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DISCOVERY CONCERTSReach for the Stars:

Courage Through Music January 31 and February 1, 2019

First Baptist Church SanctuaryShreveport, Louisiana

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DearTeachers:

ThispacketcontainslessonplanswithcomposerbiographiesandpiecedescriptionsthataredesignedtohelpyouprepareyourstudentsfortheShreveportSymphonyDiscoveryConcert.Includedarelessonsandactivitiesforyourstudents.Everyefforthasbeenmadetoensurethattheselistingsareaccurateandappropriateforchildren.Wehopethatthesematerialswillbeusefultobothmusicandclassroomteachersalike.Feelfreetoadaptorchangetheactivitiestosuittheneedsandabilitiesofyourstudents!

Pleasereviewtheconcertetiquetteonpage7.Thiswillhelpyourstudentsenjoytheconcertmoreontheirspecialday.

ThemusiciansoftheShreveportSymphonyOrchestraarelookingforwardtoplayingforyouandyourstudents.Theyknowthiscanbealifechangingexperience!

Background information:

Meet Michael Butterman 4Famous conductors 4Learn to conduct 4Conducting activity 5What is an orchestra? 5Meet the orchestra 6Concert preparation and etiquette 7

About the composers and their pieces:Holst and “The Planets” 8“The Planets” listening activity 9Mason Bates and “Gemini” 10Ravel and “Mother Goose Suite: Enchanted Garden 11Beethoven and “Symphony No. 5” 12Beethoven activities (for instructor) 13John Ireland and “Epic March” 14John Williams and “‘Star Wars’ Theme” 15“‘Star Wars’” theme art activity 17

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Table of Contents

MichaelButtermanismakinghismarkasamodelfortoday’sconductorsandisrecognizedforhiscommitmenttocreativeartistry,innovativeprograming,andtoaudienceandcommunityengagement.HeisinhistenthseasonasmusicdirectorforboththeShreveportSymphonyOrchestraandtheBoulderPhilharmonicOrchestra,andisthenewmusicdirectorofthePennsylvania

Philharmonic,whichcelebrateditsinauguralseasonin2014-2015.HeisalsotheresidentconductoroftheJacksonvilleSymphonyOrchestra,andisinhis16thseasonasPrincipalConductorforEducationandCommunityEngagementfortheRochesterPhilharmonicOrchestra,theZirstpositionofitskindintheU.S.Mr.Buttermanbeganstudyingmusicattheageofseven.HeenjoyedmusicsomuchthathebecameaviolinistintheNorthernVirginiaYouthSymphony.Heeventuallyenteredandwonseveralpianocompetitionswhenhewasinhighschool.Althoughhelovedmusic,hedecidedtoconcentrateonstudiesinchemistrywhenhewasincollege.Heremainedinvolvedinmusicbyplayingpianoforhisschool’schoruses.Oneyear,hewasaskedtoconductthechoruses,anddiscoveredhowmuchheenjoyedworkingwithothermusicianstoprepareconcertprograms.Mr.Buttermanthendecidedtogetsomespecializedtraininginconducting,andenrolledatIndianaUniversity.Therest,astheysay,ishistory!

Famous Conductors: LeonardBernstein-WilhelmFurtwängler-NikolausHarnoncourt-HerbertvonKarajan-OttoKlemperer-SeijiOzawa-SimonRattle-GeorgSolti-ArturoToscanini

Learn to conduct!Aconductorhasmanydifferentresponsibilities.Theconductorplansthemusicthattheaudiencewillhear,learnsthedifferentpartsthateachmusicianplaysanddecideshowtointerpretwhatthecomposerhaswritten.Theconductoruseseachoftheirhandsdifferently.WiththerighthandtheconductorkeepsthebeatwithaspeciZicpattern(seepage5),withthelefthand,communicatestheexpressivequalitiesofthemusic.

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Meet Michael Butterman

Try this!Practice these conducting patterns with music:

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What is an orchestra?“Orchestral music is one of the glories of the world.”

—Georg Solti (1912-1997)

InancientGreecetheorchestrawasthespacebetweentheauditoriumandtheproscenium(orstage),inwhichthechorusandtheinstrumentalistswereseated.Thisishowthemodernorchestragotitsname.

Insometheaters,likeRiverViewTheater,theorchestraistheareaofseatsdirectlyinfrontofthestage(called"primaZila"or"platea");thetermmoreproperlyappliestotheplaceinatheatre,orconcerthallsetapartforthemusicians.

Themodernsymphonyorchestraconsistsofaround20differentmusicalinstruments.Therearefourmaingroups:Strings(violin,viola,cello,bass,andharp),Woodwinds(Zlute,oboe,clarinet,bassoon)Brass(trumpet,horn,trombone,andtuba),andPercussion(includingthepiano).CanyouZindallofthematthetheater?

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A“symphony”isatypeofmusicalcomposition.YourorchestraiscalledtheShreveportSymphonyOrchestrabecauseitislocatedinthecityofShreveport,Louisianaandthepeoplewhostarteditin1948lovedmusicandrecognizedthevalueofhavinganorchestrainthecommunity.

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Meet the orchestra!

Concert Preparation and Etiquette: Before you depart:

• RemindstudentsthatnoeatingordrinkingispermittedintheConcertHall.

• Suggeststudentsbringalightsweaterorjacketincasethehalliscold.

When students arrive:

• Encouragestudentstovisittherestroomsinthelobbybeforetheconcertbegins.

• Remindstudentstositstillintheirseatsandnottoreachbetweenrows,kicktheseatinfrontofthem,orotherwisedistractfromanyoneelse’sconcertexperience.

• TheConcertHallacousticsprovideanopportunitytoremindstudentstoremainquietduring

theperformanceandtodemonstratehowextremesoundstravelfrommusicianstoaudience.

During the performance:

• Studentswillknowtoapplaudthemusicianswhentheconductorlowershisarmsattheendofthepieceandturnstoacknowledgetheaudience.

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“Music, being identical with heaven, isn't a thing of momentary thrills, or even hourly ones. It's a condition of eternity.”

—Gustav Holst

Life and Works: GustavTheodoreHolst(bornGustavusTheodorvonHolst,21September1874–25May1934)wasanEnglishcomposer.Heismostfamousforhisorchestralsuite“ThePlanets.”

HavingstudiedattheRoyalCollegeofMusicinLondon,hisearlyworkwasinZluencedbyEdvardGrieg,RichardWagner,RichardStraussandfellowmusicstudentRalphVaughanWilliams.Later,throughVaughanWilliams,HolstbecamehighlyinZluencedbythemusicofFrenchcomposerMauriceRavel.HolstwasalsoinZluencedbyHindiwritingsandEnglishfolkmusic.ThecombinedinZluenceofRavel,HinduspiritualismandEnglishfolktunesenabledHolsttofreehimselfoftheconventionsofWagnerandStraussandtoforgehisownstyle.Holst'smusiciswellknownforunconventionaluseoftimesignaturesandhauntingmelodies.

Holstcomposedalmost200works,includingoperas,ballets,choralhymnsandsongs.

“The Planets”: Holstwrotehismostfamouswork,“ThePlanets”duringaperiodofgreatself-discovery.In1913,afterthepoorreceptionofhispiece“TheCloudMessenger,”Holstfeltcreativelylost.SoonafterhetraveledtoSpainwithbrothersCliffordandArnoldBax,closefriendsofHolstandfrequentmusicalcollaborators.InSpain,Holstdevelopedapassionforastrology.Astrologyisthestudyofplanetstodivineinformationabouthumanemotionsandlives.Youhaveprobablyseentheworkofastrologersinthe“horoscopes”sectionofnewspapersandmagazines.Holstcomposed“ThePlanets”basedonhisexperienceswithastrology;eachmovementismeanttoevokethequalitiesofdifferentastrologicalsigns.

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Gustav Theodore Holst 1874 – 1934

EnglishPost Romantic

Class Listening Discussion: Holst 1. GustavHolstpurposelywrote“ThePlanets:Mars”inanunusualrhythmicmeter,containing

Zivebeatspermeasure.Commonly,musicwillfollowanevennumberofbeats,makingiteasytocount.ThisunusualmetermeansthatthepiececansoundirregularorcanbedifZiculttocount.Didthepieceseemirregularorunpredictable?WhydoyouthinkHolstdecidedtocreatethissound?

2. Whataspectsofthepiecemadeitsoundlikea“BringerofWar”?

3.Whatemotionsdoyouhearinthepiece?HowdoyouthinkHolstfeltwhenhewascomposingthepiece?

4.Throughoutthepiece,arepeatedrhythmisheardinthetimpaniandpizzicatostrings.Thisiscalledanostinato,anItalianmusicaltermreferringtoacontinuously-repeatedthemeinapiece.Inthiscase,thetimpaniandstringsostinatoisoneofthemostrecognizableelementsof“ThePlanets.”Whydoyouthinkthisostinatoissoinstantlyrecognizable?

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Life and Works: Mason W. Bates (born January 23, 1977) is a Grammy-nominated American composer of symphonic music and DJ of electronic dance music. Distinguished by his innovations in orchestration and large-scale form, Bates is best known for his expansion of the orchestra to include electronics. The second-most performed living composer in the United States, he has worked closely with the San Francisco Symphony, as well as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra where he worked as composer-in-residence. In 2015 he was named composer-in-residence of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (their first ever composer-in-residence appointment), and recently had his contract renewed for another two years though 2019-20.

“Gemini in the Solar Wind”: Backinthe1960s,NASAcreatedProjectGeminitotrainastronautsforspacetravelincludinghowtoworkwithequipmentinzero-gravityandhowtoleavethespacecraftandZloatinspace.In“GeminiintheSolarWind,”MasonBatesusessamplesofNASArecordingsandre-imaginesastronautEdWhite’sfamousGeminiIVspacewalkin1965.Fromthecomposer:“‘GeminiintheSolarWind’isare-imaginationoftheZirstAmericanspacewalk,usingactualcommunicationsamplesfromthe1965GeminiIVvoyageprovidedbyNASA.Inthisre-telling,clipsofwords,phrases,andstaticfromtheoriginalarerearrangedtoshowEdWhite,fascinatedbythevastnessandmysteryofspace,leavingthespacecrafttodriftawayblissfully.”

Mercury Soul: AlongwithfellowmusicianandeducatorBenjaminSchwartz,BatesfoundedMercurySoul,anensembleandnonproZitdedicatedtobridgingthegapbetweenclassicalandelectronicamusic.Aswellasperformingacrossthecountry,MercurySoulrunseducationprograms,puttingonfreeelectronic/classicalmusicshowsforhighschoolstudentsinSanFrancisco.SaidBatesofhisfusionofclassicalandelectronica,“Ifoundthatintegratingthetwoinasubstantivewayhasbeenagreatwaytoexpandthesymphonicpalette.”

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Mason Bates b. 23 January 1977

AmericanContemporary

“An orchestra is like the world’s greatest synthesizer.”—Mason Bates

Maurice Ravel originally wrote Mother Goose Suite as a piano duet for the Godebski children, Mimi and Jean (ages 6 & 7). A few years later he orchestrated the five-piece suite for full symphony.

During the concert, students will hear a performance of the 5th movement from Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite. Projected above

the orchestra will be your students’ own examples of courage (in response to the Bates and Ravel pieces)

Classroom Discussion/Writing Activity Read the story of Sleeping Beauty then play music from Mother Goose Suite. Were there any elements of courage in the music? Does this expand your idea of courage at all?

How would you write your profile in courage? Can you describe, in a few sentences, a time when you were brave? When you had the courage to stand up for something you believed in?

Please send us you students’ examples of courage. This might be in the form of a poem, haiku, or short prose. They may be projected above the orchestra during the concert.

Please send examples no later than January 14, 2019 to George Hancock:

Fax: 318-222-7490 or Email: ghancock@shreveportsymphony.com

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Maurice Ravel 1875 – 1937

FrenchImpressionist

Overview: LudwigvanBeethoven(baptized17December1770–26March1827)wasaGermancomposerandpianist.AcrucialZigureinthetransitionbetweentheClassicalandRomanticerasinWesternartmusic,heremainsoneofthemostfamousandinZluentialofallcomposers.Hisbest-knowncompositionsinclude9symphonies,5pianoconcertos,1violinconcerto,32pianosonatas,16stringquartets,hisgreatMassthe“Missasolemnis",andoneopera,“Fidelio.”

Early Life: BorninBonn,thenthecapitaloftheElectorateofCologneandpartoftheHolyRomanEmpire,BeethovendisplayedhismusicaltalentsatanearlyageandwastaughtbyhisfatherJohannvanBeethovenandbycomposerandconductorChristianGottlobNeefe.Attheageof21hemovedtoVienna,wherehebeganstudyingcompositionwithJosephHaydnandgainedareputationasavirtuosopianist.HelivedinViennauntilhisdeath.Byhislate20shishearingbegantoworsen,andbythelastdecadeofhislifehewasalmostcompletelydeaf.In1811hegaveupconductingandperforminginpublicbutcontinuedtocompose;manyofhismostadmiredworkscomefromtheselast15yearsofhislife.

Symphony No. 5: BeethovencomposedhisSymphonyNo.5inCMinorbetween1804and1808.ThepieceisconsideredoneofthemostimportantpiecesofWesternartmusicevermade.TheZirstmovementisentitled“Allegroconbrio”,whichisanItalianexpressionmeaningafast-pacedperformancewithdriveandenergy.ThisexpressionmarkinggaveSymphonyNo.5adriven,determinedsound.Itmadethepieceextremelymemorable,—especiallyitsZirstfewnotes.ThesenotesformthemotiveofMovementI.Inmusic,whenasmallphraseformsthebasisoffuturemusicalcontent,itiscalledamotive.Beethoven’susehereofasmallerchunkinalargermusicalpicturereZlectshiscompositionprocess.WhenwritingSymphonyNo.5,BeethovenwasafZlictedwithhearinglossandwroteinsmallfragments,whichhewouldthrowoutlateroutoffrustration.Theseshortpassagestranslatedwelltomotives.

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Ludwig Van Beethoven 1770 – 1827

GermanClassical

“To play without passion is inexcusable.”—Ludwig van Beethoven

Classroom Activity: BeethovenPlaytheopeningofSymphonyNo.5forthestudents.Then,askthemtowriteontheboard

theanswertothefollowingquestion:

“If you were to hear this passage for the very first time, without any description of what you were about to hear, what would be your first reaction? If you heard it for the first time, what was your first reaction? Please answer with one word.”

Thenprompttheclasstodiscussthefollowingquestion:

1. Do you think your reaction to the music was how Beethoven felt when he was writing the piece?

Finally,askthestudentstocompletethehandoutbelowafterreadingthescriptbelow:

“Earlier,youlearnedaboutmotives,whichcanactlikebuildingblocksofmusicalcomposition.AfamousmotiveoccursinMovementIofBeethoven’sfamousFifthSymphony.Now,imaginethisMovementlikeahouse.Likethepiece,thehouseisbuiltfromthesamematerial,butitchangesinthewayitispresented.Imagineasthesechangesasdecoration.Theuseofdifferentinstruments,moods,andharmoniesisliketheuseofpaint,signs,andplantsindecoratingtheoutsideofahome.”

Attheendoftheactivity,oncestudentshavebeengivenenoughtimetocompletetheirdrawings,askstudentstosharehowtheychosetodecoratetheirhouses,relatingtheirdecorationstowhattheyheardinthepiece.Youmayrecordtheseresponsesandsharethemattheconcert.Anotheroptionistodrawtwopicturesofthesamehomeontheboardandusethestudents’responsestorecreatethehomesontheboard.Theoutlinesofthehomesarebelow.

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Beginning of Mvmt. I End of Mvmt. I

Life and Work: JohnNicholsonIreland(13August1879–12June1962)wasanEnglishcomposerand

teacherofmusic.BorninBowdon,Cheshire,England,Irelandstudiedpiano,organ,andcompositionattheRoyalCollegeofMusic.Ireland,heavilyinZluencedby

ImpressionistcomposerssuchasClaudeDebussyandMauriceRavel,preferredtoworkinsmallerformsratherthanlargescaleworks.Assuchthe

majorityofhisoutputconsistsofpianominiaturesandofshortersongswithpiano.Hisbest-known

worksincludetheshortinstrumentalororchestralwork"TheHolyBoy",asettingofthepoem"SeaFever"byJohnMaseZield,aformerlymuch-playedPianoConcerto,thehymntuneLoveUnknownandthechoralmotet"GreaterLoveHathNoMan”.IrelandtaughtattheRoyalCollegeofMusicfor1923to1939,advisingsuchinZluentialcomposers

asErnestJohnMoeranandBenjaminBritten.

“Epic March:” Ireland’sorchestralpiece“EpicMarch”wascommissionedbytheBritishBroadcastingCorporationandwaspremieredin1942.TheBBCcommissionwaspartofadeliberateefforttoencouragethecompositionofpatrioticmusicinatimeofpoliticalinstability.Ireland’spieceheavilyreZlectedtheidealsofpatriotism.BothIrelandandtheBBCwantedtoinspirecourageanddeterminationinthefaceofpoliticalunrest,andbridgethegapbetweentheartsandacountry’svalues.Onereviewerdescribedthepiecebothashaving“…orchestralcolorslaidonthickandheavy,”andbecominga“marchpureandsimple.”ThiscombinationofarichorchestralsoundandatraditionalmarchdeZinedtheashavingbothmusicalandhistoricalsigniZicance.Irelandalignedhisartistrywiththevaluesofhiscountry’sgovernment,helpingtocreatethepoliticalatmospherethatshapedhistory.Hisuseoforchestralcolorswasofmusicalmeritaswell,evokingthroughmusicalcolorasenseofbraveryandpatriotism.Through“EpicMarch”,JohnIrelandprovedtotheworldtheabilityofmusictoadvocatecourageandinturninZluencehistoricalattitudesofpatriotism.

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John Ireland 1879 – 1962

English20th Century

LifeandWork: JohnTownerWilliams(born February 8, 1932) is anAmerican composer, conductor, and

pianist. With a career spanning over sixdecades,hehascomposedsomeofthemostpopular and recognizable Zilm scores in

cinematic history, including Jaws, the Star Wars series, Close Encounters of the Third Kind,Superman:TheMovie,E.T.theExtra-Terrestrial,theIndianaJonesseries,theZirsttwoHomeAloneZilms, the Zirst two Jurassic Park Zilms, and the Zirst three Harry Potter Zilms.Williams has alsocomposedmanyclassicalconcertosandotherworksfororchestralensemblesandsoloinstruments.From 1980 to 1993, he served as the Boston Pops's principal conductor, and is currently theorchestra'slaureateconductor.Williamshaswon23GrammyAwards,sevenBritishAcademyFilmAwards, Zive Academy Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. With 50 Academy Awardnominations,Williamsisthesecondmost-nominatedindividual,afterWaltDisney.

“Themefrom‘StarWars’”:ThemainthemefromtheStarWarsSuite iseasilyoneof themost recognizable Zilm compositions ever written. In 2005, the American Film Institute evenselectedWilliams'sStarWarsscoregreatestAmerican Zilmscoreofall time! It isadoredbybothfansandcritics.Listenforthetriumphanthorns,thepulsatingpercussion,andtheemphaticcrashcymbalhits.Dotheysoundinspirational,courageous,orexciting?Ifso,youhearwhat fansof theStarWarsfranchisehaveheardsincetheveryZirstinstallmentoftheseries.ThepopularityofStarWarsanditsdazzlingopeningthemearenocoincidence.AswithmanyZilmscores,themusicheardin theopeningof the Zilmsetsamood for its storylineand tone. In thispiece illustrates theStarWarsseries’ themesof courageandbravery. In the Zilms, thecharactersembarkona courageousmissiontofreethepeopleofanoppressiveempire.WhenanyZilmcomposerissuccessfulinwritingascore,themusicsupportsandreZlectstheplot,themes,andtoneoftheZilm.JohnWilliamsdidsoinhisscoreto“StarWars”,anditisclearlycommunicatedfromtheZirstfewnotesofthemusic. �15 �

John Williamsb. 1932

AmericanContemporary

“Writing a tune is like sculpting.” —John Williams

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John Williams accepting his 23rd Grammy at age 86 (Getty Images)

Art Activity: “‘Star Wars’ Theme” Please review and read aloud the script below:

“Pleasemakeadrawingrelatingtothepieceyoujustheard,JohnWilliams’‘StarWarsMainTheme’.Whenmakingyourartwork,considerwhattheworldmightlooklikebythetimeyougrowup.Justlike‘StarWars’envisionedafuturesociety,imaginehowtheworldmightevolveandchangeoverthenextfewdecades.Herearesomethingstoconsiderinyourresponse:”

✴Transportation&howwe’llgetaround

✴Communication–betweenpeopleandcountries

✴Buildings

✴Play&hobbiesaschildrenandadults

✴Sports–bothhowweplayandviewsports

✴Entertainment

✴Food/Farming–whatweeat&howweget/prepareit&eatit

✴Homes–heating,lighting,comfort,materialsused

✴Schoolsandlearning–how?where?who?towhatage?

✴Peacebetweenandamongpeople/nations

DEADLINE–Allscanneddrawingsmustbeemailedtoghancock@shreveportsymphony.combyJanuary14th

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Thank you for your participation.

See you at the concert!

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