Mary Elizabeth Hannah

Children’s Concerts

Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra And Conductor Kirk Muspratt Present

October 15, 2009 • 9:15 & 10:45 am Star Plaza Theatre

The Building of an Orchestra

Mary Elizabeth Hannah Children’s Concerts

Presented by

Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra

Kirk Muspratt, Music Director and Conductor

Star Plaza Theatre Merrillville, Indiana

Thursday, October 15, 2009 9:15 and 10:45 a.m.

“The Building of an Orchestra”

Tchaikovsky “1812” Overture Bach Concerto in D Minor for Two Violins, First Movement Bailey Wantuch and Jessica Bouma, violinists Mozart Symphony No. 29 in A major, K. 201, Fourth Movement Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67, Fourth Movement Copland Fanfare for the Common Man Joplin/Schuller The Maple Leaf Rag Gardel/Neufeld Por Una Cabeza Williams Suite from Jaws

The Shark Cage Fugue Out to Sea Stafford Smith The Star-Spangled Banner

This concert is generously sponsored in part by:

NiSource Charitable Foundation

Community Healthcare System

The Dean & Barbara White Family Foundation, Inc.

Star Plaza Theatre

Kappa Kappa Kappa, Inc., Beta Rho Chapter

Mr. & Mrs. Glenn C. Hannah in honor of Mary Elizabeth Hannah

.

August 2009 Dear Educators: Welcome to “The Building of an Orchestra!” During this program, stu-dents will learn to recognize a variety of instruments by appearance and sound. They will also learn how contemporary composers used the orchestra to create new dynamic musical expressions. This will be accomplished by showing the growth of the orchestra through historical periods. Since educa-tors are often asked to teach “across the curriculum,” this packet contains ac-tivities that will help you meet some of the Indiana State Standards for music, art, language arts, social studies, math, and science. These lesson plans help students understand the relationship among music, art, and other subject areas. Inside this packet, you will find: 1. Concert Guidelines; 2. Information about the history of music and orchestras, together with orches-

tra seating charts for the different musical periods; 3. Information about the composers, program notes, and suggested activities; 4. A compact disc containing recordings of the program music; 5. Information about the orchestra, the conductor, and the concertmaster;

and 6. A Concert Survey. We hope that this information will prove useful and that you and your stu-dents will have a wonderful concert experience. Please be sure to let us know what you think by completing the survey and returning it to us. Thank you for sharing your students with us! Sincerely, Leane English Cerven Education Coordinator

Concert Guidelines Please Read!

1. It is so helpful if you reserve time before each concert to:

A. Permit the students to listen to the compact disc provided of the music they will be hearing at the concert. B. Encourage discussion of the instruments they hear in the recordings and the instrument families of the orchestra they will see on stage. C. Invite discussion concerning their visit to the Star Plaza Theatre and concert etiquette. Loud, continuous talking or extreme restlessness is dis-turbing to neighbors, to the conductor, and to the musicians on stage. A discussion of appropriate listening behavior helps to satisfy Standards 6 and 8 of the Indiana Standards for Music Education (See, e.g., 3.6.6, 4.6.7, 5.8.4, and 6.8.4).

2. Upon arrival, follow the directions of the ushers. Students are seated by arrival. No seats are reserved. 3. All students should be in their seats at least 5 minutes before the down-beat. It is very important to start exactly on time. 4. No food of any kind, including chewing gum, is permitted in the theatre. 5. The use of cameras and tape recorders is strictly prohibited. 6. Concerts last about 50 minutes. We strongly urge that students, teachers, and chaperones remain in their seats for the entire concert. 7. Restrooms are located in the lobby of the theatre. Because of the large numbers of students who attend each concert, these areas can become con-gested, especially between concerts. Please allow time for your students to visit the restroom before boarding the bus to come to the concert. If a student must visit the restroom during the concert, it is recommended that a teacher accompany him or her. 8. After the concert, all students will follow the directions of the ushers to exit the theatre. 9. Be sure your buses are marked for speedy identification.

The Building of an Orchestra The orchestra’s size has changed throughout history. It has grown larger to become the size it is today. Tracing its growth through the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern periods will help explain the size and composition of today’s symphony or-chestras. Have students compare and contrast the music of each period. (Music Stan-dard 7)

Baroque Period (1600-1750)

During the Baroque Period, composers wrote polyphonic music, which means several tunes that fit together. At the same time, a new style of European music emerged that had one main tune. Bass and harmony parts accompanied this main tune. The size of a Baroque orchestra depended on the instruments available. Because of its bright tone, the violins usually played the tune. A cello, double bass or bassoon played the bass part. A harpsichord usually played the harmony parts. The orchestra might also have flutes, oboes, trumpets, and violas. Example of Baroque polyphony and decoration: J. S. Bach, Concerto in D Minor for Two Violins, BWV 1043, First Movement (Listen to Track 2 on the compact disc.)

Classical Period (1750-1825)

With the rise of a larger and more prosperous middle class, more people became in-terested in music and would pay to attend public concerts. More people also wanted to learn how to play instruments themselves. Musicians were able to make a living per-forming and teaching music. Composers developed a new musical form called the “symphony.” This is a long work in three or four parts or movements for an orchestra. The orchestra of this period was divided into three sections: strings, woodwinds, and brass. The only percussion instruments were the timpani. The harpsichord was no longer used. The string section was divided into the same sections as our current day orchestra: Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, and Double Bass. The brass section, however, was quite different. The brass section included: 2 French horns, 2 Trumpets, and Timpani. Today, the Timpani is a member of the percussion family. Because the orchestra grew to be-tween 25 to 40 musicians, a conductor was needed to lead the orchestra. Examples of Classical Period symphonies: W.A. Mozart, Symphony No. 29 in A major, K. 201, Fourth Movement (Listen to Track 3 on the compact disc.) L. van Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67, Fourth Movement (Listen to Track 4 on the compact disc.)

Romantic Period (1825-1900)

During the Romantic period, composers began to use music to express feelings and tell stories. Music that tells a story or paints a picture is called “program” music. At the same time, some composers wanted to express a national identity, borrowing folk rhythms, harmonies, and tunes to give their music a flavor of their native countries. New and improved instruments helped the composers achieve more contrasts in tone and volume. The piano was given an iron frame which gave it a louder, fuller sound. The addition of valves improved the range and tone of brass instruments, and more keys gave woodwind instruments more range and volume. Harps, the percussion sec-tion, piccolos, and trombones were added to the orchestra at this time. Examples of music from the Romantic Period are: P. Tchaikovsky, “1812” Overture (Listen to Track 1 on the compact disc.) J. Stafford Smith, The Star-Spangled Banner Lyrics by Francis Scott Key (Listen to Track10 on the compact disc.)

Modern Period (1900-the Present)

After the Romantic Period, composers began to experiment with new ways of using key, chords, rhythms, and harmonies. Modern day instruments and large orchestras help composers achieve the effects they are looking for with their music. The orches-tra of today has four families of instruments: strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Although the size of the orchestra changes depending upon the piece it is performing, the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra typically uses 67 musicians. There are: 10 Violin I, 8 Violin II, 8 Violas, 8 Cellos, 6 Basses; 3 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bas-soons, 1 Contrabassoon; 4 French Horns, 3 Trumpets, 3 Trombones, 1 Tuba; 1 Timpani, 3 Percussionists;1 Keyboard/piano; and 1 Harp. Examples of music from the Modern Period are: A. Copland, Fanfare for the Common Man (Listen to Track 5 on the compact disc.) S. Joplin, The Maple Leaf Rag (Listen to Track 6 on the compact disc.) C. Gardel/Neufeld, Por Una Cabeza (Listen to Track 7 on the compact disc.) J. Williams, Suite from Jaws, The Shark Cage Fugue and Out to Sea (Listen to Tracks 8 & 9 on the compact disc.)

See the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s website at www.dsokids.com for copies of orchestra seating charts from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern Periods. Once on the website, click on the “Visit the Symphony” link, then go to orchestra seating charts.

“1812” Overture Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Russian (1840-1893). The Romantic Period

About the Composer Tchaikovsky was the son of a Russian mining engineer and a French mother. Tchaikovsky studied the piano as a child, and eventually went on to study at the St. Petersburg Con-servatory. He graduated with a silver medal and went on to teach at the Moscow Con-servatory. In addition to teaching and com-posing, Tchaikovsky also was a music critic for the Moscow newspapers and travelled around Europe. In 1891, he travelled to the United States to conduct concerts of his works. He died in 1893 of cholera. Tchaikovsky is perhaps best known for his ballets, Swan Lake and The Nutcracker.

About the Music An overture is a short piece for an orchestra. Overtures were performed before an event to put the audience in the right mood. The “1812” Overture is also an example of program music because it tells a story. Tchaikovsky wrote the “1812” Overture to mark the 1882 Moscow Exhibition, and specifically the con-secration of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior which was built there to give thanks for the Russian victory during the Napoleonic Wars. The “1812” Overture includes strains of the French national anthem “La Marseillaise” and the old Russian national anthem “God Save the Czar.” Interestingly enough, the “1812” Overture has become an American tradition and is often performed at Fourth of July celebrations. In 1974, Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops per-formed the overture with fireworks, real cannons, and a coordinated steeple-bell choir. From then on, Americans associated the piece with “bombs burst-ing in air” and American patriotism. Suggested Activity (Music and Social Studies) Listen to the “1812” Overture. Have students discuss how the music might con-jure up feelings of patriotism. What instruments and dynamics create patriotic energy and tone color? Talk about other examples of music that relate to his-torical events or celebrations. (Music Standard 9 and Social Studies Standard 1)

Suggested Activities (Music) 1. Listen to the Bach Double on track 2 of the compact disc. Try to pick out the tune that each violin is playing. See if you can pick out the string parts other than the tune. Everything fits together perfectly. When different parts fit together harmoniously like a puzzle, it is called counterpoint. Discuss what instru-ments the students hear. 2. In a Baroque orchestra, the harmony parts were usually performed by a harpsichord. Go to www.extropygroup.com. You can click on links for a harp-sichord, a piano, a pipe organ, and a synthesizer and compare the sounds of each instrument. Discuss how each instrument would change how the piece sounds. (Music Standard 6)

Concerto in D Minor for Two Violins, BWV 1043, First Movement Johann Sebastian Bach, German (1685-1750) The Baroque Period

About the Composer Bach was born into one of the most extraordi-nary musical families of all time. For more than 200 years, the Bach family produced dozens of worthy performers and composers. Bach never left Germany. He worked in churches and chapels as well as royal courts. At the age of 10, Bach was orphaned and went to live with his oldest brother. This allowed him to hear the work of the great South German composers of the day. At the age of 14, Bach was awarded a choral scholarship at the pres-tigious St. Michael’s School near Hamburg. This exposed Bach to music from many areas of Europe. In 1703, shortly after graduating, he became a court musician in the chapel of Duke Johann Ernst in Weimar. Later that year he accepted the job of organist. During his lifetime, Bach was better known for his skills as an organist than he was as a composer.

About the Music A concerto is a piece of music in three movements that is written for a soloist and or-chestra. A concerto shows off a soloist’s skill. In the Bach Double Violin Concerto, there are two soloists. The music is characterized by the subtle yet expressive relationship be-tween the two violins through-out the piece.

Young Artists

Bailey Wantuch and Jessica Bouma are the violin so-loists who will be performing the Bach Double Violin Concerto at the concerts. Bailey is a 2009 Young People’s Competition winner and a member of the Northwest Indiana Symphony Youth Orchestra. Jes-sica is the Concertmaster of the Youth Orchestra and a past winner of the Young People’s Competition.

Bailey Wantuch Bailey is 14 years old and a Freshman at Lowell High School. She lives in Cedar Lake, Indiana along with her parents, brother, and grandma. Bailey has played the violin for 9-1/2 years, and she stud-ies with Kamen Vatchev. She has been a member of the Youth Or-chestra for three years and currently is the principal of the second violin section. Bailey hopes to have a job in the musical community when she grows up.

Jessica Bouma Jessica is a Junior at Lake Central High School. She has been play-ing the violin for 11-1/2 years, and studies with Kamen Vatchev. She is concertmaster of the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra Youth Orchestra and plays in the Prima String Quartet. Along with the violin, Jessica also plays the oboe, flute, piano, and sings. She is the Drum Major for Lake Central’s award winning Tribe of Pride Marching Band and principal oboist in the Wind Ensemble. She en-joys swimming for her school’s team, reading, writing poetry and music, and spending time with her friends and family.

About the Music Composers used the symphony musical form to develop and express ideas on a large scale, contrasting different instrument groups. Symphony No. 29 follows the classical symphony form of four movements: 1. Allegro Moderato, 2/2 meter; 2. Andante, 2/4 meter; 3. Menuetto: Allegretto-Trio, 3/4 meter; and 4. Allegro con spirito, 6/8 meter. The first and last movements have a fast tempo. The second movement is slow and the third movement is in the form of a minuet (a dance form). You will hear an excerpt from the last movement. The last movement is energetic and connects back to the main theme in the first movement. It is in sonata form, which means it has contrasting sections. Suggested Activities (Music and Math) (Music Standards 6 & 8 and Math Standard 1) 1. The tempo marking for the Fourth Movement is “allegro con spirito.” This is Italian

for “lively with spirit.” An allegro tempo is usually fast, or around 120 beats per min-ute. Introduce students to the metronome and show them how it works. Write sev-eral tempo markings on the board and demonstrate the metronome speed of each. Choose a simple song, such as “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” (written by Mo-zart) and have the students sing it at different tempos or different metronome speeds.

2. Rhythmic notation in music is “proportional.” This means that we determine the time value of any note by comparing it proportionally to the time value of another note. For example, if a “whole note” = 4 beats, then a “half note” = 2 beats, and a “quarter note” = 1 beat. Make the connection between fractions and proportional notation: “Four quarters of a pie = one whole pie.” (4/4 = 1; 2/2= 1; If 1= 4 beats, then 1/2 of 1 = 2 beats.)

Symphony No. 29 in A Major K 201, Fourth Movement Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Austrian (1756-1791) The Classical Period

About the Composer Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria. His father was a violinist and a composer. Mozart was a prodigy, a child with extraordinary talents for his age. He began playing the pi-ano at age 4 and composed his first pieces when he was 5. At age 7, he could sight read a violin part perfectly even though no one had taught him how to play the violin. To earn money, Mozart’s father would have him and his sister play for nobility. Mozart travelled all over Europe and to London to perform. At age 26, Mozart married Con-stanze Weber and they had six children, but only two lived. Although Mozart was well paid for his work, he and Constanze had an expensive lifestyle and were always short of money. Mozart died of rheumatic fever at the age of 35.

About the Music Beethoven bridged the gap between the Classical Period and the Romantic Period. He was greatly influenced by the events of the French Revolution, and his music reflects this time of he-roes and great ideas; his music is full of power and emotion. Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is the most easily recog-nized; the four note motif of three short notes and one long note are famous around the world. The music starts out ominously in the first movement, mov-ing from a struggle to a triumph in the fourth movement. The four note motif repeats itself in all four movements. Suggested Activity (Language Arts) (Language Arts Standard 3) Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony uses repetition of the four note motif to bring emphasis and energy to the music. In poetry and prose, the use of rhythmic schemes and repe-tition of sounds, words and phrases also affect the sound and meaning of the piece. For example, in the story of “The Little Red Hen,” the dog, cat, and pig repeatedly say “Not I” when asked to help make the bread. Ask students to find other examples of repetition for emphasis in poetry, stories, or nursery rhymes. Also explore the use of repetition in the lyrics of children’s songs and games, such as “London Bridge” and “Red Rover.”

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67, Fourth Movement Ludwig van Beethoven, German (1770-1827) The Classical Period

About the Composer Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany in 1770. Ludwig was not a prodigy like Mo-zart, and spent long hours practicing the piano. By the time he was 27, however, he had given a successful concert tour and was unrivalled as a concert pianist. Unfortunately, he started to lose his hear-ing before he turned 30. This was a catas-trophe because it meant his career as a concert pianist was over. However, he continued to compose, and was the first composer to make a living without the support of a patron. Beethoven wrote nine symphonies. These symphonies are the repertoire of every modern orchestra and are the ultimate test for a conductor. Beethoven was very popular during his lifetime, and his funeral was attended by thousands of people.

Fanfare for the Common Man Aaron Copland, American (1900-1990) The Modern Period

About the Composer Aaron Copland was born in 1900 in Brooklyn, NY and died in 1990. He was the son of Russian-Jewish parents. He is considered by many to be the greatest American composer of the 20th Century. Copland dedicated himself to creat-ing a distinctly American sound. His music was influenced by jazz and Ameri-can pop as well as American folk music. Copland was not only a gifted com-poser, but also a skilled pianist and conductor.

About the Music A “fanfare” is a short, showy piece played on brass instruments, and designed to get your attention. This piece was composed in 1942 as part of a commission from Eugene Goossens, then conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. During World War II, Goossens wanted to have a patriotic fanfare to open each concert. A total of 10 fanfares were composed at Goossen’s request, but Copland’s is the only one that re-mains part of an orchestra’s standard repertoire. While most fanfares herald the arrival of royalty or dignitaries, Copland’s piece seems to celebrate the common man’s tri-umph over adversity. Fanfare for the Common Man has been used by rock bands, such as Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and it has been used as a theme for sporting events, such as at Soldier Field when the Chicago Bears’ defense takes the field or at the Olympics. Suggested Activities (Music & Art) (Music Standards 6, 7 & 9 and Art Standard 8) 1. Ask students to listen to the music. Have them identify the in-

struments they hear. The piece is scored for trumpets, French horns, trombones, tuba, timpani and percussion.

2. Ask students to analyze why Fanfare for the Common Man elicits a patriotic or triumphant mood. Why does the piece capture the audience’s attention?

3. Have students name other types of patriotic music. Does the music recount an historical event, celebrate a victory, mark a national holiday, or incite political change?

4. Listen to track 5 of the compact disc. Have students draw a picture depicting the music. What scene will they portray? What colors will they use? What kinds of lines? How will they decide?

The Maple Leaf Rag Scott Joplin, American (1867-1917) The Modern Period

About the Composer Scott Joplin was born in Texas, and is regarded as one of the three most impor-tant composers of classic ragtime, along with James Scott and Joseph Lamb. Joplin taught himself how to play the piano, and eventually took lessons from a German music teacher who taught him about the classical music form. By the late 1880s, Joplin left home to start a life of his own. He travelled around the Midwest performing with different groups. When not travelling, Joplin worked as a pianist in Sedalia, Missouri, playing at different events and social clubs, such as the Maple Leaf and Black 400 Clubs, both social clubs for black men. He also taught local young musicians. Late in 1898, he published his first of two piano rags, but the experience was unsatisfactory. The Maple Leaf Rag was published in 1899 by John Stark in Sedalia. Joplin was to receive a one cent royalty for every copy sold. Only about 400 copies were sold in the first year. However, by 1909, about a half million copies were sold and they continued to sell at that rate for the next two decades. Joplin had always had ambitions to be a classical musician. He wanted to be a composer for the lyric stage and continually worked to that end. He was a great believer in education. Joplin was one of the most sophisticated and tasteful ragtime composers of the era.

About the Music Ragtime music is characterized by syncopated or “ragged” rhythms. It is an Ameri-can musical genre that reached the peak of its popularity between 1897 and 1918. Ragtime began to fall out of favor as jazz music became more popular. Classical composers such as Debussy and Stravinsky were said to have been influenced by rag-time music. Suggested Activity (Music) ( Music Standards 5 & 6) 1. The most important part of The Maple Leaf Rag is the rhythm. Ragtime music is syn-

copated. In syncopated music, the first beat of the measure is not always ac-cented, and some times there is no note on the first beat! Instead, notes are some-times played between the beats. Try performing a syncopated rhythm: Count 1-2-3, 1-2-3, etc. After you are comfortable counting this way, add the word “and” in between each number: 1 & 2 & 3 &, 1 & 2 & 3 &, etc. Add a clap on the numbers. Now continue to count the same way (1 & 2 & 3 &, etc.), but clap on the “and” instead of the number.

2. Play simple syncopated rhythms and ask students to notate what they hear.

Por Una Cabeza Carlos Gardel, French (1890-1935) The Modern Period

About the Composer Gardel was born in Toulouse, France, and was christened by his single mother, Charles Romuald Gardes. In 1893, Gardel moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina with his mother. At around age 16, Gardel left school and became a singer in various coffee houses and restaurants. At first, he only sang folk songs, but eventually added tangos in 1916. He also learned to play the guitar. At some point, he changed his name from Gardes to Gardel. Due to his sonorous bari-tone voice and good looks, Gardel became very popular and was known the world over. Gardel became the first great singer of tango. His recording of “Mi Noche Triste” was the first recorded vocal tango and the public loved it. By 1923, Gardel and his singing partner Jose Razzano had travelled to Europe to perform, and by 1931 he had made a motion picture, Luces de Buenos Aires. Gardel died in 1935 in an airplane crash at the age of 44.

About the Music Tango is a style of music that originated among European immigrant popula-tions of Argentina and Uruguay. It is traditionally played by a sextet, known as an orquesta tipica, which includes two violins, piano, double bass, and two bandoneons. A bandoneon is a type of accordion. Tangos are well known as dances, however they may also include a vocalist. “Por Una Cabeza” is a popular tango song composed in 1935 by Gardel and Alfredo Le Pera. Gardel wrote the music and Le Pera wrote the lyrics to the song. The song talks about a horse track gambler who compares his obsession with horses to his attraction to women. The piece has often been featured in films, such as Scent of a Woman, True Lies, Schindler’s List, and Bad Santa.

Suggested Activities (Music & Language Arts) (Music Standard 6 and English/Language Arts Standard 5) 1. The form of “Por Una Cabeza” is A B A B C A B. Each letter represents a

separate theme or idea in the music, and each theme lasts for 16 measures. As you can see, each theme or idea repeats itself except for C theme. Have students listen to track 7 of the compact disc and identify where each theme begins and ends.

2. Poetry often has a form too. The cinquain is a five-line form that uses a sylla-

ble count of two-four-six-eight-two. Cinquains usually follow this organiza-tion:

Line 1: a one-word line, a noun, that gives the poem its title; Line 2: two adjectives that describes what the poem is about; Line 3: three action –ing verbs that describe something the subject of the poem does; Line 4: a phrase that indicates a feeling related to the subject of the poem; Line 5: a one-word line, a noun, that sums up what the poem is about, essentially renaming it. Here are some examples of a cinquain:

Sheepdog Gentle, shaggy

Ambling, rambling, shambling A rollicking hayrick of hair

Sadie

Dancing Gardel, Spanish

Walking, spinning, sliding Dancers lose themselves in the rhythms

Tango

Have students listen to the music and write their own cinquains. You can share your cinquains with us. Just send them to the attention of the Education Coordinator, North-west Indiana Symphony Orchestra, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, IN 46321. We will place a select few on our website and, if we receive them before the concerts, we may be able to project a select few on our overhead screen! So send us your best work!

Suite from Jaws John Towner Williams, American (1932- ). The Modern Period

About the Music Jaws is a thriller/horror film directed by Steven Spielberg. The movie is based on the best-selling novel by Peter Benchley that was in-spired by the shark attacks that occurred on the Jer-sey Shore in 1916. John Williams wrote the musical score for Jaws and the music has become a classic piece of suspense music. The two note theme has become synonymous with sharks and danger!

Suggested Activities (Music, Language Arts, & Science) 1. Listen to tracks 8 & 9 of the compact disc. The simple alternating pattern of two

notes, E and F, in the basses and celli of the orchestra represent the presence of sharks and impending danger! After listening to the compact disc, ask students to raise their hands whenever they hear the shark theme. Discuss the theme with your students and ask them if they feel that the music accurately depicts the story. Ask them to explain their answers.

2. Check out The Shark Research Institute’s website at www.sharks.org and click on the education link. Another good link is sharkfriends.com. Both websites have a wealth of information about sharks. The Shark Research Institutes’ site also has word puzzles, mazes, and games as well as a link for students to become shark ad-vocates against the practice of finning. These sites can be used to engage stu-dents in a research and writing project or science fair type project.

About the Composer An American composer, conductor, and pianist, Williams was born in 1932 in Floral Park, New York, but moved to Los Angeles in 1948. Williams was drafted into the Air Force in 1952, where he conducted and ar-ranged music for the Air Force bands. When discharged in 1954, he returned to New York and studied at Julliard. He also worked as a jazz pianist for a time. In a career that spans six decades, Williams has written many famous film scores, such as the scores for Jaws, Star Wars, Superman, E.T.The Extra-terrestrial, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, and Harry Potter. He has written the theme music for four Olympics and the music for many tele-vision series, such as “Gilligan’s Island” and “Lost in Space.” He has also written concert pieces and was the conductor of the Boston Pops from 1980-1993.

Suggested Activity (Music & Social Studies) (Music Standards 8 & 9 and Social Studies Standard 1) The Smithsonian National Museum of Ameri-can History has a wonderful online exhibition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Check out their website for a wealth of information about the War of 1812, the flag, the Star-Spangled Banner song, and flag rules and rituals. The site also has an interac-tive link where you can hear the national anthem played on 19th century instru-ments, you can sing the national anthem, and you can share your thoughts on what the American flag means to you. The website is www.americanhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner.

The Star-Spangled Banner John Stafford Smith, British (1750-1836) The Romantic Period

About the Composer John Stafford Smith was born in 1750 in Glouces-ter, England. After his education at the Cathe-dral School in Gloucester, he became a choir boy at the Chapel Royal London. He had a reputation as a fine organist and composer, and gained membership into the Anachreonic Society. This society was an 18th century gentle-men’s club of amateur musicians. In 1780, he composed the music for the Anachreonic Soci-ety’s official song. The song was entitled “To Anachreon in Heaven.” It was inspired by the 6th Century Greek poet Anachreon and was about the pleasures of wine and love. His song became popular in England and America. Staf-ford Smith died in 1836 at the age of 85.

About the Lyrics During the war of 1812, Francis Scott Key, an attorney, was detained on a British ship during the night of Sep-tember 13, 1814, as British forces bombarded the American Fort McHenry. Inspired by the sight of the American flag still flying over the Fort the next morning, he wrote the initial verse of a poem. After he re-turned to Baltimore, MD, he com-pleted four verses to the poem and entitled it “Defence of Fort McHenry.” Key’s brother-in-law, upon hearing the poem, realized that it fit the tune of “To Anachreon in Heaven.” Later, Key’s words and Stafford Smith’s music became a well-known and recognized patri-otic song throughout the United States. It was designated the official national anthem of the United States in 1931.

Suggested Reading and Resources

Some of the following books* and websites** were used to create this lesson packet: Books: Comeau, Gilles and Covert, Rosemary, An Illustrated History of Mu-sic for Young Musicians, The Classical Period, CFORP (1998).* Comeau, Gilles and Covert, Rosemary, An Illustrated History of Mu-sic for Young Musicians, The Romantic Period, CFORP (1999).* Copland, Aaron, What to Listen for in Music, Revised Edition, McGraw-Hill Book Company (1988). Tatchell, Judy, Understanding Music, Usborne Publishing (1992).* Online resources: www.playmusic.org. A great interactive website about orchestras. www.sfskids.com. Another great interactive site that has informa-tion about the instrument families of the orchestra. www.dsokids.com. Another wonderful interactive site. The orches-tra seating charts used in this packet were from this site.** www.atlantasymphony.org. This site also has a wealth of informa-tion. Many of the suggested activities came from the Atlanta Sym-phony’s 2008-2009 Young People’s Concerts “the heartbeat of mu-sic” lesson plan booklet. **

About the Orchestra

The Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra played its first concert al-most 66 years ago. At the time, it was called the Gary Civic Symphony Orches-tra and it performed at Seaman Hall in downtown Gary. There were about 60 musicians in the orchestra. Since that time, the Orchestra has grown from a volunteer group to a paid professional orchestra that plays more than 15 con-certs each year. The orchestra is comprised of 67 professional musicians from Northwest Indiana and the Chicago area. The Orchestra also sponsors a Youth Orchestra that plays two concerts each year. Young musicians from all over Northwest Indiana and Illinois learn about symphonic music and perform together. Once each year the Youth Orchestra members perform in a side by side concert with the professional musicians of the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra. Our first Education Concerts were presented in 1977. Over the years, thousands of students have enjoyed hearing the talents of the orchestra’s fine musicians. In 1987, Mr. and Mrs. Glenn C. Hannah established a trust in memory of Mr. Han-nah’s mother, Mary Elizabeth, in support of the education concerts. We named the concerts after Mrs. Hannah.

About Our Conductor

Kirk Muspratt, Music Director and Conductor, begins his ninth highly ac-claimed season as Music Director of the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orches-tra. In his first eight seasons, he has instituted several educational programs, in-cluding a popular solo competition for children. He also has implemented an Orchestral Fellowship Program with Valparaiso University. In order to involve the community, Mr. Muspratt has created “Just Ask Kirk™” cards for audience members’ questions and a “Kirkature™” cartoon to help advocate the credo: “Symphonic music is for everyone.” Mr. Muspratt was raised in Crows Nest Pass, Alberta, Canada. He started taking piano lessons on the very first day of his school career and started play-ing in a rock and roll band while in middle school. He now spends more than five hours each day studying orchestral scores and music history.

The Conductor The leader of an orchestra is called a conductor. The conductor of the North-

west Indiana Symphony is Maestro Kirk Muspratt. Even though many conductors of or-chestras are male, a female can be a conductor too. The conductor uses a baton (not to be confused with a wand) to keep the orchestra together and to set the tempo. He also chooses all the music that the orchestra performs and he leads the rehearsals. He has to be able to read the music for all of the instruments in the orches-tra.

A fun experiment to try with students is to have them hold their arms up in front of them like a conductor for one minute. You can use the compact disc recordings for this experiment. When the excerpt is done, ask them if their arms hurt at all. Many will say “yes.” The conductor of the symphony holds his arms up like that for hours! Have the students watch for him to make his entrance after the orchestra has tuned. They should applaud loudly for him when he appears. During the concert it is not appropri-ate to clap along with the music. A good rule of thumb for when it is appropriate to applaud during the concert is to watch the conductor. When he brings his arms down at the end of the piece and turns around to face the audience, it is time to clap loudly!

The Concertmaster The concertmaster is the principal violinist of the orchestra, meaning she/he is

the first and best violin player in the orchestra. Our concertmaster is Michele Lekas. She sits in the front row of violins on the end, closest to the conductor. She enters the stage with her violin before the conductor. Part of her job is to oversee the tuning of the orchestra. The audience is expected to clap when she enters the stage. She will stand in front of the orchestra and cue the oboe to play the tuning note. First you will hear the woodwinds tune, then the brass, and finally the strings. When the orchestra has tuned, the concertmaster sits, and the conductor then knows that the orchestra is ready to begin.

Tell Our Conductor!

Maestro Muspratt loves to hear from the students who attend his concerts, and having your students write to Maestro Muspratt about their personal preferences and experiences partially satisfies Standards 6 and 7 of the Indiana State Music Standards (See, e.g., 3.7.1, 4.7.1, 5.6.5, and 6.6.4). Students who wish to write to him should in-clude some of the following ideas in their letters: Your name. Your school and the grade you are in. Your favorite piece and why. What you liked most about the concert. What you learned about the orchestra that you may not have known. Whether this is your first concert. Whether the concert inspired you to play a musical instrument and why. Students should feel free to write their personal thoughts. Please send the letters to Mr. Kirk Muspratt, Conductor, Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, 1040 Ridge Road, Munster, IN 46321.