COMPOSE YOURSELF

Name

Class

Activities Inside!

with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

2013-2014 CONCERTS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

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Meet the

Orchestra

on page 2!

“Celebration” from Billy the Kid – Aaron Copland (1938)

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) was founded in 1945 and has about 90 musicians whose full-time job is playing music in the symphony. In the past 32 years, the ASO and ASO Chorus have recorded more than 100 albums and received an impressive 27 Grammy® Awards, the highest honor in the music industry. The ASO performs at Atlanta Symphony Hall, the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Chastain Park, and in many places throughout the community. With over 200 concerts each season, the ASO performs for more than 500,000 audience members every year!

Jere Flint plays the cello in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and is also the ASO Staff Conductor. Mr. Flint conducts Concerts for Young People, Family Concerts, and the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra. He was born in Long Island, New York, where he grew up playing baseball and running track. He started playing music as a young boy and would also practice conducting to his favorite recordings. Mr. Flint gives this advice: “Take up an instrument or just sing, and pursue all kinds of music, whether it is classical, pop, rock, and/or jazz. Even if you don’t make a career of music, it will always be an important and enjoyable

part of your life.” Mr. Flint has been a part of the ASO family for over 30 years!

A play on words…

“Compose yourself” is a common expression that means “chill out!” The word “compose” also means “to write.” In music, “compose” means “to write music.” So, a composer is a person who writes music, and a composition is the music written by a composer. Sometimes a composition is called a “piece” of music. Music written for an orchestra is called “orchestral” or “symphonic” music, and sometimes generally called “classical music.”

TABLE OF CONTENTS Meet the Orchestra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5

Listen to the Concert Music . . . . . . . . . . .6

Listening Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7

“Celebration” from Billy the Kid – Aaron Copland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9

“Cinderella’s Waltz” and “Midnight” from Cinderella – Sergei Prokofiev . . . 10-11

“In the Hall of the Mountain King” from Peer Gynt Suite – Edvard Grieg 12-13

Cuban Overture – George Gershwin . 14-15

blue cathedral – Jennifer Higdon . . 16-17

Driving Light – Nathan Bales ASO Student Composition Contest Winner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19

1812 Overture – Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky . . . . . . . . . . 20-21

COMPOSE YOURSELF

Question: Why do composers write music in the first place?

Answer: Most of the world’s greatest music is inspired by fictional stories, current or historical events, or the composer’s personal experiences. Composers often try to express something in music that they can’t say with words. At this concert, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will explore some of the interesting, heartwarming, and sometimes outrageous influences that have resulted in spectacular orchestral music. We hope that you will gain a better understanding of great composers and their music as well as an appreciation for how inspiration — whether fact or fiction — can lead to amazing works of art. Maybe you will be inspired to compose, yourself!

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1

Meet the Orchestra!

What is a Symphony Orchestra?

A symphony orchestra is a large group of musicians who play instruments from each musical family – the string, brass, woodwind, and percussion families. These musicians are lead by a conductor who waves his or her arms to the beat to help the musicians play together. There are between 80 and 100 people in a full-sized orchestra! Composers often write symphonies, which simply means a long, complex piece of music for an orchestra.

Percussion Family String Family Woodwind Family

Brass Family

WOWBRASS INSTRUMENTS are made of metal and make

a sound when the player buzzes his or her lips into a metal cup called a mouthpiece.

WOWMany string

instruments use a bow,

which is made of a wooden

stick and the hair from a horse’s

mane or tail. The horse hair is

scratchy and helps pull the

string and make it

vibrate!

WOWIn 2009, archaeologists found

a 35,000-year-old flute made out of the

wing-bone of a giant prehistoric vulture!

32

Ballet – A ballet (ba-lay) is a theatrical production that includes artistic dancing, music, and scenery.

Choreographer – A person who designs dance routines and movements for an artistic dance performance.

Compose – To write, or to write music.

Composer – A person who writes music.

Concerto – A piece of music written for a group of musicians where an instrument is featured in a solo part and the rest of the group is in the background.

Conductor – A person who leads an orchestra or band by using his or her arms and hands to show the steady beat as well as when and how to play.

Crescendo – Music that is getting louder, little by little.

Culture – A group of people with similar characteristics who share interests in the same types of music, dancing, or art.

Decrescendo – Music that is getting softer, little by little.

Music Glossary

Non-fiction – Literature that is based on real places, people, and events.

Opera – A dramatic musical production that includes instrumentalists and singers.

Orchestra – A large ensemble of musicians that includes instruments from each family of the orchestra – brass, percussion, string, and woodwind.

Phrase – A musical sentence.

Piece – A musical composition.

Pitch – How high or low music sounds. The piccolo has a high pitch, but the tuba has a low pitch.

Pizzicato – When string players pluck their strings instead of using the bow.

Dialogue – A conversation between people or even between instruments.

Dynamics – How loud or quiet music sounds.

Fanfare – A short tune that announces or celebrates someone or something important. Fanfares are usually played on brass instruments.

Fiction – Literature that describes imaginary places, characters, or events.

Incidental Music – Music that sets the mood or tone for a play and usually comes between scenes.

Instrumentalist – A person who plays a musical instrument.

Listening Map – A map that guides your ears to different points or characteristics in music.

Lyrics – The words of a song.

Movement – A single section of a longer composition.

Musician – A person who makes music by playing an instrument or singing. Are you a musician? The members of the ASO are professional musicians!

Premiere – The first performance of a piece of music.

Rhythm – The flow of music that includes patterns of sound over a steady beat.

Solo – When one musician plays a part all one alone or even while the orchestra plays in the background.

Transition – Changing between main sections of music without the music actually stopping.

Triumphant – A feeling of joy and victory after winning or beating a challenge or mastering a difficult task.

Unison – When things happen at the same time. In music, unison means that more than one person is playing the same note at a time.

4 5

Stop, Look & LISTEN

Listening to this music before

your Atlanta Symphony

Orchestra field trip will make

your concert experience more

fun and interesting. Sometimes

listening isn’t easy. How can

you become a great listener?

Try these three easy tips!

LISTENING TIP #1: While you are listening, think about what instruments you hear and what music words might describe the music. If you can’t identify each instrument, that’s ok! Try to hear the instrument families instead.

Hint! Sometimes the music within a single piece will change a lot, so the way you feel, what you imagine, and the way you describe the music might change, too. The music might go from soft to loud, or slow to fast, or back and forth. It might be calm and then suddenly exciting. Different instruments might play at different times, or the entire orchestra might play together. How many different things can you notice while you listen?

To listen to the music from the Compose Yourself! concert, follow these steps:

1 With permission from your parent/teacher, visit the website www.aso.org/composeyourself

2 Click Listening Guide.3 Follow the instructions for registering for the free playback software, Spotify.

4 Use your study guide as you listen to learn more about the music! The study guide is also available on our website.

Can’t use Spotify? Try the websites youtube.com or grooveshark.com and search for each piece of music individually.

LISTENING TIP # 2:Now that you’ve learned to describe the music using words from Listening Tip #1 (above), try this listening trick! While you are listening to music, compose a three-part sentence that describes what you hear. Make sure that your sentence is complete by filling in the spaces correctly:

Examples

Listening to “Celebration” from Billy the Kid:

Listening to “In the Hall of the Mountain King”:

WORD BANKUse words from the following word bank to help you describe the music while you listen.

Fast or Slow

High or Low

Loud or Soft

Choppy or Smooth

Brass

Woodwind

Percussion

Exciting or Calm

High or Low

LISTENING TIP #3: Listening Map: As you listen, create a map of the music you hear. Write down words or pictures along a straight line that will help you remember what you heard. Listen again, and this time, follow your map. Can you find your way along your map? Can you add anything to the map the second time you listen?

Listening Map Example:

> > > >(beginning)

(end)

soft slow

sneaky

soft calm

high flute

faster loud

brass very fast

louder

When I hear I think of ,

and it makes me feel (emotion or adjective)

.

When I hear I think of ,

and it makes me feel .

(noun or description)

(emotion or adjective)

(imaginary noun/verb)

When I hear I think of ,

and it makes me feel .

(noun or description)

(noun or description)

(emotion or adjective)

(imaginary noun/verb)

(imaginary noun/verb)

76

excited

sneaky

low bassoon

a horse chasefast, high notes

tiptoeing in the dark

“Celebration” from Billy the Kid – Aaron Copland (1938)

About the Composer: Aaron Copland is one of America’s most famous composers. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Russian immigrants. As a boy, Copland learned about music from his mother, who sang and played the piano, and also from Jewish weddings and ceremonies. He took piano lessons from his sister and worked in his parents’ store to earn money for sheet music. Copland first explored composing when he was only 11. At age 15, he went to an orchestra concert and was so inspired that he decided in that very moment to become a composer. Copland became very successful as a composer, teacher, writer, and a conductor during his very long life. Copland once led the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra as a guest conductor in 1968, and Jere Flint was playing the cello!

About the Music: Where Fact Meets Fiction: In 1938, Copland wrote the music for a ballet based on the tales of Billy the Kid, who was a real-life Wild West gangster. The Kid lived in the mid-1800s in the American frontier, also known as the Wild West. A combination of fact and fiction, the ballet begins with Billy as a young boy. Two cowboys start a fight on the street, their guns are drawn and Billy’s mother is accidentally killed (see WOW bubble). Billy takes revenge, killing the men responsible and beginning a life on the run as a frontier outlaw. Years later, Billy is finally captured and thrown in jail for his crimes, but he escapes to the desert, only to have the sheriff’s posse catch up to him again. The music you will hear is called “Celebration.” It takes place after Billy has been captured for the first time.

What to listen for in Copland’s “Celebration” from the ballet Billy the KidDuring “Celebration,” members of the sheriff’s posse are celebrating the end of their hard work spent looking for Billy in the New Mexican desert. They are expecting a big reward and take time to celebrate their victory, not knowing that The Kid is soon to escape once again. In this music, a repeating fast rhythmic pattern occurs:

Long – short – long – short – long – short – long …

Can you hear it?

Activity: Listen to “Celebration” from Billy the Kid. As you listen, check off what you hear from the list below. Hint: When the music changes dynamics (volume), a new section is usually starting. There are 5 sections. Each section is labeled with a letter below. Part A returns between each new part, making the sections A – B – A – C – A, also known as Rondo form. Can you hear all five sections?

Part A: The main melody is presented in the woodwind family, first by the piccolo and the oboe. The flutes and clarinets quickly join in. The buzzy sound of the trumpets also joins the melody.

Part B: The second section sounds a lot like the first with the same repeated long-short rhythm, but this time, the woodwinds, brass, strings, and xylophone all take turns in the conversation at a louder volume .

Part A: Part A returns very briefly. Listen for the softer music.

Part C: This music is louder and marked “crudely.” The woodwinds and xylophone clash with one another.

Part A: Part A returns, only this time VERY loud and rough. The entire orchestra marches ahead with the snare drum, getting louder and louder until the dramatic ending, during which you may hear a whip, a sound often heard around cowboys and horses. This sound is made by a percussion instrument called a slapstick. Did you hear the whip? If not, listen again!

BALLET

WOWJust how famous is Billy the Kid? He paid only 25

cents to have his photo taken.

That same picture was recently sold at auction to a wealthy

collector for 2.3 million dollars!

Question: What’s a ballet? Answer: A ballet (pronounced ba-lay, the “t” is silent) is a theatrical production that includes artistic dancing, music, and scenery. A ballet tells a story without using words. The orchestra is usually hidden below the stage in a room called “the pit,” where they can be heard but not seen. Female ballet dancers called ballerinas wear special shoes called pointe shoes that allow them to stand up and spin on the tips of their toes.

I Can Hear It!

Aaron Copland (1900-1990)

Pointe shoes

The only picture ever taken of Billy the Kid, from 1881.

98

WOWBilly the Kid’s mother actually died of illness at an old age. Copland added extra drama to the storyline by changing fact to fiction.

WOWThere is a Billy the Kid

Museum in Fort Sumter,

New Mexico, near where The

Kid is buried. A metal cage

surrounds the headstone so

that no one will steal it for a souvenir.

BALLET

“Cinderella’s Waltz” and “Midnight” from Cinderella – Prokofiev (1940-1944)

About the Composer: Sergei Prokofiev was inspired to study music after listening to his mother practice piano as a young boy. He played the piano and wrote his first piece of music when he was 5 years old. Prokofiev lived and composed during one of the most tumultuous time periods in world history. He lived through the Russian Revolution, World War I, and World War II. As an adult, Prokofiev moved to America and then Paris, France gaining

fame as a composer. Finally, Prokofiev returned to Russia where he became well-known for his conducting, modern music, and music for children, including Peter and the Wolf.

The Story of Cinderella: Influenced by Fiction: Prokofiev wrote the ballet Cinderella as inspired by the classic story of a poor, mistreated girl turned princess. The ballet begins with the announcement of a ball hosted by the Prince, who will choose his bride from the guests in attendance! Cinderella’s mean stepmother and step sisters will not allow her to attend the ball, and leave her to scrub the floors. No matter how mean they are to her, Cinderella is always kind in return. Cinderella’s fairy godmother rewards her kindness by casting a spell that gives Cinderella a beautiful ball gown and glass slippers to wear. The fairy godmother warns Cinderella to be home before midnight when the magic will wear off. At the ball, Cinderella meets the Prince and they dance together.

Cinderella is enjoying herself so much that she loses track of time. When the clock strikes midnight, she rushes

home, leaving behind a single glass slipper and returning to the dirty rags she wore before. The

Prince takes the shoe to every house in the village looking for Cinderella, but he does not recognize her until the shoe fits her foot perfectly. Cinderella marries the Prince and they live happily ever after! Want to hear

the whole story of Cinderella? Find out if your school library has the storybook or watch the Disney movie!

Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)

A ballet production of Cinderella.

About the Music: It took Sergei Prokofiev four years to write the ballet Cinderella because it has over 50 movements! Prokofiev was writing other music during that those four years and wrote Cinderella little by little along the way. A choreographer created the dancing that went with Prokofiev’s music.

Question: What’s a waltz? Answer: A waltz is a traditional ballroom dance with a feeling of three fast beats. Pairs of dancers spin in circles and take one large step for the first beat and two small steps for the second and third beat. A waltz is also a piece of music written with a feeling of three beats, usually meant to go with waltz dancing. Like the dance, the first beat in the music is strong and the second and third beats are weak.

“Cinderella’s Waltz” and “Midnight” must be played together. Like any waltz, “Cinderella’s Waltz” has a medium-fast feeling of 3 beats. A smooth melody glides over the top and give a swirling effect. When you listen to the waltz, try repeating the numbers 1, 2, 3 quickly, keeping a very fast steady beat and making the first beat stronger and louder, like this:

1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3

When “Midnight” comes, the mood of the music changes instantly. Screeching piccolos and ominous low brass instruments show that something bad is happening- the magic spell is broken and Cinderella’s wonderful night is over. Throughout “Midnight,” the woodblock ticks and tocks to represent a clock. Then, 12 slow chimes of midnight are heard in the cymbals and low brass. Can you count all 12? The music in the grand finale shows that the magic is over and Cinderella has been transformed back into an ordinary girl.

Listening Reflection: As you listen, complete the following sentences. Go back to page 7 if you need instructions, or ask your teacher for help.

“Cinderella’s Waltz”: When I hear _______________________, I think of _______________ and it makes me feel_____________________________________.

“Midnight”: When I hear _________________________, I think of _________________ and it makes me feel_____________________________________.

A painting called The Viennese Waltz by Vladimir Pervunensky.

Cinderella’s glass slipper, left behind as she hurries home at midnight.

What to listen for in “Waltz” and “Midnight” from Cinderella

I Can Hear It!

1110

WOWDifferent versions of the fairy tale Cinderella have been told for over 1,000 years all over the

world.

WOWProkofiev wrote his first composition called “Indian Galop” at the age of 5 and an opera called The Giant at only 7 years old!

WOWIn the ballet Cinderella,

the role of the evil

stepsisters is typically

played by men, because

they are supposed to be

very unattractive

as women.

About the Composer: Edvard Grieg was born in Norway in 1843 and began taking piano lessons with his mother at the age of six. At age 15, he went to a music conservatory in Germany to study piano, but soon discovered his interest in composition. During his time in school, Grieg became very sick with multiple lung diseases. He returned to Norway to focus on his health and writing music. Grieg included Norwegian instruments and folk songs in some of his music, creating a distinctly Norwegian musical identity. Famous throughout the world, Grieg became “Norway’s Greatest Composer.”

About the Music: Grieg was asked to write incidental music to accompany the play Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen. Incidental music is background music that sets the mood or tone for a play. In this fictional story, the character Peer Gynt is a young man with an active imagination and poor work ethic. Peer has pledged his love to a woman named Ingrid, but she is about to marry another man. Peer attends the wedding in the hopes that he can win Ingrid back, but instead, Peer is made fun of and banished for interfering with the wedding. As he flees to the mountains, Peer slips and hits his head on a rock. When he wakes up, Peer is greeted by the daughter of the troll king, who takes him to her father’s kingdom deep inside the mountain. The troll king tries to convince Peer to marry the princess, but Peer ultimately refuses, resulting in the troll’s outrage and a chase that is represented in the famous music, “In the Hall of the Mountain King.”

Think about it: The story says that Peer Gynt hits his head on a rock just before the trolls appear. Are the trolls real, or is it all just a dream? Do you think Peer Gynt gets away?

Incidental Music“In the Hall of the Mountain King” from Peer Gynt Suite – Edvard Grieg (1875)

Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)

Cello pizzicato

Peer and the trolls in the hall of the mountain king during a production of Peer Gynt.

What to listen for in “In the Hall of the Mountain King” from Peer Gynt Suite by Edvard Grieg. “In the Hall of the Mountain King” is a very short piece of music. In the beginning, a very low, soft melody is introduced by the cellos and basses, which are played “pizzicato,” which means that the strings are plucked instead of bowed. The melody is passed between the low strings and the bassoons.

Little by little, more musicians join in until the entire orchestra is playing. The music becomes louder and faster until a frantic pace is reached. As the intensity builds, the strings play “arco”, which means to play with the bow instead of plucking. This creates the sudden sound of swarming bees. The dramatic ending includes strong hits from the percussion on the timpani, bass drum, and cymbals.

Imagine Peer Gynt trying at first to sneak away from the trolls before they notice and begin to chase him. They get closer and closer, until Peer Gynt is nearly within reach. Run, Peer! RUN!

Activity: As you listen, think of vocabulary words which might describe this music best. Think about how the music changes from beginning to end and how your words might change. Write your words on the lines below. Go back to page 7 to look at the Word Bank for ideas. Pair & Share: Discuss this with a classmate. Do you use any of the same vocabulary words to describe what you hear?

Describe “In the Hall of the Mountain King” using vocabulary words from your grade level:

WOWJust how famous was Edvard Grieg? His funeral drew nearly 40,000 people out onto the streets of his home town of Bergen, Norway, to honor him.

WOWEdvard Grieg did not actually like his own

composition “In the Hall of the Mountain King.” He said,

“It absolutely reeks of cow-pies!”

1312

I Can Hear It!

About the Composer: George Gershwin is one of America’s most popular composers. He wrote jazz music, opera, and popular songs for movies and plays. Most people are familiar with the jazzy sounds of Rhapsody in Blue. Gershwin was a master at blending popular music and classical forms. He included his own personal experiences in his compositions. Gershwin also paid attention to popular culture, giving much of his work the signature jazz sound of the Roaring Twenties. George wrote many songs with his brother Ira – George wrote the music and Ira wrote the lyrics.

About the Music: In 1932, George Gershwin took a two-week trip to Cuba, where he learned about the styles and instruments of Cuban music. Music is one of the biggest parts of Cuban culture. During his trip to Cuba’s capitol city, Havana, Gershwin met the

famous Cuban bandleader Ignacio Piñeiro and heard his popular song “Échale Salsita.” When Gershwin

wrote Cuban Overture a year later, he included part of the melody from Piñeiro’s song as well as traditional Cuban percussion instruments and rhythms. The premiere of Cuban

Overture (Rumba) was held at an all-Gershwin concert performed by the New York Philharmonic in an outdoor stadium. 17,845 people filled

the stadium and 5,000 people were turned away. Gershwin said, “It was, I really believe, the most exciting night I have ever had.”

Where is Cuba? Cuba is an island country in the Caribbean Sea that is only 90 miles South of Florida. The main language of Cuba is Spanish. Cuban life has always been influenced by its melting pot of cultures, primarily those of Spain, Mexico, and Africa. Cuba is famous for its beautiful beaches, music, and dancing.

Cuban Overture George Gershwin (1933)

This map of Cuba shows how close it is to the United States, especially Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.

What to listen for in Cuban Overture by George GershwinIn Cuban Overture, you will hear an exciting introduction which sets the tone

of the piece. A distinct change in the music can be heard with the addition of Cuban rhythms and

instruments. You might already be familiar with the traditional percussion instruments used in Gershwin’s Cuban Overture. Listen for the maracas, claves, guiro, and

bongos. How many of those can you spot at the concert? How many have you

played yourself?

The theme from “Échale Salsita” is often played on the trumpet before the singing begins. The trumpet became popular in the early 1900’s in Cuban bands that similar to Mexican mariachi

bands. In Cuban Overture the trumpet is heard throughout playing the simple four-note melody

that Gershwin borrowed from “Échale Salsita:”

Activity: Complete the sentence while listening to Cuban Overture. You know what to do!

When I hear _____________________, I think of ______________________ and it makes me feel _______________________________.

Bonus Challenge! Written Reflection: You will need a pencil and paper. Imagine that it is 1932 and you are on a trip to Havana, Cuba. Write a short story about what you experience. Did you hear any music? Did you meet anyone? What was special or different about the Cuban culture?

ALABAMA GEORGIA

CUBA

Tampa

Miami

Atlantic Ocean

Gulf of Mexico

Carribean Sea

Havana

KeyWest

FLORIDA

Overture/Tone Poem

Ignacio Piñeiro (standing) with his Cuban band Occidente Sexteto in 1926. Notice the bongos (left) and maracas (right).

George Gershwin (1898-1937)

I Can Hear It!

Question: What’s an overture?

Answer: At first, an overture was a piece of music played at the very beginning of an opera as an introduction before the actors and actresses took the stage. Over time, the term “overture” was used for symphonic pieces that simply set a mood, scene, or told a story with music. These overtures are usually played at the beginning of concerts just like opera overtures and have titles that explain what the music is meant to inspire for the listeners. Gershwin’s Cuban Overture gives audiences a taste of Cuban life through its traditional music and instruments. Symphonic overtures are sometimes also called “tone poems.”

bongos claves

maracas

guiro/gourd

trumpetWOWGeorge Gershwin wrote many popular songs, including the famous jazz ballad, “Someone to Watch

Over Me.”

WOWA “bongo” is an

Afro-Cuban drum from

the percussion family, but

there is also a striped

African antelope with

the same name!

1514

Tone Poemblue cathedral Jennifer Higdon (1999)

About the Composer: Jennifer Higdon is a living composer of classical music. She was born in 1962, right here in Atlanta! Higdon lived in Atlanta until she was 10 years old before moving to Tennessee. She played the flute in her high school marching band but didn’t have a lot of experience with classical music. She decided to attend college to continue studying the flute. Higdon soon discovered a strong connection

to more modern classical music, so she decided to try composing music. She continued

music school and ultimately earned a doctorate in music composition.

Higdon continues to compose music for orchestras all over the United States. She has even had some of her music premiered by the

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra!

About the Music: Losing a loved one is an experience that

shapes a person’s life. Every person grieves differently. In 1998, Jennifer Higdon’s brother Andrew died of cancer. She wrote blue cathedral in memory of her brother, whose name was Andrew Blue Higdon. Writing music was Higdon’s way to express her emotions. She said, “As I was writing this piece, I found I saw the image of clouds and blueness permeating from the outside of church.” Higdon’s blue cathedral became very successful, and since its premiere in 2000, it has been performed by more than 400 orchestras around the world.

Baoding balls, also known as Chinese health balls, have been used for centuries in China to exercise and strengthen hands.

Jennifer Higdon with her cat, Beau, in her home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

LISTENING CHALLENGE! What to listen for in blue cathedral by Jennifer Higdon

blue cathedral is a listening challenge because it is the longest piece of music on the Compose Yourself! concert at almost 12 minutes. This music will mean much more to you if you listen to it before the concert. As you listen, read the descriptions below to find your place in the music. Check off each section as you hear it.

Beginning: Percussion playing twinkly, shimmering sounds with the triangle, vibes, and crotales. The flute and clarinet begin a dialogue.

Transition: The pitch and volume of the music increase into a very loud conversation between the French horns and strings.

Next Section: The softer middle section has an eerie sound, with

pulsing notes in the strings and marimba, with solo woodwinds (English horn, piccolo,

oboe) and strings.

Transition: Another transition builds with many instruments playing

much faster moving notes than ever before. The suspended cymbal shimmers.

Next Section: Faster speed and more chaos. At first angry, with low brass and fast rhythms. Then a triumphant

fanfare in the brass section turns anger into joy. Suddenly the music falls again into the ending section.

Ending: The ending is like the beginning. This time, members of the orchestra play long shining notes on the crystal glasses and carefully jingle the twinkling Chinese health balls. The flute and clarinet talk again before the clarinet plays a final melody that rises into the sky. They say goodbye.

Listening Map: Wait a few days and then listen to this music again. This time, create a Listening Map to illustrate what you think of or imagine. For instructions, see page 7 or ask your teacher for help.

I Can Hear It!

WOWHigdon received a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical

Composition for her Percussion Concerto and a Pulitzer Prize in music for her Violin Concerto.

WOWWhen Jennifer Higdon wrote blue cathedral, she added crystal wine glasses (played by the fingers) and Chinese health balls (played by shaking) to create a shimmering, heavenly sound.

Did you know that if you run a wet finger around the rim of a crystal wine glass, it will vibrate and create a pitch? The amount of water in the glass effects how high or low the pitch will sound.

16 17

WOWHigdon did not

capitalize the title of blue

cathedral because she

wanted it to have a simple,

poetic effect. When you are

the composer, you can do

anything you want!

UNITED STATES

RUSSIA

CHINA

INDIA

EUROPE

AFRICA

Overture1812 Overture Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky (1880)

About the Composer: Pyotr “Peter” Tchaikovsky was born in Russia in 1840. Tchaikovsky began playing the piano at age five and was an exceptional musician, but he didn’t pursue a career in music at first. Instead, he went to boarding school for several years to train to be a government worker. Unhappy in his career, Tchaikovsky eventually turned his life toward music whole-heartedly. He wrote music that became world-famous, including

his Violin Concerto, the ballets Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and The

Nutcracker, and the exciting 1812 Overture. He also became a successful conductor. Tchaikovsky was honored for his accomplishments by the Emperor of Russia and even became very famous in America. Throughout his life, Tchaikovsky was an emotionally sensitive person who struggled with his own identity and his relationships with other people. However, his music endures and has become some of the best-known in all of orchestral music.

About the Music: Inspired by a real-life event in history, Tchaikovsky wrote the 1812 Overture to remind people of the battle that happened that year in his country. In this battle, called the Battle of Borodino, Russia was being invaded by France’s military under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte. In the end, Russia triumphed over Napoleon because he underestimated the harshness of a Russian winter. Tchaikovsky included the French and Russian national anthems in the 1812

Overture to depict the battle between the two armies. As the battle rages on, he even added cannon blasts! Russia’s victory is announced in the ringing of church bells toward the end of the piece.

The 1812 Overture has also become one of America’s patriotic favorites. The 1812

Overture was first used as an American patriotic tune when the Boston Pops performed it with real cannons, a steeple bell choir, and fireworks in 1974. Since then, the music has become synonymous with a Fourth of July fireworks display.

I Can Hear It!

What to listen for in 1812 Overture by Peter Tchaikovsky1812 Overture is a very well-known piece of music. You might recognize it because it has been used in movies, television, and even cartoons! The themes of the Russian and French national anthems can be heard throughout the overture. The bright fanfare of the brass instruments along with the snare drum and bass drum represent military bugles and percussion. Near the end, cannon blasts roar while the chimes ring to represent church bells and Russia’s victory. The ASO won’t be using real cannons, but a similar sound will be there! Contrasting parts in this music go from exciting sections with fast-moving notes to slow sections with soaring melodies.

WOWDo you like

Tchaikovsky’s music? Come see the ASO’s concert Tchaikovsky Discovers America this February to hear more amazing music by the great Russian composer!

WOWIn 1891, Tchaikovsky visited New York City, where he was invited to conduct his 1812 Overture at the grand opening of the famous Carnegie Hall in New York City.

WOWThe Texas band “The Invincible Czars” released a

rock version of 1812 Overture for the 200th anniversary

of the 1812 Battle of Borodino. Check it out!

Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Napoleon’s Retreat from Moscow, a painting by Adolph Northen depicting the bitter cold of winter in Russia.

WOWThe 1812 Overture was

conducted by the great

Tchaikovsky himself at the

grand opening concert of

Carnegie Hall in New York

City in the year 1891!

1918

Driving Light Nathan Bales (2013)

I Can Hear It! What to Listen for in Driving Light:

crescendo

decrescendo

Beginning: Driving Light begins with active notes in the strings and woodwinds and a beautiful, smooth solo from the horn.

2013 Student Composition Contest Winnerinspired by Dr . Martin Luther King, Jr .

20 21

About the Composer: Nathan Sean Bales is the grand prize winner of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Next Generation Student Composition Contest. Nathan is from Marietta, Georgia and is currently a senior at George Walton Comprehensive High School. He plays the trumpet in the school marching band, concert band, and full orchestra. Nathan also plays the piano and the cello and has studied music theory and composition.

About the Music: Regarding Driving Light, which will be premiered by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Nathan explains:

“When I was a little kid, I heard this quote that has stuck with me throughout my life: ‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.’ As it turns out, it’s a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and as soon as I found out that the theme for this competition was about his vision, I knew I was going to incorporate that quote with my piece.

Driving Light is about living a life of love, it’s about driving out all the darkness and hate in life with love and light. So when writing the piece, I used the most peaceful, harmonious, and calming colors I could create so that the listener would feel driven towards tranquility and peace. I wanted them to be able to listen and forget all the hate and anger they might have, and learn to live on. A little ambitious I know, but trying to achieve an absence of hate was what I felt was most important to Dr. King’s vision.“

Nathan Bales (born 1996)

Nathan Bales working with ASO musician and composer Michael Kurth to refine his composition before its premiere by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

I Can Hear It!

Driving Light has never been played at a concert before because it has just recently been written! The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra asked students in grades 6-12 to write new music that was inspired by the vision of peace, harmony, faith, unity, justice, leadership, and triumph of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

New music is being written all the time. Have you ever thought about becoming a composer? The ASO will have another Next Generation Composition Contest at the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year. Who will be a part of the next generation of young American composers? Maybe it’s time to compose, yourself!

A memorial statue of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Washington, D.C.

End: The snare drum and brass instruments slowly fade away. Just like the beginning, the woodwinds and strings have active notes, but this time, a gradual decrescendo leads to a peaceful final unison note.

Middle: As the melody begins to rise, a gradual crescendo builds the music to a glorious climax. A snare drum enters with a triumphant march-like pattern over fast-moving notes from the strings. The brass section soars with beautiful long phrases.

Anonymous

Abraham J. & Phyllis Katz Foundation

The Coca-Cola Company

E Z Agape Foundation

Georgia Pacific

Links, Inc., Azalea City Chapter

Livingston Foundation, Inc.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company Massey Charitable Trust

Publix Super Markets & Publix Super Markets Charities, Inc.

SunTrust Bank Trusteed Foundation

Walter H. and Marjory M. Rich Memorial Fund

SunTrust Foundation

The Society, Inc., Greater Atlanta Chapter

Wells Fargo

The William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund

The Zeist Foundation, Inc.

With deepest gratitude…

Major support is provided by the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs.

Major funding for this program is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners under the guidance of

the Fulton County Arts Council.

This program is supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. GCA also receives support from its partner agency, the National Endowment for the Arts.

This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Education & Community Engagement StaffMark B. Kent, Vice President for Education and Community Engagement

Katherine Algarra, Program Assistant for Student Musician Programs

Niki Baker, Manager of Ensembles and Instruction

Janice Crews, D.M.A., Manager of School and Family Programs

Kaitlin Gress, ArtsVibe Teen Program Coordinator

Tiffany Jones, Education Associate for Audience Development

Ahmad Mayes, Manager of Community Programs

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra thanks the following organizations for their support of our Education and Community Programs. The support of these corporations, foundations,

and individuals is invaluable in helping us reach and educate diverse communities.