musically speaking: painting with music - bpssg.com · 2019-12-16 · o pick out some aux...

1328 34th Street, Ste. A ● Bakersfield, CA 93301 ● 661.323.7928 ● www.BSOnow.org

Musically Speaking: Painting with Music In this Young People’s Concert, the Bakersfield Symphony will show students how music can paint

pictures and tell stories with as much vivid detail as oil paints, books, and movies. In the process

of learning how music paints a picture, students will be introduced to the basic elements of music

and instruments of the orchestra.

**Note: the “what is an orchestra” worksheet is meant to go with the PowerPoint presentation.

Lesson Plans

These lessons can be presented

All at once, without use of the **optional** activities, as a general overview of the music

before attending the concert.

One at a time, utilizing the options presented (or coming up with your own!) as part of a

series.

In bits and pieces. You can choose to present all of the lessons or only one or two of the

lessons.

Not at all. You can opt to only present the Instruments of the Orchestra lesson, or to not do

any preparation and simply show up to the concert. Of course, we would LOVE for you to

utilize some of the lesson plans we’ve made available, but it is by no means required: you

do what is best for your students!

Helpful to know:

Don’t feel like you need to listen to an entire piece of music. Playing a short excerpt is

usually fine. (Sometimes time markings are given if you need to listen to a specific part).

Most of these activities can be done by regular classroom teachers; you don’t have to be a

music teacher for this to be helpful!

The objectives and standards listed apply if every “optional” activity is used; if you do not

use every “optional” activity, the standards listed may not all be used.

Adjust whatever you need to. Add activities. Change things. This is meant to be a tool you

can use. Do whatever is best for your students!

Any and all feedback on the lesson plans would be GREATLY appreciated. Please email Kendra

Green ([email protected]) with ANY feedback (positive AND negative!!). We want to continue

improving your experience at our Young People’s Concerts, and getting good, constructive criticism

is something that enables us to give you a better experience next time around.

mailto:[email protected]


What is an orchestra? An orchestra is a type of musical ensemble. An ensemble is a group of musicians who

play music together. In an orchestra, there are specific instruments and groups of instruments that play together. Label the instruments of the orchestra below by their

correct name.

The String Family

Instruments in the string family make sound using strings.

_________

The Woodwind Family Instruments in the Woodwind Family are

made of wood or use a wooden reed and make

sound when someone blows air through them.

_________

_________

_________

The Brass Family

Instruments in the Brass Family are made of brass

and have a mouthpiece that you buzz your lips into to make sound.

The Percussion Family Instruments in the

Percussion Family are instruments you hit,

shake, or scrape to make sound.

_________

_________

_________

_________

_________

_________

_________

_________

_________

_________

_________

_________

Trombone, tuba, and percussion images taken from vecteezy.com


Vivaldi: Spring (focused on movement 1)

Objective(s):

1. Students will gain a basic understanding of who Vivaldi is.

2. Students will compare their own ideas of what “spring” music would sound like with what

Vivaldi came up with.

3. Students will explore the relationship between poetry, music, and musical form as it relates

to “Spring.”

4. Students will create music to accompany poetry.

State Music Standard(s):

Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.

Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.

Anchor Standard 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work.

Anchor Standard 8: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.

Anchor Standard 11: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical

context to deepen understanding.

Lesson Plan

Introduce Antonio Vivaldi

Present some basic information (facts outlined below) or have the students listen to the

Classics for Kids episode here: https://www.classicsforkids.com/shows/shows.php?id=39

o Antonio Vivaldi was a composer in Venice and lived 1678-1741.

o He was the oldest of six (or maybe nine…they didn’t keep good track back then).

o Father was a barber, baker, and violinist.

o Vivaldi became a priest, but ended up composing and teaching instead of actually

being a priest.

Introduce the concerto “Spring”

Vivaldi wrote a set of concertos called “The Four Seasons.” There are four concertos as part

of this set: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.

o Note: a concerto is a piece of music for a solo instrument (in this case the soloist is a

violin), and an orchestra plays the accompaniment (background music) for the

soloist.

Each concerto is based on a poem about that particular season.

**Option: Brainstorm and compare/contrast

Have students (as a class, in groups, or individually) brainstorm things related to

springtime.

Pose the question: what if we wrote music to represent each of these things? What would

that music sound like? (For example, if one of the “springtime” items was “sunshine,” what

would music representing sunshine sound like? Fast or slow? High or low? Loud or soft?

Happy or sad or angry or scary?)

https://www.classicsforkids.com/shows/shows.php?id=39


Vivaldi’s Musical Poetry

Read the poem that Vivaldi based the music of “Spring” on.

Listen to an explanation on Classics for Kids of how the music mirrors the poem:


IF you did the optional brainstorming activity, compare and contrast your ideas and musical

representations of Spring with what Vivaldi came up with. Is there anything similar?

**Option: Listening Map Activity

Listen to the first movement of “Spring” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3nSvIiBNFo) and

follow along with the listening map provided.

Introduce “Rondo” form (ABACADA)

o Which theme from the music is the “A” theme for the rondo that keeps coming back?

**Option for music classes: Create your own musical accompaniment to the poem.

For younger students/shorter lesson: use the outline provided and perform the poem. (Feel

free to switch out instruments as you want/need).

o You may also use this as a “practice” run, and then do the following activity:

For older students/longer lesson:

o Pick out some aux percussion instruments (maracas, sleigh bells, triangle, ratchet,

woodblock, drums, orff xylos, etc.) and have the class decide what instrument should

provide the sound effect for each line or two of the poem OR for specific words in the

poem.

o Perform the poem with someone (teacher or student) reading the poem, and

assigned students playing instruments at the appropriate times for what you

decided.

o Repeat as many times as you wish to give more students a turn playing the

instruments. Feel free to change the “arrangement” each time if you wish.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3nSvIiBNFo


Vivaldi: The Four Seasons

Spring

Festive Spring has arrived

The birds salute it with their happy song

And the brooks, caressed by little Zephyrs,

Flow with a sweet murmur.

The sky is covered with a black mantle,

And thunder and lightning announce a storm

When they are silent, the birds

Return to sing their lovely song

And in the meadow, rich with flowers,

To the sweet murmur of leaves and plants,

The goatherd sleeps, with his faithful dog at his side

To the festive sound of pastoral bagpipes,

Dance nymphs and shepherds,

At Spring’s brilliant appearance.

**Zephyr = a soft, gentle breeze


Vivaldi: The Four Seasons – Spring

Poem/Composition


The birds salute it with their happy song

And the brooks, caressed by little Zephyrs,

Flow with a sweet murmur.

The sky is covered with a black mantle,

And thunder and lightning announce a storm



And in the meadow, rich with flowers,

To the sweet murmur of leaves and plants,

The goatherd sleeps, with his faithful dog at his side

To the festive sound of pastoral bagpipes,

Dance nymphs and shepherds,

At Spring’s brilliant appearance.

Spring = wind chimes

Birds = triangle

Brooks = guiro

Murmur = sandpaper scraping

Thunder and lightning = drums

Dog = cowbell

Bagpipes = open 5th on orff xylophone


Vivaldi – Spring (mvt. 1) Listening Map

Spring Theme


Birds

The birds salute it with

their happy song

Spring Theme

Water

And the brooks, caressed

by little Zephyrs,

Flow with a sweet murmur

Spring Theme

Thunderstorm

The sky is covered with a

black mantle,

And thunder and lightning

announce a storm

Spring Theme




Haydn: Military Symphony (mvt. 2)

Objective(s):

1. Students will become familiar with Franz Joseph Haydn.

2. Students will compare and contrast two different sections of the second movement of the

symphony.

3. Students will learn and perform a song with percussion parts modeled after “Turkish”

percussion (the style of percussion that Haydn used in this symphony).


Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.

Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.

Anchor Standard 3: Refine and complete artistic work.


Anchor Standard 11: Relate artistic ideas and works with social, cultural, and historical


Lesson Plan

Introduce Franz Joseph Haydn



o Franz Joseph Haydn was a composer in Vienna and lived 1732-1809.

o He was born in a small town in Austria, but his parents sent him to Vienna to sing in

the church choir. He also played violin and keyboard instruments.

o Haydn was the hired composer and music director for the Esterhazy family (who

were Hungarian nobles).

o Haydn’s music was popular throughout Europe, and he travelled twice to London to

compose and premier some of his symphonies.

Symphony 100, the Military symphony, movement 2

A lot of Haydn’s music was given nicknames, and this symphony was nicknamed the

“Military Symphony” because of the second movement. The percussion in this movement is

reminiscent of marching and battle sounds.

Listen to an excerpt of the melody of the second movement.

o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RmwapsXnrg play from the beginning, but don’t go

further than 1:30.

o Ask students: How would you describe the melody? (Use descriptive words like fast,

slow, happy, sad, scary, high-pitched, low-pitched, etc.)

o You may have students complete this task together as a class, individually, or in

small groups.

Listen to an excerpt of the 2nd movement with the percussion.

o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RmwapsXnrg (same video as above) from 1:58 to

2:33.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RmwapsXnrg



o Ask students: How is this different than the melody we listened to first? How is it

similar? How would you describe this melody?

o The percussion is part of what gave the symphony the nickname “Military.” What

about the percussion sounds remind you of the military?

**Option for music classes: play percussion instruments along with a song you have learned.

Option: teach the song and use the percussion parts attached to this lesson plan.

Option: create your own percussion parts to go with a song you have already taught your

students.

Listen one more time to the section of the 2nd movement of the Military Symphony that

features the percussion (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RmwapsXnrg from 1:58 to 2:33).

o What percussion instruments are playing?

o This is a “Turkish” percussion sound that was becoming popular when Haydn was

writing music. We are going to add our own “Turkish” percussion to a song today.

Teach the song Old Joe Clark (or review the song you are going to be doing with the

activity).

Teach the percussion parts with the whole class playing one part together while you sing.

(The class can practice the rhythms with body percussion before taking instruments out).

o Option: have students create the rhythms that will be played on the percussion

instruments.

Put the percussion parts together (still using body percussion): split the class into four

groups and have all the parts play together.

Practice singing a couple of verses of the song and everyone playing body percussion on

the refrain.

Hand out instruments and perform. Have students pass the instruments around during the

verses so more students get a chance to play.



Old Joe Clark

I went down to Old Joe’s house,

Never been there before.

He slept on the corn shuck bed,

And I slept on the floor.

I went down to Old Joe’s house,

He told me to come and eat,

I drank all the curdled milk,

And he ate all the meat.

Old Joe Clark, he had a wife

Name of Mary Lou;

She had two great big brown eyes,

The other two were blue.

Old Joe Clark, he built a house,

Told his friends, “It’s neat.”

He built the floors above his head,

The ceilings under his feet.


Old Joe Clark: Percussion Parts


Rimsky Korsakov: Scheherazade

Objective(s):

1. Students will become familiar with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.

2. Students will become familiar with the storyline of 1,001 Nights and how the characters and

stories relate to the musical themes in Scheherazade.

3. Students will create their own “Scheherazade” story to match the music.

4. Students will draw scenes from one of the stories as it is portrayed by the music.


Anchor Standard 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work.


Anchor Standard 10: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make

art.



Lesson Plan

Introduce Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov



o Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov lived 1844-1908 in Russia

o As a child, he wanted to be in the Navy (like his older brother), but he studied music

while he was in the Navy and ended up leaving the Navy to be a composer and

teacher.

o Rimsky-Korsakov was good friends with some of the best Russian composers of the

time.

o Rimsky-Korsakov loved to tell stories with his music.

Introduce Scheherazade

The music for Scheherazade is based on a story called “1,001 Nights.”

Read the class a summary of the story. Have students answer the following questions

either as a class, in groups, or individually (see attached worksheet).

o Why did the stories stop the Sultan from putting Scheherazade to death?

o If you were in Scheherazade’s place, what kind of stories would you tell? Why?

o Reach the summary of the stories that Rimsky-Korsakov highlights in the music of

Scheherazade. What about each story would make the Sultan want to come back to

hear more?

Musical Themes

Discuss how music can represent different characters in a story using Star Wars as an

example (you can use all of the examples or just the first one, depending on time).

o Darth Vader

Who is Darth Vader? What is his character like? (Make a list on the board)



Play the Imperial March (Vader’s theme – if you don’t have Spotify or apple

music where you can find the music, you can use youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bzWSJG93P8).

How does the music show the character of Darth Vader?

o Complete the same activity with the characters Rey and Kylo Ren

Rey’s theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTyRh33k4rg

Kylo Ren’s theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6s0GFU-UR4

The music from Scheherazade has themes for different characters and events as well. You

can complete this activity as a class (as the previous activity), or have students answer the

questions in groups or individually before sharing with the class (see attached worksheet).

**Option for music classes: Follow the music as you listen to each theme, and teach the

class to sing along.

o Scheherazade https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17lEx0ytE_0 0:50-1:38

Review the story of Scheherazade.

Who is Scheherazade? What is her character like?

Listen to Scheherazade’s theme. How does the music show her character?

What instrument is playing her theme? (violin)

o Complete the same activity with the following themes:

The Sultan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17lEx0ytE_0 0:00-0:20

Kalendar Prince https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17lEx0ytE_0 11:06-13:28

Prince and Princess love theme https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17lEx0ytE_0

23:20-24:36

Baghdad Festival theme https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17lEx0ytE_0 35:42-

36:21

**Option: Create your own story to match the music.

Listen to the first couple of minutes of the 4th movement

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17lEx0ytE_0 34:20-36:58). While listening, have students

write down words describing what they are hearing. They can write down tangible things

(fast, slow, loud, soft, high, low, what instruments are playing, etc.) or describe the mood

or feelings the music seems to represent.

Share some of the things students heard while they were listening, and create a master list

on the board.

Listen to the music again, and tell students to try to imagine the music is the background

music to a movie. What would be happening in the movie while the music is playing? Be

ready to share some answers when we are done listening!

Share some ideas with the class.

Have students create their own story to go along with the music. This can be done:

o As a class together

o In groups

o Individually

o **If students are working in groups or individually, play the music in the background

while they are working.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bzWSJG93P8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTyRh33k4rg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6s0GFU-UR4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17lEx0ytE_0







**Option for younger grades: Draw the story as you listen

Pick one of the movements and go back and review the story the music is telling in that

specific movement.

Play the entire movement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17lEx0ytE_0 (movement 1 = 0:00-

10:18; movement 2 = 10:20-22:56; movement 3 = 23:20-34:12; movement 4 = 34:20-46:40)

While the music is playing, have students draw scenes that depict the story that is being

told by the music.



Storytelling Worksheet

Answer each question in a complete sentence.

1. Why did Scheherazade’s stories stop the Sultan from putting Scheherazade to death?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

2. If you were in Scheherazade’s place, what kind of stories would you tell? Why?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

3. What about the story of the Sea and Sinbad’s Ship made the Sultan want to keep listening?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

4. What about the Legend of the Kalendar Prince made the Sultan want to keep listening?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

5. What about the story of the Young Prince and the Young Princess made the Sultan want to

keep listening?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

6. What about the Festival at Baghdad and the Sea and the Shipwreck made the Sultan want

to keep listening?

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________


1,001 Nights: The story of Scheherazade

Once upon a time in Persia there lived a strong and powerful Sultan. The Sultan loved two things: incredible

beauty and exotic stories. Although this king was very strong, he had a broken heart and was very sad. The

Sultan was lonely without a wife, but was afraid that a new wife would break his heart again. To solve this

problem, the sultan’s assistant, the Vizier, thought of a wonderful plan: marry a new girl each night and at

daybreak behead her! The Sultan agreed that was an excellent plan and would indeed keep his heart from

getting broken. And so for many, many nights the king would marry a new girl and send his new wife away

the next morning.

As more and more young women went to the palace and never returned, the Vizier’s very own daughter

decided she needed to do something. Her name was Scheherazade, the most beautiful and enchanting girl

the king would ever meet. Reluctantly, the Vizier followed her wishes and presented Scheherazade to the

Sultan. The Sultan was very pleased when he saw beautiful Scheherazade and again the wedding ritual

began. However, Scheherazade was not just beautiful, but very smart, too. She knew that the Sultan loves

stories, so she planned to weave an incredible tale, but would time the story just right so at sunrise she would

stop at the most exciting part! The king was so mesmerized, her plan worked and he kept her alive another

night. Scheherazade continued telling her stories for 1,001 nights! By then the king had fallen in love and his

broken heart had completely healed. He and Scheherazade were married and her enchanting stories are still

retold today in the famous collection called One Thousand and One Nights.

Movement 1: The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship

The brave Sinbad is a sailor who sets out with his great ship on seven wild adventures at sea. Shipwrecked

each time, Sinbad finds himself in faraway lands of magical creatures where he fights monstrous beasts that

guard their treasure and meets mighty kings who lavish him with expensive gifts. Each time, he returns back

with his newfound wealth to his home in Baghdad. Between voyages, Sinbad grows restless with his leisurely

life and always seeks a new adventure out on the high seas.

Movement 2: The Legend of the Kalendar Prince

The Kalendars were a type of fakir (roving monks who turned up at Eastern courts and bazaars). In this

story, a prince is tired of living his routine life in a palace and wants to go out to experience life in the exciting

city. He does this by disguising himself as a mysterious old Kalendar who could do magic tricks and tell

someone’s fortune in exchange for some food or a gold coin.

Movement 3: The Young Prince and the Young Princess

Here is the story of Prince Ibrahim, who falls in love with a portrait – a picture of the most beautiful girl he

has ever seen. As hard as he tries, Prince Ibrahim cannot stop thinking about the girl in the portrait. Though

he has never met her, Ibrahim is determined to find out who this girl is and sets off to find her. After a long

search though all the villages in the land, he finally comes to another castle just like his own. Inside the

castle walls he finds the beautiful girl in the picture – Princess Jemilah. Ibrahim tells Jimelah how much he

loves her, and she is impressed by how long and earnestly he has searched for her. They fall in love and

marry.

Movement 4: The Festival at Baghdad/The Sea and the Shipwreck

The conclusion to the symphonic suite unites many storylines and musical themes. Baghdad is the home of

Sinbad and of many of the characters in One Thousand and One Nights. In this Baghdad scene we have a

brilliant festival – a celebration of light and dance. We hear the Sultan become impatient with Scheherazade’s

stalling and storytelling. However, as she continues with another – her most exciting tale yet – of Sinbad and

a shipwreck, the Sultan finally gives in and realizes he has fallen in love with the beautiful, and clever,

Scheherazade.


Musical Themes

Follow along with the melody as you listen to each theme, and answer the questions about how the

music relates to each character. If it is okay with your teacher, sing along with the melodies as

you hear them.

Scheherazade’s Theme

What is Scheherazade like? _________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

How does the music match her character? _____________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

What instrument(s) play her theme? _________________________________________________

Sultan’s Theme

What is the Sultan like?____________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

How does the music match his character?______________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

What instrument(s) play his theme? _________________________________________________


Kalendar Prince Theme

What is the Kalendar Prince like? ____________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

How does the music match his character?______________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

What instrument(s) play his theme? _________________________________________________

Prince and Princess Love Theme

What are the Prince and Princess like? ________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

How does the music match their story?________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

What instrument(s) play their theme? ________________________________________________

Baghdad Festival Theme

What is Baghdad Festival like? ______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

How does the music match this event? ________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

What instrument(s) play the theme? _________________________________________________


Movie Music

Objective(s):

1. Students will explore the impact that music has in storytelling in music.





Lesson Plan

Movie Music

Ask students to share with the class or with a partner about what their favorite movie is and

why.

All movies have music that plays in the background, and that music helps to tell the story

that the movie is trying to tell. It matches or compliments the actions or emotions being

portrayed in the story, and if you took your favorite movie and changed all the music, it

would completely change the movie.

Have students watch a video showing a scene three times, each time with a different piece

of music in the background. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNcYiZkX5VY

o Pause the video after each scene, and ask the students the following questions OR

have them complete the attached worksheet individually or in groups.

What was the mood of the music?

What do you think was written in the letter the girl is reading?

What do you think will happen next?

What if movies just didn’t have music? Watch a video that shows a few scenes from one of

the Spider Man movies without music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN-FpMyBLLk

o How did the lack of music change how you reacted to the scenes?

o Was the movie better with music or without music? Why?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNcYiZkX5VY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN-FpMyBLLk


Movie Music Worksheet

After watching each section of the video, answer the questions in a complete sentence.

Version 1

What was the mood of the music?____________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

What do you think was written in the letter the girl is reading? _____________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

What do you think will happen next?__________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Version 2


_______________________________________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Version 3


_______________________________________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________


_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

musically speaking: painting with music - bpssg.com · 2019-12-16 · o pick out some aux...

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