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A Family Guide to the:

How to prepare your child for the concert and extend the experience beyond the concert hall.

San Diego Symphony

Family Festival Series Presents:

Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 2 pm

at Copley Hall in the Jacobs Music Center

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Dear Parents, Families, and Symphony Patrons,

Thank you for taking the time to read this guide to our Musicians’ Choice concert and for attending the

upcoming performance on Saturday, February 21st at 2 pm.

Bringing children to the Symphony is a wonderful way to introduce them to the world of music, classical

and otherwise, and to provide them an opportunity to learn to listen, focus, and appreciate in a world

whose attention span is shrinking and whose focus is waning. In compiling this short guide, we aim to

provide you with:

A) Ideas on how to prepare your child or children for the concert going experience

B) Ways to engage with the music ahead of concert time

C) Ideas for activities that will extend and enrich your connections with the music afterwards

We hope that this guide is helpful to you. Please feel free to contact us should you have any questions or

comments for us. We’d love to hear from you.

Sincerely,

The San Diego Symphony Education Department

Adrienne Valencia Allison Morrissey

Director of Education and Community Engagement Education Programs Coordinator

avalencia@sandiegosymphony.org amorrissey@sandiegosymphony.org

In this Guide:

Get to Know the Instruments of the Orchestra ………………………………………………………….…………..3

For Parents: Getting Children Ready For the Concert ………………………………………………….……. 4-5

Biography of Conductor, Maestro Gutie rrez ...………….…………………………………………………………...6

A list of the pieces being performed at the concert………………………………………………………………...

A Listening Sheet to use as you listen to the music…... ……………………………………………………………….7

Superman Comic Book Activity ..…………………………………………………………………………………………..8

Extending the Experience: Post-Concert activities to do with your child………………………….….9-10

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Get to Know the

Instruments of the Orchestra!

The modern orchestra has around 20 main instruments that can be broken down into 4

main groups: Strings (violin, viola, cello, bass, and harp), Woodwinds (flute, oboe,

clarinet, bassoon), Brass (trumpet, horn, trombone and tuba), and Percussion (drums,

triangle, timpani, and includes the piano). Can you find all of them in Symphony Hall?

Each family of instruments sits together onstage, strings are usually in the front,

percussion on the back left, woodwinds across the middle, and brass across the back

middle and on the back right.

The word “symphony” means “sounding together.” Our orchestra is called the San Diego

Symphony because it is located in the city of San Diego, California and it is a group of

musicians who sound good together.

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For Parents:

Getting Children Ready for the Concert By Holly Mulcahy

The following tips were excerpted with permission from the author from the article “Kids at the Symphony: A How To Guide” written by Holly Mulcahy for the website

Neo Classical: Holly Mulcahy on the future of Classical Music.

These tips are intended to be used as a springboard for your own discussion on concert manners with your children and not as strict rules by which to abide. We realize that children are energetic,

often vocal and wiggly, and we welcome their exuberance and enthusiasm. However, we see our Family Festival Concerts as opportunities to teach our young audiences how to listen to classical

music while showing respect for fellow audience members and the professional musicians onstage by being as considerate as possible. We hope you find these ideas helpful.

Sharing orchestral music is one of the greatest gifts a parent can give their child. In a

society where attention spans are shrinking, this is a great vehicle to give a child access to

a longer attention span and a calmer thought process. Additionally, encouraging children

to use their imagination is a marvelous way to encourage creativity while helping them

direct their emotions.

Groundwork Preparation: try these a week or two before your concert date.

1. Sit with your child and listen to a three minute piece. Before the piece starts, ask the child to listen

for three things. Is it a happy or sad piece? Was it quiet or loud? Was it fast or slow? It is important

that you convey that while listening they are not to talk but to listen fully! After you listen with them,

discuss what they thought. I think it would be a nice tradition to discuss over cookies or some kind of

treat.

2. A week later try a longer piece. Same questions, same discussion afterwards. Do not forget the

cookies during the discussion!

3. After you bumped up their listening lengths, start to ask them to use their imagination more. What

did the piece remind them of? Did the work make them think up a story? Perhaps they could paint a

picture of the images that came to mind. Painting, discussing, and the cookies now become a thing,

your bonding tradition. You are sharing a very powerful experience that is fun and meaningful.

4. Bonus discussions may pop up such as what instrument is making what sounds. Be prepared to

Google what you don’t know and you might learn something fun, too!

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Pre-Concert Preparation

Sit with your child and play portions of the recordings to be performed on the concert program. Ask the

questions listed above and draw some pictures, tell some stories, and share some cookies. Tell them you

are proud of how they can sit quietly and you’d like to reward them by taking them to see the music in

person!

Explain what will happen from picking the tickets up, to finding a seat and sitting quietly while a real

orchestra plays the music they have come to know. Explain that there will be a time to talk during

intermission and after the concert you will take them for a special treat so you can talk about the

concert.

During the Concert

Possible Guidelines to help you:

1. Ask your child if they need to use the restroom before the concert.

2. Try to take your seat about 5 minutes before the concert starts.

3. Notice as many exits as possible, have a plan and several backups.

4. If you feel that your child is moving too much (more than a little natural wiggling) consider placing

your hand on his/her shoulder as a signal.

5. If your child begins crying, consider taking them to the back of Symphony Hall or even into the lobby

to soothe them. (You’ll still be able to hear the music.)

6. If your child has listened long enough, they can tap your leg as a signal that they are ready to leave at

the end of a piece.

7. Wiggling feet can sometimes kick the seat of the person in front. If you see this happening with your

child, gently remind them to not kick.

8. With so much to see, it’s natural to want to point out something interesting. Encourage minimal

talking, and only in a whisper.

9. If you want to look through the program book, flip through it quietly. If it falls from your lap, leave it

on the ground until the music stops, then try to retrieve it.

10. After the concert, go out for a treat afterwards to celebrate appropriate behavior!

Post-Concert Follow-up

1. Hopefully you and your child had a great time. Good preparation usually allows for that!

2. Ask your child what was the best part of the concert and what wasn’t. Make notes for future concerts

you might consider.

3. Start introducing some other music, keeping your tradition and special time going strong.

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Costa Rican conductor Alejandro Gutiérrez is

in his second year as Music Director of the

University of Costa Rica Symphony Orchestra

and in his tenth year with the National Institute

of Music Symphonic Band. He also serves as

Assistant Conductor for the Pacific Symphony

in Orange County, CA.

Alejandro Gutiérrez made his debut with the

University of Costa Rica Symphony Orchestra,

UCR-EAM Choruses, Zamira Barquero

(soprano), Raquel Ramírez (mezzo soprano),

Ernesto Rodríguez ( tenor), Rafael Ángel Saborío

(bajo) and UCR Dance with a special performance of Mozart’s Requiem at the

Costa Rica’s National Theater in September 2007. Since then, he has opened

the possibilities for new young artists and composers.

He is founder and director of the internationally known Trombones de Costa

Rica; 1997 National Prize of Music, 1999 Special Prize of the City of Passau,

Germany. TCR is constantly invited to perform in The United States, México,

Central America, South America, the Caribbean and Europe. Gutiérrez is

principal trombone of the National Symphony Orchestra since 1990,

member of the Board of Advisors of the International Trombone Association.

He is constantly invited as jury of international competitions and an

International clinician for Edward’s Instruments.

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Musicians’ Choice Concert Program:

The following pieces have been chosen and will be performed by

the musicians of The San Diego Symphony.

Overture to Candide by Leonard Bernstein

Overture to the School for Scandal by Samuel Barber

Symphony No. 1 “Classical”, I. Allegro by Serge Prokofiev

Symphony No. 6, movement 3 by Ludwig van Beethoven

Infernal Danse from Firebird Suite (1914) by Igor Stravinsky

Variations on a Shaker Melody by Aaron Copland

Symphony No. 9, III. Scherzo (Molto vivace) by Antonin Dvorak

Main Theme from Superman by John Williams

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Listening SheetListening SheetListening Sheet

Practice being a music connoisseur (an expert or specialist). While listening intently to each piece, Practice being a music connoisseur (an expert or specialist). While listening intently to each piece, Practice being a music connoisseur (an expert or specialist). While listening intently to each piece,

take notes in the squares, take notes in the squares, take notes in the squares, circlingcirclingcircling the best descriptive words and/or pictures for the piece and the best descriptive words and/or pictures for the piece and the best descriptive words and/or pictures for the piece and

jotting down some notes of your own.jotting down some notes of your own.jotting down some notes of your own.

Dynamics

Is the music loud or soft?

Does is Crescendo (get gradually louder)

or

Decrescendo (get gradually softer)?

Rhythm/Tempo

Is the music Fast or Slow?

Is the beat the same throughout or does it change?

Does the rhythm make you feel like running fast or walking slowly?

Mood

How does this music make you feel?

(Circle ALL that apply)

Happy Sad Triumphant

Defeated Glorious Curious

Downtrodden Confident Scared

Confused Expectant Thoughtful

Makes me want to skip

Makes me want to walk with purpose

Instrumentation

Which families of instruments are

playing?

Strings Percussion

Brass Woodwind

Circle instruments you hear in the piece:

Timpani Triangle Bass

Gong Violin Trumpet

French Horn Cello Oboe

Trombone Clarinet Flute

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POW!!

As you listen to the Theme from Superman, imagine what might be happening to Superman during the piece

based on what you hear in the music, then create a comic strip that tells your story in the space provided.

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Create your own Firebird:

Find an audio recording of the Infernal Danse from The Firebird on YouTube. Have your child draw

what a Firebird might look like. Remind them that this was a beautiful bird that had incredible

magical powers in her feathers. She is also part bird and part woman.

The Walt Disney Company included The Firebird in the movie Fantasia 2000. Check out a copy of

Fantasia 2000 at the library or rent it on Amazon, Netflix, etc. and see how Disney envisioned this

famous ballet.

The Story of the Firebird Ballet

The Firebird was written by Igor Stravinsky. It is based on a famous Russian fairy tale about a Prince

named Ivan who is lost in a magical forest and enters an enchanted garden by mistake. This beautiful

garden is owned by an evil ogre named Katschai who is immortal.

Ivan comes upon a brilliant light in a tree of golden apples and sees that the light is actually the beautiful

Firebird. After a frantic struggle, Ivan captures the Firebird and is amazed to see that she resembles

part bird and part woman. The beautiful Firebird pleads with Ivan to set her free. He understands how

important her freedom is and gently releases her. In gratitude, she presents Ivan with one of her

brightly colored feathers as a magical charm.

Ivan comes across eleven beautiful princesses and instantly falls in love with the most beautiful princess

named Elena. Ivan and the princess dance until dawn. But as dawn breaks, the beautiful princesses tell

Ivan Katschai captured them and has them under a powerful and evil spell. They must return to the

palace of Katschai, before dawn to avoid being noticed.

But Ivan follows the princesses to the palace and in doing so is captured by

Katschai's guardian monsters. Ivan remembers the magic feather and

summons the Firebird, who puts a spell on the monsters, making them dance

in a spectacular display until they collapse in exhaustion on the ground. The

Firebird then shows Ivan a magic egg containing the ogre’s soul. This egg is the

secret of Katschai's immortality. Ivan destroys the egg and releases the

princesses from the enchantment.

Suddenly, the kingdom emerges from darkness, and in the light of the new day,

the ballet ends with the joyous marriage of Prince Ivan and Princess Elena.

Extend Your Experience! Keep the excitement going after you leave the concert with these fun

activities you can do at home!

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Let’s go to the movies!

Several of the pieces from this particular concert are featured in movies. Here is a list of

the pieces and where you can see them animated in Disney films or used as underscoring

in live action films. (Please note: this list is just to inform you as to how this music has

been used in contemporary pop culture, but not to necessarily recommend these movies

for children of all ages. Parental discretion and previewing is always advised.)

Piece: Movie in which it appears:

John Williams’ Main Theme from Superman Superman (1978)

Igor Stravinsky, Infernal Danse from Firebird Suite Fantasia 2000

Aaron Copland’s “Variations on a Shaker Melody” The Adventures of Milo and Otis

Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, movement 3 Disney’s Fantasia (1940)

Here are some other works by composers that we’ve featured today:

Composer: Movie:

Leonard Bernstein West Side Story

On the Town

Aaron Copland Appalachian Spring

John Williams Harry Potter Series

Star Wars

Indiana Jones

Extend Your Experience! Keep the excitement going after you leave the concert with these fun

activities you can do at home!