PLATYPUS THEATRE’S

How The Gimquat Found Her Song

presented by Hartford Symphony Orchestra

DISCOVERY CONCERT SERIES 2016-17

Classroom Guide for Teachers

Copyright © 2017

Platypus Theatre’s

HOW THE GIMQUAT FOUND HER SONG

Presented by Hartford Symphony Orchestra Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at 10:30 AM

Conducted by Music Director Carolyn Kuan The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts

Audiences embark on a musical expedition across continents and through

centuries to help a discouraged bird called a Gimquat discover her unique voice. Young audiences laugh, chant and sing along with the Gimquat and her wizard guide as they explore musical styles from Gregorian chant to rap. (Grades K-7)

Written by Peter Duschenes Stage direction and puppet design by Peter Duschenes and Meredyth Babcock

Originally produced by Michael Duschenes

Performers: Danielle Desormeaux, Gimquat

Peter Duschenes, Wizard

Stage Manager: Wendy Rockburn

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Meet the Conductor 9

Meet the Orchestra 10

Classroom Activities 15

Field Trip Day! 21

3

Meet the Cast & Crew 13

Concert Program 5

CAROLYN KUAN conductor HARTFORD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

With excerpts from the following works:

CARMEN SUITE NO. 1: Georges Bizet Act I Prélude 1838—1875, French THE FOUR SEASONS: Antonio Vivaldi Spring 1678—1741, Italian SAD DANCE Mario Duschenes 1923-2009, German Canadian

JIMINY CRICKET Duschenes AWAKENING Duschenes GREGORIAN CHANT Anonymous TORDION Anonymous SUITE No. 2: Johann Sebastian Bach 7. Badinerie 1685—1750, German ST. MATTHEW PASSION Bach Ich bin’s, ich sollte büßen THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Overture 1756—1791, Austrian SYMPHONY NO. 5: Ludwig van Beethoven 1. Allegro con brio 1770—1827, German SOPHISTICATED LADY Duke Ellington/arr. Custer 1899—1974, American MOTHER GOOSE SUITE: Maurice Ravel 5. The Fairy Garden 1875—1937, French 1. Pavane of the Sleeping Beauty

5 6 CONCERT PROGRAM

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What’s this? Match the musical term to its definition

Arrangement

Chorale

Harmony

Movement

Overture

Pavane

Prelude

Suite

Symphony

Theme

A combination of notes sounding together

A German Protestant church song usually sung in four-part harmony

A melody that is repeated or elaborated in a

piece of music

A musical introduction

A musical introduction at the beginning of a play, opera, ballet, or musical which

includes important themes that you’ll hear later on in the performance

An extended work for orchestra, consisting

of several movements

An ordered set of pieces

A piece of music written for the dance by the same name, a slow and courtly

processional dance popular in Europe during the 16th century

A section within a larger musical work

Changing a written piece of music so that it can be played by different instruments, or

adapting it to be playable in a different genre of music

Sing-along at the HSO Learn to sing this Bach Chorale with your class, then join all of the other kids

at the concert in singing from the audience along with the orchestra

The Magic Chant Practice this incantation until you can recite it from memory

so that you and the Wizard can help the Gimquat find her song!

Jiminy Cricket, Raggedy Ann Winnie the Pooh, Yosemite Sam Up in the air, through space and through time A new place in history, not yours and not mine

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CAROLYN KUAN Music Director and Conductor HARTFORD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Percussion

Brass

Woodwinds

Violin 2

Violin 1

Viola

Cello Conductor

MEET THE CONDUCTOR

Carolyn Kuan is the 10th Music Director of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, and the first woman to hold that position. Recognized as a conductor of extraordinary versatility, Ms. Kuan has enjoyed successful associations with top-tier orchestras, opera companies, ballet companies, and festivals worldwide. Ms. Kuan’s commitment to contemporary music has

defined her approach to programming, and established her as an international resource for new music and world premieres. The recipient of numerous awards, Ms. Kuan holds the distinction of being the first woman to be awarded the Herbert von Karajan Conducting Fellowship by the Herbert von Karajan Centrum and American Austrian Foundation in 2003, resulting in her residency at the 2004 Salzburg Festival. She was

also the winner of the first Taki Concordia Fellowship.

B.A., Smith College M.M., University of Illinois

Performance Diploma, Peabody Conservatory

The CONDUCTOR stands front and center onstage and leads the orchestra.

He or she uses a BATON to show the instruments when to play, as well

as how loud or soft, fast or slow, choppy or smooth, aggressive or gentle. Keyboards These instruments don’t belong to any of the four traditional orchestral families, so they are often grouped together as “Keyboards.” Some people say they belong to the String Family, however. Can you guess why?

MEET THE ORCHESTRA

Harp Piano Celesta

THE FAMILIES OF THE ORCHESTRA

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The String Family

Violin Viola Cello Bass

These musicians use a bow with hair from my tail to play these string instruments!

The Woodwind Family

Piccolo

Flute

Clarinet Oboe Bassoon

The oldest instrument

in the world is in the

woodwind family.

Archaeologists once found

a flute made of bone that was carved 43,000 years ago!

The Brass Family

Trumpet

French Horn

Trombone

Tuba

The Percussion Family

Xylophone

Maracas

Drumset

Triangle

Bongos

Congas

Tambourine

Snare drum

Cymbals

Tubular bells

Timpani

Bass drum

There are 2 main categories of percussion:

PITCHED, meaning that it makes

a sound on a specific note,

and UNPITCHED, which means

it makes noise without sounding

a specific note.

Can you guess which of these instruments

here belong in each category?

MEET THE CAST & CREW PETER DUSCHENES Artistic Director, Writer, Actor

Thousands of young classical music fans have Peter to thank for introducing them to symphonic music. He cofounded the Platypus Theatre touring company in 1989 to make orchestral music accessible for youth, and more than half a million concert-goers have benefitted from his creativity. As an award-winning playwright, Peter’s writing credits include - among others - all eight Platypus productions, the television adaptation of How the Gimquat Found Her Song which won Best

Children’s Program at the prestigious Banff World Television Festival in 2008. In addition to his roles in Platypus shows, he has also acted and di-rected with companies across Canada and the United States. When Peter isn’t busy helping the Gimquat find her song, he and his wife Sarah are helping their children, Magda and Theo, find their socks.

DANIELLE DESORMEAUX Actor Danielle is one of the more adaptable creatures in the Platypus Theatre touring company. You can see her as the Gimquat in How the Gimquat Found Her Song, as Corky in Bach to the Future, as Emily in Emily Saves the Orchestra and as a hobo in Rhythm in Your

Rubbish, a production she helped create. She is a highly-accomplished actor who has worked extensively in theatre, in film, and also as several animated characters on TV. She is also an experienced improviser and clown, and has written and created a number of critically-acclaimed works. Danielle has been a part of the Platypus touring company for 17 years but will never forget “the first time I heard a live orchestra playing on stage with me it literally took my breath away. I couldn’t believe how powerful the sound was. Then I thought: Wow! Best job ever!”

WENDY ROCKBURN Stage Manager Want to know who and what goes where and when and how? Wendy’s the one who has it well under control. Since 2005, Wendy has expertly juggled all of the details for Platypus Theatre productions, from monster’s heads to lighting cues. Not only does she manage the Platypus touring company’s stage, but she also works with theatres all over Eastern and Central Canada. And as often as possible, she jets off to far places to

photograph the world, and has been known to skydive over the desert in Namibia or outrace a gaucho in Argentina. Her favorite

part about Platypus shows is watching the kids follow every turn in the story in rapt attention. And the climax of the Gimquat still makes her cry, even after all of these years. No wonder we’re wild about Wendy!

PLATYPUS THEATRE Since 1989, almost one million young audience members have been introduced to classical music through Platypus Theatre. After more than 500 performances with more than 60 orchestras world-wide, Platypus has established itself as one of North

America’s premiere music education theatre companies. Original and engaging storylines are presented in an intelligent and interactive way, with music always taking the lead role. Children laugh, sing and empa-thize with the characters while learning musical concepts, styles, and much more. In 2006, one of Platypus’ most cherished productions How the Gimquat Found her Song was produced for TV and went on to win several awards including Best Children’s Program at the prestigious Banff World Television Festival. In 1991, Platypus was the subject of a nationally broadcast documentary on CTV, followed by a PBS full-performance broadcast in 2000. During its 25th anniversary year, Platypus will premiere its eighth original production, Latin Beats, Heroic Feats, in partnership with four orchestras across Canada. Other Platypus Productions include Emily Saves the Orchestra, Rhythm in your Rubbish, Bach to the Future, Charlotte and the Music-Maker, Flicker of Light on a Winter’s Night, and Peter and the Wolf.

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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY 1

The Gimquat listens to music from many peoples,

places, and times, to try to find her song.

What kind of music represents who you are?

What kind of music represents how you want others to see you? Is this the

same kind as the first kind?

Do you think your music will change as you get older?

Write a letter to yourself, describing your

song, to read when you are older.

What is your song?

ACTIVITY 2

The Gimquat’s journey

starts in the year 1003

and ends all the way up

in the present. That’s a

lot of time travel!

If you could travel back

in time to one year and

place, when and where

would you pick and

why?

Looking back at the timeline on page 6, make a class time-

line showing where all of you end up, and what you do

when you get there!

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ACTIVITY 3

One of the pieces you’ll hear at the performance is

the Overture from Mozart’s famous opera, The Marriage of Figaro. An opera is like a play, but the

actors sing their lines instead of speaking them, and

you have an orchestra performing as well, to

support the singers and help tell the story musically.

Putting on an opera takes more than just great

singers and great orchestras, though; everything you

see onstage is meticulously planned by an

army of talented people in different professions:

directors, stage managers, set designers, lighting

designers, costume designers, carpenters, painters,

electricians, seamstresses, props masters, and more!

For every person you see performing onstage, there

are many, many more behind the scenes.

* *

Check out the video at the YouTube link below, where you’ll

see the Washington National Opera preparing for a

production of Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle. You’ll see all

sorts of people working on the show. What kinds of jobs do

you see? What talents and interests do you have that could

help put on an opera?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZJKbFbe5uA

Take this activity to the next level by putting on a puppet

show with your class! You’ll see puppets onstage at the

performance at The Bushnell, so here’s a chance to go

behind the scenes and practice some of those skills you saw in

the video. Cut out the kids below and on the next page, tape

them to popsicle sticks, design your show, and curtain up!

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Another piece you’ll hear

at the concert is the

Mother Goose Suite, by

Maurice Ravel.

How many of these

Mother Goose nursery

rhymes can you recognize? Fill in the blanks below and

see if you can figure out what all of these answers have in

common!

Baa baa black ______, have you any wool? …

Eenie meenie miney mo, catch a ______ by the toe …

Hickory dickory dock, the ______ ran up the clock …

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;

All the king’s ______ and all the King’s men, Couldn’t put Humpty together again.

The itsy bitsy ______ climbed up the water spout …

Mary had a little ______ lamb, its fleece was white as snow ...

ACTIVITY 5

ACTIVITY 5

Vivaldi’s “Spring” from The Four Seasons evokes spring-like sounds and moods.

Start at 8:14 to take a listen!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=BemE4sgctsY

How do you think Summer, Fall, and Winter will

sound? Take a guess, then start listening again at

the beginning of the video to see if you’re right!

And then come check out our fourth Discovery Concert,

SEASONS, premiering on May 24, 2017 at 10:30 AM!

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FIELD TRIP DAY! TRANSPORTATION

TICKETS

All students, regardless of age, need an escort to leave the auditorium to use the restroom or for any other purpose. Ushers will not allow unattended students to exit without an adult chaperone.

Anyone leaving the auditorium during the concert will have to wait for an appropriate break in the program to re-enter. People re-entering may not always be able to go back to their original seats depending on the pro-gram and may be asked to take available seats in the back.

Groups arriving after the start of the concert will be seated at the discretion of House Management.

It is prohibited to use cameras, audio-video or other recording devices, cell phones, digital games, and music players in the hall.

A chaperone will be required to sit in the front row with any group seated on an upper level.

Please arrange children in a desired seating order prior to entering the building. Once seating load-in begins, students must quickly move straight across, down the rows. The high number of audience members does not leave time to accommodate traffic jams caused by “boy/girl seating” or for certain classes to sit with each other, etc. Once a group is seated, teachers may move individual students within the section.

No one is allowed to sit on the floor or in the aisles at any time.

No hats may be worn inside the building.

No food or beverages are allowed in the building.

Please plan to arrive no later than a half hour before the start of the performance. Students are seated by school, and it will take a long time to get everyone into their sections of the auditorium. If you are late, you may not be able to be seated.

Students are to disembark where their bus parks. Parking meters will be bagged along neighboring streets: Trinity, Capitol, and Buckingham. The meters will be bagged or designated with a “no parking” stake. Please make a mental note of where you are parked.

Please enter the Bushnell complex through Mortensen Hall via Trinity Street or via the brick courtyard on Capitol Avenue.

Buses with handicapped students should stop at the Trinity Street entrance, where the ramp is, and drop off only the special-needs individual(s), along with at least one chaperone.

The bus should then proceed to one of the bagged meters and park, at which time the other students will walk to the theater.

HOUSE RULES

Ushers will be posted everywhere to guide you to your seats; let one of them know from which school you have come.

You will not receive actual tickets. When you arrive, we will direct you to your seats based on your school, which we will have already allotted a certain location in the hall. Seating is determined based on special needs and group volume.

Please remain seated at the end of the performance. An usher will dismiss students by school from the stage.

MORTENSEN HALL

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You’ll be seeing your concert in Mortensen Hall, the 2,800-seat theater and original building of The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, the premier performing arts center in the region. The building was designed by the same architects as that of New York City's famous Radio City Music Hall, and opened in 1930, right at the beginning of the Great Depression.

Named in honor of William H. Mortensen, The Bushnell's first managing director, Mortensen Hall is renowned as one of the world's greatest examples of the Art Deco style, an artistic style of the 1920s and 1930s that is recognizable by its bold geometric shapes and bright colors.

When you go into the theater, look up! You’ll find the largest hand-painted ceiling

mural in the United States, measuring 187 feet by 40 feet. That’s 4 school buses

long and 1 school bus wide!

The artist Barry Faulkner and his team called the piece “Drama,” named for its artistic centerpiece, the Muse of Drama.

Surrounding the goddess are vivid representations of performance, progress, and hope from ancient mythological times to the 20th century.

You’ll find older symbols such as ancient images of the sun, moon, and stars — symbolizing light, knowledge, constancy, and eternity — as well as more modern icons like airplanes. Try to spot as many of these symbols as you can!

© 2017

Hartford Symphony Orchestra

hartfordsymphony.org/education-community