YPC 3 - Carnival of the Animals

Transcription

2015-2016 Young People’s Concert Series
Presents
Y P C 3 - C a r n i v a l o f th e A n i m a l s
Teacher’s Guide
Presented in Partnership with the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts
March 8, 9 & 10, 2016 | 9:45 am & 11:10 am
H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts
Young People’s Concerts Presenting Partner
Young People’s Concerts Major Funders and Supporters
Alfred S. Gage Foundation
Ewing Halsell Endowment Fund of the SAAF
Saint Susie Charitable Foundation
Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation Martha Mares Lebo Children’s Education Fund of the SAAF
Howard and Betty Halff Fund of the SAAF Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation
Carol Lee Jones Education & Cultural Fund of the SAAF David and Betty Sacks Charitable Trust
Tuesday Musical Club
Transportation Scholarship Funders and Supporters
Mr. and Mrs. Buddy Gardner
Table of Contents
YPC ATTENDANCE GUIDELINES FOR TEACHERS (1 page)
CONCERT PROGRAM (1 page)
PAINT TO MUSIC CONTEST & NAXOS PLAYLIST INFORMATION (1 page)
COMPOSER BIOGRAPHIES AND QUIZZES
Johann Strauss II Biography (1 page)
Strauss Biography Quiz (1 page)
Interesting Facts about Johann Strauss II (1 page)
Camille Saint-Saëns Biography (1 page)
Saint-Saëns Biography Quiz (1 page)
Interesting Facts about Camille Saint-Saëns (1 page)
Answer Key to Biography Quizzes (1 page)
FEATURED ARTISTS
Akiko Fujimoto, conductor (1 page)
Rhiannon Bishop, piano (1 page)
Helen Nebeker, piano (1 page)
Damian Gillen, actor/narrator (1 page)
REPERTOIRE EXPLORATION
Overture to Die Fledermaus (1 page)
Overture to Die Fledermaus Quiz (1 page)
The Music & Zoology of Carnival of the Animals (9 pages)
The Music & Zoology of Carnival of the Animals Quiz (1 pages)
Answer Key to Repertoire Exploration Quizzes (1 page)
CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Dichotomous Key Science Activity (2 pages)
Carnival of the Animals Dichotomous Key (1 pages)
My Dichotomous Key Worksheet (1 page)
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES FOR CONCERT PREPARATION
Concert Etiquette Activity (2 pages)
Orchestra Map Worksheet (1 page)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Four Families of the Orchestra (1 page)
Introduction to Instrument Families (2 pages)
Web-based Educational Resources & Books (1 page)
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20-28
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35-36
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39-40
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Young People’s Concert Attendance Guidelines
Before the Concert: ♪
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Please prepare students for the concert using these Teacher’s Guide materials.
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Before leaving school, please allow time for students to visit the restroom if at all possible.
You will receive an electronic “ticket” message via email approx. 1‐2 weeks before the concert.
Students should be briefed on concert etiquette in advance (see concert etiquette activity).
Please contact Jeremy Brimhall at (210) 554‐1006 at least ONE WEEK before the concert if you have any students that require special accommodations.
Day of the Concert (please read carefully!): Clearly mark buses or cars for quick identification and memorize bus numbers.
Know your lead bus driver’s name and be sure you can recognize him/her. TIP: exchange cell numbers!
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If possible, plan to arrive at the Tobin Center at least 30 minutes before the concert time.
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Busses for the 9:45 am performance should approach the Tobin Center from 4th STREET or AVENUE A and turn onto AUDITORIUM CIRCLE for drop off onto the main Performing Arts Plaza. ♪
Busses for the 11:10 am performance should approach the Tobin Center from NAVARRO STREET and turn right onto AUDITORIUM CIRCLE for drop off in front of the West Doors. ♪
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There is a designated parking area for concert attendees not arriving by bus, see link below.
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The use of cameras and recorders is prohibited; please turn off your cell phones.
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Please remain in your seats until your school is dismissed.
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Please fill out the YPC online evaluation (to be sent by email following each concert). For any last‐minute problems or questions please call: Jeremy Brimhall, Director of Education, on his cell phone at (210) 441‐2858 Upon Arrival at the Tobin Center For maps and bus plans, please visit http://sasymphony.org/education/teacherslounge/
Check‐in with a volunteer outside the building. The volunteer will guide you to your entrance.
All students should be in their seats at least five minutes before the start of the program!
No food or drink, including chewing gum is permitted in the concert hall.
During the Concert Students and teachers should remain in their seats for the entire concert.
Restrooms are located on select levels only and should be used for urgent need only.
If a student must visit the restroom, please have an adult accompany him or her.
Students not maintaining acceptable behavior may be asked to leave.
After the Concert It may be that you will NOT be exiting the same doors as those you entered.
Upon dismissal, listen carefully and follow instructions for departing the building.
Back At School Student letters/artwork expressing reactions to the concert are greatly appreciated. Send Any Young People’s Concert related student work or Teacher evaluations to: Education San Antonio Symphony Orchestra PO Box 658 San Antonio, TX 78293‐0658 Fax: 210‐554‐1008 Email: [email protected] 4
Concert Program
Johann Strauss II (1825-1899)
Overture to Die Fledermaus
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)
Carnival of the Animals
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Introduction & Royal Lion March
Hens and Roosters
Wild Donkeys
Tortoises
The Elephant
Kangaroos
Aquarium
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
People with Long Ears
Cuckoo in the Depths of the Woods
Aviary
Pianists
Fossils
The Swan
Finale
What can I expect at the concert?
H-E-B Performance Hall
at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts
As you get to your seat in the Tobin Center, the orchestra will be warming
up on stage. See if you can answer the trivia questions on the screen while
you wait for the concert to start. When the lights dim, that’s your cue that
it’s time to quiet down. Applaud for the concertmaster (the head violinist)
and the conductor as they come on stage! The orchestra will first perform
the Overture to Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss, Jr. It’s about nine
minutes long. The overture starts with a lot of energy but then goes into
several short sections, some fast and some slow. Listen for some tunes
you might recognize, especially the famous waltz and the polka! Then it’s
time for Carnival of the Animals. This piece is about 21 minutes long but
is broken down into 14 short movements. Each movement represents a
different animal, which a narrator will tell you about in-between listening
to the orchestra. Keep an eye out too for the winning artwork of the Paint
to Music Contest! Finally, it’ll be time to go. But you’ll need to wait in your
seat until your teacher says it’s time. Listen up and have a good time! 
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Paint to Music Contest Information
What is the Paint to Music Contest?
All schools and groups attending the Carnival of the Animals program are strongly encouraged to participate
in the Symphony League’s 42nd Annual Paint to Music Contest. The contest involves having students K-6
create a work of visual art while listening to one of three pre-selected Carnival of the Animals movements that
the Symphony will be performing on this concert program in March. The finished artwork is then submitted to
the Symphony League for judging. Roughly 150 winners will be selected including six top winners. Prizes
including art supplies are awarded by the League, and the winning artwork will be projected above the
orchestra in the culminating Carnival of the Animals concerts during the same movements of music that
inspired them.
How do we participate?
The deadline for entry and drop-off date for artwork this year is Saturday, February 6, 2016, from 10:00 am to
1:00 pm at the Steinway Piano Gallery (near the airport). Entries can also be mailed in advance. The Contest
guidelines, entry forms, a parental release form, and template artwork labels are all available for download
at: http://sasymphony.org/education/paint-to-music-contest/
OR visit sasymphony.org > EDUCATION > Paint to music contest
Please read all information carefully.
How can we listen to the music selections?
For free access to a streaming playlist of the Carnival of the Animals music selections, including the Paint to
Music Contest selections, please use the link and login information below:
♪ http://www.naxosmusiclibrary.com/playlists/playlisttrack.asp?tbg=usr&pid=353488
♪ OR visit www.NaxosMusicLibrary.com > Playlists > 2015-16 Young People’s Concerts > YPC 3 – Carnival
of the Animals
♪ username = sasymphony
♪ password = lasamericas
♪ In addition, the login provides access to the full NAXOS Music Library of some 1.6 million tracks. If you
have any trouble using this resource, please contact:
Jeremy Brimhall | Director of Education | San Antonio Symphony
o 210.554.1006 | c 210.441.2858 | f 210.554.1008 | m 210.554.1000
[email protected] | sasymphony.org
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Johann Strauss II, Composer
Johann Strauss II, also known as Johann Strauss, Jr., was once the “king”
of popular dance music: “The Waltz King,” that is. As a composer, he
made great contributions to classical music in the form of his many
orchestral waltzes and operettas. Young Johann was born into a very
What’s that? A waltz is quick ballroom musical family; his
dance in three beats or music composed father, Johann Strauss
for such a dance. An operetta is a short I, was just becoming a
opera with a funny or lighthearted story.
well-known composer
and band leader himself when Johann, Jr. was born. Young Johann
wanted to be a musician like his dad, but his dad threatened to beat
him if he ever found him playing instruments! Still, with his mom’s help,
he studied the violin secretly and wrote his first waltz at the age of six.
Later, he also studied harmony with a composer named Joseph
Drechsler. When his father finally left the family in 1844, the 19-yearold formed his own little orchestra to perform his and his father’s music
in local restaurants. At first he had to compete with his dad’s band, but
when his dad died in 1849, he merged the two together as their leader.
The people of Vienna soon fell in love with his dance music, which was
known for its light character and catchy melodies. With his orchestra,
Strauss toured Austria, Poland and Germany, and soon had invitations
to conduct in Russia and the United States. Although the court of the
Austrian emperor had long favored his father, Strauss eventually won
over the emperor’s favor by dedicating pieces to him. Finally, in 1863,
he became the “Music Director of the Royal Court Balls.” After meeting
the famous French opera composer Jacques Offenbach, Strauss turned
more of his interest to composing operettas. In total he composed 18
operettas, include Die Fledermaus (“The Bat”) which was a big hit and
still widely performed today. He was still having plenty of success with
his waltzes, too. One in particular called An der schönen blauen Donau
(“The Blue Danube”) became so popular that its performance was
demanded at all national patriotic events and festivals. By the time of
his death in 1899, Strauss had composed almost 400 waltzes as well as
many polkas, marches, quadrilles and other dances. Today his music is
honored every year at the famous “New Year’s Concert” in Vienna.
Composer Stats: J. Strauss, Jr.
Born: Oct. 25, 1825 (190 years ago)
Died: June 3, 1899 (116 years ago)
Nationality: Austrian
Mostly lived in: Vienna, Austria
Famous works: “The Blue Danube,”
Emperor Waltz, The Gypsy Baron,
Die Fledermaus, “Tritsch-TratschPolka,” Tales from the Vienna Woods
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Name ___________
Johann Strauss II Biography Quiz
Instructions: Your teacher will hand out a sheet with a brief biography of composer Johann
Strauss, Jr. Read the biography carefully and then answer the questions below.
1. Who encouraged Strauss to study music
as a child?
a. His father.
b. His mother.
c. Jacques Offenbach.
d. The Austrian emperor.
6. Which composer inspired Strauss to
begin writing operettas?
a. Joseph Drechsler.
b. Johann Strauss I.
c. Jacques Offenbach.
d. Camille Saint-Saëns.
2. Which composer gave young Strauss
lessons in harmony?
a. Johann Strauss I.
b. Jacques Offenbach.
c. Richard Wagner.
d. Joseph Drechsler.
7. What did Strauss’s dad tell him he
would do if he studied music?
a. Beat him.
b. Play with him.
c. Let him join his band.
d. Pay for him to go to college.
3. What is Strauss sometimes called?
a. “The Master of Sauerkraut”
b. “The Polka Prince”
c. “The Waltz King”
d. “Die Fledermaus”
8. Which position was offered to Strauss
in 1863?
a. “The Waltz King”
b. “Music Director of the Royal
Court Balls”
c. “Court Dance Composer”
d. “Master Musician of the
Austrian Empire”
4. Which instrument did Strauss learn to
play?
a. Violin.
b. Harmonica.
c. French horn.
d. Clarinet.
5. Strauss’s popular dance music was
known for its ________________.
a. steady beat and heavy bass.
b. complex harmonies and walking
bass line.
c. dramatic outbursts and brass
fanfares.
d. light character and catchy
melodies.
9. Which work is a famous operetta by
Johann Strauss II?
a. Orpheus in the Underworld.
b. The Blue Danube.
c. Die Fledermaus.
d. Daphnis et Chloé.
10. Which work is a famous waltz by
Johann Strauss II?
a. Orpheus in the Underworld.
b. The Blue Danube.
c. Die Fledermaus.
d. Daphnis et Chloé.
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Interesting Facts about Johann Strauss II
♪
Johann Strauss, Jr. seems to have always been at odds with his father. Although Strauss, Sr. was a wellknown composer and band leader, he insisted that his son become a banker. He even
forbid Strauss., Jr. from learning to play an instrument! The younger
Strauss learned music in secret though and eventually formed his
own waltz and polka band to play music that he had written. Like his
father’s group, the band took jobs playing at different clubs and
restaurants in Vienna. The two bands led by father and son ended up
competing with each other for these jobs! Strauss, Sr. refused to play
ever again at one club in particular after they hired his son’s group to
play there.
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The rivalry between Johann Strauss father
and son extended beyond music, too.
During the Revolutions of 1848 in the
Austrian Empire, the two took opposing
sides. Strauss, Sr. sided with the Austrian
emperor, while Strauss, Jr. sided with the
rebels. The decision got the younger
Strauss arrested and thrown in jail at one point, but he was later released.
Johann Strauss, Jr. was a master of the giant sideburns called lamb chops,
mutton chops or side whiskers, which were popular among men in the 19th
century. Check out some of the photos on this page that show him sporting
this style!
♪
Sidesburns and all, Strauss was very popular among the ladies. Women who attended his concerts would
kiss the seams of his coat and beg for a lock of his thick, black hair. According
to legend, Strauss got so many of these requests that he decided to buy a
black Newfoundland dog which his driver would clip and then hand out the
clippings as if they were actually Strauss’ hair! This continued until Strauss
feared the dog would be left with no hair at all!
♪
Strauss had three wives during his lifetime. His first wife was a singer named
Henrietta “Jetta” Treffz, whom he married in 1862. Jetta helped Strauss to
copy out many of his pieces and was instrumental in convincing him to write
operettas. When she died of a heart attack in 1878 however, Strauss
married another woman only six weeks later: Angelika Dittrich. Angelika
was also a singer and about half his age, but the marriage didn’t last.
Angelika left him after about four years together. He tried to divorce her,
but the Roman Catholic Church wouldn’t allow it while Angelika was still
alive. So he changed both his religion and his citizenship, becoming a Lutheran Protestant and a German so
that he could marry his third wife, Adele Deutsch. The two remained together until Strauss’ death in 1899.
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Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer
Camille Saint-Saëns [roughly pronounced ka-MEE să-SAWNS] was an
important French composer of the Romantic era of classical music.
Recognized as a child prodigy, young Camille displayed perfect pitch
and could play simple tunes at the piano by the time he was three years
old. With lessons and training, Camille was performing at the piano by
age five. At 10, he gave his first public concert and was admitted to the
famous Paris Conservatory of Music only three years later. He began
to study organ as well as piano, and in another three years, won the
conservatory’s top prize for organists. After two more years of study in
composition, he left the Conservatory and became a church organist.
Another famous composer, Franz Liszt, heard him play the organ at his
church and declared Camille Saint-Saëns to be the greatest organist in
the world! Meanwhile, however, Saint-Saëns devoted his personal time
to composing and won a prize from the Society of Saint Cecile in 1853
for his Symphony No. 2. Unlike many great composers, Saint-Saëns only
taught for a few years of his life. He did however produce at least one
important student, Gabriel Fauré, who also became a well-known
composer and lifelong friend. But Saint-Saëns left his teaching position
in 1865 to devote more time to performing and composing. During the
following period, his fame and demand grew in France and around the
world. He performed the successful premiere of his Second Piano
Concerto in 1868. After briefly escaping to England during the FrancoPrussian War, Saint-Saëns returned to compose a number of important
works, including his Halloweenish tone poem, Danse macabre (1874), a
successful opera, Samson and Delilah (1877) and his Third Violin
Concerto (1880). In 1886, the composer wrote his two most famous
works, his Symphony No. 3, the “Organ” Symphony, and The Carnival of
the Animals. While the symphony had been commissioned by the Royal
Philharmonic Society in England and conducted by Saint-Saëns himself
in its premiere performance there, The Carnival of the Animals was
written just for private performance and was only published after the
composer’s death. Saint-Saëns continued to compose and perform into
his 80s and right up until a month before he died in 1921, at age 86.
Composer Stats: Saint-Saëns
Born: Oct. 9, 1835 (180 years ago)
Died: Dec. 16, 1921 (96 years ago)
Nationality: French
Mostly lived in: Paris, France
Famous works: “Organ” Symphony,
Danse macabre, Sampson and Delilah
The Carnival of the Animals,
Piano and Violin Concertos
10
Name ___________
Saint-Saëns Biography Quiz
Instructions: Your teacher will hand out a sheet with a brief biography of composer Camille
Saint-Saëns. Read the biography carefully and then answer the questions below.
1. How old was Saint-Saëns when he first
displayed musical ability?
a. Three years old.
b. Five years old.
c. Ten years old.
d. Sixteen years old.
6. Which composer was a student and
lifelong friend of Saint-Saëns?
a. Gabriel Fauré.
b. Hector Berlioz.
c. Saint Cecile.
d. Franz Liszt.
2. Which two instruments did Saint-Saëns
master during his lifetime?
a. Clarinet and trombone.
b. Organ and harp.
c. Organ and piano.
d. Piano and oboe.
7. Saint-Saëns lived mostly during the
______________ of classical music.
a. Baroque era.
b. Classical era.
c. Romantic era.
d. Impressionist era.
3. Which composer called Saint-Saëns
“the greatest organist in the world?”
a. Gabriel Fauré.
b. Hector Berlioz.
c. Saint Cecile.
d. Franz Liszt.
8. Which work by Saint-Saëns was meant
for private performance?
a. Samson and Delilah.
b. The Carnival of the Animals.
c. Danse macabre.
d. Second Piano Concerto.
4. During which war did Saint-Saëns
temporarily escape to England?
a. French and Indian War.
b. Franco-Prussian War.
c. World War I.
d. World War II.
9. Which work was composed the same
year as The Carnival of the Animals?
a. Symphony No. 3, “Organ”
b. Third Violin Concerto.
c. Second Piano Concerto.
d. Danse macabre.
5. Why did Saint-Saëns leave his teaching
position in Paris?
a. to escape to England.
b. to visit America.
c. to become a church organist.
d. to devote more time to
performing and composing.
10. Which is the name of an opera by
Camille Saint-Saëns?
a. Le Cid.
b. The Barber of Seville.
c. The Carnival of the Animals.
d. Samson and Delilah.
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Interesting Facts about Camille Saint-Saëns
Although Camille Saint-Saëns achieved great success and fame as a composer and pianist, he seems to have
had plenty of bad luck in his personal life! Here are a few examples:
♪
Camille Saint-Saëns’s father was an important government official in Paris and might have done much to
promote young Camille’s progress and studies. Only two months after Camille was born, however, he died of
consumption, a disease often associated with the urban poor. Consumption was
widespread in Europe at the time, about one in four people died of the
disease. Saint- Saëns’ mother was forced to escape to the
country for two years with her infant son to avoid the outbreak.
Today we know consumption as tuberculosis, or TB.
♪
When he was 39, Saint-Saëns married a woman who was only half
his age. But his mother disapproved of the marriage, which was
doomed to fail. The couple had two young sons; tragically both
died within six weeks of each other, one by falling out of an
apartment window, the other died of pneumonia. Saint-Saëns
blamed his wife for his older son’s death, but waited three years to
leave her one day when they were staying at a hotel. He simply
walked out and never saw her again.
♪
In March of 1887, a stage work of Saint-Saëns called Proserpine opened
in Paris. Although Proserpine later achieved some success, the theatre
burned down in May killing 84 people and the production of Proserpine
was lost.
♪
Saint-Saëns had very strict ideas about music and the feelings in should, or
rather shouldn’t, evoke. He once wrote,” Art is intended to create beauty
and character. Feeling only comes afterwards, and art can very well do
without it.
In fact, it is very much better off when it does.” This ideal led Saint-Saëns and his music to be
frequently criticized. Sadly, many composer and music critics saw him more as a craftsman who
was a master orchestrator rather than an inspired artist.
♪
As the Impressionist era of music began to take off with composers like Ravel and Debussy, SaintSaëns’s conservative ideals about music were seen as even more out of touch. To an extent, he
became kind of a grumpy old man about it and would sometimes lash out at the work of younger
composers. He once called Igor Stravinsky “insane,” and Darius Milhaud, a “lunatic.”
Other interesting facts about the composer:
♪
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Camille Saint-Saëns lived most of his adult life with his mother, even during the period of his marriage.
Saint-Saëns was an excellent pianist throughout his long life. On May 6, 1846, he gave his first public concert as
a 10-year-old boy. Exactly fifty years later, he premiered his last piano concerto, the Piano Concerto No. 5, on
the same date.
Saint-Saëns insisted that The Carnival of the Animals was for private performance only and would not allow it to
be published until after his death. He believed it would take away from his image as a “serious” composer.
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Answer Key to Biography Quizzes
Johann Strauss II
Camille Saint-Saëns
1. b.
2. d.
3. c.
4. a.
5. d.
6. c.
7. a.
8. b.
9. c.
10. b.
1. a.
2. c.
3. d.
4. b.
5. d.
6. a.
7. c.
8. b.
9. a.
10. d.
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Akiko Fujimoto, Associate Conductor
Akiko Fujimoto is the Associate Conductor of the San
Antonio Symphony, where she conducts over 40 concerts
annually including classical, baroque, ballet, pops, and
education concerts and leads pre-concert lectures for the
Classics series. Previously, Fujimoto was the Conducting
Associate for the Virginia Symphony Orchestra where she
made her debut on their Classics series conducting the
world premiere of Behzad Ranjbaran’s Double Concerto for
Violin, Viola and Orchestra.
A passionate advocate for young musicians, Fujimoto has
served as the music director of orchestras at Harvard
University, Stanford University and the College of William
& Mary. She was also the Music Director of the
Williamsburg Youth Orchestras in Virginia.
Outside of the U.S., Fujimoto conducted the National Arts
Center Orchestra in Canada as part of their Young
Conductors Programme, as well as the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra as part of St. Magnus Festival’s
Orkney Conducting Institute. She also recently attended the Conductors Lab® in France and conducted
members of the Berlin Philharmonic.
Born in Japan, Fujimoto graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music and
Psychology and holds graduate degrees in conducting from the Boston University and the Eastman
School of Music.
What is a conductor?
A conductor is a musician who leads other musicians in a performance by using visible gestures with her body. Conductors will often use a baton – a short wooden stick – to help clearly mark the beats. Conductors do a lot more however than direct musical performances. They spend a lot of time studying scores – books of music for large compositions like symphonies – and getting to know the pieces they conduct. Conductors also lead rehearsals – this means that they get to make all the decisions about how a piece of music should sound and how it should be played – in terms of tempo, dynamics, balance and many other factors. Conductors use their knowledge and tastes to interpret and a piece of music for the audience. 14
Rhiannon Bishop, piano soloist
Rhiannon Bishop, age 17, has been performing piano since the
age of six and has been studying under the guidance of Kenneth
Thompson at the Musical Arts Center of San Antonio, Inc. since
age ten. She has placed in numerous competitions during this
time. In July 2015 she won 1st Place at the New Orleans National
Solo Piano Competition, where she was the youngest pianist
from a field that included collegiate pianists from throughout
the United States including Oberlin Conservatory. In 2015 she
won 1st Place at the Baylor-Waco State Piano Competition, 1st
Place at the Texas State Young Artist Piano Competition, 1st
Place at the DeBose National Piano Competition, 1st Place at the
McLennan State Piano Competition, and 2nd Place in the Austin
State Piano Competition. Additionally she was a Grand Prize
Winner at the McKinney Young Artist State Piano Competition.
She is in her second year as a Musical Ambassador for the San
Antonio International Piano Competition.
Rhiannon’s solo recital from May 2015 was broadcast in full on
“Performance Saturday” on San Antonio’s KPAC 88.3 FM. This
broadcast included an interview by Nathan Cone with her and
her teacher. She has
performed twice on Austin’s classical radio station, KMFA 89.5.
In December 2015 she made her orchestral debut with the
University of the Incarnate Word Orchestra and conductor
Terence Frazor with a performance of the second movement of
Mozart’s Concerto no. 21 in C Major. Rhiannon has a love of
teaching piano and helping others solve technical problems.
She is looking forward to studying piano performance in
college and wants to earn a DMA.
15
Helen Nebeker, piano soloist
Born in Austin, TX in 1998, Helen Nebeker began studying
piano at the age of four. Her previous teachers include Julia
Amada Kruger and Timothy Woolsey. She is currently
studying under Kenneth Thompson at the Musical Arts
Center of San Antonio, Inc. Helen has won many national
and international awards. She was a first place winner of the
Bradshaw Buono International Piano Competition in New
York and performed in the Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie
Hall. Helen has also won many prizes from the United States
Open Music Competition in California, DeBose National
Piano Competition in Louisiana, United States International
Duo Piano Competition in Colorado, International Chopin
Youth Competition in Texas, Texas State Young Artist Piano
Competition, Hubbard Chamber Music Young Artists Solo
and Chamber Music Competition in Texas, San Antonio
Symphony Future Stars Concerto competition, and the MCC
Piano Competition in Texas. In 2013, Helen received a fulltuition scholarship to attend the 4th Texas State International
Piano Festival (TSIPF) after winning first prize in the Texas
State Young Artist Piano Competition of that year. She made
her orchestral debut with the University of the Incarnate Word Orchestra and conductor Terence Frazor
in December 2015 with a performance of the first movement of Mozart’s Concerto no. 21 in C Major.
Helen's volunteer activities include serving as an Austin Youth Music Ambassador (AYMA) from 2013
through 2016 and a San Antonio
International Piano Competition (SAPIC) Youth
Music Ambassador from 2014
through 2016. Helen has been invited to give solo
recitals at the Estes Park Music
Festival in Colorado, U.S.A. and at the Tunghai
University in Taiwan,
R.O.C. The Fo Guang Shan Nan Ping Temple and
the Taiwan area of
American College of Musicians/National Guild of
Piano Teachers invited
her to perform and help raise money for
underprivileged
and
cerebral palsy children. Helen has performed on
and been interviewed by
KMFA, Austin's local classical music station in 2013
and 2014, and performed
with a five piano ensemble, which included the
show’s
host,
Christopher
O’Riley, on NPR’s From Top during the Summer of 2013.
16
Damian Gillen, actor
Damian is an award winning, classically-trained, Shakespearean actor
who graduated from Southwest Texas State University with a B.F.A.
in Theatre. He then spent 2 years working with Fort Worth's
Shakespeare-in-the-Park, which included 2 national tours. Favorite
roles include playing Jaques & Touchstone in the same challenging
production of As You Like It, Playing Puck in two different
simulteanous productions of A Midsummer Nights Dream and
Benedick in Much Ado. In the summer of 1992 he was hired by the
Austin Shakespeare Festival, performing in A Midsummer Nights
Dream (and ended up staying for 13 years!) He spent many years in
Austin working closely with the Austin Shakespeare Festival.
In 1993, Damian founded The Company Theatrical Productions,
where he directed the Texas Premiere of Aaron Sorkins A FEW GOOD
MEN. The show received such critical acclaim during its four week
run, that it was revived later that year for another three weeks and
earned THE COMPANY many accolades, including a B. IDEN
PAYNE AWARD nomination for Outstanding Production of a Drama
(not bad for a 1st-time director.)
He has acted or directed in every production of The Company since its inception and has been nominated
many times for acting and directing but received his 1st B. Iden Payne Award for Outstanding Actor for
his performance as Edward, in Edward & The Calico Cat, produced by Pollyanna Theatre Company.
Damian was Actor & Company Manager for Zachary Scott Theatre Centers Project Interact,
touring/performing for 5 years to over 250,000 children throughout Texas! He has worked in or on stage
with just about every stage in Austin, TX, in addition to touring to many theatres throughout Texas. He
now has his sights set on San Antonio!
17
Overture to Die Fledermaus
The Operetta
Johann Strauss, Jr.’s operetta Die Fledermaus (“The Bat”) is one of his most
famous works. While already very well known by the 1870s as a composer
of waltzes and polkas, Strauss still had little experience writing music for
the theatre. Inspired however by the operettas of the famous French
composer Jacques Offenbach and with encouragement from his wife Jetta,
Strauss suddenly began to write successful operetta after operetta, 18 in
total! Die Fledermaus was only Strauss’ third operetta, but it delighted
audiences in Vienna and around the world after its premiere in 1874. With
a libretto (the set of lyrics to an opera) written by Richard Genée and based
on two comical plays, Strauss’ operetta follows the funny story of a wellto-do but unlucky man named Gabriel von Eisenstein. Eisenstein has just
lost his court case after hitting a policeman and has been sentenced to
eight years in prison. Instead of spending his last evening as a free man at
home with his wife, Rosalinde, he sneaks away to a masked ball with his
friend Falke. Little does he know that Rosalinde will also show up at the
ball, but in disguise. Not recognizing her, Eisenstein begins to hit on his
own wife, which gets him into some trouble. Later, he realizes that his
friend Falke has arranged everything to get revenge on him for having
played a prank on Falke a year before. Falke had been dressed up like a
bat (a fledermaus) for a ball the year before when Eisenstein left him
asleep in the town center, where people made fun of him the next day.
The operetta is arranged in three acts and lasts just over two hours.
The Overture
A long-standing tradition of opera is for the orchestra to perform a short
piece to keep the audience entertained while the curtain is still down on
the stage. This opening orchestra-only piece is called the overture. Like
many others, Strauss’ overture to Die Fledermaus is so well-liked that it is
often performed separately by symphony orchestras, such as the San
Antonio Symphony. Marked “Allegro vivace” (“Quickly and lively”) in the
beginning, the overture gets off to an exciting start [YPC 3 playlist, track 1],
but quickly launches into a stream of short sections of varying tempo.
These sections introduce several of the musical themes of the operetta,
including the famous waltz [2:34], and polka [4:54], which later appear in
the masked ball of the operetta. A return of the polka theme near the end
[7:09] leads the overture to a breathless finish.
What is an operetta?
An operetta is a short opera with a funny or
lighthearted story. Simply put, opera is a
story told through music. You could say that
opera is like a play where most of the lines
are sung and with music in the background.
The word opera comes from Italian and is
actually the plural form of the word opus,
which refers to a single work or composition.
This is because operas often have many parts
and several elements that go into them. In
fact, operas combines many art forms:
instrumental and vocal music, theatre, stage
scenery, costuming and often dance as well.
Operas are usually divided into acts and
numbers. If you were to compare an opera
to a TV series, acts are like seasons of the
show and numbers are like the episodes or
chapters in each season.
Opera Stats: Die Fledermaus
Composer: Johann Strauss, Jr.
Librettist: K. Haffner & R. Genée
Language: German Type: Operetta
Setting: Vienna, Austria; late 1800s
Premiered: Vienna; April 5, 1874
Major Characters: Eisenstein (a
convicted man about to be locked up),
Rosalinde (his wife), Adele (their maid),
Alfred (Rosalinde’s courter), Frank (jailer),
Falke (a “friend”), Orlovsky (rich prince)
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Name ___________
Overture to Die Fledermaus Quiz
Instructions: Your teacher will hand out a sheet with information about the operetta Die
Fledermaus. Read the information carefully and then answer the questions below.
1. What is a “fledermaus”?
a. The day after Christmas.
b. A bat.
c. A prison.
d. A masked ball.
2. How does the “fledermaus” appear in the Die
Fledermaus story?
a. As an evil magician.
b. As a pet of the main character.
c. As a costume worn to a ball.
d. As a mascot of a sports team.
3. Which is the best definition for an operetta?
a. A funny or lighthearted stage work
similar to a play but with singing and
live orchestra music.
b. A sports car made by Chevrolet.
c. A funny or lighthearted stage work that
combines stage scenery and dance.
d. A type of pistol commonly carried by
policemen.
4. Who does Eisenstein hit on at the party?
a. The prince’s daughter.
b. A pair of ballet dancers.
c. His wife in disguise.
d. Adele and her sister.
5. Which is a tradition of opera production?
a. To have jugglers perform in the lobby.
b. To have an overweight lady come out
and sing at the beginning.
c. Dramatic outbursts and brass fanfares.
d. To have the orchestra play a short
piece before the curtain opens.
6. What can be defined as the set of lyrics to an
opera?
a. The numbers.
b. The script.
c. The acts.
d. The libretto.
7. If numbers of an opera are like episodes of a
TV show, acts are like ______________.
a. Sequels.
b. Seasons.
c. Cartoon versions.
d. Movies.
8. How do you think Strauss used his strengths as
a composer in writing Die Fledermaus?
a. By incorporating dance music he was
already good at writing, like the waltz.
b. By choosing a libretto based on a
French play.
c. By writing for multiple singers at once.
d. By featuring complicated vocal lines.
9. Which is a feature of the overture to Die
Fledermaus?
a. A long, solemn funeral march.
b. Several short sections of varying tempo.
c. An extensive violin solo.
d. A groove-like beat throughout.
10. Where was Die Fledermaus set and
premiered?
a. Vienna, Montana.
b. Vienna, Italy.
c. Vienna, Texas.
d. Vienna, Austria.
19
The Music & Zoology of Carnival of the Animals
Camille Saint-Saëns first imagined his famous Carnival of the Animals in the 1860s while working part time as a
piano professor at a small music school in Paris. His idea was to create something fun on the side for which his
students could perform the two solo piano parts. He wouldn’t finish writing the work however for another 20
years. After a difficult concert tour of Germany in 1885-86,
Saint-Saëns took a vacation to the Austrian countryside. It was
there while working on his Third Symphony that he finally
decided to finish the Carnival. His first version of the work was
written for just 11 players, including the two pianos and a few
orchestral instruments. The work was given a handful of
performances among Saint-Saëns’ rich friends who hosted little
private concerts. It was well-liked, and word about it spread
around Paris. But Saint-Saëns refused to have the music
published or even to allow the Carnival to be performed in
public. He thought if people heard it, they wouldn’t think of
him as a “serious” composer any more. Before he died,
however, Saint-Saëns arranged to have the work published after his death. For a work that he didn’t see as
“serious,” it would probably make the composer grumpy to know that it’s now one of his most famous works!
In the Carnival of the Animals, there are 14 short movements, or independent sections. Each movement highlights
a different “animal” or group of animals. Let’s explore the animals and the music to each movement below.
Introduction and Royal March of the Lion
The first movement of Carnival of the Animals is about the king of the jungle: the lion. Like humans, lions are
mammals. But they are also carnivores, meaning they
only eat meat. Lions are very big cats – some males can
weigh over 500 pounds! Lions usually sleep during the day
and hunt at night, which means they’re nocturnal. Unlike
other cat species, male lions have something we all
recognize: a mane. The mane of shaggy hair around the
neck and torso serves to make the lion look bigger if
threatened by another animal. A group of lions is called a
pride, and lions are certainly proud animals, too!
Saint-Saëns opens the Carnival of the Animals with a short
introduction marked “Andante maestoso,” or
“Majestically, at a walking pace” [YPC 3 playlist, track 2].
While the pianos play a feverish open-chord tremolo (a
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rapid alteration of notes back and forth), the strings make upward groaning sounds, like a yawning lion waking up
from a nap! Then the introduction end abruptly with a brilliant glissando played by both pianos. Now it’s time for
the “Royal March of the Lion” [0:33]. While the pianos add rhythmic flare, the strings play a rather
arrogant-sounding march – the lion is coming!
violins
Listen for the lion's roar in the piano [1:04], and later in the strings [1:31] as the pianos take over the march theme.
Better not make this orchestra angry!
Hens and Roosters
People say chickens lay eggs, but it would be more accurate to say that hens lay eggs. Hens are female chickens,
and roosters of course are the males. Both hens and roosters have funny looking combs on the tops of their heads,
but the roosters have bigger ones. Roosters are also
territorial and are known for their loud crowing, which
they do to mark what’s “theirs.” Like most humans,
chickens are omnivores, meaning that they will eat both
animals and plants. A typical chicken diet consists of
seeds, insects and the occasional small mouse, snake or
lizard. They are the most populated bird species in the
world. In fact, for every human being on earth, there are
about four chickens! Chickens live in flocks, which have a
“pecking order,” where one rooster is always the “chief”
of the flock.
The “Hens and Roosters” movement is marked “Allegro
moderato,” or “Moderately fast.” It opens with the
sounds of hens pecking at seeds on the ground, played
by the piano and violins [YPC 3 playlist, track 3].
Suddenly a rooster interrupts with a “Cock-A-DoodleDoo!” in the piano [0:08]. The hens start pecking again,
but the rooster interrupts at a higher pitch this time,
again played by the piano [0:15]. The hens start to give a low
warning call – trouble is coming! But the rooster isn’t scared. He crows over the top of them, this time in the
clarinet [0:29].
clarinet (in C)
It’s just one hen now making a frantic “buk buk buk buK-KA!” sound now, probably as she being dragged to the
chopping block. A final chord in the pianos silences the poor chicken like the swing of a farmer’s axe.
Wild Donkeys
This movement isn’t about what we normally think of as donkeys – rather, Saint-Saëns was writing about a species
known as the Mongolian wild ass, also called dziggetai. These wild donkeys are mammals that live mainly in the
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Gobi Desert area of Asia. They are herbivores, meaning that they eat only plants – in this case mostly shrubs and
grasses. In order to outrun predators, dziggetai have adapted to become very fast runners. Some can reach a top
speed of nearly 40 miles per hour! Sadly, dziggetai today
are an endangered species, which means there are very
few of them left in the wild. The species is threatened not
only by predators, but by poaching, land development,
competition from grazing livestock and climate change.
There would have been more dziggetai in Saint-Saëns’
time, and he likely saw one while traveling on a concert
tour. Wherever he learned about them, it was their speed
that impressed the composer. As a movement subtitle,
Saint-Saëns writes “animaux véloces,” meaning “Swift
Animals.” The movement is for the two pianos only, and
the composer asks them to play “Presto furioso,” or
“Furiously fast.” They certainly do that – up and down, up
and down the piano [YPC 3 playlist, track 4]. And for an eye-and-ear-blurring 40 seconds, they never stop!
In this movement, the two pianos actually play the same part throughout but at an octave (eight notes) apart.
Tortoises
Tortoises make up a family of turtles that live primarily on land.
They are unique from other reptiles because of their hard,
protective shells. Tortoises are herbivores and also have a very
long lifespan – some live for over 150 years! While smaller
tortoises are tiny enough to hold in the palm of your hand, others
can be nearly seven feet long. That’s taller than most human
beings! The larger the tortoise, howeve, the slower it tends to
move on land. Giant tortoises are very slow – they average about
0.17 miles per hour.
Saint-Saëns was apparently a tortoise-teaser – he uses this
movement to poke fun at these gentle animals for their slowness.
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Here Saint-Saëns has the strings play a famous tune known as the “Can-Can” from the operetta Orpheus in the
Underworld by another composer, Jacque Offenbach. Normally it is played very quickly and recklessly [YPC 3
playlist, track 17, 08:20] (imagine a dance line across the stage with
girls kicking up their legs). But here the melody is played very slowly
and quietly, with a stately piano accompaniment [track 5].
cello
The movement is marked “Andante maestoso,” meaning “Majestically, at a walking pace.” It’s as if the composer
wants to put us in the mind of the tortoise, where he imagines a proud (but sleepy) creature who dreams of dancing
although she is moving very slowly – very slowly, indeed.
The Elephant
Elephants are large herbivore mammals whose habitat includes parts of Africa and Asia. The largest male African
elephants can be 13 feet tall and weigh as much as 15,000 pounds. That’s about the weight of five small cars or
two SUV’s! To support this massive weight,
elephants have thick legs that look like
pillars. They also have white tusks which
they can use as tools and to defend
themselves. Because of their large surface
area, an elephant’s ears release body heat
easily and are handy for keeping the animal
cool. But what would an elephant be
without its trunk? Elephants use their
trunks to drink, breath, smell, touch, grab,
lift, eat, “trumpet,” spray water to cool
themselves, and a number of other things
too. Sadly, many elephants have been killed by human beings out a desire for the ivory in their tusks. Today, the
Asian elephant is an endangered species.
What kind of music should represent a big, heavy animal like the elephant? Saint-Saëns has a waltz – a dance in
three beats. Can you imagine an elephant dancing a waltz? Now listen to the music [YPC 3, track 6]. If this made
you laugh, than Saint-Saëns got what he was going for. The movement is played by the doublebass and the
piano.
double bass
Saint-Saëns asks the musicians to play “Allegretto pomposo,” meaning something like “Pompously and playfully,
at a medium speed.”
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Kangaroos
Kangaroos are very common in Australia. In fact, there are currently more kangaroos living in Australia than there
are people! Kangaroos are herbivore mammals that are known for
their large, powerful feet. They are unique in that they are the only
large animals on Earth that get around by hopping. They can hop very
fast, too – up to 44 miles per hour over short distances. Another
interesting fact about kangaroos is that they are marsupials. This
means that mother kangaroos carry their babies in a pouch on the
front of their bodies. These baby kangaroos are called joeys.
Saint-Saëns’ “Kangaroos” movement is written for just the two pianos.
As you might imagine, the pianos make a lot of hopping sounds [YPC 3
playlist, track 7]. Saint-Saëns creates this “hopping sound” with two musical elements: grace notes and staccato.
Grace notes are little notes that are played just before another note. In this case, the grace notes make it so that
two very short notes are played closely together. Staccato is an indication to the musicians that the notes should
be played very shortly.
Aquarium:
Probably you’ve seen one of these at the
zoo, or maybe you have one at home.
Aquariums can be all sizes. A common
home aquarium might hold 20 gallons or
less. The largest aquarium tank in the world
– at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta,
Georgia – holds a whopping 6.3 million
gallons! While there are many types and
sizes of aquariums, they can generally be
divided into two categories: freshwater
aquariums and salt water aquariums.
Freshwater aquariums exhibit animal and
plant life that live in lakes and streams.
They can be adjusted for both coldwater or
tropical species. Saltwater aquariums, also
called marine aquariums, hold sea
creatures and other ocean organisms.
While it is common to see fish in aquariums,
they are also used to exhibit squid, octopus, eels, sharks, turtles, stingrays and a whole host of other animals as
well as plants.
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The dreamy “Aquarium” movement of Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals is marked “Andantino,” meaning that
it should be played slightly faster than a walking pace. The strings and flute play a winding
melody that might evoke sea-plants swaying back and forth in the underwater current [YPC
3 playlist, track 8]. Saint-Saëns asks the strings to play with mutes, which are little pieces
of rubber that dampen the strings. The mutes give the string instruments a more hushed
tone, like a different color of sound. To this melody, a percussion instrument called the
glockenspiel (see picture) adds little ringing notes that might depict flashes of light
reflecting off the surface of the rippling water. The melody is accompanied by both pianos which play a series of
swirling, squirting motives. Later, the pianos become the focus as they play a slowly descending figure that might
sound like something drifting back and forth as it sinks to the bottom [0:24]. Near the end, the glockenspiel plays
a series of rippling notes, a glissando, why the flute sustains low notes [1:25].
People with Long Ears
This movement is really about donkeys – not the wild dziggetai this time, but the common domesticated donkey
that most people are familiar with (also called a burro in Spanish).
Donkeys are mammals and are herbivores that graze on grasses. They
are closely related to horses, with whom they share a family and genus.
Donkeys first became domesticated around 3000 BC. Today they are
still used in poorer countries as beasts of burden – as animals that can
carry or pull heavy loads. Donkeys are known for their stubbornness:
they are much harder to convince than horses to do something they
think is dangerous. They are also known for their loud “braying” voice,
which can be heard as far as two miles. Donkeys have large ears, which
help them to keep cool and have very good hearing.
In this movement, Saint-Saëns is making fun of music critics. Music critics are reporters who write for magazines
or newspapers about performances and new compositions. Composers have a love-hate relationship with music
critics because the reviews that the critics write can either make composers’ pieces sound wonderful or they can
make them sound horrible. Saint-Saëns was not well-liked among music critics and did not often get good reviews
of his new works. In response, Saint-Saëns did not think highly of music critics. In the composer’s time, it was
common to compare things that were foolish or senseless to the braying of a donkey. So here, he compares the
music critics to donkeys themselves, calling them “People with Long Ears.”
violins
The movement is very short and written for just two violins. The violins play loud jumps between high and low
notes, creating a “Hee-Haw” sound throughout [YPC 3 playlist, track 9].
Cuckoo in the Depths of the Woods:
Cuckoos are a family of birds that are omnivores. They feed on insects, insect larvae and fruit. Many cuckoo species
are brood parasites. This means that the female cuckoos lay their eggs in the nests of other birds. The other birds
25
end up raising and taking care of the young cuckoos along with their own offspring. While
it might seem kind of mean, this practice helps cuckoos survive by spreading their eggs
around to more nests and leaving the adults free to spend more time gathering food.
Some cuckoos have a distinctive, two-note call.
In this movement, the simple call of the cuckoo is only two notes. It is played by the
clarinet, which plays the two note over and over again.
But Saint-Saëns has done something witty again here – he has the pianos play a series of
rich chords in beautiful harmonies underneath the clarinet [YPC 3 playlist, track 10]. This is funny because, instead
of sounding simple and mindless, now the cuckoo sounds really wise and eloquent!
Aviary
An aviary is a man-made place for captured birds to live. They are usually large enclosures with plants, trees and
plenty of space for the birds to fly about. Many aviaries contain birds from other parts of the world that you
wouldn’t normally see in nature near your home. You may
have seen the wonderful aviary at our own San Antonio Zoo
that has 53 different species of lorikeets from the south Pacific.
Birds are popular among animal-lovers because they are some
of the most colorful animals in the world. They are also loved
for their calls and songs, some of which seem to imitate music.
With nearly 10,000 species in the world, there’s a lot for birdlovers to see and hear!
Following symphonic tradition, Saint-Saëns chose the flute to
be the s tar in this movement. Composers have often choosen
the flute to play bird parts for three reasons. First, the flute
has a very pure sound, similar to the voices of birds. Next, they
can play very high notes, also like the bird. And finally, they can play lots of notes very quickly in a way that imitates
such things as birds chirping and fluttering. I think you will hear all of that in this short movement. The flute is
accompanied by the pianos and strings, which use tremolos and trills to add their own fluttering and chirping
sounds [YPC 3 playlist, track 11]. The movement is marked “Moderato grazioso,” meaning that it should be played
“Gracefully, at a moderate speed.”
Pianists
The name of this movement is another joke, as you might have imagined. It pokes fun at the human nature of
young people learning to play the piano and compares them to “animals” (although human beings are really
animals, too!). Human beings are in fact omnivore mammals that fall under the order of primates. Primates have
many advantages over other species, including forward-facing eyes, large brains and opposable thumbs (which,
ironically, might make playing the piano more difficult). Modern humans are a relatively new species to planet
Earth, having only appeared in the fossil record between 200,000 and 100,000 years ago (compare that to turtles,
which are believed to have existed on Earth for about 160 million years).
26
Learning to play the piano takes hours of practice, not just to learn different pieces of
music, but also to develop coordination in the hands and fingers. Usually this means that
pianists, especially beginners, need to spend a lot of time practicing scales. This can be
boring work often turns into something that young pianists don’t want to do but have to
do for their lessons (or their parents make them!). This movement then depicts two young
pianists who are clunking away at scales they don’t really want to play – and who are
becoming more like animals as they play them! [YPC 3 playlist, track 12] Later, they switch
to practicing thirds and end on a series of unsettling chords [0:55].
Fossils
Fossils are not a type of animal but are rather the remains of animals. There can also be fossils of the remains of
plants and other organisms. Fossils form over long periods of time as the harder parts of an animal’s remains (like
bones and teeth) slowly decay and are replaced by rock. The study of fossils is an important part of paleontology,
which is the science of ancient life forms. Some very interesting fossils
are of course those of the dinosaurs. Dinosaurs are believed to have
“ruled” the Earth for 135 million years and have left us with a treasure
trove of amazing fossils spread out all over the world. Using fossils,
scientists have discovered over 1,000 different species of dinosaurs
that once walked on land. The other neat thing about fossils is that
they can be analyzed using scientific methods in order to know how
old they are. This process is called radiometric dating. Fossils provide
us with a wealth of information about life that existed and used to
exist on Earth long ago.
For this movement, Saint-Saëns borrowed a tune from one of his own
pieces that the members of its first audiences would known. It’s a melody from his Danse macabre (“Death
Dance”), a tone poem for orchestra that often gets played around Halloween [YPC 3 playlist, track 16]. The story
of Danse macabre is about dancing skeletons. Saint-Saëns probably chose to use the tune because many fossils
are skeletons of animals long dead, like those of the dinosaurs. The xylophone introduces the melody with its
hollow, bone-like sound, to which the pianos and strings respond [track 13].
xylophone
Later, Saint-Saëns introduces tunes of what he must have considered to be “musical fossils.” These include the
tune to Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star [0:28], a French folk song called “Au clair de la lune” (“By the Light of the
Moon”) [0:34], and another French song called Partant pour la Syrie (“Leaving for Syria”) [0:55] (both played by the
clarinet). Halfway through Leaving for Syria, the tune changes to that of the aria Una voce poco fa (“A voice has
just..”) from Rossini’s opera The Barber of Seville [1:04].
The Swan:
Swans are large birds that are related to geese and ducks. Similar to their
relatives, swans are waterfowl, meaning that they are good swimmers and
have adapted to float easily on the water’s surface. Swans are also among
the largest flying birds in the world. An adult male swan can weigh over 30
pounds and can have a wingspan of almost 10 feet. That’s the height of a
basketball hoop! In the Northern Hemisphere, swans are known for their
27
pure white feathers and slender, long necks. They also mate for life – when they choose a mate, they stay together
until they die.
“The Swan” is easily the most famous movement of Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals. It features a solo cello
accompanied by the two pianos. While the pianos create a rippling texture, the cello solo glides over the top, like
a swan gliding on the water [YPC 3 playlist, track 14].
cello
The repeated motion in the piano has also been described as the swan’s churning feet, just out of sight under the
water. Arrangements of this movement have been made for many different instruments, and it has also been
choreographed for ballet.
Finale
At last we have arrived at the grand “Finale,” which begins in a very similar way to the opening “Introduction” [YPC
3 playlist, track 15]. Saint-Saëns introduces a lively new theme for this celebratory animal parade [0:13] in which
many of the animals we are already met begin to reappear. First come the dziggetai, the wild Mongolian asses
[0:32]. Then we hear the hens in the clarinet and violins [1:15], followed by the kangaroos in the pianos [1:25]. In
a fitting way however, it’s the “donkeys” (“People with Long Ears”) that seem to get the last “Hee-Haw” in before
the end [1:41].
Today, the Carnival of the Animals is one of three most well know orchestral pieces for children, along with
Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf and Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. For a piece that he didn’t even
want to have published during his lifetime, Saint-Saëns would probably be appalled by its current popularity!
Fortunately for us however, he did allow for it to be published and made known to the world after his death.
28
Name ___________
The Music & Zoology of Carnival of the Animals Quiz
Instructions: Read each question below carefully and then circle the best answer. If needed,
refer back to “The Music & Zoology of Carnival of the Animals” handout.
1. Which animal is an omnivore?
a. Lion.
b. Dziggetai.
c. Tortoise.
d. Chicken.
2. Which animal is a mammal?
a. Tortoise.
b. Swan.
c. Rooster.
d. Donkey.
3. Why did Saint-Saëns refuse to have his
Carnival published during his lifetime?
a. He hated it.
b. He was afraid people wouldn’t think of
him as a “serious” composer.
c. He thought it would establish his legacy
better that way.
d. Audiences just weren’t ready for it.
4. Which birds are among the largest in the
world, with a wingspan of up to 10 feet?
a. Swan.
b. Lorikeets.
c. Hens and roosters.
d. Dziggetai.
5. What’s funny about the “Tortoises”
movement?
a. It has a long flute solo.
b. It’s written for five percussion
instruments.
c. It’s very slow, but the tune is taken
from a fast chorus-line dance.
d. The violins make “hee-haw” sounds.
6. One difference between dziggetai and ordinary
donkeys is _____________________.
a. Dziggetai are mammals.
b. Dziggetai are herbivores.
c. Donkeys lay eggs.
d. Donkeys are domesticated.
7. What does learning to play the piano require
that Saint-Saëns pokes fun at in “Pianists”?
a. Practicing scales.
b. Learning to play Mozart sonatas.
c. Long arms and fingers.
d. Knowing how to read music.
8. Which instrument with its “hollow, bone-like
sound” plays the melody in “Fossils”?
a. Glockenspiel.
b. Xylophone.
c. Marimba.
d. Flute.
9. In “People with Long Ears,” Saint-Saëns
compares music critics to __________.
a. Lions.
b. Roosters.
c. Donkeys.
d. Tortoises.
10. Female marsupials such as the kangaroo have
_________________________.
a. six legs and two antennae.
b. a pouch for carrying their young.
c. a hard shell to protect their soft bodies.
d. tusks and a long trunk.
29
Answer Key to Focus Article Quizzes
Die Fledermaus
1. b.
2. c.
3. a.
4. c.
5. d.
6. d.
7. b.
8. a.
9. b.
10. d.
1. d.
2. d.
3. b.
4. a.
5. c.
6. d.
7. a.
8. b.
9. c.
10. b.
30
Dichotomous Key Activity
Teaching Objective:
Students will learn about, analyze, discuss and create a dichotomous key.
Preparatory Activities:
1. Review the definition of a species: a group of living things that have similar characteristics, a common
name and are able to reproduce. Solicit examples of different animal species from students, reminding
them to be specific. (Ex. “bears” covers a group of species, whereas “polar bears” is an individual
species).
2. Ask students to take guesses as to how many known species of animals (just animals) there are on Earth
and award a prize to the closest guess. Write the answer on the board or where students can see: there
are about 1,263,186 known animal species on Earth! Explain however that it was a bit of a trick question
and that the real number of animal species on Earth isn’t known - about 10,000 new animal species are
discovered each year! (write underneath: +10,000, +10,000, etc.)
3. Ask students how they think scientists keep track of, classify and agree on so many different animal types
and species. What sort of different tools could they use? Write some of the best answers where
students can see them.
Teaching Sequence:
1. Introduce the dichotomous key as one tool scientists can use to classify and identify animal types and
species. A dichotomous key is a series of questions with a yes or no answer that help narrow down the
characteristics of different things so that they can be identified. “Dichotomy” means “splitting into two,”
so with each yes or no question, you narrow down the options by splitting your starting elements into
two groups.
2. Hand out two-sided copies of the “Carnival of the Animals Dichotomous Key” page with the “My
Dichotomous Key Activity” page printed on the back. Invite a student or students to read aloud the
introduction for the class. Note that not all of the animals presented on the list represent a species –
in this case most are groupings of species – but a dichotomous key can still help to categorize them. In
class, select three animals from the list and answer the questions until there’s a match. Then ask
31
students to select an animal on their own from the list and answer the questions until they get a match.
What did they learn about the animals in the process? How might this be useful to someone that has
only seen the animals without knowing their names?
Culminating Activity:
1. Tell students that now it’s their turn to create a dichotomous key. Explain that while dichotomous keys
are normally used to classify living things, they can also be used to classify and identify non-living things,
like ordinary classroom items (if living things such as a variety of plants or animals are readily available,
use them instead). Select (or ask students to help select) 8-10 different classroom items and place them
where everyone can see them and can approach them to examine them in detail. This will be the starting
set of elements for each dichotomous key to identify. You may also wish to break your class into groups
and have each group (individually or as a group) work on a separate set of elements.
2. Ask students to flip the sheet over to the “My Dichotomous Key Activity.” Invite a student or students
to read aloud the instructions for the class. As they begin to write questions, encourage students to get
a closer look at the items, even to hold and feel them as desired. Inform students that the most useful
dichotomous keys use as few questions as possible to identify the items.
Evaluation:
Invite class discussion on the following questions or others of your choosing: What did students learn in the
process of creating their dichotomous keys? What were the challenges? How many questions did it take to
identify all the items? How can a dichotomous key be applied to the study and classification of living things?
For whom would it be most useful? How can they help scientists build on known information?
Activity TEKS objectives:
(b) Knowledge and Skills
3rd Grade – Science:
(2) Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses scientific inquiry methods during laboratory and outdoor
investigations. The student is expected to:
(A) plan and implement descriptive investigations, including asking and answering questions, making inferences, and selecting
and using equipment or technology needed, to solve a specific problem in the natural world;
4th Grade – Science:
(A) plan and implement descriptive investigations, including asking well-defined questions, making inferences, and selecting and
using appropriate equipment or technology to answer his/her questions;
5th Grade – Science:
(A) plan and implement descriptive investigations, including asking well-defined questions, making inferences, and selecting and
using appropriate equipment or technology to answer his/her questions;
32
Carnival of the Animals Dichotomous Key
Introduction:
Imagine that you are from another planet and have just arrived to Earth. The animals on Earth are completely different
from those on your home planet! You would like to get to know their names and characteristics, starting with those
presented in the Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns. In order to get to know them, however, you’ll need to
learn about their behavior and what they look like. Select three animal names from the list below and see if you can
answer the questions correctly to get a match. For questions and vocabulary, refer back to “The Music and Zoology of
Carnival of the Animals.”
Animals to be identified:
Chicken
Cuckoo
Donkey
Dziggetai
Elephant
Human
Dichotomous Key:
Kangaroo
Lion
Swan
Tortoise
1. Does the animal lay eggs?
 if YES, go to number 2.
 if NO, go to number 5.
5. Is the animal a carnivore (it only eats meat)?
 if YES, the animal from the list is a lion.
2. Is the animal a bird?
 if YES, go to number 3.
 if NO, the animal from the list is a
tortoise.
6. Is the animal a marsupial (its females have a
pouch for carrying their young)?
 if YES, the animal from the list is a
kangaroo.
3. Are the male animals called “roosters” while the
females are called “hens”?
 if YES, the animal from the list is a
chicken.
 If NO, go to number 4.
4. Is the animal a waterfowl (it can swim well)?
 if YES, the animal from the list is a swan.
 if NO, the animals from the list is a
cuckoo.
7. Does the animal have tusks and a long trunk?
 if YES, the animal from the list is an
elephant.
8. Is the animal a primate (it has forward-facing
eyes, opposable thumbs and a large brain)?
 if YES, the animal from the list is a human.
9. Is the animal domesticated (it is tamed and kept
as a pet or for work)?
 if YES, the animal from the list is a donkey.
 if NO, the animal from the list is a dziggetai.
33
Name ___________
My Dichotomous Key Activity
Instructions: Carefully examine the items that your teacher will indicate for your dichotomous key. Create a
list of yes or no questions to classify the items. Questions should be about permanent,
unchanging characteristics, such as color. Example: Is the item red? Do not use the name of the
item in the question: Is the item a stapler? Remember, someone that has never seen the items
before and doesn’t know their names should be able to use your key to identify them. Follow
the example of the Carnival of the Animals Dichotomous Key. Attach another sheet if you need
to add more questions.
1. ________________________________________________________________________
 if YES, ________________________________________________________________
 if NO, _______________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________________
 if YES, ________________________________________________________________
 if NO, _______________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________________
 if YES, ________________________________________________________________
 if NO, _______________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________________________
 if YES, ________________________________________________________________
 if NO, _______________________________________________________________
5. ________________________________________________________________________
 if YES, ________________________________________________________________
 if NO, _______________________________________________________________
6. ________________________________________________________________________
 if YES, ________________________________________________________________
 if NO, _______________________________________________________________
7. ________________________________________________________________________
 if YES, ________________________________________________________________
 if NO, _______________________________________________________________
8. ________________________________________________________________________
 if YES, ________________________________________________________________
 if NO, _______________________________________________________________
34
Concert Etiquette Activity
Teaching Objective:
Students will examine, discuss and practice appropriate concert behavior in different settings. Preparatory Activities:
1. Ask the students to list places or situations where they might be part of an audience. Solicit examples such as a rock concert, tennis match, football game, golf tournament, sitting at home watching television with the family. Create a list of answers where everyone can see them. 2. Discuss the way audience behavior in various settings would be different. Discuss how different venues or activities have different expectations for audience behavior. Discuss how an audience can positively or negatively affect the performer/athlete. Teaching Sequence:
1. Assign a group of two or more students to act out behavior that would occur at various venues at the front of the classroom. For example, have two students pretend to be playing tennis. 2. Instruct the rest of the class to pretend that they are the audience for the event being portrayed. Instruct the “audience” to show their appreciation for the performers/athletes pretending in front of the class. 3. Critique the “audience” behavior and discuss why certain behavior was appropriate or inappropriate for the situation. Talk about audience reactions such as applause, yelling or whistling and when it is appropriate or inappropriate. 4. Ask the performers to tell the class how the “audience” behavior affected their efforts. 35
Culminating Activity:
Talk to the students about the upcoming San Antonio Symphony concert. Discuss with them what they should expect to happen and how they can appropriately show their appreciation for the symphony. Evaluation:
Were students able to understand how and why audience behavior might be different in different settings and venues? Did they understand the importance of their role as an audience member? Activity TEKS objectives:
(b) Knowledge and Skills 3rd Grade – Music: (6) Response/evaluation. The student responds to and evaluates music and musical performance. The student is
expected to: (B) exhibit audience etiquette during live performances.
3rd Grade – Theatre: (2) Creative expression/performance. The student interprets characters, using the voice and body expressively,
and creates dramatizations. The student is expected to: (A) demonstrate safe use of movement and voice;
(B) participate in a variety of roles in real life and imaginative situations through narrative pantomime, dramatic
play, and story dramatization;
4th Grade – Music: (6) Response/evaluation. The student responds to and evaluates music and musical performance. The student is
expected to: (C) practice concert etiquette as an actively involved listener during live performances.
4th Grade – Theatre: (2) Creative expression/performance. The student interprets characters, using the voice and body expressively,
and creates dramatizations. The student is expected to: (A) demonstrate safe use of the voice and body;
(5) Response/evaluation. The student responds to and evaluates theatre and theatrical performances. The student
is expected to: (A) identify and apply appropriate audience behavior at performances;
5th Grade – Music: (6) Response/evaluation. The student responds to and evaluates music and musical performance. The student is
expected to: (C) exhibit concert etiquette as an actively involved listener during varied live performances. 5th Grade – Theatre: (1) Perception. The student develops concepts about self, human relationships, and the environment, using
elements of drama and conventions of theatre. The student is expected to: (F) portray environment,
characterization, and actions.
(5) Response/evaluation. The student responds to and evaluates theatre and theatrical performances. The student
is expected to: (A) analyze and apply appropriate audience behavior at a variety of performances;
36
Orchestra Map Worksheet
Can you match each instrument with where they sit in the orchestra?
Draw lines to connect each instrument to their place in the orchestra. Use
RED for woodwinds, GREEN for strings, BLUE for percussion, ORANGE for
brass, and PURPLE for the conductor
Conductor
Percussion
Woodwinds
Brass
Strings
37
Four Families of an Orchestra
Woodwind Family
Brass Family
Clarinet
French Horn
Bassoon
Trumpet
Flute
Oboe
Trombone
Tuba
Percussion Family
String Family
Viola
Timpani
Violin
Bass Drum
Triangle
Harp
Cello
Bass
Snare Drum
Xylophone
38
Instrument Families
The BRASS family is one of the oldest families of the orchestra and includes the trumpet, French horn, tuba, trombone, which are all made of brass! Sound is produced when a brass player buzzes his or her lips into a cup‐shaped mouthpiece to produce vibrating air. The vibrating air then travels through a long metal tube that modifies and amplifies the vibrations. In order to change pitch, brass players use two techniques. One is to change the speed that they buzz their lips. The other is to change the length of the tubing that they are blowing air through. They are able to change the length of tubing either by pressing a key to open a valve, as with a trumpet, or using a slide to physically increase or decrease the length of tubing, as with a trombone. Brass instruments have a very sweet and round sound. Then can also play very loudly and are often used in the most exciting parts of a piece. The Woodwind family includes the flute, clarinet, oboe and bassoon. This family produces sound by blowing a vibrating column of air inside some form of tube. In the past, woodwind instruments were all made out of wood, but now some instruments, such as the flute, are made out of metal. Woodwinds create the vibrating column of air in different ways. Flutes blow across the top of an open hole. Clarinets blow between a reed – usually a small, flat piece of bamboo – against a fixed surface. That is why clarinets are sometimes called “single‐reed” instruments. Bassoons and oboes blow between two reeds that vibrate against each other. That is why bassoons and oboes are sometimes called “double‐reed” instruments. Woodwinds usually change the pitch of their instruments by changing the length of the tube they are blowing the vibrating air through. They most often change the length by opening and closing holes using keys on their instruments. Woodwind instruments have very a beautiful, singing sound. They are often used to play solo parts during symphonies when their unique tonal qualities can be heard even if the entire orchestra is playing. 39
The String family is made up of the violin, viola, cello and bass. Instruments in this family produce sound by (you guessed it!) vibrating strings! The strings are vibrated in two ways. One way to produce vibrations is to use a bow made out horsehair stretched on a wood stick, to rub the strings and produce vibrations. The other way is to pluck the string, usually with the hand. This is called “Pizzicato.” String instruments change pitch by adjusting the length of the string. This is usually accomplished by putting fingers down at some point on the string to shorten the length of the vibrating string. String instruments have a very mellow, rich round. There are many string players in an orchestra because each instrument alone does not have a very loud sound compared to other instrument families. Often strings will play a beautiful melody, but sometimes the strings play the harmony parts. The Percussion family is probably the most varied family in the orchestra. Percussion instruments create sound by physically hitting, rubbing or shaking either a solid material, like a metal triangle, or a membrane, like the top of a snare drum. The membranes used to be made out of animal skins, but today most drums use a synthetic material. Only a few percussion instruments produce a specific pitch. Pitched percussion instruments that use a solid material, like a xylophone, change pitches by hitting different sized materials. Pitched percussion instruments that use a membrane, like a timpani, change pitch by changing the tension of the membrane. There are many different kinds of percussion instruments used in an orchestra, including the snare drum, maracas, and even sometimes even metal parts from a car! Percussion instruments produce many different types of sounds, but they are usually used in an orchestra to provide rhythm for the music. Often at the most exciting part of a piece there are many percussion instruments playing. 40
Web-based Educational Resources & Recommended Books
♪
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids (DSO Kids) – Carnival of the Animals Study Guide – Includes
numerous activities and resources. http://www.dsokids.com/media/8466/2005-Carnival-of-theAnimals.pdf
♪
Boston Philharmonic – Carnival of the Animals Teacher Resource Kit – A fun collection of activities
and resources. http://www.bostonphil.org/sites/default/files/Carnival%20of%20the%20Animals.pdf
♪
Performing Arts Center of LA County – Carnival of the Animals – Model Lessons – Includes seven
sequenced lessons incorporating theatre and poetry. http://bit.ly/1lUQpK1
♪
Midnight Music - 15+ Carnival of the Animals Resources – A collection of links to Carnival of the
Animals resources. http://midnightmusic.com.au/2011/06/15-fantastic-free-carnival-of-theanimals-resources/
♪
Wise Owl Factory – Carnival of the Animals Music Appreciation Study – Printable color posters for
each animal and coloring pages. http://www.wiseowlfactory.com/BookaDay/PDFs/2013/01/freecarnival-of-the-animals.pdf
♪
Baltimore Symphony – Carnival of the Animals Teachers’ Guide – Includes listening guides for each
movement (designed for grades K – 3). http://bit.ly/1NYUXWk
♪
sharemylesson – Carnival of the Animals Lesson Plans – Covers a 5-week span; requires activation
of a free account. http://www.sharemylesson.com/teaching-resource/-and-39-carnival-of-theanimals-and-39-lesson-plans-6011715/
♪
Pinterest Maestro Classics – Carnival of the Animals – Includes links to 49 Carnival of the Animals
resources; requires activation of a free account.
https://www.pinterest.com/maestroclassics/carnival-of-the-animals-lesson-plans-listening-act/
♪
Musical Awakenings – Carnival of the Animals Teacher Guide – Incorporates TEKS strands and
designed for use with Forth Worth ISD. Includes some basic information, activities and great pictures.
http://www.nytb.org/outreach-and-education/study-guides
♪
Teachers pay Teachers – Some really colorful and affordable resources for Carnival of the Animals.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Browse/Search:carnival%20of%20the%20animals
Books
♪
Chernaik, Judith, ed. Carnival of the Animals with CD: Poems Inspired by Saint-Saëns’ Music. Illus.
Satoshi Kitamura. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 2005. Print (with CD). http://amzn.to/1ToPjS0
♪
Turner, Barrie, com. Carnival of the Animals: Classical Music for Kids. Illus. Sue Williams. New York:
Holt and Company, 1999. Print (with CD). http://amzn.to/1Nj8QOy
♪
Prelutsky, Jack. The Carnival of the Animals. Illus. Mary GrandPré. New York: Knopf, 2010. Print (with
CD). http://amzn.to/1jvadlr
♪
Lithgow, John. Carnival of the Animals. Illus. Boris Kulikov. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2004. Print
(with CD). http://amzn.to/1lqCyuH
41

YPC 3 - Carnival of the Animals

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