ty

JIN gle bells JIN gle bells JIN gle all the WAY

Hap py BIRTH day to YOU Hap py BIRTH day to YOU

O--Oh SAY can you SEE by the DAWN'S early LIGHT

INSTRUMENT IDENTIFICATION

A cassette tape recorder is necessary for this activity. Instrument Bingo can be played without the "bingo cards" by asking the students to raise their hands when they think they can identify the instrument being played. Play an example -- stop the tape -- call on a student for the answer, or divide the class into 2 groups or teams and keep score as to which team can come up with the most correct answers. Possibly, take a box of "stickers" for the winning team to select one as they leave for their "prize." With small groups play the "bingo" game and the first one to win receives a prize.


INSTRUMENT MIX-UP

Write the letter of the instrument on the line after the mixed-up word that matches it.

Answers

1. utriga _____ A. violin 1. D

2. aponi _____B. piano 2. B

3. lolce _____C. oboe 3. K

4. copolci _____D. guitar 4. O

5. teful _____E. harp 5. H

6. nivoli _____F. organ 6. A

7. shicem _____G. viola 7. J

8. slebl _____H. flute 8. L

9. eboo _____I. tuba 9. C

10. momtot _____J. chimes 10. M

11. grano _____K. cello 11. F

12. remtupt _____L. bells 12. N

13. ovial _____M. tom tom 13. G

14. prah _____N. trumpet 14. E

15. batu _____O. piccolo 15. I

ANOTHER IDEA FOR A GAME – Fill drinking glasses with different levels of water and tap them with a pencil. Do you hear the different notes (tones)?


TRUE or FALSE

_____1. Instruments produce different sounds because they are built differently.

_____2. There are two main families of instruments in the orchestra.

_____3. Pitch is the lowness or highness caused by vibrations.

_____4. Sounds made by instruments are caused by vibrations.

_____5. The size of an instrument affects its sound.

_____6. All instruments are played in the same way.

_____7. Each instrument has its own musical sound.

_____8. All instruments produce the same pitch.

_____9. Slow vibrations produce high sounds.

_____10. The kettle drum or timpani can be tuned.

PLACE THE LETTER OF THE CORRECT FAMILY OF INSTRUMENTS IN THEBLANK BEFORE THE STATEMENT THAT DESCRIBES IT. Some letters may be used more than once.

A. strings B. woodwinds C. brass D. percussion

_____1. Produce sound by blowing air into them.

_____2. Are made of metal.

_____3. Produce sound by plucking

_____4. May be made of plastic.

_____5. Produce sound by hitting

_____6. Were all made of wood at one time.

_____7. Produce sound by scraping.

This could be done after attending the Young People’s Concert.


ARRANGE THE FOLLOWING PHRASES IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY HAPPEN. Write the correct number in each blank.

_____a. The concertmaster signals the orchestra to tune.

_____b. The audience applauds.

_____c. The conductor raises his baton.

_____d. Musicians respond.

_____e. The conductor bows.

_____f. The orchestra tunes.

_____g. The hall is filled with music.

_____h. Music lovers arrive at the concert hall.

_____i. The oboe player sounds concert A.

_____j. The conductor steps onto the podium.

_____k. The conductor brings his arm down.

_____l. The musicians wait for the conductor.

_____m. The people are shown to their seats.

_____n. The musicians warm up.


ANSWER SHEET FOR DOCENTS

True or False (page 31)

1. True2. False3. True4. True5. True6. False7. True8. False9. False10. True

Place the letter of the correct family of instruments in the blank …(page 31)

1. B and C2. B and C3. A4. B5. D6. B7. A

Arrange the following phrases in order – after the concert…(page 32)

a. 4b. 13c. 9d. 10e. 14f. 6g. 11h. 1i. 5j. 8k. 12l. 7m. 2n. 3

.


THE ART CONTEST FOR THE STUDENT BOOKLET

Each year a contest is held to select art work to be included in the student booklet which is given to each fourth grader and each fourth grade teacher when the docent goes to the school.

The First Placed Winner’s artwork appears on the cover of the student booklets. The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th place winners’ artwork is on the inside pages of the student booklet. Four honorable mention winners are selected also.

In the Fall the HSOG's Education Committee sends information on the Young People's Concerts and the art contest to the schools that are invited to the concert. This information is distributed by the elementary school principals to the fourth grade teachers.

All fourth grade students are eligible to enter. They are asked to render a drawing depicting a symphony orchestra or a drawing with a musical theme. Each entry must be drawn in black on an 8½”x11" sheet of white paper.

The deadline for entries is stated in the information given to the fourth grade teachers. Winners are notified through the heads of instruction and the principals. The entries are not returned. Art winners are recognized and given rewards at the concert.


USHERS AT YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONCERT

The Symphony Guild provides approximately 30 ushers for each of the Young People's Concerts. The Ushers guide the students to and from the Concert Hall of the VBC.

Ushers are hostesses. They are the "front line." They are patient and cheerful with each group. They elicit enthusiasm for and add graciousness to the concert. It is important to set an example during the concert of listening carefully to the concert.

Before the concert VBC security goes over emergency procedures. The ushers remain on duty at portal doors during the Young People's Concerts. As a bonus for those who volunteer to usher for both concerts on one day, lunch is provided by the Guild to those ushers.

HSOG'S INSTRUMENT COLLECTION

The Symphony Guild has a collection of instruments used in symphonic music. The purpose of this collection is to give children a hands-on experience with symphonic musical instruments.

The slogan for this collection is "Strike or Blow...Pluck or Bow." All four families of instruments are well represented.

Check with HSOG Instrument Collection Chairman about using these instruments.

The instrument collection was started in 1986 by donations and was first used at Panoply in 1987. This has been a star attraction at Panoply each year. There is great demand for making a sound on every one of these instruments. This creates a need for many volunteers, so all who wish may "Strike or Blow...Pluck or Bow."


Documents

DOCENT MANUALDOCENT MANUAL Property of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild Compiled in 1992 for the Education Committee of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild by Lu Downey