2015-2016 Midweek concerts TEACHERS` GUIDES

2015-2016 Midweek concerts
TEACHERS’ GUIDES
BSO MIDWEEK EDUCATION CONCERT
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Conductor Ken Lam
Narrator Rheda Becker
Baritone Robert Cantrell
Bob Brown Puppets
Soprano Louisa Tringali
Countertenor Min Sang Kim
Peter and the Wolf
Wed, March 23, 2016
10 am: Tiny Tots (PreK-K)
11:30 am: Prime Time (Grades 1-3)
Thu, March 24, 2016
10 am: Tiny Tots (PreK-K)
11:30 am: Prime Time (Grades 1-3)
Tue, March 29, 2016
10 am: Tiny Tots (PreK-K)
11:30 am: Prime Time (Grades 1-3)
Table of Contents
Welcome Letter, Teachers’ Guide Information ……………….………….… 1
Peter and the Wolf: Concert Program…………………………………………… 3
Peter and the Wolf: Snapshot for Teachers and Students...…………….. 4
Track One: Movement Games..………..…………………………………….…... 7
Music, English Language Arts, Drama, STEAM
Track Two: Telling an Animal Story..……..………………………………….... 10
Music, English Language Arts, Drama, STEAM
Track Three: Craft Stick Puppetry...………………………………….............. 11
Music, English Language Arts, Drama, Visual Arts
Track Four: Making Masks…………….....……………….………………..…….. 13
Music, English Language Arts, Drama, STEAM, Visual Arts
Track Five: Animal “Chirper”…..…………………………………………….…... 16
Music, English Language Arts, Drama, Visual Arts
Track Six: Making a Graphic Music Score………………………….……….… 18
Music, STEAM, Visual Arts
Track Seven: Tying Knots………………………………………..…….………....… 20
Music, STEAM, Visual Arts
Centennial Activities ……………………….….……………………..……….…..….. 22
Special Thanks ……………………………………..………………...………..….……. 29
Welcome to the BSO Midweeks!
On behalf of the Associate Conductor for Education, Ken Lam, the members of the Baltimore
Symphony Orchestra, and the BSO Education Department, I am delighted to welcome you to our
2015-2016 Midweek Concert Series. This season we celebrate the BSO Centennial: 100 years of
extraordinary orchestral music in Baltimore. With the BSO Midweek Concert series as the longest
running education initiative at the BSO (running since February 16, 1924), and the first regular
educational concert series of any orchestra in the country, we are thrilled to have you join us to
celebrate this momentous occasion here at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.
This Centennial Midweek Concert Season we present four concert themes: two for younger
students (The Polar Express and Peter and the Wolf) and two for older students (Icarus at the Edge
of Time and All About Sports). For the first time ever in the history of the BSO we are offering
concerts for High School Students with special presentations of Icarus at the Edge of Time.
Two of these concert themes have been hand-selected especially for this season to celebrate our
Centennial. Icarus at the Edge of Time celebrates you, our future audiences, and our exciting new
Arts-Integrated, STEAM-Activated approach to relevant, interactive and interconnected concerts.
Peter and the Wolf celebrates the BSO’s tradition of bringing live music to student audiences, with
Prokofiev’s timeless tale and engaging music.
About this Guide
On the next pages you will find the Peter and the Wolf Teachers’ Guide, written by a highly skilled
group of Maryland educators with specialism in music, drama, science, English/Language Arts and
visual arts, led by extraordinary award-winning curriculum writer and editor, Richard McCready.
At the start of the guide is a “Snapshot” of your concert experience. This will give you a sense of
what to expect in the concert, along with some thoughts about the various curricular connections,
and music we suggest you experience in the classroom before the performance. This is also where
you can find the listing of all the specific curriculum standards that are supported by the concert
and by the activities.
Beyond the Snapshot pages you will find a variety of activities, organized as “Animal Footprint
Tracks” to signify the various directions that you can explore in order to prepare for this concert.
Each Track may be used in whichever order you wish. We have also highlighted the various crosscurricular links that align with each Track so that you may jump to areas that are of particular
interest to you and your students. We hope that your students try at least one activity prior to
coming to the concert so they can make the most of their live experience at the Meyerhoff.
Each activity is written to the student and encourages their natural sense of creativity and
exploration. They will be able to read the activity pages, or you will be able to read the activities
with them. Not all of the activities are specifically musical. Some are scientific, some are movement
games, some employ and encourage art skills, and some involve storytelling and role-play. You
best know your students, their capabilities and interests. You should encourage students to try the
activities that you feel most appropriate for them and for your classroom. Encourage other teachers
in your building to try some of the activities as well.
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Share & Connect
Most importantly, this year we have designed our guides as a mere starting point for exploration,
with the essential piece being the work that is created by the student, for the student, and then
presented to us here at the BSO. We can’t wait to see where these ideas might take your students
and all the inspired, arts-integrated work they will produce in the classroom. We will aim to post
this material on our website to inspire other students and teachers. We may even incorporate it
into the concert experience some day in the future. If you wish to share any materials with us at the
BSO, please send them to [email protected]. Be sure to let us know how we may
acknowledge the creators of the work. If you wish to send us materials for our internal use, please
do be sure to specify which works may not be posted on our website. We promise to read every
email, enjoy every art piece, listen to every composition, and watch every video. We hope that you
will also check back on our website to share in the works of others.
We hope you enjoy this guide, your explorations that are yet to come, the concert experience, and
sharing your creative work with us.
Warmly,
Annemarie Guzy
Director of Education
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
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Peter and the Wolf: Concert Program
Here is the list of pieces that will be performed on the Peter and the Wolf Midweek Concerts. Please
take a moment to listen to these pieces in advance of the concert on Youtube, Spotify, or iTunes.
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Peter and the Wolf:
Snapshot for Teachers and Students
FAQs for Peter and the Wolf
Who created it?
The story and the music were written by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev.
When and where was the work created?
Peter and the Wolf was composed in 1936, in Russia.
Why was it created?
Natalya Sats and the Central Children’s Theatre in Moscow commissioned Sergei Prokofiev to write a new
musical symphony for children, to help them enjoy learning about the sound of the orchestra.
What is the subject of the work?
Peter is a young hero who catches a wolf, in order to prevent harm to other animals. Each character in
Prokofiev’s musical fairytale is represented by a different instrument of the orchestra: the bird by a flute, the
duck by an oboe, the cat by a clarinet, Peter’s grandfather by a bassoon, the wolf by three French horns, the
hunters by the timpani, and Peter by all the strings of the orchestra.
What is the structure of the work?
Peter and the Wolf is a musical tale in which the orchestra illustrates the story through sound. The climax
of the music is a parade as all the characters take the wolf to the zoo.
Share & Connect!
As you explore the following activities in your class, we hope you will share all your great work with us at the BSO.
We look forward to seeing and listening to what you send us!
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Curriculum Connections
This symbol
denotes
National
Common
Core ELA
Standards
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denotes
National
Common
Core Social
Studies
Standards
This symbol
denotes
National
Common Core
Arts
Standards:
Music
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denotes
National
Common Core
Arts
Standards:
Drama
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denotes
National
Common
Core Arts
Standards:
Visual Arts
This symbol
denotes Maryland
Science
Expectations &
National Common
Core Mathematics
Standards
Here are the National Common Core Standards in Arts, English Language Arts,
Mathematics and Social Studies, that apply to this program and the activity guides:
National Common Core Arts Standards
Creating
1. Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
2. Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
3. Refine and complete artistic work.
Performing
4. Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.
5. Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation.
6. Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
Responding
7. Perceive and analyze artistic work.
8. Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
9. Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
Connecting
10. Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
11. Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural and historical context to deepen
understanding.
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National Common Core English Language Arts Student Capacities
2. They build strong content knowledge.
3. They respond to the varying demands of audience, task, purpose, and discipline.
4. They comprehend as well as critique.
7. They come to understand other perspectives and cultures.
National Common Core Mathematics Standards
1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
5. Use appropriate tools strategically.
6. Attend to precision.
7. Look for and make use of structure.
National Common Core Social Studies Standards
2. Applying disciplinary tools in civics, economics, geography, and history.
3. Gathering and evaluating evidence.
4. Developing claims and using evidence.
6. Taking informed action.
In addition, these Maryland Science Expectations apply to this program and the
activity guides:
Maryland Science Expectations
Expectation 1.1 The student will explain why curiosity, honesty, openness, and skepticism are highly
regarded in science.
Expectation 1.7 The student will show that connections exist both within the various fields of science and
among science and other disciplines including mathematics, social studies, language arts, fine arts, and
technology.
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Track One: Movement Games
Movement games are a fun way to learn in the classroom. When you take part in a
movement game, you really get to think about how your body works and moves, and
how your body might work and move if you were somebody or something else.
Peter and the Wolf is a story that features different animals as well as humans. We
hope you enjoy pretending to be Peter, his grandfather, the hunters, a duck, a cat, a
wolf, or a bird through these games.
Activity Ideas
Find your Animal Friends
Secretly choose whether you are going to be a duck, a bird, a wolf, or a cat. On a
signal from your teacher, move around the room as your animal (make animal
noises!) and try to find other animals just like you and stay in a pack with them. How
fast can you find other animals that are the same as you?
Once everyone is in a group with their own animals, each group can perform their
animal for the rest of the class.
Next try performing your animal sound when your animal is feeling a certain way.
What do sad cats sound like? How about angry ducks? What about excited wolves?
As you listen to Peter and the Wolf at the concert, think about how the animals
would sound as the story is told. Think about which animals are aggressive, which
are frightened, which are scared. Research more about these animals and how they
behave in nature. See if you can hear those emotions in the music as you listen.
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Gestures and Sounds
Stand in a circle with your friends. Pick the name of an animal out of a hat. Think of one gesture and
one sound for your animal and share it with everyone. Now ask your classmates to repeat the sound
and gesture with you. You can tell them how to make it better and more like you, if you want.
Once everyone can repeat the first gesture and sound perfectly, move on to the next person in the
group. That person shares their own gesture and sound for everyone to repeat. Then the group goes
back to the beginning and repeats the first gesture and sound together.
Keep going until everyone has shared their gesture/sound and the entire group can repeat the whole
sequence of gestures/sounds together at the same time.
How fast can you do the whole sequence together without your teacher leading you? Good luck—you
may find that you really need to focus and watch one another to do this!
Listen to Peter and the Wolf in class. Create gestures for each of the characters—Peter, grandfather,
the hunters, the duck, the bird, the cat, and the wolf—and make each gesture as you hear each
animal’s sound in the story.
Animal Characters Walking and Talking Together
We are going to move around the classroom as different animal characters with different walks, and
see what happens when all these characters discover one another. Remember a few things:
1. There is no wrong way to move, though we should be walking, not running.
2. We are not touching anyone. Imagine everyone has a bubble around them. You can’t “pop”
someone else’s bubble.
3. When you hear the signal, freeze as fast as you can and listen.
Start walking around with your big nose or bill stuck out in front of you like a bird’s pointy beak. Let
your pointy beak lead you everywhere. Your pointy beak stops before you stop. Your pointy beak
turns before you turn. Let your big pointy beak greet every other animal in the room as you walk
around.
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Say “Hello!” to everyone you pass with your pointy beak voice! You can even stop and have beaky
voice conversations with other birds if you want.
Try walking and talking with each other with the following leads and voices and find out what
happens. These are some of the characters from Peter and the Wolf. See if you can tell part of the
story without words, but just using movement and animal voice.





Puffy chest lead (the duck)
Slinky hip lead (the cat)
Growly belly lead (the wolf)
Generous heart lead (Peter)
Collapsed knee lead (Grandfather)
Choose your favorite lead and voice and walk around and see what happens when you talk to each
other. What stories start to happen?
Now add some classroom instruments to the mix. Carry a musical instrument with you as you walk
around the room. Can you transfer your animal’s walk and voice to the instrument?
Share & Connect!
We’d love to see the fun that happens in your class when you try these movement games. Perhaps
you could record one of the activities with a video camera and send it to us at the BSO
([email protected]).
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Track Two: Telling an Animal Story
Peter and the Wolf is a story all about animals. The animals’ movements, habits,
surroundings, and actions all affect the plot. The music also changes depending on
the characters and what they are doing.
Activity Ideas
Create a story about animals. Use the following questions to help you: What are the
animals doing? What happens next? How do the characters feel (happy, excited,
scared, etc.)? Where does the story take place? What other animals live there? Are
there well-behaved animals and animals that are not so well-behaved? How would
you like the story to end? As you create your story, consider the animals’ natural
habitat, movements, sounds, and how they might influence what happens. For fun,
you may want to consider mixing animals and their natural sounds, movements, or
habitats, like a polar bear and alligator in Florida, or a parrot and penguin at the
North Pole.
Write down your story as a script. Ask your classmates to become some of the
animal characters in your story and perform for others to watch. Maybe you could
add some music using classroom instruments. Maybe you might find some ways in
which you can use an instrument to substitute for an animal sound.
Share & Connect!
Record your story using a video camera and send it to us at the BSO ([email protected]).
You’ll be hearing Prokofiev’s animal story as told by the BSO when you come to the concert, so
we’d love to hear yours.
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Track Three: Craft Stick Puppetry
Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf has some of the most descriptive and imaginative
music ever written. It is so wonderful to listen to and picture all the events in the
story just in your mind. But the piece is also so much fun to experience with puppets
to act out the story. When you come to the concert you’ll see Bob Brown Puppets
perform. Below are some activities to try creating your own puppets.
Activity Ideas
Read the text of the story of Peter and the Wolf all together (see Useful Web Links
for a link the text). Describe the scene, the characters, and the plot. Then listen to
the music. Pay attention to the sounds that the instruments create for each character.
Discuss what these instruments look like and how they create sounds.
Set the Scene
Draw an illustration of each setting that occurs in the story of Peter and the Wolf.
Be sure to include a house with a gate, meadow with a tree, a pond, and a zoo.
Create Your Own Puppets
Click on the links in the Useful Links section below. Print out the character pictures,
cut them out, and glue them to craft sticks. Then print out the instruments that
depict the characters in Peter and the Wolf. Match the instruments to the
characters, and glue them on the other side of the correct craft sticks.
Use your craft sticks to act out the story while listening to Peter and the Wolf.
Now use the same characters and settings and create a new storyline. Have
somebody record your craft stick puppets’ telling of a new story using a video
camera or phone.
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Useful Web Links
 http://www.dsokids.com/media/10581/Peter-and-The-Wolf-Story-Sheet.pdf
 http://momsinamerica.com/color/peter-and-the-wolf-coloring-pages-free/
 http://musicforhomeschoolers-loretta.blogspot.com/2012/03/peter-and-wolf-preparing-forlesson-2.html
Share & Connect!
Sen d in your new story with Peter and the Wolf to us at the BSO ([email protected]).
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Track Four: Making Masks
Peter and the Wolf is a story all about characters. There are animal characters and
there are the instruments of the orchestra that become characters too. One of the
best ways to get to know a character is to try and become the character yourself, and
wearing a mask can help. Have fun with these activities: making masks, becoming a
character, and interacting with other cast members of your story.
Activity Ideas
Print out the animal mask from page 15 and have an adult help you cut it out using
scissors. You may need to use heavy paper or cardstock, or glue the template to
some cardstock. You could also draw the template freehand if you need it to be
larger or smaller. You’re going to use color pencils, markers paints, or craft objects
such as fabric and feathers to design and color your mask. Find some pictures of
animal faces on the internet (use http://images.google.com) and study the shape and
expressions of them.
The Outside (for all students):
 What color is your animal?
 What kinds of hair, fur, feathers, or other covering does your animal
have? Is it the same all over its face? What can you attach to your mask
to make this?
 What is the shape of its eyes?
 What is the shape of its nose? Does your animal have a beak or funny
nose? Is it sharp or flat? Skinny or wide?
 What is the shape of its mouth? Do you want to show us its fangs or teeth?
 Are there lines on your animal’s face that are like the way in which they
move? (Short quick lines? Fat, slow, curvy lines?)
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The Inside (extension for older students):
 What does your animal most desire in the whole world? Admiration? Friends? Yummy
food? Peace and tranquility? Adventure?
 What does your animal most fear? Other animals? Being alone? Looking silly?
 How does this animal want others to see them?
 What is your animal’s biggest fault or downfall? (Are they a “Scaredy-Cat?” A “Ditzy
Duck?” A “Careless Crow?”)
How can as many of these things as possible be shown in the design of your mask? Think about the
contrast between materials that are light or dark, shiny or dull, colorful or camouflaged, big or little,
rough or smooth, soft or prickly.
Now imagine what instrument in the orchestra might play the music for your animal. As you watch
the concert, see if you can listen to the different sounds of the orchestra and find one that would
best suit your own animal. Maybe you might like to learn to play that instrument.
Have an adult help you to punch out two holes in the sides of the mask, add some ribbon and tie it
round your head. Try telling animal stories or reading animal poems with your mask on.
Share & Connect!
Take a picture of yourself wearing your mask and send it in to us at the BSO
([email protected]).
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Track Five: Animal “Chirper”
What if all the characters in Peter and the Wolf were on social media? Imagine they
could all communicate through tweeting. How would they tell the story? What other
conversations might they have?
Activity Ideas
Print out the next page. Choose a character from Peter and the Wolf and fill out the
sheet with your profile pic, your animal friends’ profile pics, your “chirper” name,
and a tweets conversation between the animals. Print out more pages as you need
them to continue the story or the conversation.
Share & Connect!
Scan your conversation or take a photograph and send it in to us at the BSO
([email protected] ). We’re going to have a lot of fun reading your
conversations.
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Track Six: Making A Graphic Music Score
A musical score is like a map showing what each instrument in the orchestra plays,
when to play it, and some instructions on how to play it. If you were to write a piece
of music for the orchestra, you would need to create a score so the musicians would
know how to re-create your music.
Activity Ideas
Even if you don’t read standard musical notation, you can make a simple score just
by drawing lines or symbols on a page. For example, if you want musicians to play a
note and get higher, maybe you could draw a diagonal line moving up the page. If
you want musicians to play loudly you could create a large symbol. If you want them
to play quietly, you could draw a small symbol. How could you draw music to ask a
flute player to play short, quiet high notes? How could you draw music to ask a tuba
player to play long, loud low notes?
On a long piece of paper, try to move your pencil along to the music of Peter and
the Wolf as you listen to it. Listen to the beginning of the music when the narrator
tells you what instrument plays each character’s melody. How would you move your
pencil to show how the music sounds for Peter? How would you move differently
when you hear the bird? What about the wolf? Try it without ever lifting your pencil
off of the paper!
Let’s try making a graphic score using sponges and paint. It might be fun to work in
a group for this activity!
Think about the characters in Peter and the Wolf: Peter, the bird, the cat, Peter’s
grandfather, the duck, the wolf, and the hunters. What color would each one be?
Use a different sponge and paint color for each character. Start at the end of a long
piece of paper (ask your teacher if you can use roll paper) and each time you hear a
character’s instrument in the music, stamp their color on the paper. What do you
think could happen on the paper if you hear more than one character at a time?
What happens when you hear more than one instrument at a time?
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If you would like an extra challenge, you could make a collagraph plate for each character. A
collagraph plate is like a stamp that you can make all by yourself by gluing different objects to a flat
surface. Things like cardboard, sticks, and yarn work really well. Then you could put some ink or
paint on your collagraph plate, pick it up, and stamp it on your paper! What patterns could you
create for each character? What do you think they would look like as you use them to document
Peter and the Wolf as you hear it?
Can someone else use your score to perform music? Try to share your score with another group.
Ask them to come up with a sound for every color that they see. Each group member could perform
that sound when they see their color. You could be the conductor and move your finger slowly
across the paper to show them where they are in the music.
Share & Connect!
Send your video recording and photograph of your graphic score to us at the BSO
([email protected]). We’d love to see your score and listen to your music.
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Track Seven: Tying Knots
In the story of Peter and the Wolf, Peter manages to climb into the tree by tying a
knot in a rope and hoisting himself up. He uses knots to solve the problem of being
stuck inside the garden gate. He is also able to tie knots to catch the wolf, using
engineering skills to solve a problem.
Activity Ideas
Tying knots is an important skill for Peter. If he wasn’t able to tie the knot securely,
the wolf would get free and Peter would not be able to get him to the zoo.
Can you imagine how the story and music would have changed if the wolf had gotten
loose? When you tie your shoelaces, you have to make a good knot or your laces
will become untied and you will trip. You might learn to tie knots to tie your necktie,
put a bow in your hair, attach a fishing hook to a fishing line, tie your bike to the
bike stand at school, or wrap a parcel securely.
Learning to tie knots is fun. All you will need is a short piece of rope or thick string
to practice some basic knots. Click on the link below and choose the knot you want
to tie. The website will show you how to tie it. Maybe you will be able to make a
noose to catch the wolf.
Maybe you could invent your own knots and create a diagram or description of how
to tie the knot.
When you come to the concert, think back to this knot tying activity and how knots
impact the story. How might knots be used in the performance? If you arrive at the
hall early before the concert begins, look around and see if you notice any other
knots (hint: be sure to look up above the stage—there are many things above the
stage that are suspended above the ceiling). Think about the role these objects might
play in the concert. Why are they where they are?
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Useful Web Links
 http://www.animatedknots.com/indexbasics.php
Share & Connect!
We’d love you to send your ideas in to us at the BSO ([email protected]).
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Welcome to the Baltimore Symphony
Orchestra’s Centennial Season!
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is going to turn 100 years old in 2016! This very special
birthday is called a Centennial, and is a great opportunity to learn more about the BSO’s amazing
history.
The BSO’s first ever performance was of Beethoven’s Eighth Symphony, and it took
place on February 11, 1916. That is a long time ago! What was life like in 1916?
This is the American flag as it was in 1916. What do you notice that is different? This flag was in
use in the United States from 1912-1959, and only had 48 stars! It was designed in 1912 to
include the recently-added states of New Mexico and Arizona. It
is strange to imagine a time when new states were still being
added, isn’t it?
The flag as we know it today, with 50 stars, first flew in 1960,
and represented the addition of Alaska and Hawaii. Will we ever
have more than 50 states? Some people believe that Puerto Rico
and Washington D.C., among other places, could become states one day in the future. How would
you redesign our flag to include more stars?
The U.S. population in 1916 was about 101,961,000 people. Today it is about 321,216,397! The
population of Maryland in 1916 was about 1,415,000 people and is now about 5,976,407!
In 1916 our President was Woodrow Wilson. When the BSO played its first concert, America was
about one year away from adding its support to the Allies and entering World War I.
In 1915, you could buy a dozen eggs for 20¢, a pound of cookies for 10¢, and a pair of kids’ flannel
pajamas for 37¢. A kids’ movie ticket was only 15¢! But before you get too excited looking for your
time machine, you might want to know that the average salary was $687 a year - and that was only
for men. Women in the workforce earned an average of $340 per year. Women were not yet able
to vote in 1916, and persons of color continued to be prevented from voting and participating
equally in society by unfair laws and practices. Children often worked long, difficult hours in
factories or on farms, and were not protected by consistent child labor laws. We have grown as a
country in our efforts to combat these inequities, and are still continuing to grow.
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In 1916, what were some trends in the areas of this season’s
Midweek Concerts?
All About Sports!
Baltimore has always loved baseball, but in 1916, it was without any team—either major or minor
league. In the late 1800s and early 1900s there were both major and minor league teams (with
names such as “The Lord Baltimores,” the “Baltimore Orioles,” and the “Baltimore Terrapins”) in
the city. Babe Ruth (a Baltimore native!) had just been sold to the Boston Red Sox in 1915, and
although minor league baseball returned in 1918, it wasn’t until 1954 that Baltimore had its’ own
modern major league team—the Baltimore Orioles that we know and love today!
The 1916 Summer Olympics were scheduled to be held in Berlin, but were actually cancelled due
to World War I.
The Preakness Stakes have been run at Pimlico in Baltimore since 1873!
Peter and the Wolf
The Maryland Zoo at Baltimore was founded in 1876! In 1916, the zoo was a few years away from
getting its first elephant, Mary Ann, which was very exciting! If you have been to this amazing zoo
recently, you might be surprised to know how much it has changed - consider this description from
the Maryland Zoo at Baltimore’s website:
“An inventory of the Zoo’s collection from 1880 lists 17 species, including hundreds of deer,
13 monkeys, two black bears, two wolves, one tiger, one alligator, two boa constrictors, and
one three-legged duck.”
Wondering how they took care of all that land?:
“The Zoo’s early collection also included a flock of sheep used to “mow” the grass.”
The Polar Express
In the early 20th century, explorers were racing to be the first to get to the North and South Poles.
The claims by those who said they reached the North Pole during this time are questionable, but
Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and his team were the first documented group to have
reached the South Pole, which they did in December 1911 traveling primarily by dog sled.
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Transportation in America at this time was rapidly changing! Railroads were incredibly important
for transporting goods and people. But how did most people travel in their everyday lives? 1916
was right in the middle of a huge transition, and people had many different way of transportation:
walking, riding horses, bicycles, streetcars, wagons pulled by animals, and the car, which was
exploding in popularity.
In 1900 there were about 8,000 cars in the United States. This meant that there was 1 car per 9,500
people. By 1920, only twenty years later, there were an estimated 7.5 million cars in the United
States, which meant that there was 1 car per 14 people. You might be interested to know that in
1915, an average new car cost $2,500, and gas was 15¢ per gallon!
Today, there are about 253 million cars in America, and about 321 million people in America.
How does your family get from place to place every day? Do you have a car? Do you use public
transportation like buses or the light rail?
Have you ever flown in a plane? The first commercial flight took place in 1914, but air travel did
not become widespread until after World War II.
Icarus at the Edge of Time
There were some major scientific discoveries in the early 20th century, including a few that are
incredibly relevant to Icarus at the Edge of Time!
Albert Einstein had just published his general theory of relativity (or “general relativity”) the year
before, in 1915. Simply put, general relativity deals with gravity, space, time, and provides rationale
for such celestial phenomena as black holes. Einstein’s general relativity continues to inform our
modern understanding of physics.
In 1924, Edwin Hubble was able to show that there were numerous galaxies beyond our own Milky
Way Galaxy. Up until this time it was believed that the Milky Way was the only galaxy in the
universe. As you might know, the Hubble telescope was named in his honor! Icarus at the Edge of
time incorporates some of the most stunning images the Hubble telescope has recorded.
How has the BSO grown since 1916?
Just like society and technology, the BSO has grown by leaps and bounds since 1916. The BSO’s
initial budget was $6,000, which at the time was the equivalent price of about 2 to 3 new cars. Today
the BSO’s budget is $27 million!
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In 1924, the BSO became the first American symphony orchestra to offer a regular educational
concert series.
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra proudly added its first woman to the roster in 1937, even
though male musicians at the time protested this decision. In 1965, Wilmer Wise won the position
of Assistant Principal Trumpet and became the first African American musician to join the BSO
roster.
Some strange things have happened over the years! For example, Percy Grainger performed the
Grieg Piano Concerto on January 15, 1933 while a bat was flying over the heads of the orchestra! It
must have been a big fan of the BSO!
The Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall has been the home of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
since its opening in 1982.
The BSO has won two Grammys over its history, and both recordings were conducted by David
Zinman and featured cellist Yo-Yo Ma. The first included music of Barber and Britten in 1990 and
the second featured music by Bloch and Bartok in 1995. The 2009 recording of Bernstein’s Mass
also earned a Grammy nomination.
The BSO made musical history in September 2007, when Maestra Marin Alsop led her inaugural
concerts as the Orchestra’s 12th music director, making her the first woman to head a major
American orchestra. With her highly praised artistic vision, her dynamic musicianship and her
commitment to accessibility in classical music, Maestra Alsop’s directorship has ushered in a new
era for the BSO and its audiences.
The Future!
Now that you’ve traveled with us through 100 years of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra,
American history, and developments in the way we live, what do you think we can expect in the
NEXT 100 years?
What will our daily lives be like in 100 years? What sort of vehicles will we use to get from place to
place? What will we eat, wear, and do for fun?
How will music change? What sorts of new instruments or styles might be developed? How could
interactive technology be used? Will the audience help perform the concert, right from their seats?
One thing is for certain - we are looking forward to making these discoveries with you! We are so
glad that you have joined us for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Centennial Season!
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BSO Centennial Activities
This year, the BSO is celebrating its 100 year anniversary, or Centennial! With that in mind, we have
created the following fantastic activities that correspond with all of our Midweek Concerts in the
2015-2016 Season.
Classroom Olympics
The 1916 Olympics were cancelled due to World War I, but resumed in 1920. Did you know that
from 1912 to 1948, the Olympics not only included sporting events, but also an art competition?
Work with your classmates to design your own Olympic games. Imagine that any activity could be an
event - even one that you invent. What activities would you most enjoy competing in? Think about
what the rules would be for your event, and if you would need any special uniform or equipment.
Now, design a trading card that shows you competing in your event. Ask your teacher if they can be
photocopied so that you can trade them with your classmates.
Building Design
The Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall has been the home of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
since its opening in 1982. We are lucky to have such an amazing space to hear the BSO! Architects
work very hard to design spaces which perfectly fit specific needs. Think about all the choices which
were made when designing the Meyerhoff, such as: how the building looks from the outside, how the
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audience enters the space, the height of the ceilings and windows of the lobby, how sound travels in
the space, and how every seat is able to see the stage.
What if you were given the job of redesigning your school or classroom? What does a school or
classroom need in order to best support teaching and learning? How could you address these needs
with your design choices?
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Draw out your plans for the new school or classroom, making sure to label the parts. Optional: you
could make your plans look like blueprints by drawing in white (with a gel pen, colored pencil, chalk,
or charcoal pencil) on blue paper!
WBSO News at 11
Think about history over the past 100 years and how the orchestra might have shaped that history.
Imagine that you are putting together a modern-style news broadcast about these events. You could
do in small groups, or as a class. Identify the events or characteristics which are most interesting to
you, then plan out short skits to explain what happened. Once everyone is ready, these can be
performed while a newscaster narrates the story. For example, think about what you read about
Roald Amundsen and his team reaching the South Pole in 1911, and imagine that a newscaster could
say “This just in! We have received word that Amundsen and his team have made it to the South
Pole! Let’s go to our Antarctica reporters to get the full story...” while a group is acting out the
scientific team traveling on their dog sleds to reach their destination. You and your class could
rearrange the events provided in the historical information so that your newscast would present
information in chronological order.
Past, Present, and Future
Research what life was like 100 years ago in Maryland and compare that to life today. Talk with a
partner
or small group about the similarities or differences you noticed.
.
Work as a class to make a large display which compares and contrasts life today with life 100 years
ago. Or, work individually to create a written or illustrated response which explains this.
Think about all of the changes we have seen over the past 100 years—what do you think will change
over the NEXT 100 years? Use writing, art, acting, or any other creative idea you can think of to
depict what you think life will be like 100 years from now.
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Here are some things you could consider:
 What will transportation be like?
 What will music sound like? Will there be new instruments?
 People in 1916 probably could not have conceived of technology such as a SmartPhone - what
will technology be like in 2116?
 What will buildings look like? What will we eat, wear, and do for fun?
Ask your teacher if you can together as a class to combine your responses and hold a “Future Fair!”
Visitors would be able to come learn about your ideas and possibly get a glimpse of what life will
really be like in 2116!
Share & Connect!
Send us your explorations of the BSO’s Centennial! We look forward to seeing your discoveries and
ideas for the next 100 years! Send your drawings, ideas, videos, photographs, short stories and more
to [email protected].
Useful Web Links
Want to know even more about the BSO’s Centennial? Check out the newly released book
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra: A Century of Sound by BSO Oboist and author Michael Lisicky
 http://www.bsomusic.org/online-store/bso-centennial/centennial-book.aspx
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SPECIAL THANKS
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra acknowledges with gratitude the
work of the following individuals who contributed to the development
of these materials:
Richard McCready, Lesson Plan Writing Workshop
Facilitator; Lead Writer, Editor
River Hill High School, Howard County
Caro Appel, Writer
River Hill High School, Howard County
Gina Braden, Writer
The Park School of Baltimore, Baltimore County
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is proud
to acknowledge support for its Midweek
Education Series from the following funders:
Official Education Partner:
Centennial Season Education Partner:
Greg Clark, Writer
River Hill High School, Howard County
Nellie Hill, Writer
Retired, Howard County
Midweek Education Concert Series Sponsors:
Theresa Iacarino, Writer
Joppa View Elementary, Baltimore County
Rebecca Ludwig, Writer
Baltimore City Public Schools
Catina Ramis, Writer
Thomas Viaduct Middle School, Howard County
Carol Bogash, Vice President for Education and
Community Engagement
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Annemarie Guzy, Director of Education
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Katie Brill, Education Assistant
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
These concerts are supported, in part, through
the generosity of the Zanvyl and Isabelle
Krieger Endowed Fund for Education.
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