1

Everyone who is a part of the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra (BVSO) is delighted that you and your students will be attending the 2015 Children’s Concert. So that this experience will be a positive one for all, we offer this packet of information to help you prepare your students for the concert. These materials are arranged to facilitate selecting single pages to copy or project.
Here is what you’ll find: Page Number
TEKS for Fine Arts References........................................................................... 3-6
What is a Symphony Orchestra? .............................................................................7
About the BVSO......................................................................................................8
About the Euphonium..............................................................................................8
About the Violin…………………………………………………………………...9
Some Special People in the Symphony Orchestra........................................... 10-11
Meet the Maestro ...................................................................................................12
Try Conducting the Orchestra ...............................................................................12
What to Expect When You Go to a Symphony Concert .......................................13
March 9th Concert Program ..................................................................................14
About the Music ....................................................................................................14
About the Composers ...................................................................................... 15-17
Listening to the Music ..................................................................................... 18-19
Lesson Plans .................................................................................................... 20-25
Additional Activities..............................................................................................26
How to Contact the BVSO ....................................................................................27
Student Conductor Entry Form..............................................................................28
Supplemental Materials .........................................................................................29
2

The Brazos Valley Symphony’s Annual Children’s Concert provides a unique opportunity for students to practice the four basic strands outlined in the TEKS document: perception, creative expression and performance, historical and cultural heritage, and critical evaluation. You will find references in green to the TEKS criteria throughout this packet.
Chapter 117. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Fine Arts
§117.15. Music, Grade 4.
(a) Introduction.
(1) Four basic strands--perception, creative expression/performance, historical and cultural heritage, and critical evaluation--provide broad, unifying structures for organizing the knowledge and skills students are expected to acquire. In music, students develop their intellect and refine their emotions, understanding the cultural and creative nature of musical artistry and making connections among music, the other arts, technology, and other aspects of social life. Through creative performance, students apply the expressive technical skills of music and critical-thinking skills to evaluate multiple forms of problem solving.
(2) By reflecting on musical periods and styles, students understand music's role in history and are able to participate successfully in a diverse society. Students analyze and evaluate music, developing criteria for making critical judgments and informed choices.
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(1) Perception. The student describes and analyzes musical sound and demonstrates musical artistry. The student is expected to:
(A) categorize a variety of musical sounds, including children's and adults' voices; woodwind, brass, string, percussion, keyboard, and electronic instruments; and instruments of various cultures;
(B) use standard terminology in explaining music, music notation, musical instruments and voices, and musical performances; and
(C) identify music forms presented aurally such as AB, ABA, and rondo.
(2) Creative expression/performance. The student performs a varied repertoire of music. The student is expected to:
(A) sing or play a classroom instrument independently or in groups; and
(B) sing songs from diverse cultures and styles or play such songs on a musical instrument.
3

(3) Creative expression/performance. The student reads and writes music notation. The student is expected to:
(A) read and write music notation, using a system (letters, numbers, syllables);
(B) incorporate basic rhythmic patterns in simple meters in musical compositions; and
(C) identify music symbols and terms referring to dynamics and tempo, interpreting them appropriately when performing.
(4) Creative expression/performance. The student creates and arranges music within specified guidelines. The student is expected to:
(A) create rhythmic and melodic phrases; and
(B) create simple accompaniments.
(5) Historical/cultural heritage. The student relates music to history, to society, and to culture. The student is expected to:
(A) identify aurally-presented excerpts of music representing diverse genres, styles, periods, and cultures;
(B) perform music and movement from diverse cultures;
(C) perform music representative of American and Texas heritage; and
(D) identify connections between music and the other fine arts.
(6) Response/evaluation. The student responds to and evaluates music and musical performance.
The student is expected to:
(A) apply basic criteria in evaluating musical performances and compositions;
(B) justify, using music terminology, personal preferences for specific music works and styles; and
(C) practice concert etiquette as an actively involved listener during live performances.
Source: The provisions of this §117.15 adopted to be effective September 1, 1998, 22 TexReg 4943.
§117.18. Music, Grade 5.
(a) Introduction.
(1) Four basic strands--perception, creative expression/performance, historical and cultural heritage, and critical evaluation--provide broad, unifying structures for organizing the knowledge and skills students are expected to acquire. In music, students develop their intellect and refine their emotions, understanding the cultural and creative nature of musical artistry and making connections among music, the other arts, technology, and other aspects of social life. Through creative performance, students apply the expressive technical skills of music and critical-thinking skills to evaluate multiple forms of problem solving.
4

(2) By reflecting on musical periods and styles, students understand music's role in history and are able to participate successfully in a diverse society. Students analyze and evaluate music, developing criteria for making critical judgments and informed choices.
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(1) Perception. The student describes and analyzes musical sound and demonstrates musical artistry. The student is expected to:
(A) distinguish among a variety of musical timbres;
(B) use standard terminology in explaining music, music notation, musical instruments and voices, and musical performances; and
(C) identify a variety of music forms such as AB, ABA, rondo, and theme and variations.
(2) Creative expression/performance. The student sings or plays an instrument, individually and in groups, performing a varied repertoire of music. The student is expected to:
(A) perform independently, with accurate intonation and rhythm, demonstrating fundamental skills and basic performance techniques;
(B) perform expressively, from memory and notation, a varied repertoire of music representing styles from diverse cultures; and
(C) demonstrate appropriate small- and large-ensemble performance techniques during formal and informal concerts.
(3) Creative expression/performance. The student reads and writes music notation. The student is expected to:
(A) read standard notation;
(B) use standard symbols to notate meter, rhythm, and pitch in simple patterns (manuscript or computer-generated);
(C) read and write music that incorporates rhythmic patterns in various meters; and
(D) identify music symbols and terms referring to dynamics, tempo, and articulation.
(4) Creative expression/performance. The student creates and arranges music within specified guidelines. The student is expected to:
(A) create rhythmic and melodic phrases; and
(B) create/arrange simple accompaniments.
(5) Historical/cultural heritage. The student relates music to history, to society, and to culture. The student is expected to:
(A) identify aurally-presented excerpts of music representing diverse genres, styles, periods, and cultures;
5

(B) describe various music vocations and avocations;
(C) perform music and movement from diverse cultures;
(D) perform music representative of American and Texas heritage; and
(E) identify concepts taught in the other fine arts and their relationships to music concepts.
(6) Response/evaluation. The student responds to and evaluates music and musical performance.
The student is expected to:
(A) apply criteria in evaluating musical performances and compositions;
(B) evaluate, using music terminology, personal preferences for specific music works and styles; and
(C) exhibit concert etiquette as an actively involved listener during varied live performances.
Source: The provisions of this §117.18 adopted to be effective September 1, 1998, 22 TexReg 4943.
6

A symphony orchestra is a large group of musicians who play together on various instruments, usually including strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion. Here is a diagram of the seating arrangement of an orchestra. It may vary slightly, depending on how many players there are and what instruments are actually needed to play a piece of music.
The word “orchestra” comes from a Greek word (“orcheisthai”) that means “to dance”. When the ancient
Greeks built their theatres, they would leave a place in front of the stage for dancers and the chorus to appear in the performances. This area in front of the stage was called “the orchestra,” which (more or less) meant “the place in front of the stage where the dancers dance. ”
As musicians were added to spice up the shows in theaters, the musicians were put –where else? –in “the orchestra” (that is, the space right in front of the stage). And bit by bit the location of the musicians became known as what the musicians were. Sometimes when you go to a concert or a theater, you can buy“orchestra seats,” which doesn’t mean seats in the orchestra, but means the seats that are below the level of the stage.
Sometimes, just the violin family plays a work. The composer didn’t write any parts for the woodwind or the brass players. When this happens, the ensemble is called a “String Orchestra,” rather than a “Full
Orchestra.” One of the pieces you will hear at this concert: Leroy Anderson’s “Plink, Plank, Plunk!” is written for string orchestra. You will hear wind instruments in the other works in the concert.
TEKS 117.15 (4.1/A) TEKS 117.18 (5.1/A)
7

Most symphony orchestras are located in large cities like Dallas and Houston. We are very lucky to have a fine symphony orchestra right here in Bryan/College Station.
The Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra (BVSO was formed in 1981 by the merger of the College Station
Chamber Orchestra and the Brazos Symphony.
The BVSO is a professional orchestra comprised of musicians from Bryan-College Station, as well as throughout Texas. Professional musicians come from all over Texas to audition to play with the BVSO.
The Orchestra presents seven classical concerts each season, playing the full range of musical periods and styles. Educational activities include annual concerts for 4th and 5th graders and “Symphony Goes to
School” visits. The Friends of the Symphony Orchestra organization (FASO) sponsors an annual concerto competition for talented young musicians.
Thomas Gusewelle , the soloist who will be featured in this concert, plays the Euphonium, a brass wind instrument with valves, pitched in C or B ♭ an octave below the trumpet; it is the leading instrument in the tenor-bass range in military bands.
The euphonium derives its name from the Greek word euphonos , meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced" ( eu means "well" or "good" and phonos means "of sound", so "of good sound").
It was invented in 1843 by Sommer of Weimar and derived from the valved bugle (flügelhorn) and cornet.
It has a wide conical bore resembling that of the tuba and is held vertically with the bell upward (in the
United States the bell is often positioned to face forward on the instrument). It normally carries a fourth valve in addition to the essential three, in order to take the compass continuously down to the fundamental pitches below the bass staff. Without the fourth valve there would be a gap between the two lowest notes producible.
The euphonium is closely related to the tuba, which it resembles in shape and for which it often serves as a tenor. It also resembles the baritone, with which it is identical in range, although the euphonium’s wide bore gives it a different tone quality . A person who plays the euphonium is sometimes called a euphoniumist , euphophonist , or a euphonist.
8

Christine Wu, a soloist who will be featured in this concert, plays the violin, which is a member of the string family. String instruments are played by plucking or drawing a bow across their tuned strings.
Violins are a mainstay of the orchestra. You may have noticed that there are more violins in an orchestra than any other instrument. The record of the first bowed string instrument in Europe comes from the 9 th century. The violin was developed in Italy in the early 1500s. The kind of wood that is used to make a violin and small differences in how the wood is carved can make a big difference in how the instrument sounds. Violins that are hand-made by master craftsmen are quite prized. Andrea Amati was the first Italian to develop the violin in the mid-1500s, but the most famous maker was Antonio Stradivari (1644 –1737).
Some of Stradivari’s instruments still exist today. They’ve been played for 300 years and still sound wonderful!
The length of a string determines its pitch. When the violinist draws the bow across an open string, or plucks that string with a finger, the string vibrates and a pitch sounds. If the violinist places her finger firmly on the string, holding it down on the fingerboard, she shortens the length of the string that can vibrate. Now when she draws the bow across the string or plucks it, a different pitch sounds. Because the vibrating sting is shorter, this new pitch is higher than the first one.
Check http://tinyurl.com/kv7azux for a short video clip that shows a violinist’s fingers making the vibrating portion of the strings shorter to change the pitch.
TEKS 117.15 (4.1/A) TEKS 117.8 (5.1/A)
9

TEKS 117.18 (5.5/B)
There will be many people to look at in the orchestra, but you’ll want to pay special attention to four of them.
The Conductor : This is the person who stands in front of the orchestra. He leads them so they know when and how to play, he may make some announcements to the audience about the music and he thanks the audience for their applause. This is the conductor. He or she is often addressed as
“Maestro” or “Maestra.” The BVSO has had three conductors in its 33 year history: Harold Turbyfill, Franz Krager, and its current Music
Director/Conductor, Dr. Marcelo Bussiki.
The Concertmaster: Another important person is the Concertmaster. This person sits in the very first chair of the first violin section, just to the conductor’s left. He tunes the orchestra and acts as a liaison between the conductor and the orchestra. The concertmaster of the BVSO is Javier
Chaparro.
The Soloists: Often the orchestra hosts a soloist for one of the works on the program. This is a person who is a very accomplished player on his or her instrument. The soloist plays a piece that is accompanied by the orchestra, but features the solo instrument. You will hear two soloists on March 9.
Soloist Thomas Gusewelle
Thomas Gusewelle is a senior at Bryan High where he is a member of the Viking Band. He has also performed with the
Texas All-State Band. Thomas has been playing the euphonium since 6 th grade when he joined the band wanting to follow in his brother’s and sister’s footsteps. With hopes of playing the trumpet, he ended up playing an instrument he had never heard of…the euphonium. He quickly fell in love with the instrument and began practicing on a daily basis.
Every year, the BVSO holds a competition for young people who are proficient on their instruments. Thomas is the 2014 Youth
Concerto Competition winner.
His hard work and dedication along with the guidance of his middle school and high school band directors, Chris Gongora and Robert Towell, have brought him to where he is in music today and helped encourage him into the next phase of life as he begins studying Music Performance at Louisiana State
University.
10

Soloist Christine Wu
Christine Wu will be performing on the violin. Ms. Wu is the most recent winner of the Juanita Miller Concerto Competition. Christine, from Plano, TX , is currently enrolled in the bachelor’s program at the
Cleveland Institute of Music. She began her studies at age three with
Paul Landefeld and later continued under the tutelage of Jan Mark
Sloman. In addition to violin, she studied piano for nine years with Dr.
Annie Lin.
She made her orchestral debut in 2012 with the SMU Meadows
Symphony and was invited to perform with the Mesquite Symphony later that year and at the 7th annual Charles Barr Memorial Concert in
2013 season. Wu has served as concertmaster in the Greater Dallas
Youth Orchestra as well as the Texas All-State Symphony Orchestra .
Ms. Wu’s summer activities have included the Colorado Suzuki
Institute, The Institute for Strings in Dallas, the Brian Lewis Young
Artist Program as one of twelve young artists, and the Meadowmount
School of Music where she has been a full-scholarship student and recipient of the Starling Foundation Scholarship. She also had the privilege to perform in Carnegie Hall in the New York String Orchestra in 2013 for its 45th anniversary of the seminar and the 20th anniversary of Jaime Laredo as artistic director and conductor.
11

Maestro Marcelo Bussiki comes to the Brazos Valley Symphony with an impressive musical background, having served as the Music Director and Conductor of the Symphony North of Houston, 1995-96 Season
Conductor for the Houston Civic Symphony, and Conductor of Santa
Ursula University Chamber and Symphonic Choirs in Rio de Janeiro.
Dr. Bussiki's passion for music began at an early age. At 14, he moved from his home in Cuiaba, Brazil to study at the Brazilian Conservatory of Music in Rio de Janiero. He continued his conducting studies under
Maestro Roberto Duarte at the Rio de Janiero Federal University and upon graduation was named Music Director of the orchestra of the Mato
Grosso Federal University. For his pioneer work in music cultural expansion, Bussiki was awarded the knighthood of the "Ordem do
Merito de Mato Grosso." He received the title of Oficial, the highest honor that the executive power can bestow upon an artist in Brazil.
Upon his arrival in Houston, he was awarded the Schlisser Conducting
Fellowship. Bussiki is Dean of the Visual and Performing Arts at Blinn
College.
Maestro Bussiki will draw the name of one student and ask him/her to conduct Plink, Plank, Plunk! by
Leroy Anderson. Each teacher is encouraged to coach his or her students in how to beat in strict 2/4 time, how to begin the piece, how to end, etc; then may choose two names to place in the drawing box at the entrance to the auditorium. Please only enter the names of students who have shown an ability to do this.
At the beginning of the performance, a name will be drawn and that student will come backstage, ready to take the baton and lead the
Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra. Students may practice by conducting the recording of this piece by listening here: http://tinyurl.com/PlinkPlank
Maestro Bussiki will conduct the opening chords of the piece, then the student conductor will take over as the first theme begins.
A tip from the maestro:
Think about the music before you begin.
TEKS 117.15 (4.5/B)
TEKS 117.18 (5.2/C)
12

TEKS 117.15 (4.6/C) TEKS 117.18 (5.6/C)
Before the Concert
Going to a concert is not like going to a movie. There are real people on the stage, and just as you can see and hear them, they can see and hear you. When you enter the concert hall, there may be some musicians already on stage. They are tuning their instruments and warming up, much as athletes warm up before a big meet. The difference is that the musicians need to be able to hear what they are doing, so it is important for the audience not to get too loud. While you are waiting for the concert to begin, you can read over the program to learn more about what you are about to hear. It is also a good idea to review what you know about the instruments of the orchestra and where they are located on the stage.
You will know that the concert is about to begin when the concertmaster walks out onto the stage. The concertmaster is the last member of the orchestra to arrive on stage. Usually the audience applauds at this time to let the concertmaster, and the entire orchestra, know that they are looking forward to the concert.
The concertmaster helps to tune the orchestra by asking the oboe player to play the pitch "A." Usually the brass and woodwinds tune first; they make sure the "A" they play on their instruments matches the oboe's
"A." Next, the strings tune. When everyone is ready, they are quiet. Then the conductor will come out on stage, and you may applaud again. Often the concertmaster will stand and signal the entire orchestra to stand. This is a way to honor the conductor, and also to acknowledge the audience's applause.
During the Concert
When you watch a live concert, it is not the same as watching a concert on TV. Remember: the performers can hear you! If you make noise or wiggle a lot or play with an electronic device, it distracts the performers and makes it hard for the musicians to hear each other, and it interferes with the music for the people around you.
Here are some ways that you can be a good listener:
Use your musical memory: Listen for repetition and change. Often you will hear a melody repeated and altered in a composition. Listen to how the composer first presents the tune, and/or rhythm and then later brings it back.
Notice tone color: Instrumental sounds are carefully selected and combined to express various moods and colors. Ask yourself why the composer chooses these particular instruments to express feelings. Notice which instruments are playing a melody. Maybe you will hear the melody again, but played by a different instrument.
Focus on details: Notice rhythmic patterns, tempo, melodies, harmony, dynamics, etc. Observe just one or two elements for awhile. Follow a melody as it moves through the orchestra. Notice when the string players use pizzicato or arco techniques.
Be aware: How does the music affect you emotionally?
You will know when to clap at the end of a piece because the conductor always lowers her or his arms and turns around. Sometimes the conductor will lower her or his arms, and the music will stop, but the conductor will not turn around. This is not the right time to clap, because it means there are more sections, or movements, of the same piece to be played. When the piece is completely over, the conductor always turns around and bows. When you clap, or "applaud," you are telling the musicians that you are glad they played for you. Even if you didn't like the music that much, it's nice to thank the musicians for playing.
After the Concert
You will have a lot to talk about after the concert. Which pieces did you like best? Were you able to see all the instruments? Was the concert what you expected? Talk about it with your friends and your teacher.
13

Performance at 9:30 am
TEKS 117.15 (4.5/A)
TEKS 117.18 (5.5/A)
Thomas Gusewelle
Euphonium
Winner of the BVSO Youth Concerto Competition
Student Conductor
(1945 - 2009)
(1837 - 1911)
(1908 – 1975)
(1844 - 1908)
Christine Wu
Violin
Winner of the Juanita Miller Concerto Competition
The works you will hear on this program make up a musical travelogue. Every composer brings his own experiences into the music he writes, and his experiences are shaped by his home country.
Learning about this music may inspire you to learn more about the countries where it was written.
It’s interesting to note that two of these men were mainly 19 th Century composers, while two are 20 th
Century composers and their lives overlapped each others’. Guilmant was the oldest and Peck was the youngest. All four lived into or during the 20 th Century.
Their music crosses borders and has reached people all around the globe.
14

Alexandre Guilmant was born in Boulogne-sur-Mer in 1837. A student of his father, then of the Belgian master Jacques-Nicolas Lemmens, he became an organist and teacher in his place of birth.
In 1871 he was appointed to play the organ regularly at la Trinité church in Paris, and this position he held for 30 years. From then on Guilmant followed a career as a virtuoso; he gave concerts in the United States (the first major French organist to tour that country), and in Canada, as well as in Europe, making especially frequent visits to England. His American achievements included a
1904 series of no fewer than 40 recitals on the largest organ in the world, the St.
Louis Exposition Organ, now preserved as the nucleus of Philadelphia's Wanamaker Organ.
In 1894 Guilmant founded the Schola Cantorum with Charles Bordes and Vincent d'Indy. He taught there up until his death at his home in Meudon, near Paris, in 1911. In addition, he taught at the Conservatoire de
Paris where he succeeded Charles-Marie Widor as organ teacher in 1896.
[1] Marcel Dupré was the most celebrated of his many students.
Pablo de Sarasate was born in March 10, 1844. He was a Spanish violinist and composer of the Romantic period. Pablo Sarasate was born in Pamplona, Navarre, the son of an artillery bandmaster.
He began studying the violin with his father at the age of five and later took lessons from a local teacher. His musical talent became evident early on and he appeared in his first public concert in A Coruña at the age of eight. His performance was wellreceived, and caught the attention of a wealthy patron who provided the funding for
Sarasate to study under Manuel Rodríguez Saez in Madrid, where he gained the favor of Queen Isabella II. Later, as his abilities developed, he was sent to study under Jean-Delphin Alard at the Paris Conservatoire at the age of twelve. There, at seventeen, Sarasate entered a competition for the Premier Prix and won his first prize, the Conservatoire's highest honour. (There was not another Spanish violinist to achieve this until Manuel Quiroga did so in
1911; Quiroga was frequently compared to Sarasate throughout his career.)
Sarasate, who had been publicly performing since childhood, made his Paris debut as a concert violinist in
1860, and played in London the following year. Over the course of his career, he toured many parts of the world, performing in Europe, North America, and South America. His artistic pre-eminence was due principally to the purity of his tone, which was free from any tendency towards the sentimental or rhapsodic, and to that impressive facility of execution that made him a virtuoso. In his early career,
Sarasate performed mainly opera fantasies, most notably the Carmen Fantasy , and various other pieces that he had composed.
Sarasate's own compositions are mainly show-pieces designed to demonstrate his exemplary technique.
Perhaps the best known of his works is Zigeunerweisen (1878), a work for violin and orchestra. Another piece, the Carmen Fantasy (1883), also for violin and orchestra, makes use of themes from Georges Bizet's opera Carmen .
Pablo de Sarasate was one of the most famous violinists of the late nineteenth century. He gave the premieres of several major works for violin and orchestra, and he composed violin music of his own that is
15

still enthusiastically played and recorded.
Sarasate made his home base in Paris, France, and the exotic
Spanish tinge he brought to French concert life helped lay the groundwork for a lasting fascination with
Mediterranean sounds among composers in France and other more northerly European countries
Sarasate was slowed only by chronic breathing problems, to which he succumbed at his home in Biarritz on
September 20, 1908.
Leroy Anderson born June 29, 1908 was an American composer of short, light concert pieces, many of which were introduced by the Boston Pops
Orchestra. John Williams described him as "one of the great American masters of light orchestral music."
Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts to Swedish parents, Anderson was given his first piano lessons by his mother, who was a church organist. He continued studying piano at the New England Conservatory of Music. In 1925 Anderson entered Harvard University, where he studied musical harmony, counterpoint, canon and fugue, orchestration, composition, and double bass. He graduated with a
Bachelor of Arts, Magna cum laude in 1929 and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. In Harvard University
Graduate School, he studied composition with Walter Piston and Georges Enescu and received a Master of
Arts in Music in 1930.
Anderson continued studying at Harvard, working towards a PhD in German and Scandinavian languages;
Anderson spoke English and Swedish during his youth and eventually became fluent in Danish,
Norwegian, Icelandic, German, French, Italian, and Portuguese. At the time he was working as organist and choir director at the East Milton Congregational Church, leading the Harvard University Band, and conducting and arranging for dance bands around Boston. In 1936 his arrangements came to the attention of Arthur Fiedler, who asked to see any original compositions. Anderson's first work was the 1938 Jazz
Pizzicato , but at just over ninety seconds the piece was too short for a three-minute 78-RPM single of the period. Fiedler suggested writing a companion piece and Anderson wrote Jazz Legato later that same year.
The combined recording went on to become one of Anderson's signature compositions.
In 1942 Leroy Anderson joined the U.S. Army, and was assigned in Iceland with the U.S. Counter
Intelligence Corps as a translator and interpreter in 1945 he was reassigned to the Pentagon as Chief of the
Scandinavian Desk of Military Intelligence. However his duties did not prevent him from composing, and in 1945 he wrote "The Syncopated Clock" and "Promenade." Anderson became a reserve officer and was recalled to active duty for the Korean War. In 1951 Anderson wrote his first hit, "Blue Tango," earning a
Golden Disc and the No. 1 spot on the Billboard charts. His pieces and his recordings during the fifties conducting a studio orchestra were immense commercial successes. "Blue Tango" was the first instrumental recording ever to sell one million copies. His most famous pieces are probably "Sleigh Ride" and "The Syncopated Clock." In 1950, WCBS-TV in New York City selected "Syncopated Clock" as the theme song for The Late Show , the WCBS late-night movie. Mitchell Parish added words to "Syncopated
Clock", and later wrote lyrics for other Anderson tunes, including "Sleigh Ride", which was not written as a
Christmas piece, but as a work that describes a winter event.
Anderson started the work during a heat wave in August 1946. The Boston Pops' recording of it was the first pure orchestral piece to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Pop Music chart. From 1952 to 1961, Anderson's composition "Plink, Plank, Plunk!" was used as the theme for the CBS panel show I've Got A Secret.
Anderson's musical style employs creative instrumental effects and occasionally makes use of soundgenerating items such as typewriters and sandpaper. In 1958, Anderson composed the music for the
Broadway show Goldilocks with orchestrations by Philip J. Lang. Even though it earned two Tony awards, Goldilocks did not achieve commercial success. Anderson never wrote another musical, preferring instead to continue writing orchestral miniatures.
16

In 1975, Anderson died of cancer in Woodbury, Connecticut, and was buried there. For his contribution to the recording industry, Leroy Anderson has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1620 Vine Street. He was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1988 and his music continues to be a staple of "pops" orchestra repertoire. In 1995 the new headquarters of the Harvard University Band was named the Anderson Band Center in honor of Leroy Anderson. The Leroy Anderson House in Woodbury,
Connecticut has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Russell Peck was an American composer born in Detroit on January 25, 1945 to
Thorland (Tom) and Margaret (Carlson) Peck.
Peck's early music education was grounded in Mozart and Beethoven but also heavily influenced by the soul music emerging from Detroit during his formative years. Peck was the youngest of three children, and doted on by his two older sisters, Jean and Joyce. His father, Tom, sang in the Detroit
Symphony Chorus in the late 1930s-early 40's for their Ford Symphony Hour national radio broadcasts, and later in his life was active with barbershop quartets. Tom was a proponent of Russell's interest in classical music, and encouraged him in his studies. From early on, Peck wanted to compose and began learning piano in fifth grade. Later, in high school, he played trombone in band and orchestra.
The Motown sound inspired Peck to compose with melodic flow, engaging rhythm, and rich harmonies.
The marriage of these 2 musical worlds is the backdrop of Peck's compositions, and is his trademark.
Russell Peck was a cum laude graduate of the University of Michigan (1966), where he also received
Master and Doctoral degrees in composition (1967 and 1972). Russell Peck received the coveted
Koussevitsky Prize in 1966 awarded through his association with the Tanglewood Music Center, two Ford
Foundation Fellowships, grants from theNational Endowment for the Arts, several states' arts councils, and ASCAP awards. Peck's artist residencies include the Gaudeamus Contemporary Music Festival in the
Netherlands and a two-year appointment as composer-in-residence for the city of Indianapolis and the
Indianapolis Symphony. Peck served on the faculty of Northern Illinois University, Eastman School of
Music, and the North Carolina School of the Arts.
Beginning in the fall of 1974 through 1976 Peck was an assistant Professor of Music Theory at Northern
Illinois University. In January 1977 he accepted an interim position teaching Music Composition at Eastman School of Music. In the fall of 1977, he began teaching various aspects of the study of music, including Music History and Music Theory, at the North Carolina School of the Arts. In 1979 Peck chose not to continue teaching in order to pursue his increasing interest in the cause of ending world starvation.
Peck's altruistic concerns dominated his time for several years until he re-emerged with the popular orchestra piece, Signs of Life, in 1983.
Peck is a well-known American composer of music for the symphony. His compositions have been included in thousands of performances by hundreds of orchestras in the United States, Canada, Europe,
Asia, Latin America and Africa, including more than a dozen major orchestras such as the London
Symphony, Montreal Symphony, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, as well as regional orchestras throughout the U.S. His most popular works include the percussion concerto, The Glory and the Grandeur,
Signs of Life II for string orchestra, and The Thrill of the Orchestra, a narrated demonstration piece for orchestra. In 2000-2001 a consortium of 39 American orchestras commissioned Peck's Timpani Concerto,
Harmonic Rhythm. The premiere performances began with the Louisville Orchestra and proceeded with orchestras throughout the country. He died in Greensboro, North Carolina on March 1, 2009.
17

TEKS 117.15 (4.5/A & B)
TEKS 117.18 (5.5/A)
Living up to its title, The Thrill of the Orchestra colorfully illustrates the instruments and how they are played. Suitable for all audiences, young and adult.
Frequently performed and repeated by many major American and foreign orchestras (Pittsburgh, Atlanta,
Montreal, Royal Philharmonic, etc.) and more than 100 regional and other orchestras across the United
States, "The Thrill" is a contemporary classic of the educational genre.
This piece is one of only a handful of works in the entire orchestral repertoire that was created specifically to introduce young audiences to the excitement of the symphony. It colorfully illustrates the instruments and how they are played.
An interesting fact: For more than 30 years, Russell collaborated with Marshall Gordon to create and implement a worldwide policy for eradicating starvation. He believed that continued starvation results in ongoing structured conflict, which cripples efforts to improve global living conditions.
Morceau Symphonique has long been a favorite with trombone soloists, but today we will hear this piece with our soloist playing the euphonium. Because of contrasting material the soloist has the opportunity to display excellent phrasing, tone and control. Alexandre Guilmant was one of the finest organists of his time. His compositions for organ were many and include two symphonies for organ and orchestra, eight sonatas and five sets of pieces.
Guilmant was a French organist, teacher, composer, and editor. His early and unrelenting regime of practicing and composing led him to a position as organist at age 16, and his Messe Solemnelle in F was performed just two years later. Guilmant spent much time editing and publishing works of other composers, and his own music was greatly influenced by the likes of Liszt, Schumann, Franck and Saint-Saens. He concertized throughout Europe, Britain, and America, later becoming professor of organ at the Paris
Conservatory, where he taught until his death.
Most noted for his 8 organ sonatas and 2 organ symphonies, his Morceau Symphonique for trombone and piano was presumably composed as a contest piece for the Paris Conservatory. Thanks to its beautiful phrases and exciting allegro theme, it is a perennial favorite in the trombone repertoire.
18

“Plink, Plank, Plunk!” is a piece that has lots of popular appeal. Its ABA form begins with a melody in G Major that is repeated, a middle section in the dominant key of D major, then a return of the opening section.
The piece is written for String Orchestra, so no wind instruments play. The violins, violas, cellos and basses do not use their bows, but play the entire piece pizzicato, which means the players pluck the strings with their fingers. Sometimes, the players hold their instruments in the usual playing position and sometimes they lay them across their laps like guitars when they play pizzicato. You will also hear some special sound effects in the middle section of the piece.
The composer indicated that the players should make a whistling sound here by turning their instruments over and rubbing their fingers very quickly along the back. Sometimes, orchestras add to the fun by adding train whistles, cow bells or other sounds here, and don’t be surprised if you see the bass players twirl their instruments around. (Those bass players will do anything for attention!)
This is the piece that one student will have the chance to conduct, so practice beating 2/4 time! Maestro
Bussiki will be on hand to help the student conductor get started.
The "Carmen Fantasy" may be one of the most famous and best-loved works for the violin. Written in 1883 by the acclaimed Spanish virtuoso Pablo de Sarasate, the piece is based on themes from Bizet's opera
"Carmen." A magnificent violinist, Sarasate was known for his dazzling technique and singing tone, both of which are called for in the Carmen Fantasy. Not unlike Fritz Kreisler, Sarasate was gifted as a composer, and he knew how to best showcase his own talents. This piece is the pinnacle of the unique style that
Sarasate established with his playing.
Through the twentieth century, it became the benchmark by which violin virtuosi were measured; the younger age at which a violinist could perform the piece masterfully, the more remarkable and miraculous was his talent.
Interestingly, much of Sarasate's music is often discounted as being merely a technical platform for the violin soloist. It is not so with this Fantasy, for in the technical challenges of the music lies the drama associated with the themes from the opera. A well-played Carmen Fantasy can be as moving as a wellplayed Beethoven Sonata, though in a completely different way. While the Beethoven speaks on a somewhat more transcendental level, the Carmen celebrates the nature of man, and can well be a testament to his potential to achieve paranormal feats.
One must remember that this piece is a Fantasy on an Opera, and it therefore mirrors the moods and atmospheres of "Carmen." It contains passages of passion, rage, love, betrayal, deceit, whimsy, wit, and excitement. Above all else, the piece should be enjoyed, reveled in, and loved for its simple and exhilarating form.
19

This suggested teaching plan divides the material into four full lessons. Please feel free to adapt for your own particular time frame. Supplemental material for class or individual study is included at the end of this section.
TEKS 117.15 (4.1/A, B) (4.3C) (4.5/A,D)
TEKS 117.18 (5.1/A, B) (5.2/C) (5.3/D) (5.5/B,E)
Listening
Ask the students to listen and figure out how the sounds are being made in this music.
Play Leroy Anderson’s Plink, Plank, Plunk!. http://tinyurl.com/PlinkPlank
Discuss what they heard. Did anyone know that the sound was made by string instruments being plucked? Show students the photos of a violinist and, cellists plucking their instruments. (page 32 of this guide). This technique is called pizzicato. When string players play their instruments with their bows, the technique is called arco.
Explain that students will be attending a live concert of the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra on
March 9th, and that they will enjoy the concert most if they know what to expect, so they will be learning about the orchestra and its music during the next few classes.
What is a Symphony Orchestra?
Project or print, copy and distribute page 7 of this packet. Discuss the instrument families (string, woodwind, brass and percussion) and have students note how they are grouped together in the seating arrangement.
Review what students already know about the instruments. Review how the size of the instrument is related to its pitch.
Ask the students to find (in the diagram) where the conductor stands. Remember that term – we’ll be talking more about the conductor later!
Listen again to Anderson’s Plink, Plank, Plunk!. http://tinyurl.com/PlinkPlank
Make sure the photos of pizzicato playing are visible while the music is being played.
Note that the composer of Plink, Plank, Plunk!, Leroy Anderson, was an American composer, born in
Cambridge, MA. Find Cambridge on a map. Distribute or project Anderson’s biography on pages 18-
19 of this guide. Read it together as a class.
20

Listening
What is a Concerto?
A “concerto” is a composition, usually in three parts (or “movements”) for a solo instrument, accompanied by orchestra. The word is pronounced “kahn –CHAIR –toe.”
Thousands of “concerti” (Italian plural) or “concertos” (English plural) have been written for every instrument imaginable. A notable feature of the concert you will hear is that there will be TWO concertos!
(or “concerti”). It’s not unusual for an orchestral concert to feature one concerto, but two is rather extraordinary.
The concertos you will hear feature two different solo instruments: a violin and a euphonium. The soloists are all different as well: the violinist is a young woman and the euphonist is a young man.
Let’s begin our exploration of concertos with the Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy.
On March 9 th , Carmen Fantasy will be played by Christine Wu. Project or distribute p. 11 of this guide and read about Christine.
This concerto has FIVE movements, more than most concertos
Musical terms, such as tempo markings, are in Italian, so in this violin concerto, the tempo markings are:
Movement I:
Allegro moderato (which means “moderately fast”)
Movement II:
Moderato (which means “moderate”)
Movement III:
Lento assai (which means “very slow”)
Movement IV:
Allegro moderato (which means “moderately fast”)
Movement V
Moderato (which means “moderate”)
Explain to the students that Carmen Fantasy is based on the Opera Carmen. Ask the students if they are familiar with the opera concept.
Explain to them that it is a theatrical presentation in which a dramatic performance is set to music.
Play a few moments of the opera Carmen so that the students can see a glimpse of an opera.
Click here to view a clip
21

TEKS 117.15 (4.1/A, B) (4.5/A)
TEKS 117.18 (5.1/ A, B) (5.2/C) (5.5/A)
Listening
The composer of the Morceau Symphonique was Alexandre Guilmant who was a French composer born in
Boulogne-sur-Mer in 1837.
Distribute or project Guilmant’s biography found on p. 15 of this guide, and read as a class. Note that
Guilmant was famous for being an organist.
The Morceau Symphonique is popular with trombone soloists, but on March 9 th , we will hear the soloist play the euphonium. Familiarize the students with this instrument which they likely have not heard of.
What instruments are like the euphonium?
Listen to an euphonist play a solo with an orchestra on the Morceau Symphonique piece here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGNE6WtAOdg
Discussion
Distribute or project pages 10 -11 of this packet to the students. Ask a student to read aloud the first sentence about special people. Invite the students’ questions or comments.
Read the next paragraph, about Maestro Bussiki to the students while they follow along on their papers.
Again, ask for questions or comments when you are finished.
Continue to read the next section about the BVSO ‟ s Concertmaster Javier Chaparro.
Listening
Ask the students to listen to a piece they’ve heard before. Play Anderson’s Plink, Plank Plunk! http://tinyurl.com/PlinkPlank
As everyone listens, begin conducting in 2/4. Silently encourage the students to imitate what you are doing.
Conducting
When the music has finished, explain that you are conducting, as if you were standing in front of the orchestra. Explain that a student will be able to conduct the Brazos Valley Symphony in this piece when the class goes to hear the orchestra on March 9 th .
Maestro Bussiki, who normally conducts the orchestra, will draw the name of a student at the concert, and that student will be able to conduct the orchestra in this piece at that concert. It’s important to practice so if your name is picked, you’ll know what to do.
22

Break down the parts of the conducting pattern, noting that:
The right hand keeps the beat.
Beat one is always down and out to the right.
Beat two is always back up to where the pattern started.
The tempo doesn’t get faster or slower, but stays steady.
Play Anderson’s Plink, Plank, Plunk! once again, asking students to conduct the entire piece. http://tinyurl.com/PlinkPlank
23

TEKS 117.15 (4.1/A, B) (4.3/C) (4.4/A) (4.6/C)
TEKS 117.18 (5.1/A, B) (5.2/C) (5.3/D) (5.6/C)
Conducting
Play Anderson’s Plink, Plank, Plunk! ( http://tinyurl.com/PlinkPlank ) once again, asking students to conduct the entire piece.
Watch and correct any students who need help, then compliment them.
Explain that besides keeping the orchestra going throughout the piece; the conductor needs to show the orchestra when to start playing and when to stop together, so you are going to practice that.
To start:
The entire orchestra plays the opening chords of this piece, so before you begin, make sure all the players are looking at you, and have their instruments in playing position..
Put your right hand in the air where it would be when you end beat one. Think the tempo of the piece without moving.
Count “one, two, one, two” to yourself, then as you are counting, move your right hand up on beat
TWO.
When you bring your hand back down on beat ONE, the orchestra will play.
Your hand will come back up on beat TWO, which is a rest, so don’t be surprised that nobody plays on that beat.
Keep beating a steady tempo.
You and the orchestra will be off to a fine start.
Take turns starting the other students in your class.
They can say or sing, “Plink!….Plank!….Plink, plank, plunk!” as you conduct them.
To stop:
On the last beat (beat ONE of the last measure) simply stop your hand as the orchestra plays the last note. Don’t move! Count to three slowly, then put your arms down and turn around to acknowledge the applause!
Play Anderson’s Plink, Plank, Plunk! ( http://tinyurl.com/PlinkPlank ) once again, asking students to conduct the entire piece, and adding the starting and stopping.
Discussion
Distribute or project pages 13 of this guide. Ask the students to read it silently, or take turns reading it, or follow along as you read it. Pause at the end of each section – “Before the Concert,” “During the
Concert” and “After the Concert,” and ask if the students can picture what will happen and if they have questions or comments.
24

TEKS 117.15 (4.1/A, B) (4.5/A)
TEKS 117.18 (5.1/A, B) (5.2/C)
Discussion
Distribute or project the biography of Russell Peck from pages 17 of this guide. Read it together as a class.
Listening
Listen to Russell Peck’s The Thrill of the Orchestra :
Note that this piece was specifically created to introduce young audiences to the excitement of the symphony. Ask the students what instruments specifically stood out to them while listening.
Conducting
Have the class sing the opening theme on “Plink!....Plank!....Plink, Plank, Plunk!” Ask a promising student to practice showing the class when to sing by conducting them. You might need to review how to do this from Lesson Two. Ask other promising students to try, explaining that this is like starting the orchestra.
Play Anderson’s “Plink, Plank, Plunk.” ( http://tinyurl.com/PlinkPlank ).
The class should conduct the entire piece.
Discussion
Distribute page 14 of this guide. Note how the pieces and the composers are listed at the top of the page. It is typical to receive a list like this when one attends an orchestra concert. This list is called a “Program,” and it lets the audience know what pieces will be played and in what order they’ll be played.
Read “About the Music.” as a class. Invite questions or comments.
25

Feel free to share these links to the music with the students ‟ classroom teachers to play as background music during study times. The more familiar the students are with the music, the greater their appreciation and enjoyment of the concert.
Morceau Symphonique - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGNE6WtAOdg
Carmen Fantasy – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdZTPR5pUMY
Plink, Plank, Plunk! – http://tinyurl.com/PlinkPlank
The Thrill of the Orchestra – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdZTPR5pUMY
Students might wish to learn more about the four composers whose works will be played on this concert. Some web sites to start with:
Alexandre Guilmant – http://www.guilmant.nl/
Pablo de Sarasate – http://www.naxos.com/person/Pablo_de_Sarasate/21148.htm
Leroy Anderson - http://www.leroyanderson.com/biography.php
Russell Peck – http://www.russellpeck.com/
The works that you will hear on the concert on March 9th were written over a 102 year period.
Morceau Symphonique – 1899
Carmen Fantasy- 1883
Plink, Plank, Plunk! – 1951
The Thrill of the Orchestra- 1985
Find out what else happened in those years. You could check a timeline, such as http://www.timelineindex.com/content/home/forced or find out what happened in Texas in each of those years, or what important sports stories occurred at those times.
TEKS 117.15 (4.1/A,B) (4.2/A) (4.4/A,B) (4.5/A)
TEKS 117.18 ) (5.1/A,B) (5.2/A) (5.4/A,B) (5.5/A)
Make your own Set of Variations!
Start with a theme. You could use “Plink, Plank, Plunk” or any other song you like to sing.
Decide how you can add variety to it. You might sing it as a solo, or have a group sing it. How could you change the dynamics? Change the tempo?, or even the meter?. You could add some accompaniment, either with your body or with instruments. Try a variety of different accompaniments.
26

You are ready to enjoy the concert!
Be sure to fill out the Student Conductor Entry Form for any students who show an aptitude for conducting.
Their forms will be entered in the drawing and one lucky student will have a chance to conduct the
Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra.
See you on March 9!
Brazos Valley Symphony Children’s Concerts Brazos Valley Symphony Children’s Concerts like to have a chance at becoming the Student Guest
Conductor at the annual BVSO Children’s Concert.
Student’s Full Name:
Name of School:
Teachers, please place this card in the boxes as you enter Rudder Auditorium on the day of the concert. like to have a chance at becoming the Student Guest
Conductor at the annual BVSO Children’s Concert.
Student’s Full Name:
Name of School
Teachers, please place this card in the boxes as you enter Rudder Auditorium on the day of the concert.
27

(for questions about this concert or to arrange for BVSO musicians to visit your school)
979.696.6100
28

29

30

31

32