Description A program designed to give the listener a visual and audible look and listening experience of the worlds greatest string music. From master composers like Mozart, to folk melodies, reaching back into antiquity, and forward to the 20th century, this program encourages children to participate and learn as they discover each new country, its place in history, its special characteristics, and the musical instruments used in its music.

Objectives To give students an opportunity to attend a live performance and understand the relationship between performer and listener. To experience the sounds made by people and instruments from different cultures and historical times. To examine the historical and cultural events around which a countrys music was written.

Repertoire Native American War Dance by Robert Skilton Molly on the Shore - an Irish folk tune Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart String Quartet in G Minor - by Debussy (excerpt) Spring - by Antonio Vivaldi Chinese Air - a traditional song for string instruments Rumanian Dance - by Bela Bartok Russian Orthodox Vocal Chants - by Bela Bartok Orchids in the Moonlight - Vincent Yeoman African Chants - Improvisational

Instruments

The string quartet contains four string instruments -- two violins, one viola, and one cello. The fourth and last instrument of the string family, the bass, or double bass, is not part of a traditional string quartet. One of the violins, the first violin, usually plays higher notes than the other violin, the second violin. The viola plays even lower notes in the middle range of the music, and the cello can play the lowest. All four instruments are made of wood. The top, back and ribs of the instruments are glued together to make a hollow box. Four strings are fasted to the tailpiece, or end, and rest on a bridge, and then extend to a peg box where they are attached to tuning pegs that are turned to change the pitch. The musician creates different notes on the strings by pressing the fingers of his left hand down on the fingerboard. While doing so, he sets the string in vibration, and produces a sound by pulling a stick called a bow across the strings. The bow is made of wood and hundreds of hairs from a horses tail, stretched end to end.
 

Vocabulary

Music: vocal or instrumental sounds that have rhythm, harmony or melody
Rhythm: repeated strong and weak beats in the flow of sound
Harmony: different musical notes played at the same time
Melody: sweet enjoyable arrangement of single tones
Composer: a person who writes music
Violin: an instrument with four strings which uses a bow to produce sound
Scale: a regular series of musical tones going up or down in pitch
Nationalistic music: music exalting ones country, culture or interest
Art: the use of skill and creativity to make something
Mozart: a famous Austrian composer who wrote beautiful music

More new words to listen for:
These words will be introduced during the program. Ask your students to listen for them, and see how many they can remember. Answers are at the bottom of this page!

About the Artists

The musicians in the Barnett Quartet are full time professional musicians. They perform regularly with many well-known groups in Philadelphia, such as the Pennsylvania Ballet, the Opera Company and the Concerto Soloists. Three of the members also teach privately.

More about the music and composers.
Sharpening your looking and listening skills.

Native American War Dance. Robert Skilton was an American composer who taught on a Native American reservation. Watch how the viola and cello create the sound of the drum in the way they use their bows.

Molly on the Shore is a well-known country fiddle tune. Listen for the distinct sound of each instrument as the melody travels from one player to the other.

Eine Kleine Nachmusik: One of Mozarts best known compositions. Listen for the instrument that plays the bird sound.

Debussy String Quartet: What does this music make you think of? What kind of story could you make up to the music? Why is this music similar to impressionism in art. What does the word "impression" mean?

Rumanian Dances: What kind of dance could you do to this music? Fast or slow? Could you dance to the music by Debussy? How about Mozart? How are these three pieces of music different?

The Chinese Air: Can you describe how the musicians make sounds on their instruments to imitate those of Chinese instruments? What is different about the musical scale used in Chinese music?

Orchids in the Moonlight: Another piece for dancing. How are the special rhythms of this music made?

For more details on included music, please contact program leader at the number on your confirmation.

Explore more about music with: CDs: Train Your Brain with Debussy, Deutsche Grammophone Mozart for Young Minds, Madacy Records Beethoven Lives Upstairs, Classical Kids Vivaldis Ring of Mystery, Classical Kids Fantasia 2000, UNI/Disney/Blister Pack World Playground, Putumayo Label CD-ROMS A Passion for Art, Hoffman & Associates, Inc. AfricaQuest Unplugged, Classroom Connect All-In-One Language Fun, Syracuse Language Systems Search engines for Children Searchopolis Ask Jeeves for Kids

FOLLOW UP FUN

1. Have small groups of children work together to do a report on each of the countries visited.

2. Make a collage from fabric, colored paper, pipe cleaners, to best represent the colors, people and instruments of each country

3. Ask who plays an instrument and ask them to play it for the class.

4. Select six or more objects, as cups, pans, glasses, and tubes, and see if they make a sound. Number them and play them in different order to create your own song.

5. Label the parts of the violin and bow in the drawings to the left.

6. Take a box and stretch a rubber band over it. Pluck the band and notice the vibration and sound. Tighten the rubber band, and notice the difference in sound.

Vocabulary Answers (from above)

Scroll: The curved end of the violin
Peg: Buttons at end which hold the strings
Bridge: Small curved wooden piece, standing up on the instrument
Horsehair: white part of bow, from horses in cold climates, around 200 in each bow
Frog: The black piece where the bow is gripped, made of ebony, a strong wood.
Tip: small white ivory piece at end of bow
Pernambuco: Brazilian wood used to make strong bows
Pizzicato: effect made by plucking strings
Legato: smooth sound made with the bow
 

Strings for Schools is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to opening children's minds and hearts to the joys of the world's finest and most enduring music via live, interactive performances in schools throughout the Philadelphia area. Please call 215-829-9522 for more information about our other outstanding programs or to request samples of educational materials for other programs.