Teacher`s Guide - Oregon Symphony

Transcription

Teacher`s Guide - Oregon Symphony
Oregon Symphony:
Some Assembly Required
Young People’s Concert
2013–2014
Teacher’s Guide
Grades 3-8
Paul Ghun Kim, conductor
February 25 & 27, 2014 Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland
Higdon
Machine
Grieg
Holberg Suite, 1st mvt
Mendelssohn Scherzo from A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Ravel
Le Tombeau de Couperin, 1st mvt
Brackett
Simple Gifts – sing along
Copland
Variations on a Shaker Melody
Mozart
Abduction from the Seraglio Overture
Wagner
Lohengrin: Prelude, Act III
Rimsky-Korsakov Capriccio Espagnol, mvmts 4 & 5
Bringing Music Alive!
welcome
Program
i n t ro d u c t i o n
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
This guide is designed to accompany the 2013/14 Young People’s
Concert, “Oregon Symphony: Some Assembly Required” We offer
background information on the pieces you will hear at the concert along
with a listening guide for each piece and biographical information about
the composers.
Also included are introductions to the four families of instruments (strings,
woodwinds, brass and percussion) and online resources. It is our hope
that utilizing this guide will deepen the concert experience for your students.
We encourage you to fit this material into your teaching style and specific
student needs.
Providing this guide online allows teachers to project information to
the entire class and access listed websites in the resource section. All
materials are developed to help meet and exceed the Oregon Department
of Education’s Arts Content Standards curriculum objectives and support
your work in the classroom.
Concert Theme: “Oregon Symphony:
Some Assembly Required”
Constructing a professional orchestra requires many key components. We
start with highly skilled musicians, who use top of the line instruments, all
75+ of whom practice their craft daily. We then add a conductor to lead
this group of players, who prepares
the great music for the orchestra’s
much anticipated performance.
HigdonMachine
Grieg
Holberg Suite, 1st mvt
Mendelssohn Scherzo from A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Ravel
Le Tombeau de Couperin, 1st mvt
Brackett
Simple Gifts – sing along
Copland
Variations on a Shaker Melody
Mozart
Abduction from the Seraglio Overture
Wagner
Lohengrin: Prelude, Act III
Rimsky-Korsakov Capriccio espagnol, mvmts 4 & 5
O v e r a l l G o a l s o f t h e Te a c h e r ’ s G u i d e u s a g e a n d c o n c e r t a t t e n d a n c e :
•
Introduce students to live orchestral music
•
Provide students with an opportunity to participate as audience
members in the live music experience
•
Introduce students to the four sections of the orchestra; their
numbers, distinct sound qualities (timbres) and the placement of
the instruments
•
Introduce students to composers’ usage of particular instruments
to express particular musical ideas
•
Introduce students to the classical music genre, its composers,
its place in the historic context and its evolution to date
The Oregon Symphony believes that music is an essential part of the
total school curriculum. We hope that you will take full advantage of
this guide and CD so that your students in turn can be knowledgeable
and eager participants.
Please email us at educate@orsymphony.org if you have questions
or wish to share your experiences in preparing your students for our
Young People’s Concert.
Monica Hayes, M.S. Ed.
Education & Community Engagement, Program Director
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welcome
INT R O DU C TI O N
guide contents
companion CD*
Pages 2 & 3 Introduction, Concert Goals, CD tracks, Index
Tracks 1-8 will be performed at the concert
(#3 and #8 will be performed as excerpts)
Page 4
National and State Content Standards
Page 5 Concert Program and Concert Hall Arrival information
Page 6
Sound Awareness and Resources
Page 7Sing Along Music for audience participation:
Simple Gifts and listening link
Page 8Meet Conductor Paul Ghun Kim
and Narrator Pam Mahon
Page 9
Getting to know the Orchestra and its instruments
Page 10
Timeline of Classical Music
Page 11
Lesson Plan: Build Your Own Orchestra
1:
2:
3:
4:
5:
6:
7:
8:
9:
Higdon: Machine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:08
Grieg: Holberg Suite, 1st mvt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3:04
Mendelssohn: Overture, Midsummer Night’s Dream. . . . . . . 11:56
Ravel: Le Tombeau de Couperin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:50
Copland: Variations on a Shaker Theme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:24
Mozart: Abduction from the Seraglio, Overture . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:40
Wagner: Lohengrin: Prelude, Act III. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3:10
Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14:46
Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnol instrument narration . 7:18
Page 12Building an Orchestra-sections, numbers,
placement for Lesson Plan
Page 13
Brief History of the Oregon Symphony
Page 14
Brief History of the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
Pages 15-18 Concert Program Notes and Biographies of Composers
Appendix
Pages 19-22 Instrument Families in the Orchestra
Page 23
Oregon Symphony Roster
Pages 24-28 Blackline Images of Instruments and Orchestra
Final page
Our Generous Education Program Supporters
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curriculum connections
n a t i o n a l & s t a t e co n t e n t s t a n d ar d s
The Oregon Symphony has an ongoing commitment to support the National
Standards for Music Education as outlined below:
1.Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2.Reading and notating music.
3.Listening to, analyzing and describing music.
4.Evaluating music and music performances.
5. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts and disciplines outside the arts.
6.Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
In addition, this Youth Concert supports the following Common Core State
Standards as outlined below:
The Arts: Create, Present, Perform - Apply ideas, techniques and
processes in the arts.
• Apply artistic elements and technical skills to create, present and/or perform works of art for a variety of audiences and purposes.
• Communicate verbally and in writing, using knowledge of the arts to describe and/or evaluate one’s own artwork.
The Arts: Aesthetics and Art Criticism - Respond to and analyze works
of art, based on essential elements, organizational principles and aesthetic
criteria.
• Use knowledge of technical, organizational and aesthetic elements to
describe and analyze one’s own art and the art of others.
• Respond to works of art, giving reasons for preferences.
The Arts: Historical and Cultural Perspectives - Understand the
relationship of works of art to their social, historical and cultural contexts,
and the influence of the arts on individuals, communities and cultures.
• Understand that the arts have an historical connection.
• Explain how a work of art reflects the artist’s personal experience in a
society or culture.
English Language Arts: Reading
English Language Arts: Writing
English Language Arts: Speaking and Listening
Social Sciences: History – Relate significant events and eras in
United States and world history to past and present issues and
developments.
Download the most current version of Oregon’s Common Core Standards
from the Department of Education’s Web site at www.ode.state.or.us
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concert content & expectations
CONCERT PROGRAM
co n c e r t e x p e c t a t i o n s
Students and teachers arrive at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall eager
to experience the full Oregon Symphony playing just for them! The
conductor, narrator and orchestra give young listeners a memorable
concert experience by demonstrating musical ideas used by composers
from early to modern classical eras. Young People’s concerts last about
50 minutes and are designed especially for grades 3-8.
The day of your Young People’s Concert experience is sure to be a
fun and exciting one. Knowing what to expect will help you and your
students prepare for the concert and will make the experience the best
it can be. Listed below are a few logistical details along with some basic
expectations that we have of concert attendees.
ticket & arrival information
OSO: Some Assembly Required
Paul Ghun Kim, conductor
concert program
HigdonMachine
Grieg
Holberg Suite ,1st mvt
Mendelssohn Scherzo from A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Ravel
Le Tombeau de Couperin, 1st mvt
Brackett
Simple Gifts – sing along
Copland
Variations on a Shaker Melody
Mozart
Abduction from the Seraglio Overture
Wagner
Lohengrin: Prelude, Act III
Rimsky-Korsakov Capriccio espagnol, mvmts 4 & 5
Two weeks prior to the concert date you will receive a seat confirmation
for your group. Bring this with you on the day of the concert. For those
coming to the Portland concerts, please note on your confirmation your
entrance location (either the Broadway Street or Park Street entrance) and
the section in which you are seated. When you arrive at the hall please
proceed directly to the entrance noted on your confirmation. An usher
will greet you and lead you to your section. Groups will be seated front to
back on a first-come-first-seated basis. Your group will be seated together. Please arrive 30 minutes before the concert start time. Concerts must
begin on time. No student backpacks, food, drink or gum will be allowed
in the concert hall. If you plan to bring lunches, please store on your bus
or in the lobby. Use of cell phones and cameras is prohibited.
concert expectations
Please take a few moments before the concert to discuss with your students and chaperones your expectations for their concert behavior. Young
People’s Concerts are designed to be informative and entertaining. We
encourage kids to move to the music and show that they are having a
good time by applauding and participating at appropriate times. Please
remind your students to respect fellow audience members by refraining
from conversation throughout the concert, just as they would be asked
in an assembly at their school. The best way to show the performers that
they are enjoying the concert is by listening quietly during the performance
and clapping enthusiastically after each piece.
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sound awareness activity & resources
R e so u rc e s
so u n d a w ar e n e ss
We are constantly surrounded by sound, but rarely do we truly listen
to what we hear. Listening to a 50 minute concert may be a new and
unusual experience for many of your students. Essential to the development of deep listening skills is the acquisition of sound awareness.
Following are some suggested strategies for developing active listening
skills in listeners of all ages. These exercises will be helpful prior to any
of the following lessons as you introduce the music and concepts found
in this Teacher’s Guide.
interactive music resources - web sites for kids & teachers
Oregon Symphony - An interactive map of the orchestra plus learn all
about the musicians. www.orsymphony.org/edu/instruments
Oregon Symphony Players Association - Find out from the Oregon
Symphony musicians what it’s like to play in the orchestra.
www.concertgoersguide.org
Dallas Symphony for Kids - A national award-winning site to get students
and teachers more involved in classical music. www.dsokids.com
New York Philharmonic for Kids: “Kidzone” - Interactive games, music,
goal
classroom activities, information about classical music and fun facts about
TracksFeaturing
music composition. www.nyphilkids.org
Students will develop active listening skills.
1
Full Orchestra Sphinx Kids - Includes games, videos and music, with a special focus on
instructional objectives
minority composers and musicians. www.sphinxkids.org
2 Strings
Students will:
FirstGovforKids: Federal Citizen Information Center - Do you ever
3 Woodwinds
• Identify and describe environmental sounds; and
wonder where your favorite band would be without music? Learn how
4
Oboe Solo
• Identify and describe various sounds played on
“note”-able music is in our society by clicking on the links.
6 Percussion
a variety of musical instruments.
www.kids.gov/k_music.htm
7
Brass
8
Full
Orchestra
instructional activities
North Daviess Elementary School Music Links http://www.mcatee.biz/music/
Activity One: Environmental Sounds
Carnegie Hall Weill Institute Resource Center • Turn off the classroom lights and have students close their eyes.
www.carnegiehall.org/orc/curriculum-materials-list-view
• Have students spend one full minute listening to environmental sounds.
• Elicit responses from students as to what sounds they heard. Create a
History of the Orchestra http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchestra
word bank using all student responses.
Building an Orchestra http://www.uky.edu/~deen/Philharmonic/toc.html
• After an initial list has been created, go back to each sound on the
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0PgeKZBYhg
list and ask students to describe their sound further. Add these
Lesson ideas from Teacher’s Institute SFSO http://www.keepingscore.
descriptions to each sound listed.
org/education/mentor_showcase
• Refer back to this word bank throughout the year, adding sounds and
descriptions to increase sound awareness.
Activity Two: Instrument Families
• Using the companion CD, find the track that corresponds to the
instrument family that your class is studying.
• Follow the same procedure as listed in Activity One asking students to
identify and describe the sounds made by the featured instrument(s).
Teacher’s Guide Audio Reference:
Music for Simple Gifts sing-along http://www.
makingmusicfun.net/htm/f_printit_free_printable_
sheet_music/simple-gifts-lead-sheet.htm
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œ
F
œ
gift
œ
C7
œ
œ
be sim - ple,
œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ
to
'Twill
œ
be
Gm
œ.
F
œ œ
'tis the
œ
And
C7
Am
œ
gift
F
œ
'Tis the
œ œ
be free.
œ œ
œ œ œ
to
œ
œ œ œ
F
œ
love
œ
b
œ œ œ
C7
and de-light.
Bb
F
œ œ ˙
when we find our - selves in the
œ œ
in the val - ley of
œ
B
˙
F
œ
Gm
œ œ œ
F
Am
j
œ œ
C7
œ
come round right.
œ
shan't be a-sham'd. To
Gm
œ œ œ
tur - ning, tur - ing we
œ œ
bow and to bend we
œ œ
our de - light, Till by
œ œ œ
œ œ œ
where we ought to be.
œ
http://www.makingmusicfun.net/htm/f_printit_free_printable_sheet_
music/simple-gifts-lead-sheet.htm
You can listen to this arrangement at this link:
Incorporated into the Young Peoples Concert this February will be an audience
sing along of “Simple Gifts”. Please help your students by preparing them to join in as
we all sing this traditional American song.
'Tis the
œ
& b 44 œ œ
Gm
&b œ œ
œ
right,
gift to come down
Am
just
C7
œ . œj œ œ œ œ
place
F
˙
&b œ
&b
turn will be
Am
j
œ. œ œ
When true sim - pli-ci-ty is gained. To
F
&b ˙
turn,
7
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OSO: Some Assembly Required
M EET O U R C O NDU C T O R M e e t o u r n arra t or
Paul Ghun Kim
Pam Mahon
Oregon Symphony Resident Conductor
Oregon Symphony Kids’ Concerts Narrator
Paul Ghun Kim was selected as the Oregon
Symphony’s third Resident Conductor from a field
of over 130 international candidates. He joined
our Symphony in August, 2013, taking over duties
that will have him on the podium conducting a
wide variety of Youth, Kids, and Special concerts
in addition to his many other responsibilities.
Pamela Mahon has performed in the Oregon
Symphony Kid’s Concerts as a musical
detective, an explorer and most recently a
clown. Helping young audiences discover
the wonders of music and appreciate the
extraordinary talent we have here in Portland is
her dream job.
Mr. Kim began his conducting career at the age
of 18 as a faculty member at the Hartwick College
Summer Music Festival. Since then he has held the post of Music Director
for the Campanile Orchestra in Houston and the Indiana Youth Musicians
(which he founded). In addition, he was the Assistant Conductor at the
Aldeburgh Festival, and Associate Instructor at the Jacobs School of
Music. He has also assisted Lorin Maazel and Franz Welser-Most in various
concerts.
Mahon has also performed with the Portland
Opera in Street Scene, La Belle Helen, The
Cunning Little Vixen, The Magic Flute and Jenufa. Other Portland credits
include: Gypsy, Ragtime, Man of La Mancha, The Secret Garden, The
Full Monty, Guys & Dolls, Of Thee I Sing, Anything Goes and Tony &
Tina’s Wedding.
One of her all time favorite stage moments: kicking up her heels with the
Dancing Santas during the Oregon Symphony Yuletide Spectacular.
The dynamic young conductor has already conducted the New World
Symphony and the Silesian Philharmonic, and made his European
conducting debut with the Kielce Philharmonic in Poland and his Canadian
debut conducting the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa.
He won the Fritz Kreisler Award from the Curtis Institute of Music and is
a prizewinner at the 8th Grzegorz Fitelberg International Competition for
Conductors. He received his Master’s Degree from Rice University and is a
Doctoral Candidate at the Indiana University.
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OSO: Some Assembly Required
G ETTIN G T O K N O W T H E O R C H E S T R A
It’s the big day and you take your seat in the concert hall ready to hear
some classical music. You look up and see almost 77 people in the
orchestra. Here’s a breakdown of the instruments they’re playing:
• Violin: The instrument is made of wood; the bow is made of horsehair;
the four strings are made of metal; the sound is sweet, singing, and divine.
They’re divided into two sections, First and Second Violins, each with
different music to play.
• Viola: Slightly larger than a violin, playing slightly lower notes, with a
breathier or throatier sound than a violin.
• Cello: Played sitting down, with the instrument between the legs.
Makes a beautiful, rich, singing sound.
• Bass (or Double Bass): Enormous, bigger around than the average
human being. Plays the lowest notes of all the strings, providing the
foundation for the orchestra’s sound. Played sitting on a tall stool or
standing up.
notes. Essential for parades, as well as symphonies.
• Tuba: Lowest of the brass instruments. Can produce a wall of low,
blasting sound.
• Percussion: The player is expected to be a master of a vast range
of different instruments: timpani (the great big kettledrums), bass drum,
snare drum (for marches), cymbals (for crashing together), xylophone
(played with mallets), and other oddities.
• Piano: a musical stringed instrument resembling a harp set in
a vertical or horizontal frame, played by depressing keys that cause
hammers to strike the strings and produce audible vibrations.
• Harp: a musical instrument consisting of a triangular frame formed
by a soundbox, a pillar, and a curved neck, and having strings stretched
between the soundbox and the neck that are plucked with the fingers.
• Flute: Blown across, just like a bottle; produces a sweet, silvery
sound.
• Oboe and English horn: Played by blowing into a reed, a whittleddown flat piece of sugar cane. Produces one of the most beautiful
sounds on earth: clear, vibrant, sweet, plaintive, and full.
• Clarinet: A dark, tubular woodwind instrument that creates a full,
round sound, very pure, without the edge of the oboe’s sound.
• Bassoon: Looks like a plumbing pipe; sounds like a dream. High
notes sound throaty, even otherworldly. Middle notes sound luscious, full,
mellow; low notes can be very powerful.
• French Horn (or just Horn): The most noble-sounding brass
instrument; has a full, round, dark tone, great for majestic hunting calls.
• Trumpet: The most powerful orchestral instrument and the highestpitched brass instrument. Executes impressive runs and leaps in a single
bound.
•
Trombone: A powerful low brass instrument with a slide to change
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OSO: Some Assembly Required
T i m e l i n e of C l ass i ca l M u s i c
It may surprise you to know that people are writing “new”
classical music all the time. The following timeline shows
you some of the most famous pieces of orchestral music
along with basic guides to their stylistic periods (Baroque,
Classical, Romantic, or Modern).
The concert you will attend in February opens with
a raucous composition by living composer, Jennifer
Higdon. It is titled “Machine” and really takes the
audience on a quick 2 minute ride played on all of the
instruments of the orchestra!
Listen now on companion CD track #1
Jennifer Higdon’s Machine.
1773 Mozart’s Abduction from the Seraglio
1843 Mendelssohn’s Incidental Music for A Midsummer
Night’s Dream
1850 Wagner’s Lohengrin
1884 Grieg’s Holberg Suite
1887 Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol
1919 Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin
1944 Copland’s Variations on a Shaker Theme
2003 Higdon’s Machine
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OSO: Some Assembly Required
L e sso n P l a n : b u i l d yo u r o w n orch e s t ra
Building the Oregon Symphony Orchestra Model
Using blocks of varying shapes, colors and sizes or found objects
This classroom project is inspired by veteran teacher, school administrator and arts
consultant Annie Painter’s “Block Metaphor” ™. You can learn more about her use of
visual arts in curriculum integration at www.anniepainter.com or anniepainter@msn.com
Introduction
Materials needed
• Butcher paper to write orchestra words for all to see, water based markers. A large
piece of butcher paper for each team’s table
• Oregon Symphony seating chart and instrument listing by section and numberscan be found on website and/or Teacher’s Guide on page 12
• A large variety of blocks, wood scraps, found objects which
can be combined to make a model representing the orchestra.
Use the section numbers on page 12 to guide the multiples
needed to represent the instruments
Participants are shown a picture of the Oregon Symphony in
their concert placements on stage (see pages 12 & 13). The
class is asked to generate a list of words that describe the
orchestra. Words are written on butcher paper, chalk board
for all to reference in the following activity. The final product will
be a unified table sculpture, constructed by teams of students
representing important information about the instruments and
relationships to each other in the orchestra.
Procedure
Using all of the research materials you have provided for the
students and/or what they have found in their own team
research (depending on literacy skills level) briefly explain the
goal of making a model that symbolizes the Oregon Symphony
orchestra using:
Group size/Age range
A classroom should be divided into table groups of 5-7 students
in order to accommodate key organizational concepts, problems
and visions in this activity. Participants can be from K-12 as it is
utilized in imagining new information, crystallizing understanding
and leading to higher order thinking skills.
• BDDC Teamwork skills - Brainstorm the ideas, Decide, Divide
the jobs, Change anytime by agreement
• Elements of design symbolically – color, shape, form, balance,
repetition, line, form and space which has special meaning in the
work
Learning Outcomes
• Completed block design to practice critical questioning to gain
meaning, verbal presentation and reflection
Visual evidence that students understand the make- up of
the Oregon Symphony by numbers, instrument sections and
arrangement as an orchestral grouping. Higher level visual
symbolic thinking and developmental levels will dictate their
manipulation of the objects used in making this orchestra
model. The students’ ability to describe uses of shape, color
and arrangement to stand for their ideas will vary widely with
developmental levels and higher order thinking skills.
Follow up questions for each team
With block metaphor: If you know it you can show it; if you
show it, you probably know it. Moving in a cycle from reading
text to verbal discussion to visualization -metaphoric thinking in
blocks, to construction (non verbal) and back to verbal presentation is a way to process,
refine, present and show yourself you really understand something.
Questioners ask: “does your object used for ‘x’ instrument have
meaning?” The block designers reply Yes/No and ask “what
makes you think so?” Questioner must state what is observed
as a possible reason for the attributes used in representing the
instrument. This encourages questioner and creator alike to use
visual literacy…creating and explaining meaning from their model
symbolically.
Take pictures of each team with their orchestra model and email to the
Oregon Symphony mhayes@orsymphony.org to be posted on the website
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OSO: Some Assembly Required
G ETTIN G T O K N O W T H E O R C H E S T R A
Building an Orchestra (use with Orchestra Map to make 3D model on page 11)
About the Orchestra
Conductor1
The symphony orchestra is the largest and
most exciting of all
musical groups, with
as many as 100 players. It is divided into
four musical families
called strings, woodwinds, brass and
percussion. Every
instrument in the orchestra belongs to one
of these families. In a
symphony orchestra
the musical families
are related to one another just like cousins,
aunts and uncles.
The orchestra is a big
family of instruments
playing together.
Total Musicians
76
STRINGS
Violins
24
Violas
8
Cellos
7
Double Basses
5
WOODWINDS
Flutes
3
Piccolo
1
Oboes
3
English Horn
1
Clarinets
3
Bassoons3
BRASS
French Horns
5
Trumpets3
Trombones3
Tuba
1
PERCUSSION
Timpani
1
To learn more about
your Oregon Symphony check us out oneline at OrSymphony.
org/orchestra/roster
Percussion3
Keyboard
1
Harp
1
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history
b r i e f h i s t ory of t h e O R E G O N S Y M P H O N Y
Oregon Symphony: A Brief History
The Oregon Symphony is Portland’s largest performing arts organization
today, but it has long and deep roots that go all the way back to 1896
and the founding of the Portland Symphony – the first orchestra west
of the Mississippi River. W.H. Kinross conducted the inaugural concert
at Portland’s Marquam Grand
Theatre on Oct. 30 of that year. By
1899 the symphony performed an
annual concert series, and in 1902 it
embarked on its first state tour.
2011, when the Oregon Symphony made its debut at last in music’s
most prestigious concert venue, New York’s Carnegie Hall, as part
of the first Spring for Music Festival. They’ve just released a new CD,
This England, on the Pentatone Classics label, and are broadcasting
concerts recorded live on All Classical FM.
The decades that followed saw many
milestones, but two of the biggest
came in 1967 – when the orchestra’s
name was officially changed to Oregon
Symphony to reflect the increasing
number of concerts played outside
Portland and a commitment to serve
the larger statewide and regional
community – and in 1984 when, under
the leadership of Music Director James
DePreist, the orchestra moved from
the Portland Civic Auditorium (now
Keller Auditorium) to its current home,
the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.
The move, and DePreist’s leadership,
were turning points in the Oregon
Symphony’s history that resulted
in a new level of concert activity,
even greater service in the areas of
education and community programs, and recordings.
In 2003, when DePreist retired after 23 seasons with the orchestra, Carlos
Kalmar took over as its 10th music director. He continues to lead the
orchestra’s 76 musicians to new heights and took the podium on May 12,
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history
b r i e f h i s t ory of t h e ar l e n e sch n i t z e r co n c e r t ha l l
The Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall is an historic theater building and
performing arts center in Portland, Oregon. Part of the Portland Center
for the Performing Arts, it is home to the Oregon Symphony, Portland
Youth Philharmonic, Metropolitan Youth Symphony, White Bird Dance
Company, and Portland Arts & Lectures. The Oregon Symphony is the
main tenant in this city-owned building, renting the hall for all rehearsals
and performances. Originally (and sometimes still referred to as) the
Paramount Theatre, it is also locally nicknamed “The Schnitz”.
It is the last surviving theater building on Portland’s Broadway, which was
once lined with large theater houses. The architectural firm Rapp and Rapp,
famous for its theater buildings, designed the Italian Renaissance-style
building. The building was variously described by the newspapers as being
of the French Renaissance or Northern Italianate style. The Paramount was
considered, at its opening, to be the largest and most lavish theater for a
city the size of Portland. Originally opened as the Portland Publix Theatre,
a vaudeville venue in March 1928, the name changed to the Paramount
Theater in 1930, as the owners had a contract to run Paramount films
locally. The building continued to show films until 1972, after which it
hosted rock concerts.
Visitors were greeted by a 65-foot (20 m) high “Portland” sign above the
Broadway Marquee, which contained approximately 6,000 theatrical lights.
The current sign is an exact replica of this original sign. The sign read
“Paramount” from 1930-1984. The theater was designed with many foyers
and lobbies. The main entrance to the auditorium boasted huge Frenchpaned windows facing east and south, covered with velvet drapes. The
walls were covered with mirrors and marble, and the floors were covered
with expensive carpets. The furnishings had been purchased from a
French museum and private collections. The concessions stand was made
of marble and stretched nearly half the length of the main lobby. It was
described as the “longest candy counter in the West.”
The lobby was lit with huge crystal chandeliers. Nearly $35,000 had been
spent on them. The largest had a span of nearly 8 feet, weighing over 1700
pounds and containing 181 lights. Currently, the largest chandelier has 137
candle bulbs, and the smaller ones each have 124 bulbs.
In 1972, the Portland City Council voted to give the building Landmark
Status, over the objections of John Haviland, the owner. The landmark
status applied only to the exterior of the building. Many people felt that
the interior of the building was more valuable architecturally. The building
(as the Paramount Theatre) was placed on the National Register of
Historic Places in 1976. In the 1970s Haviland wanted to either sell or
renovate the building as it was coming into disrepair and the concert
goers were ruining the interior. The original theater organ and statuary
were sold off in an auction on March 26, 1975. During the auction, there
was a general outcry from the audience to keep a particular marble
statue, called “Surprise” (a nude girl with her hands thrown across
her face) in the theater. A hat was passed among the 1200 member
audience to take up a collection, and $5,233.97 was raised to purchase
the statue and keep it in the theater lobby. The statue had a finger
missing from a bullet from a box-office robbery in the 1920s, it is now
restored. “Surprise” still greets all visitors to the hall in the main foyer.
A major renovation began in September
1983 to the designs of Boora
Architects, restoring the building to
much of its original opulence. The
interior of the auditorium, however, was
painted one neutral color, rather than
restoring the murals that had decorated
it. Portland residents Arlene and Harold
Schnitzer contributed generously to the
completion of the initial phase of the
Portland Center for the Performing Arts.
The one-year, $10 million renovation
involved repairing, recasting or
replacing much of the theatre’s ornate
interior as well as making it comfortable
and safe for today’s audiences and
performers. It is a gem in our city and
we are happy to welcome you into the
Oregon Symphony’s home!
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OSO: Some Assembly Required
program n o t e s a n d b i os
COMPOSER: Jennifer Higdon
COMPOSER: Edvard Grieg
BORN: Brooklyn, NY, 1962
BORN: Norway, 1843
EDUCATION: Bowling Green University, Curtis Institute of Music, University of Pennsylvania
DIED: Norway, 1907
INSTRUMENT: Flute
EDUCATION: Entered Leipzig Conservatory (Germany) at age 15
COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE: USA
INSTRUMENT: Piano and Organ
MUSICAL ERA: Contemporary
COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE: Norway
NOTABLE COMPOSITIONS: Violin Concerto, Into the Blue Cathedral, as well as other operatic
and symphonic works
MUSICAL ERA: Romantic
PERSONAL: Self-taught flutist beginning at age 15
HISTORICAL CONTEXT: Dr. Higdon is the only living composer on this program, and her
Percussion Concerto was a highlight of the Oregon Symphony’s 2011-12 season
FUN FACTS: Now a professor of composition at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia,
Higdon began her study of music later than most. Her primary musical influences growing up
were Bob Marley and the Beatles. She won the Pulitzer Prize in Music for her Violin Concerto
in 2010.
NOTABLE COMPOSITIONS: Piano Concerto, Peer Gynt Suite, Holberg Suite
PERSONAL: Grieg was devoted to his country’s struggle for independence from Sweden, and
came to represent the “Voice of Norway.”
HISTORICAL CONTEXT: By incorporating traditional folk themes in his compositions, Grieg did
much to forward Norwegian nationalism through his music.
FUN FACTS: Grieg was one of the first composers to record his own music on 78 rpm vinyl
records. He also created player piano rolls, an earlier form of recording technology.
SELECTION TO BE PERFORMED: Machine (2003).
At his death, over 30,000 people filled the streets of Troldhaugen, Norway, to honor him.
The composer writes ‘I wrote Machine as an encore tribute to composers like Mozart and
Tchaikovsky, who seemed to be able to write so many notes and so much music that it seems
like they were machines!’ This work was commissioned in 2003 by The National Symphony
Orchestra of Washington, D.C.
SELECTION TO BE PERFORMED: Holberg Suite, Movement I (1884).
WHY WAS THIS PIECE INCLUDED? To introduce you to our orchestra! All four sections play
simultaneously, moving forward relentlessly for just under three minutes (although it packs in
enough musical energy to keep us going the rest of the day).
Grieg wrote this piece in homage to Ludvig Holberg, a classical Nordic playwright, for the
celebration of Holberg’s 200th Anniversary in Bergen, Norway.
WHY WAS THIS PIECE INCLUDED? This piece features the string instruments of the
orchestra. The violins, violas, celli and basses work together to create a rhythmically exciting
piece, with lots of contrasting elements layered over a strong foundation.
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY: www.jenniferhigdon.com ;
WHAT TO LISTEN FOR: Can you hear each individual string section in this piece? Grieg plays
to the unique sound of each, which generates a surprisingly varied musical texture. Can you
hear the contrast between the high strings (violins) and the low strings (violas, celli & basses)
in the opening, or how Grieg uses a repeating rhythmic pattern to create a sense of forward
motion?
http://stringvisions.ovationpress.com/2012/03/daily-bow-the-hospitality-of-jennifer-higdon/ ;
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY:
Blue Cathedral - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_uFd83ExMg
http://www.mnc.net/norway/EHG.htm
WHAT TO LISTEN FOR: Can you hear the strings? The woodwinds? The brass? The
percussion? All systems are ‘go’ in this huge, whirring, musical machine. What do you
imagine this machine makes?
http://www.youtube.com/artist/edvard-grieg
Holberg Suite - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J_U1TeYpYQ
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OSO: Some Assembly Required
program n o t e s a n d b i os
COMPOSER: Felix Mendelssohn
COMPOSER: Maurice Ravel
BORN: Germany, 1809
BORN: France, 1875
DIED: Germany, 1847
DIED: France, 1937
EDUCATION: Private tutors and lectures at the University of Berlin
EDUCATION: Entered the Paris Conservatory at 14 and remained there for 16 years!
INSTRUMENT: Piano and Organ
INSTRUMENT: Piano
COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE: Germany
COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE: France
MUSICAL ERA: Romantic
MUSICAL ERA: Post-Romanticism, Impressionism
NOTABLE COMPOSITIONS: Incidental music for a number of dramatic works, including
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the Hebrides Overture, Violin Concerto, as well as other
symphonic, chamber and vocal compositions
NOTABLE COMPOSITIONS: Bolero, La Valse, Le Tombeau de Couperin and many piano and
chamber works
PERSONAL: Mendelssohn was born into a wealthy family and was greatly influenced by his
parents and his sister.
PERSONAL: Ravel was a very private person who never married. He was a colleague of
Claude Debussy, and befriended George Gershwin on his American Tour.
The acquisition of Oregon: “Fifty-four-forty-or-fight” (1844)
HISTORICAL CONTEXT: Ravel composed in Paris through WWI (1914-1919) and the Golden
Age of Paris (1920 – 1930). He was particularly impressed by the new Russian Works
conducted by Rimsky-Korsakov, whose influence can be heard in Ravel’s orchestration.
FUN FACTS: Mendelssohn began composing as a teenager, and his sister, Fanny, was also an
accomplished composer.
FUN FACTS: Ravel was quoted as having said, “The only love affair I ever had was with
music!”
SELECTION TO BE PERFORMED: Scherzo from A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1843).
Mendelssohn wrote incidental music for six plays, including William Shakespeare’s famous
comedy. He brought the play’s characters to life by giving them their own musical themes.
Those who first heard A Midsummer Night’s Dream marveled at its perfection.
SELECTION TO BE PERFORMED: Le Tombeau de Couperin (1919).
HISTORICAL CONTEXT:
WHY WAS THIS PIECE INCLUDED? This piece showcases an important layer of our
symphonic structure, the woodwinds! Notice how expertly Mendelssohn pairs the instruments
with the dramatic scene about to unfold: would the brass section have been as well-suited to
the task of dancing fairies and sprites as are the woodwinds?
WHAT TO LISTEN FOR: Can you hear the various characters of Shakespeare’s play in
Mendelssohn’s music? Be on the lookout for mischievous fairies, a silly donkey, as well as
meddling gods and goddesses.
Ravel began writing Le Tombeau de Couperin (Couperin’s Tomb) during the early years of
WWI, while he worked helping wounded soldiers coming back from the front. His original
intent was to write a French suite for piano, although he changed his mind and decided
to write in homage to Francois Couperin, a very well-regarded French Baroque composer,
instead. He completed the piano version of this vision in 1917, and arranged it for orchestra in
1919.
WHY WAS THIS PIECE INCLUDED? This piece features highly ornamented solo musical lines,
most notably in the oboe (which you will hear right at the opening). This solo melodic figure
repeats throughout the piece, forming the foundation of its musical structure.
http://www.felixmendelssohn.com/
WHAT TO LISTEN FOR: Notice how the highly decorative and ornamental oboe melody
repeats throughout the piece. Each time it is supported and re-shaped by other members
of the winds, as well as the strings, brass and percussion. What impressions do you think
Ravel’s musical tapestry evokes?
http://www.youtube.com/artist/felix-mendelssohn
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY:
Overture - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUDvZaMl4RU
http://www.maurice-ravel.net/
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY:
Listen to a performance of the Scherzo in A Midsummer Night’s
Dream which will be performed in the concert. It is not included on the
companion CD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dLhSZLIpvA
http://www.youtube.com/artist/maurice-ravel
Le Tombeau de Couperin - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDDzxRpdtmE
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OSO: Some Assembly Required
program n o t e s a n d b i os
COMPOSER: Aaron Copland
COMPOSER: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
BORN: Brooklyn, NY, 1900
BORN: Austria, 1756
DIED: North Tarrytown ,NY, 1990
DIED: Austria, 1791
EDUCATION: Private study and the Academy at Fountainebleau, France
EDUCATION: Taught by his father, Leopold Mozart
INSTRUMENT: Piano
INSTRUMENT: Violin, Harpsichord and Organ
COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE: USA
COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE: Austria
MUSICAL ERA: Contemporary/Modern
MUSICAL ERA: Classical
NOTABLE COMPOSITIONS: Appalachian Spring, El Salon Mexico, Rodeo
NOTABLE COMPOSITIONS: 41 Symphonies, chamber music, several operas including The
Magic Flute, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, The Abduction from the Seraglio
PERSONAL: Worked to create a distinct “American” sound for classical music, using folk
music and jazz as themes in his compositions
HISTORICAL CONTEXT: Copland composed during the time America was involved in several
major wars—WWI, WWII, the Korean and Vietnam Wars—as well the tragic assassinations of
the Rev. Martin Luther King (1968) and President John F. Kennedy (1963).
FUN FACTS: Copland was a close friend of noted composer and conductor Leonard
Bernstein, who wrote West Side Story and was the Musical Director of the New York
Philharmonic for many years.
SELECTION TO BE PERFORMED: Variations on a Shaker Melody, from the ballet
Appalachian Spring, which was composed in 1943-44 for the Martha Graham Dance
Company. Copland adapted this version for the Music & Art High School in New York City.
The theme is the well-known Shaker melody Simple Gifts, which Copland then sets in a series
of orchestral variations.
WHY WAS THIS PIECE INCLUDED? Variation is a common compositional tool in musical
structure which has been employed by composers for centuries. These particular variations
really showcase this structure because the popular folk melody is so recognizable and yet
each variation is so distinct, yet clearly related to the theme.
WHAT TO LISTEN FOR: This piece opens with the strings and French horn playing
Simple Gifts at a slow tempo (and slightly out of sync), after which it appears in a variety of
instruments, at various speeds, at different volumes and incorporated in different musical
textures as the piece unfolds. See if you can follow this theme as it wends its way through the
variation structure to the endpoint, where it is restated one last time by the entire orchestra,
together as one.
PERSONAL: Mozart was a musical prodigy and was paraded throughout Europe to perform
with his older sister by their father, himself a composer and violinist.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT: Mozart was composing at the time America signed Declaration of
Independence (1776).
FUN FACTS: Mozart began playing the harpsichord at age 3. He had a photographic memory,
and could recreate a piece of music after hearing it once. Although Mozart was well paid for
his compositions and performances, he squandered most of his wealth and died penniless at
36 years of age.
SELECTION TO BE PERFORMED: Overture to The Abduction from the Seraglio (1783).
Overtures are the musical introductions for operas, setting the musical stage and creating a
sense of anticipation in the audience. Mozart composed Seraglio at the time Turkish music
and culture was in high fashion in Vienna. It is a comic opera set in Turkey and Mozart used
several musical devices to indicate that setting.
WHY WAS THIS PIECE INCLUDED? This piece is historically important because it is one of
the first classical compositions to include percussion, other than timpani. Mozart used Turkish
cymbals, the bass drum, and triangle, amongst other instruments, to evoke the Janissary
bands of the Turkish army, painting the scene for the opera to follow.
WHAT TO LISTEN FOR: Mozart uses exotic percussion instruments to punctuate and
enhance several of the themes and melodies in this overture. Can you hear how he uses
these instruments for melodic emphasis in repeated themes?
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY:
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY:
http://www.biography.com/people/wolfgang-mozart-9417115
Timeline - http://www.coplandhouse.org/aaron-copland/timeline/
http://www.mozartproject.org/
Interview with PBS - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8Fiv8QFhcA
http://www.youtube.com/artist/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart
Appalachian Spring - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJYVH_kZkOk
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OSO: Some Assembly Required
program n o t e s a n d b i os
COMPOSER: Richard Wagner
COMPOSER: Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov
BORN: Germany, 1813
BORN: Russia, 1844
DIED: Italy, 1883
DIED: Russia, 1908
EDUCATION: Leipzig University
EDUCATION: Private piano study: no conservatory training.
INSTRUMENT: Piano
INSTRUMENT: Piano
COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE: Germany
COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE: Russia
MUSICAL ERA: Romantic
MUSICAL ERA: Romantic
NOTABLE COMPOSITIONS: Many operas, most notably The Ring of the Nibelung, a cycle of
four operas lasting over 18 hours in total.
NOTABLE COMPOSITIONS: Capriccio Espagnol, Russian Easter Festival Overture, and the
symphonic suite Scheherazade
PERSONAL: Wagner remains one of the most controversial composers of all time. The
man and the music are worshipped by some and reviled by others. Adolf Hitler embraced
Wagner’s philosophy and writings; hence, Wagner’s music became synonymous with Nazism.
PERSONAL: Rimsky-Korsakov was a master of orchestration and taught at the St. Petersburg
Conservatory. He was also an officer in the Russian Navy and had a deep love of the sea.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT: US Civil War (1861) and President Lincoln’s assassination in 1865.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT:
FUN FACTS: In his early life Wagner did not show an aptitude for music. His piano teacher
said Wagner would “torture the piano in a most abominable fashion.”
Like his contemporary, Edvard Grieg, Rimsky-Korsakov incorporated traditional folk songs
themes into his compositions to create a sense of nationalism in his music. In the case of
Rimsky-Korsakov, those folk melodies and the nationalism they engendered were Russian.
Wagner’s The Ring of the Nibelung is the basis for JRR Tolkien’s adventure series, The Lord of
the Rings.
FUN FACTS:
SELECTION TO BE PERFORMED: Lohengrin: Prelude to Act III (1850). Lohengrin is one of
Wagner’s earlier operas, which draws on medieval stories and the glory of German lands and
people.
Rimsky-Korsakov was known to practice and play his compositions extremely slowly so that
he could hear all of the complexities in the harmonies.
SELECTION TO BE PERFORMED: Capriccio Espagnol, IV&V (1887).
WHY WAS THIS PIECE INCLUDED? This prelude showcases the versatility and narrative
power of the brass section, an important structural component in modern composition.
In order to give this composition a truly Spanish feel, Rimsky-Korsakov wrote this piece using
folk songs, dance themes, sounds and rhythms from Spain.
WHAT TO LISTEN FOR: Can you hear the evolving dramatic energy in this composition?
The combination of the brass themes against the strings creates a sense of almost palpable
tension; however, this tension is not consistent, but follows a narrative arc. Can you hear this
arc as it tells a story?
WHY WAS THIS PIECE INCLUDED? An orchestral tour-de-force, Rimsky-Korsakov
incorporated a wide variety of musical structures, techniques and ideas into Capriccio
Espagnol. Working together, each instrumental section has both prominent melodic and
supporting roles, passages of high ornamentation, solos, and plenty of sparkle and color.
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY:
WHAT TO LISTEN FOR: How can you tell that this music is supposed to evoke the culture of
Spain? Listen for the repeating Spanish dance rhythms, Spanish melodies and harmonies.
Notice Rimsky-Korsakov’s innovative use of percussion, and, in the fifth movement, how he
makes the string section sound like a Spanish guitar.
http://www.wagneropera.net/
http://www.youtube.com/artist/richard-wagner
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY:
http://www.last.fm/music/Nikolai+Rimsky-Korsakov
Capriccio Espagnol - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh6mDL-VwYw
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appendix
s t r i n g fam i ly
how it works
When you look at a stringed instrument, the first thing you’ll probably notice is that it’s made of wood, so
why is it called a stringed instrument? The bodies of the stringed instruments, which are hollow inside to
allow sound to vibrate within them, are made of different kinds of wood; but the part of the instrument that
makes the sound is the strings, which are made of nylon, steel or sometimes gut.
The strings are played most often by drawing a bow across them. The handle of
the bow is made of wood and the strings of the bow are actually horsehair from horses’ tails! Sometimes the
musicians will use their fingers to pluck the strings, and occasionally they will turn the bow upside down and play
the strings with the wooden handle.
the instruments
The strings are the largest family of instruments in the orchestra, and they come in four sizes: the violin, which is the smallest, viola, cello, and the biggest,
the double bass, sometimes called the contrabass. (Bass is pronounced “base,” as in “baseball.”) The smaller instruments, the violin and viola, make higherpitched sounds, while the larger cello and double bass produce low rich sounds. They are all similarly shaped, with curvy wooden bodies and wooden
necks. The strings stretch over the body and neck and attach to small decorative heads, where they are tuned with small tuning pegs.
You play the violin and viola by resting it between your chin and left shoulder. Your left hand holds
the neck of the instrument and presses down on the strings to change the pitch, while your right
hand moves the bow or plucks the strings. Since the cello is too large to put under your chin, you
play it sitting down with the body of the cello between your knees and the neck on your left shoulder.
The body of the cello rests on the ground and is supported by a metal peg. The double bass is so big that
you have to stand up or sit on a very tall stool to play it. Like the cello, the body of the double bass stands
on the ground, supported by a metal peg and the neck rests on your left shoulder. You play the cello and
the double bass in a similar manner to the violin and viola, using your left hand to press down on the strings
and your right hand to move the bow or pluck the strings.
After learning about the String Family, listen to track 1 of the companion CD
for musical excerpts that highlight the String Family.
violin
viola
Cello
b ass
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appendix
w oo d w i n d fam i ly
how it works
The instruments in the woodwind family used to be made of wood, which gives them their name. Today, they are made of wood, metal, plastic or
some combination. They are all basically narrow cylinders or pipes with holes, an opening at the bottom and a mouthpiece at the top. You play them
by blowing air through the mouthpiece (that’s the “wind” in “woodwind”) and opening or closing the holes with your fingers to change the pitch. Metal
caps called keys cover the holes of most woodwind instruments.
The mouthpieces for some woodwinds, including the clarinet, oboe and bassoon, use a thin piece of wood called a reed, which
vibrates when you blow across it. The clarinet uses a single reed made of one piece of wood, while the oboe and bassoon use a
double reed made of two pieces joined together. To play the clarinet and the oboe, you hold the instrument upright, blow through the
reed in your mouth and use both hands to press down on the keys to open and close the holes and change the pitch. The flute is
played by holding it horizontally with both hands and blowing across a hole in the mouthpiece, much like blowing across the top of a
bottle. Your fingers open and close the keys to change the pitch. You play the bassoon by holding it upright
and blowing through the double reed just like an oboe. The air travels down the tube and then makes a
u-turn and goes up and out the top. Just like the oboe, clarinet and the flute, you use both hands to press
on the keys to open and close the holes and change the pitch.
the instruments
Just like the stringed instruments, the smaller woodwinds play higher pitches while the longer and larger instruments play the lower pitches.
The woodwind family of instruments includes, from the highest sounding instruments to the lowest, the piccolo, flute, oboe, English horn,
clarinet, E-flat clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon and contrabassoon.
F l u t e
o b o e c l ar i n e t b assoo n After learning about the Woodwind Family, listen to tracks 3 & 4 of the
companion CD for musical excerpts that highlight the Woodwind Family.
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appendix
b rass fam i ly
how it works
If you think the brass family got its name because the instruments are made of brass, you’re right! This
family of instruments can play louder than any other in the orchestra and can also be heard from far away.
Although their early ancestors are known to have been made of wood, tusks, animal horns or shells,
today’s modern instruments are made entirely of brass. Brass instruments are essentially very long pipes
that widen at their ends into a bell-like shape. The pipes have been curved and twisted into different
shapes to make them easier to hold and play.
Like the woodwind family, brass players use their breath to produce sound, but instead of blowing
into a reed, they vibrate their own lips by buzzing them against a metal cup-shaped mouthpiece. The
mouthpiece helps to amplify the buzzing of the lips, which creates the sound. Most brass instruments
have valves attached to their long pipes; the valves look like buttons. When you press down on the valves, they open and close
different parts of the pipe. You change the pitch and sound by pressing different valves and buzzing your lips harder or softer.
the instruments
The brass family members that are most commonly used in the orchestra are the trumpet, French horn, trombone and the tuba. To play all four of the different
brass instruments, the first step is to buzz your lips into the mouthpiece. Each brass instrument has a different shaped mouthpiece, helping to create the
different sounds. The trumpet is the smallest member of its family and plays the highest pitches. You play the trumpet by holding it horizontally, buzzing your
lips into the mouthpiece and pressing down the three valves in various combinations to change pitch. To play the
French horn, you
hold it with the bell curving downward and buzz into the mouthpiece. Your left hand plays the three valves and you
can change the type
of sound you make by the way you place your right hand in the bell. You play the trombone by holding it horizontally,
buzzing into the
mouthpiece and using your right hand to change pitch by pushing or pulling the slide to one of
seven different positions. You play the tuba sitting down with the instrument on your lap and the
bell facing up. You blow and buzz into a very large mouthpiece and use your hand to press down
on the valves which changes the sound. It takes a lot of breath to make sound with the tuba!
After learning about the Brass Family, listen to
track 7 of the companion CD for musical excerpts that
highlight the Brass Family.
t r u mp e t F r e n ch hor n t rom b o n e
Tuba
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appendix
p e rc u ss i o n fam i ly
how it works
The percussion family is the largest in the orchestra. Percussion instruments include any instrument
that makes a sound when it is struck, shaken or scraped. Some percussion instruments are tuned
and can sound different notes, like the xylophone, timpani or piano, and some are untuned with
no definite pitch, like the bass drum, cymbals or castanets. Percussion instruments keep the
rhythm, make special sounds and add excitement and color. Unlike most of the other players in
the orchestra, a percussionist will usually play many different instruments in one piece of music.
Percussionists also use different kinds of mallets to change the sound when striking or scraping an
instrument. Brushes, mallets and sticks come in various shapes and sizes.
the instruments
The instruments of the percussion family have international ancestors from the Middle East, Asia, Africa, the Americas and Europe representing musical
styles from many different cultures. The most common percussion instruments in the orchestra include the timpani, xylophone, cymbals, triangle, snare
drum, bass drum, tambourine, gongs, chimes, celesta and piano.
Timpani
Bass Drum
Cymbals
Marimba
Snare Drum
Piano
Gongs
Triangle
After learning about the Percussion Family, listen to track 6 of the companion CD
for musical excerpts that highlight the Percussion Family.
Xylophone
Celesta
Chimes
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appendix
appendix
or e go n sympho n y ros t e r
Music Director
Carlos Kalmar
Violin
Sarah Kwak, Concertmaster
Peter Frajola, Assoc. Concertmaster
Erin Furbee, Asst. Concertmaster
Chien Tan, Principal Second Violin
Inés Voglar Belgique, Asst. Principal
Second Violin
Fumino Ando
Keiko Araki
Clarisse Atcherson
Ron Blessinger
Lily Burton*
Ruby Chen
Emily Cole
Julie Coleman
Dolores D’Aigle
Eileen Deiss
Jonathan Dubay
Gregory Ewer
Daniel Ge Feng
Lynne Finch
Shin-young Kwon
Eileen Lande
Ryan Lee
Vali Phillips
Deborah Singer
Viola
Joël Belgique, Principal
Charles Noble, Asst. Principal
Jennifer Arnold
Silu Fei
Leah Ilem
Brian Quincey
Viorel Russo
Martha Warrington
Piccolo
Zachariah Galatis
Cello
Nancy Ives, Principal
Marilyn de Oliveira, Asst. Principal
Kenneth Finch
Trevor Fitzpatrick
Gayle Budd O’Grady
Timothy Scott
David Socolofsky
Clarinet
Yoshinori Nakao, Principal
Todd Kuhns, Asst. Principal
Marc Dubac
Bass
Edward Botsford, Principal*
Donald Hermanns
Brian Johnson
Jeffrey Johnson
Jason Schooler
Flute
Jessica Sindell, Principal
Alicia DiDonato Paulsen, Principal
Zachariah Galatis
Oboe
Martin Hebert, Principal
Karen Wagner, Asst. Principal
Kyle Mustain
english horn
Kyle Mustain
E Flat/Bass Clarinet
Todd Kuhns
Bassoon
Carin Miller Packwood, Principal
Evan Kuhlmann, Asst. Principal
Adam Trussell
Contrabassoon
Evan Kuhlmann
Horn
John Cox, Principal
Joseph Berger, Assoc. Principal
Graham Kingsbury, Asst. Principal
Mary Grant
Alicia Waite
Trumpet
Jeffrey Work, Principal
David Bamonte, Asst. Principal
Trombone
Aaron LaVere, Principal
Robert Taylor, Asst. Principal
Charles Reneau
Bass Trombone
Charles Reneau
Tuba
JáTtik Clark, Principal
Timpani
Jonathan Greeney, Principal
Percussion
Niel DePonte, Principal
Sergio Carreno
Michael Roberts
Harp
Jennifer Craig, Principal
*Acting
INTERACTIVE MAP OF THE ORCHESTRA
Take advantage of this online resource that provides detailed descriptions and
pictures of the instruments that make up the Oregon Symphony.
http://www.orsymphony.org/edu/instruments/index.html
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To learn more about your Oregon Symphony Orchestra check us out online at
www.OrSymphony.org/orchestra/roster.aspx
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To learn more about your Oregon Symphony Orchestra check us out online at
www.OrSymphony.org/orchestra/roster.aspx
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To learn more about your Oregon Symphony Orchestra check us out online at
www.OrSymphony.org/orchestra/roster.aspx
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To learn more about your Oregon Symphony Orchestra check us out online at
www.OrSymphony.org/orchestra/roster.aspx
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To learn more about your Oregon Symphony Orchestra check us out online at
www.OrSymphony.org/orchestra/roster.aspx
Oregon Symphony Education & Community Engagement
Programs are supported by:
Credits:
Monica Hayes, M.S. Ed.
Education & Community Engagement Program Director
Autzen Foundation
Near Family Foundation Fund of the OCF
Bank of America Foundation
Nichols Foundation
Anne A. Berni Foundation
OnPoint Community Credit Union
BNSF Railway Foundation
Oregon Arts Commission
Pam Mahon
Brookby Foundation
Oregon Community Foundation
Narrator
Mike and Tracey Clark Foundation
Oregon International Air Show
Karen and Bill Early
Pacific Power Foundation
Bill Healy Foundation
PGE Foundation
Ferris Greeney Family Foundation
Franklin & Dorothy Piacentini Charitable Trust
Hedinger Family Foundation
RBC Foundation
The Howard Wallis Irwin & Dorise Carlyon
Regional Arts & Culture Council
Irwin Foundation
Curriculum Development Collaboration
Schnitzer Investment Corp.
JFR Foundation
Safeway Foundation
Helen & Arthur Johnson Foundation
SafeCo Foundation
Kinder Morgan Foundation
Herbert A. Templeton Foundation
Karl Kramer Foundation
Union Pacific Foundation
Lamb Foundation
US Bank/US Bancorp Foundation
Macy’s Foundation
Patty Vemer Education Fund
Ruth Manary Fund at The Samuel S. Johnson
Paul & Susan Ward
Foundation
Lucy Minett Shanno, Ph. D.
John McNeur, M.S. Ed.
Wintz Family Foundation
Mason Charitable Trust
Work for Art
Lynda & Dylan Mueller Fund of the OCF
Xerox Foundation
Multnomah County Cultural Coalition
Juan Young Trust
OrSymphony.org