Primary Level Student Concert Study Guide
Alligator Pie
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s Student Concerts
are generously supported by Mrs. Gert Wharton and an
anonymous donor.
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra gratefully acknowledges Robin Malach for preparing the lesson plans for the Intermediate/Senior Student Concert Study Guide.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1) Concert Overview & Repertoire
Page 3
2) Composer Biographies and Programme Notes
Page 4 - 9
3) Unit Overview & Lesson Plans
Page 10 - 25
4) Artist BiographiesPage 26- 28
5) Musical Terms GlossaryPage 29- 30
6) Instruments in the Orchestra
Page 31 - 39
7) Orchestra Seating ChartPage 40
8) Musicians of the TSOPage 41
9) Concert PreparationPage 42
10) Evaluation Forms (teacher and student)
Page 43 - 44
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra wishes to thank its generous sponsors:
SEASON PRESENTING SPONSOR
OFFICIAL AIRLINE
SEASON PATRON
THE RENETTE AND DAVID BERMAN
FAMILY FOUNDATION
Alligator Pie
Primary Level: Suitable for students in grades K-4
Earl Lee, RBC Resident Conductor
Carla Huhtanen, soprano
Dennis Lee, poet
Kevin Frank, host
The Orchestra is ecstatic to bring to music selections from the beloved children’s
poetry collection Alligator Pie by Toronto poet Dennis Lee. Composed by Abigail
Richardson (The Hockey Sweater), the familiar lines of this work will spring off the
page and on to the concert stage, igniting delight in poetry and music lovers alike.
ALLIGATOR PIE IS A TSO CO-COMMISSION
Programme to include excerpts from*:
Abigail Richardson-Schulte
Alligator Pie
DebussyClair de Lune from Suite bergamesque
Rimsky-Korsakov“Flight of the Bumblebee” from The Tale of the Tsar Saltan
StravinskyInfernal Dance from The Firebird
*Programme subject to change
The TSO has created a free podcast to help you prepare your students for the Alligator Pie. Student Concerts. This podcast includes excerpts from pieces featured on the programme, as well as information
about the instruments featured in each selection. It is intended for use either in the classroom, or to be
assigned as homework.
To download the TSO Primary Level Student Concert podcast please visit
www.tso.ca/studentconcerts, and follow the links on the top bar to Primary.
3
Composer Biographies and Programme Notes
Abigail Richardson-Schulte
Life: Born 1976
Nationality: Canadian
Piece to Study: Alligator Pie
Biography
Composer Abigail Richardson-Schulte was born in Oxford, England, and moved to Canada as a child.
Ironically, she was diagnosed incurably deaf at 5. Upon
moving to Canada, however, her hearing was fully intact
within months. Her music has been commissioned and
performed by major orchestras, presenters, music festivals and broadcasters including the Festival Présences
of Paris. Abigail won first at the prestigious UNESCO
International Rostrum of Composers which resulted with
broadcasts in 35 countries. She won the Karen Kieser
Prize (CBC) and the Dora Mavor Moore Award for “Best New Opera”. Abigail was Affiliate Composer with
the Toronto Symphony Orchestra from 2006-9 and currently works as Events Curator on the TSO’s New Creations Festival.
She wrote the very popular music for the classic Canadian story, The Hockey Sweater by Roch Carrier, in
the country’s first triple co-commission by the TSO, National Arts Centre Orchestra, and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. Already within its first three seasons, this work has been seen by nearly sixty thousand audience members and been performed by most orchestras across Canada. Recent projects include a
complete children’s orchestra concert commissioned by the CPO and TSO using Dennis Lee’s Alligator Pie.
Abigail has been Composer in Residence with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra since 2012 and serves
as Artistic Director of the HPO’s What Next Festival.
How Alligator Pie for soprano and orchestra was born
The piece of music, Alligator Pie for soprano and orchestra, came about after I wrote The Hockey
Sweater for narrator and orchestra based on Roch Carrier’s famous Canadian story about himself as a
young hockey player in Quebec getting a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey by mistake. It was a huge success
and had almost 40 performances across Canada in three seasons (which is pretty good in the orchestra
world!). A year after The Hockey Sweater premiered, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra asked me if
I would write another work based off children’s literature and I decided on a real classic – Dennis Lee’s
Alligator Pie. I also decided that I would use a soprano to sing the poetry, rather than a narrator to read
it. This way I would really have the opportunity of creating a song for each poem, each with its own
character and distinctive combination of instruments. Once this decision was made, we asked Dennis
Lee. Luckily he said yes, but on one condition: he told me that I would need to make the music very
friendly for kids - something I already had some experience with. I promised I would. Once we got permission, Calgary asked the TSO if they would like to join in. They said yes! Now, Alligator Pie will be
performed for thousands of kids at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto. I look forward to seeing you there!
4
Composer Biographies and Programme Notes
Here’s what the composer had to say about her work!
Alligator Pie: Everybody knows this poem for its very distinctive rhythm. I used the natural rhythm of the
words. In fact, you could say “Alligator” over and over again throughout this piece and fit right in (Alligator across a 6/8 measure). I sometimes use some “word painting” in these songs. That’s when a composer
tries to show what the word means through music. Listen for the word “droop” and you will get the idea.
Also, the soprano gets very embarrassed at the end of this opening song when she accidentally uses a word
that rhymes with “soup”. Oops! She has to redo the ending to get it right.
On Tuesdays I Polish My Uncle: Read this poem through and see how each of the lines get longer and longer. That’s exactly what I did in the music! The melody keeps getting longer. At the end of this piece, the
host of the show jumps in to rap accompanied by the drum kit.
Rattlesnake Skipping Song: Now is your chance to join in and “ss” like a rattlesnake. Make sure you listen
for the rattle in the orchestra, played in the percussion section right at the back of the stage. At the very
end of the piece, the whole orchestra is “let loose” to improvise (which means to play whatever they want
to!).
Skyscraper: I wrote very dreamy music to go with this dreamy poem. We look up into the sky and imagine
what it’s like up there. The soprano looks for stars high up in the sky. This music sparkles and glistens
with harp and glockenspiel (a glittery bell like percussion instrument that looks like a keyboard in a wooden box – it sounds 2 octaves higher than the music on the page).
Billy Batter: In this poem, Billy Batter is asked what’s wrong. After he tells us what happened, listen for
the dragon and monster in the music. It’s a low melody played by the lowest instruments of the orchestra –
cello, bass, bassoon, trombone, and timpani. It sounds pretty scary to me.
Ookpik: Now we don’t actually know what an Ookpik is when we start this poem. For that reason, the
music starts out a bit mysterious and even sounds a little bit scary with the string players playing as high as
they can. We learn that an Ookpik lives in an igloo, which makes the icy opening of the piece make sense.
Then we learn that the Ookpik can dance and the music starts dancing. We return to the icy opening
though, as the Ookpik goes back to sleep in the igloo.
Lying on Things: We stay with the theme of winter and make some snow angels after a snowfall. Listen for
the snow gently falling from high in the sky with very high string and woodwind (flutes, oboes, clarinets)
falling lines. Listen for the word painting on “wings” with fluttering in the music.
The Sitter and the Butter and the Better Batter Fritter: This is a tongue twister through and through. The
music is so hard and fast for the soprano that she barely has time to breathe, but she makes it through all
the way to the end. When she’s finished, she tells the conductor it is the orchestra’s turn to do something
really hard.
5
Composer Biographies and Programme Notes
Here’s what the composer had to say about her work, continued
You Too Lie Down: After such a busy time, the soprano decides to sing a song about getting some rest. She
sings of the animals going to their beds, the sun going down, and the earth breathing. Listen for the word
painting as the earth breathes – the brass players are blowing air through their instruments as the “exhale”,
while the “inhale” is played by low flutes and clarinets. At the end, the soprano ends up falling asleep herself. The orchestra plays her a lullaby.
Alligator Pie: Here is the first song repeated again. Hopefully you remember a little of what it sounds like
from listening once before. Now is your chance to shout out some words from the poem. The host will
show you when to shout! Make sure you come knowing the words to this poem.
Mumbo Jumbo: Here is the shortest poem of all. The soprano sits on the conductor’s podium singing to
herself without the orchestra. Since she seems to be bored, the host gives her a teddy bear to play with. His
name is Mister Mole.
Flying Out of Holes: She has an imaginary conversation with Mister Mole and gets quite upset when he
doesn’t answer. I think you will be able to hear the anger in the music. She changes her mood (which you
will hear in the music) and uses her imagination to fly away.
I Found a Silver Dollar: Since it didn’t go so well with Mister Mole, the host gives her a silver dollar to play
with. She makes up a song about finding the silver dollar but asks everyone to sing it with her. See if you
can learn this poem before you come to the concert. She will teach it to you but it might help if you know
it a little beforehand. Listen to her – she will sing you the directions.
Tricking: We all know what it’s like to eat food we don’t like. Listen for the word painting on “sit very
straight” and “quietly” compared to “YUCK”. That’s not hard to imagine. The first part is quiet and
extremely straight (like a march) while the YUCK breaks out loudly in the orchestra. Composers love to
use dynamics (louds and softs). As well, listen for word painting with the word “roar”. I ask the trombone
and timpani to slide downwards with a big roar.
Bundle Buggy Boogie: We end the show with a real boogie-woogie. About 150 years ago, many people
worked in logging camps in the USA. They usually got around from camp to camp on the railroad. Most
of these work trains had a railcar with a piano in it, and all of the camps had a piano of course. People
played and danced to this familiar pattern that you’ve probably heard before. The left hand of the piano
had the pattern (repeated G –G –Bb -Bnatural - which I gave to the low strings) while the right hand improvised over top (woodwinds and violins). This became one of the many styles of jazz. See if you can hear the
train whistle in the woodwinds. Dennis Lee himself will be shouting out the place names in this piece. We
end the show with a party, that’s for sure. This is music to dance to!
6
Composer Biographies and Programme Notes
Claude Debussy
Life: 1862-1918
Nationality: French
Piece to Study: Claire de Lune from Suite bergamesque
Biography
Claude Debussy was born on August 22, 1862 in St. Germain-EnLaye, France. He started studying music at a very early age and by
age 10 he began studying piano and composition at the Paris Conservatory. During his studies, he decided on a career as a composer
rather than a pianist, and went on to win the Grand Prix de Rome in
1884 for his composition L’Enfant prodigue. Debussy’s musical style
was often described as “impressionism” (a term Debussy disliked!).
In his music, he liked to use dissonant chords, chromaticism,
non-traditional harmonies and scales, and a lot of pedal in his piano
music. His music helps create unique atmospheres, moods and
emotions rather than telling a specific story. Debussy composed a
great deal of music for piano and for voice as well as the orchestra,
ballet and individual instruments.
About Claire de Lune from Suite bergamesque
Claire de lune is the third movement from Debussy’s Suite bergamesque. Originally composed for
piano is it one of Debussy’s most popular pieces and has been arranged for orchestra and many
other instruments. Bergamesque refers to an old dance from Bergamo, Italy. It is great example of
Debussy’s unique musical style with delicate floating harmonies and dream-like melodies. Try to
imagine the mysterious and silvery moonlight when you’re listening to this movement. What do you
imagine when you listen to this piece? What does it make you feel like?
Did you know?
The style of impressionism can also be found in visual
arts. There are several artists such as Monet, Renoir
and Degas who are considered central figures in the
impressionism art movement.
Impression, Sunrise by Monet
Compare/Contrast Arrangements on Youtube!
1) Original Piano https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ip64cG7gK4
2) Orchestral https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BubaEmJg4so
7
Composer Biographies and Programme Notes
Igor Stravinsky
Life:
1882-1971
Nationality: Russian
Piece to Study: Infernal Dance from The Firebird
Biography
Igor Stravinsky was raised in St. Petersburg by his father, a bass singer,
and his mother, a talented pianist. Encouraged to follow another career path, Stravinsky enrolled in law school and began taking private
composition lessons with Rimsky-Korsakov. Through encouragement
from Rimsky-Korsakov, Stravinsky ultimately decided to pursue a career as a composer. In 1909, Stravinsky was introduced to Sergi Diaghilev, the founder of Ballet Russes, who invited him to orchestrate
some piano works by Chopin for the ballet Les Sylphides. His early
commissions of the ballets The Firebird (1910), Petrouchka (1911),
and The Rite of Spring (1913) established his place as a leading composer of the early twentieth century.
About Infernal Dance from The Firebird
The story of The Firebird goes as follows: Ivan, the hero of the story,
is on a hunting trip when he stumbles into a garden which belongs to
an evil monster called Kastchei. Kastchei is an evil ogre who has stolen
magic power from the sun and so cannot be beaten. Suddenly, the brilliantly coloured Firebird appears, looking for a special tree with golden apples. Ivan shoots the Firebird, but is instantly sorry that he did so. He
tries to save the Firebird and promises that if she lives he will never shoot another living thing. The Firebird
recovers and gives Ivan a magic feather. The orchestra alerts us with a huge crash that a horde of horrible
monsters have arrived who threaten Ivan by surrounding him. Then Kastchei appears and all the monsters
turn and bow to him. Kastchei, who is always eager
for more victims, reaches out with his terrible hands
to grab Ivan. Ivan is terrified and doesn’t know how
to save himself. Just as Kastchi prepares to turn
Ivan to ice, Ivan waves the magic feather and Kastchi falls asleep. Ivan sees an Ice Palace that is filled
with Kastchi’s frozen victims. Ivan tries to use the
feather to free the victims, but he accidentally drops
the feather and then he too begins to turn to ice.
Suddenly the feather begins to glow like the sun and
the Firebird appears. She helps to free Ivan and all
the frozen victims and the story has a happy ending.
Reconstruction of the choreography and design from the
world premiere of The Firebird. Showen at Salzburg’s Whitson
Festival in 2013 by Ballet of the Mariinsky Theatre.
Watch & Listen on Youtube!
Orchestre de Paris
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTbwQ6G-bP0
8
Composer Biographies and Programme Notes
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Life: 1844 - 1908
Nationality: Russian
Piece to Study: “Flight of the Bumblebee” from Tale of the Tsar Saltan
Biography
Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov was born in a Tikhivin,
small town in Russia just east of St. Petersburg. Rimsky-Korsakov
showed promise on the piano from a very young age; however, when
he was only twelve years old he enrolled in the Naval Academy in St.
Petersburg. While he was completing his studies, Rimsky-Korsakov
continued to take piano lessons, and later, composition lessons. It
was through his teacher that he met the composer Mily Balakirev,
and joined a group of young composers who later became known
as “The Five”. “The Five” were a group of Russian composers who
stressed their national heritage in their music. Rimsky-Korsakov
was known as one of the greatest music theorists alive and taught
many famous Russian composers, including Igor Stravinsky and Sergei Prokofiev.
Did you know?
You can hear “Flight of the Bumblebee” in the computer game
The Sims, as well as in the movie Snow Dogs and the TV show
Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide?
“Flight of the Bumblebee” from Tale of the Tsar Saltan
Rimsky-Korsakov chose the violin to represent the bumblebee in his
composition. He selected the violin because of its high pitch and the
ability of the violinist to play a lot of notes very quickly. This helps to
give the audience the impression of the tiny, busy insect in flight.
Listen For:
•The frantic sixteenth-notes that represent the bumblebee are
passed from the violins to many other instruments in the orchestra,
giving the listener the sense that they are surrounded by a swarm of
bees.
•Rimsky-Korsakov uses semi-tones in the sixteenth-notes to evoke
the wavering sound of bee in flight.
Compare/Contrast Arrangements on Youtube!
1) Russian National Orchestra - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW8asBxO4oI
2) Canadian Brass - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZO5KTJTwhE
9
Unit Overview and Lesson Plans
Lesson 1: Rhythm versus beat
Ontario Curriculum Expectations (Overall, Grades 1-3):
1. Creating and Performing: apply the creative process… to create and perform music for a variety
of purposes, using the elements and techniques of music
2. Reflecting, Responding, and Analysing: apply the critical analysis process… to communicate
their feelings, ideas, and understandings in response to a variety of music and musical experiences
3. Exploring Forms and Cultural Contexts: demonstrate an understanding of a variety of musical
genres and styles from the past and present, and their social and/or community contexts.
Focus:
• Keeping the beat to a poem/chant
• Identify the difference between rhythm and beat
Learning Goal:
• Students will be able to keep the beat while rhythmically reading a poem
Prior Knowledge:
• Students should be familiar with the poem of choice
• Students should have kept the beat to other songs/pieces
Grouping
Lesson Strategies
Materials
Whole class
Minds On
Pick a poem from Alligator Pie. Practice reading the poem. Once students are able to read
in unison, start tapping the beat and encourage
students to join in.
Alligator Pie by Dennis Lee
Poem of choice written out
Whole class/
Partner Share
Optional: sticks or drums to
tap the beat
Explain that this is the beat of the poem. All
music has a beat, just like you have a heartbeat. Post definition
Beat definition
Action
Ask students to keep the beat to the poem
while silently saying the poem in their heads.
Explain that you are going to clap something
else and they are to try to figure out what
you’re clapping.
Rhythm definition
While students tap the beat, you clap the
rhythm of the poem.
Afterwards, have students think-pair-share –
what were you clapping? (rhythm – the words)
Discuss and post rhythm definition
10
Unit Overview and Lesson Plans
Rhythm versus beat, continued
Whole Class
Try clapping the rhythm as a class.
Split the class in half, half the class can try
keeping the beat, half the rhythm.
Groups of 4
Divide students into groups of 4. Have 2 students keep the beat, 2 clap the rhythm. They
should try this while saying the poem, and for
a challenge, while silently mouthing it.
Challenge (for older students or those who are
able to achieve the above quickly):
Each student should try to tap the beat with
their feet and clap the rhythm at the same
time.
Groups of 4/
Whole Class
Consolidation
Have students perform the poem with half of
the group keeping the beat, half keeping the
rhythm.
Exit Ticket
Discuss the challenges.
Have students fill out or verbally respond to
one of the Exit Ticket questions: What is beat?
What is Rhythm? on their way out.
11
Unit Overview and Lesson Plans
Lesson 2: Poetry is Music
Ontario Curriculum Expectations (Overall, Grades 1-3):
1. Creating and Performing: apply the creative process… to create and perform music for a variety
of purposes, using the elements and techniques of music
2. Reflecting, Responding, and Analysing: apply the critical analysis process… to communicate
their feelings, ideas, and understandings in response to a variety of music and musical experiences
Elements of Music Focus:
• Duration (specifically tempo) – fast or slow
• Dynamics – loud or soft (quiet)
• Pitch – varying the pitch while reciting the poem
Learning Goals:
• Students will create and perform their own musical variation to work towards a performance of the chosen poem.
Prior Knowledge:
• Students should be familiar with the chosen poem (you could use the poem from Lesson 1
or another from ).
• It would be helpful if students had some exposure to Dynamics (loud vs soft), Tempo (fast
vs slow), and Pitch (high vs lower sounds)
Grouping
Lesson Strategies
Materials
Small Groups
Minds On
In small groups, as students to read the selected
poem using the Element of Music card they randomly select.
Give students 5 minutes to rehearse and then perform for the class. As each group performs, sort
their card under the correct Element.
Element Cards
Whole Class
Review that music can have different Dynamics
– (volume) loud or soft, Tempo – (speed) fast or
slow, and Pitch – high like a mouse or low like an
elephant.
Elements of Music Labels
12
Unit Overview and Lesson Plans
Poetry is Music, continued
Small Groups
Action
Assign each group 1 or 2 lines of the poem.
Explain that in their group, they must decide
on the Dynamics (volume), Tempo (speed), and
Pitch (high or low).
Chosen poem typed or written out and cut into lines to
give students
You may wish to introduce more choices to
older students (crescendo, more tempo choices,
etc).
Create Success Criteria together so students
know what’s expected of them. Example:
- Pick and use Dynamics (2 changes for older
students)
- Pick and use Tempo
- Use 2 different pitches (high and low – plus
middle for older students)
Whole Class
Students are to work in groups to make
choices and rehearse their 2 lines. Circulate to
give feedback and assess.
Assessment Checklist
Consolidation - Performance!
Have students perform their lines one group
at a time. Have the audience give feedback,
encouraging students to use Elements of Music
vocabulary.
At the very end, perform the whole poem as a
whole, with each group going after another.
Assessment Checklist
13
Unit Overview and Lesson Plans
Lesson 3: Poetry is Music II
Ontario Curriculum Expectations (Overall, Grades 1-3):
1. Creating and Performing: apply the creative process… to create and perform music for a variety
of purposes, using the elements and techniques of music
2. Reflecting, Responding, and Analysing: apply the critical analysis process… to communicate
their feelings, ideas, and understandings in response to a variety of music and musical experiences
Elements of Music Focus:
• Duration (specifically tempo) – fast or slow
• Dynamics – loud or soft (quiet)
• Pitch – varying the pitch while reciting the poem
• Timbre – singing voice versus talking voice
Learning Goals:
• Students will add pitch to their arrangements to work towards a performance of the
chosen poem
Grouping
Whole Class
Lesson Strategies
Minds On
Explain that another way to make a poem
musical is to use your singing voice instead of
your talking voice.
Materials
Poem used in previous lesson
Have students repeat: “This is my talking
voice” (spoken) and “This is my singing voice”
(sing on one note).
Introduce two notes that will be the higher and
lower notes for the activity (Pitch). G (higher)
and E (lower) (so/mi) would work, however
this could vary depending on what instruments
or technology you have available.
For older primary students or those more experienced with pitch, you can use 3 notes (so, mi,
do) as a high, medium, low pitch. This could
be G, E, C.
Show and sing students the example from
Alligator Pie using so and mi.
Example 2 pitch Alligator Pie
There are different examples included depending on the language your students are ready to
use (high/low, so/mi, G/E).
14
Unit Overview and Lesson Plans
Poetry is Music II, continued
Small Groups
Whole Class
Action
In their groups from the previous lesson, have
students add on to their performance piece.
Where students wrote High’ have them use the
higher note. ‘Low’ = the lower note.
Chosen poem typed or written out and cut into lines to
give students from previous
lesson
Add to Success Criteria together so students
know what’s expected of them. Example:
- Pick and use Dynamics (2 changes for older
students)
- Pick and use Tempo
- Use 2 different pitches (E and G)
Instruments or technology for
students to experiment and
rehearse with. 2 Boomwackers, a xylophone (take off
other notes), online keyboard,
etc...
Students are to work in groups to make
choices and rehearse their 2 lines. Circulate to
give feedback and assess. Encourage change
from last time.
Assessment Checklist
Consolidation - Performance!
Have students perform their lines one group
at a time. Have the audience give feedback,
encouraging students to use Elements of Music
vocabulary.
Assessment Checklist
At the very end, perform the whole poem
together, with each group going after another.
You may also wish to have each group teach
their lines to the rest of the class so you have a
whole song that could be used as a
performance piece.
15
BEAT:
Steady pulse of
a song, like a
heartbeat
16
RHYTHM:
The way the
words go.
A pattern of long
and short sounds
and silences.
17
Exit Ticket
Name: _______________________
What is rhythm? __________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
Exit Ticket
Name: _______________________
What is rhythm? __________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
Exit Ticket
Name: _______________________
What is rhythm? __________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
18
Exit Ticket
Name: _______________________
What is beat? ____________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
Exit Ticket
Name: _______________________
What is beat? ____________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
Exit Ticket
Name: _______________________
What is beat? ____________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
19
Lesson 2: Element Cards
LOUD
(forte)
QUIET
(piano)
FAST
SLOW
HIGH
LOW
20
Dynamics
volume
Tempo
speed
Pitch
high or low
21
Lesson 2/3: Assessment Checklist Student
Participates in
group planning,
decisions
Apply chosen
Tempo
accurately*
Apply chosen
Dynamic
accurately
Apply chosen Pitch
accurately
*For each of Tempo, Dynamics, Pitch: look that student performance/rehearsal matches the
choice the group has made. For example, if students decide the first 5 words will be loud
(forte), a student will demonstrate applying this accurately by reading those words using a
louder volume.
22
Example: 2 Pitch Alligator Pie
H = higher pitch, L = lower pitch
Alligator Pie,
HHHH L
Alligator Pie,
HHHH L
If I don’t get some,
LHL
H L
I think I’m gonna die.
L L L L L H
Give away the green grass,
H HH H L L
Give away the sky,
H
HH H L
But don’t give away my Alligator Pie!
L L
L LH H HHHH L
23
Example: 2 Pitch Alligator Pie
S = higher pitch (so), M = lower pitch (mi)
Alligator Pie,
SSSS M
Alligator Pie,
SSSS M
If I don’t get some,
MSM
S M
I think I’m gonna die.
MM M M M S
Give away the green grass,
S
SS S M
M
Give away the sky,
S SS S M
But don’t give away my Alligator Pie!
M M M MS S SSSS M
24
Example: 2 Pitch Alligator Pie with Note Names
Alligator Pie,
HHHH L
GGGG E
Alligator Pie,
HHHH L
GGGG E
If I don’t get some,
LHL
H L
EGE
G E
I think I’m gonna die.
L L
L L L H
E E
E E E G
Give away the green grass,
H
HH H L
L
G
G G G E
E
Give away the sky,
H
HH H L
G
G G G E
But don’t give away my Alligator Pie!
L L
L LH H HHHH L
E E
E EG G GGGG E
25
Biographies
Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Formed in 1922, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) celebrates over nine decades of great
music-making in the 2015/2016 season. Consisting of over 90 musicians, the TSO is one of the largest
musical ensembles in Canada, and one of the top orchestras in the world. Led by TSO Music
Director Peter Oundjian and other internationally renowned guest conductors, the TSO plays a broad
range of music, performing with guest artists from all over the world. Besides performing many different
concert series each year in Roy Thomson Hall, the TSO offers a
variety of education programmes, which take place in schools as
well as in the concert hall. Reaching over 60,000 young people
annually, the TSO has one of the largest education programmes
for a performing arts organization in all of North America.
In addition to Student Concerts (curriculum-based full orchestra
concerts), other major programmes include the Toronto
Symphony Youth Orchestra and Young People’s Concerts (a family
concert series featuring dancers, actors and story-telling in a
symphonic setting).
Earl Lee, RBC Resident Conductor
Korean-born Canadian musician Earl Lee was appointed the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s RBC Resident Conductor in January 2015. He was the
recipient of the 2013 Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Scholarship to study
with Kurt Masur in Leipzig, and was also awarded a 2013 Ansbacher
Fellowship for Young Conductors by the American Austrian Foundation.
In February 2014, he participated in the 5th International Conducting
Masterclass with David Zinman and the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich. Mr.
Lee’s most recent conducting appearances include leading the Manhattan
School of Music Chamber Sinfonia at The Kennedy Center, as well as with
the Leipziger Symphonieorchester, and the Riverside Orchestra at New
York’s Trinity School. He is a passionate promoter of new music and has
led premières of numerous works by contemporary composers.
An accomplished cellist, Mr. Lee was a former member of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra.
He has since performed at many prestigious festivals including Marlboro, Ravinia’s Steans Institute,
Music from Angel Fire, and Caramoor. He has also appeared with the Sejong Soloists and is currently an
active member of the East Coast Chamber Orchestra (ECCO). Previously, he toured throughout the US
as a member of the Koryo Quartet, as well as with Musicians from Marlboro. A graduate of the Curtis
Institute of Music and The Juilliard School with degrees in cello performance, Earl began his conducting
studies in 2010 with Ignat Solzhenitsyn. He went on to study with George Manahan at the Manhattan
School of Music, from where he recently graduated, as well as with Hugh Wol” at the New England Conservatory of Music.
26
Biographies
Abigail Richardson-Schulte, composer
Composer Abigail Richardson-Schulte was
born in Oxford, England, and moved to
Canada as a child. Ironically, she was diagnosed incurably deaf at 5. Upon moving to
Canada, however, her hearing was fully intact
within months. Her music has been commissioned and performed by major orchestras,
presenters, music festivals and broadcasters including the Festival Présences of Paris.
After receiving her Doctorate of Music from
the University of Toronto, Abigail won first
at the prestigious UNESCO International
Rostrum of Composers which resulted with
broadcasts in 35 countries. She won the Karen Kieser Prize (CBC) and the Dora Mavor
Moore Award for “Best New Opera”. Abigail
was Affiliate Composer with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra from 2006-9 and currently works as
Events Curator on the TSO’s New Creations Festival.
She wrote the very popular music for the classic Canadian story, The Hockey Sweater by Roch Carrier,
in the country’s first triple co-commission by the TSO, National Arts Centre Orchestra, and the Calgary
Philharmonic Orchestra. Already within its first three seasons, this work has been seen by nearly sixty
thousand audience members and been performed by most orchestras across Canada. In 2014, Abigail
wrote a WWI memorial piece, Song of the Poets based on poetry from WWI soldiers, for choir and
orchestra as part of the NAC’s UK tour. The work was co-commissioned by NAC, The World Remembers, CPO, and TBSO and was performed across the UK and Canada. Recent projects include a complete children’s orchestra concert commissioned by the CPO and TSO using Dennis Lee’s Alligator Pie.
Along with several chamber music commissions, she is currently writing a trumpet concerto for Michael
Fedyshyn, commissioned by the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and Group of 27 for performance in
the 2015-16 season. Abigail teaches at the University of Toronto, is Co-Artistic Director of Chamber
Music Hamilton, has been Composer in Residence with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra since
2012 and serves as Artistic Director of the HPO’s What Next Festival.
Dennis Lee, author of Alligator Pie
Dennis Lee is Toronto’s first poet laureate, song lyricist
for Fraggle Rock, and author of such beloved collections
as Alligator Pie, Garbage Delight, The Ice Cream Store,
Bubblegum Delicious, and Jelly Belly, as well as an acclaimed poet and editor of works for adults. An Officer of the Order of Canada, he has received many honours, including the Vicky Metcalf Award for his body of
work. His poetry is anthologized and loved around the
world. Source: http://dennislee.ca/
27
Biographies
Carla Huhtanen, soprano
Soprano Carla Huhtanen is in demand internationally for her
soaring, translucent voice, winning stage presence, and her diverse
repertoire. She debuted in the UK as Lisetta in Garsington Opera’s La Gazzetta (Rossini) and returned as Serpetta in Mozart’s
La Finta Giardiniera. She debuted in Italy at Gran Teatro la Fenice
in Gershwin’s Lady, Be Good! In France, she sang the title role
of Purcell’s The Fairy Queen for Festival Mars en Baroque (Marseille, Tarascon, and Aix-en-Provence) and Angelica in Handel’s
Orlando for Theatre Gyptis (Marseille), Festival Musique au
Coeur (Antibes) and Festival de Chartres. She has been praised for
her ‘vivid, fine-toned, accurately placed coloratura’ (Independent)
and her ‘clarity of tone and smoothness of line matched only by her exquisite acting’ (Opera Now).
In 2015-2016, Ms. Huhtanen will be heard in Columbus, Toronto and at Versailles in Opera Atelier’s
Armide, with the Toronto Symphony in Richardson’s Alligator Pie and in Bach’s Mass in B Minor for the
Grand Philharmonic Choir. Her 2014-15 season included appearances with the Art of Time Ensemble,
Kitchener Waterloo Symphony, Toronto’s Talisker Players and in Persée for Opera Atelier also at Versailles,
Columbus and Toronto. Past highlights include Cunegonde in Candide with the BBC Concert Orchestra at
the Royal Festival Hall in London, Blonde in Entführung aus dem Serail for Edmonton Opera and Blizzard
Voices for Opera Omaha.
A leading interpreter of modern and contemporary music, Carla has performed with Continuum New
Music, Queen of Puddings, Tapestry New Opera, Array New Music and Soundstreams. Recording credits
include Herbert’s Babes in Toyland with the London Sinfonietta, Vivaldi’s Griselda and Sacred Music Vol.
3 for Naxos Records, the Juno winning Mozart’s Magnificent Voyage and Centredisc’s The Music of James
Rolfe.
Kevin Frank, host
Kevin has been a professional actor for 30 years. During this time, he has performed in over 60 television commercials and has had countless appearances
on popular series television. Kevin received 4 Gemini nominations, including
Best Host in a Lifestyle & Information Program for Pet Project.
He has enjoyed a creative collaboration with Scotty Watson for the ongoing
project The Radio Freaks for several years. In 2014, Kevin worked with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra narrating a wonderful Lemony Snickett story “The
Composer is DEAD!” He is thrilled to asked back for the 2016 season
Kevin began his career with the Second City in Toronto, performing on the
main stage at the Old Firehall. He is now Artistic Director of the Second City
Training Centre and teaches/directs today’s new Improv hopefuls. He is also a
Senior Corporate Facilitator for the Second City Works delivering workshops/
keynote addresses to Fortune 500 companies in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Sao Paulo, Osaka and London.
When Kevin isn’t improvising he can be found behind his drum kit keeping time for Glendale One. Their
2nd CD, Live at Asylum Artists was released this June 2014 and is available on iTunes. You can check
them out on Facebook
Musical Terms Glossary
A cappella: music sung without instrumental accompaniment. In Italian, a cappella means “in the
style of the chapel.”
Accented Beats: these are the beats in a rhythm pattern that are stronger because they are emphasized
or stressed. Accented notes are indicated using a “>” symbol which goes above or below the note to
indicate that that note should be stressed or accented.
Amplify: to make a sound stronger or louder. The hollow body of an instrument amplifies its sound.
Arco: to play a stringed instrument using a bow.
Bar: another name for a measure
Bar line: a vertical line on a musical staff that divides the beats into small groups or bars.
Baton: a small stick used by the conductor to beat time. A stick helps to make the motion more easily
visible to the members of the orchestra.
Beat: a beat is a regular pulsation. It is a basic unit of length in musical time.
Clef: a sign at the beginning of the staff to fix the position of one note. The most common are the
treble and bass clefs.
Chord: a series of notes, usually three or more, that are sung or played together to create harmony.
Col legno: Italian for “hit with the wood”, this is a bowing technique where players strike the string
with the stick of the bow, rather than by drawing the hair of the bow across the strings.
Composer: a person who writes music.
Concertmaster: the leader of the first violin section who tunes the orchestra and works closely with
the conductor.
Conductor: leader of the orchestra who makes decisions about how the music will be played with
respect to tempo and dynamics, and keeps the musicians together during a performance.
Crescendo: gradually increasing in loudness.
Decrescendo: gradually decreasing in loudness
Double-stop: a technique on string instruments in which two notes are played simulaneously. Triple
stops and quadruple stops can also be played, in which three and four (respectively) notes are played
simultaneously.
Dynamics: the intensity, or loudness and softness, of music.
Embouchure: the way the mouth is held to play a woodwind or brass instrument.
Fingerboard: the strips of wood on a stringed instrument’s neck over which the strings are stretched
and fingered to change the pitch.
Harmony: the sound created when two or more notes are played at the same time.
Improvise: to make up music as you go, without using scores or musical notation that is written down.
Many jazz musicians incorporate improvisation into their performance.
Legato: notes played smoothly and in a connected manner, without any noticeable break or articulation
between them.
Lietmotif: a phrase or melodic cell that signifies a character, place, plot element, mood, idea, relationship
or other specific part of an opera of symphonic work.
Measure: the notes and rests between two bar lines.
29
Musical Terms Glossary
Melody: a sequence of musical notes that make up a tune.
Movement: a section of music which contains certain musical ideas, much like a chapter in a book.
Notes: representation of musical tones using written symbols.
Octave: the distance between one tone of a scale and the next higher or lower tone of the same pitch;
for example, middle C and C above middle C are an octave apart.
Pitch: the highness or lowness of a sound.
Pizzicato: to play a stringed instrument by plucking the strings with the fingers.
Pluck: to pull up or down on a string with your finger, thumb or a pick.
Podium: the raised platform in front of the orchestra on which the conductor stands.
Reed: a thin piece of cane or other material, attached to an instrument at one end and free to vibrate
at the other. Found on oboes, clarinets, saxophones and bassoons.
Resonator: the part of an instrument, usually the body, that amplifies the sound caused by vibrating
strings or air column.
Rests: a pause or interval of silence between two tones.
Rhythm: patterns of sound and silence in a piece of music.
Scale: music arranged in ascending or descending pitches. The C major scale consists of the notes
c,d,e,f,g,a,b,c.
Score: music in written form with all the parts set down in relation to each other.
Sound Wave: when something vibrates, or moves quickly back and forth, it causes molecules in the air
to move, creating sounds that move in waves in your ear.
Spiccato: a bowing technique that uses a semi-off-the-string style to produce a light “bouncing” sound.
Watching the musicians it looks like the bow is bouncing up off the string the second it makes contact.
Spiccato is usually performed at the balance portion of the bow. The balance portion of the bow
refers to the area of the bow where weight is distributed evenly on both sides, allowing for maximum
control.
Staff: five parallel horizontal lines, on which notes are written in the spaces, on the lines, or above and
below the staff using ledger lines.
Strum: to play long strokes across all the strings of a string instrument, one after another very quickly
using your thumb, fingers or a pick.
Symphony Orchestra: a large group of musicians, led by a conductor, who perform together on string,
woodwind, brass and percussion instruments.
Tempo: the speed at which a piece of music is played.
Time Signature: appears at the beginning of the staff. The lower figure shows the kind of notes taken as
the unit of measure, while the upper figure shows the number of these notes that can fit in a measure.
Tone: the tone is the quality of musical sound, such as rich, mellow, harsh, brilliant, etc.
Tremolo: a rapidly repeated note.
Unison: two or more instruments sounding the same note.
Valves: the mechanisms on some brass instruments that make it possible for the musician to change
pitches and play all the notes of the scale.
30
Instruments in the Orchestra
Violin
Violin
The String Family
Viola
Viola
The String Family
1) The violin is the smallest member
of the string family and has the
highest voice.
1) The viola looks like a violin
but slightly larger and has a lower,
darker sound.
2) Like all stringed instruments, the
violin has 4 strings and is played
with a bow.
2) Violas sometimes play the melody,
but also play the inner voices.
3) Usually plays the melody in
orchestral pieces.
4) There are more violins in the
orchestra than any other instrument.
3) Stringed instruments — including
the viola — are usually played with
a bow. A bow is a slightly curved
piece of wood, which is strung
with either horsehair or synthetic
materials. Most professional
musicians will have bows made of
horsehair.
4) Rosin is rubbed on the horsehair
to help it vibrate and produce
sound; rosin is the sticky gum or sap
from a pine tree.
31
Cello
The String Family
1) The cello is like a very large violin
which must be held between the
musician’s knees while it is being
played, instead of being held under
the chin. A metal end peg protrudes
from the bottom of the instrument’s
body, sticking into the floor to help
keep the instrument steady.
2) Spelled “cello” but pronounced
“chello”.
3) The cello often plays the bass line
but can also play beautiful solos.
4) The most famous cellist in the
world is Yo-Yo Ma.
Double Bass
The String Family
1) The double bass is the largest
and lowest voice of all stringed
instruments.
2) This instrument is so big that a
player must stand or sit on a high
stool in order to play it.
3) Like the cello, the double bass
also has a metal spike (or end pin)
at the bottom, which allows it to
rest on the floor.
4) This instrument is often heard
in jazz groups. When playing jazz,
the bassist does not use a bow
but plucks the strings with his/her
fingers.
32
Harp
The String Family
1) The harp is one of the oldest of all
instruments, dating back to prehistoric
times, however, it has only been used in the
symphony orchestra for about 175 years.
2) The concert harp stands about two
metres tall and covers a range of over 6 ½
octaves.
3) The harp has 47 strings and seven
foot pedals. It is played by strumming or
plucking the strings with both hands, and
by pressing the pedals with your feet. The
pedals are used to add accidentals (sharps
and flats) so that the harp can play in
different keys.
4) The harp is usually considered part of
the String Family because the strings create
the sound. However, it is very different
from all other stringed instruments and
isn’t played with a bow, so it can be
classified in a separate category all on its
own.
33
Flute
The Woodwind Family
1) AThe flute is a high-pitched silver
woodwind instrument that is held
sideways and to the right of the
musician’s mouth.
2) The musician blows across a hole in
the flute, called the embouchure hole,
which is similar to blowing across the
top of a pop bottle.
3) The musician presses keys to open
and close the holes in the instrument,
which change the pitch.
4) The flute’s baby sister is the
piccolo. It is 30.5 cm long (half the
size of a flute) and the highestpitched of all instruments.
Oboe
The Woodwind Family
1) The oboe is the first instrument you
hear at an orchestral concert. It plays
a single note (an “A”), and all other
instruments tune their instruments to
the oboe’s pitch.
2) The musician blows through two
pieces of paper-thin cane, called a
double reed, which is attached to the
body of the instrument. The vibration
of the double reed helps to create the
sound.
3) Double reed instruments require a
lot of extra work since the musicians
must carve their own reeds with a sharp
knife. Reeds break or wear out, so this
is a constant process.
4) The English horn is related to the
oboe, but is slightly larger, uses a
slightly bigger reed, and has a deeper
sound.
34
Clarinet
Bassoon
The Woodwind Family
The Woodwind Family
1) The clarinet is a single reed
instrument; oboes and bassoons have
double reeds. The reed is attached to the
mouthpiece.
1) The bassoon is a woodwind
instrument that uses a double reed (like
the oboe). The musician blows through
two pieces of cane, which are attached
to the body of the instrument.
2) Clarinets are made of wood or
molded plastic, and have a smooth,
mellow tone.
3) Clarinets are frequently used in jazz
ensembles and marching bands, as well
as orchestras.
4) The saxophone is a close relative of
the clarinet because it also uses a single
reed, even though it’s made of brass and
looks quite different.
2)Reed instruments require a lot of
extra work since the musicians must
carve their own reeds with a sharp
knife. Reeds break or wear out, so this
is a constant process.
3) The bassoon is the largest
woodwind instrument except for the
contrabassoon, which has the lowest
voice in the orchestra. If you laid
the different sections end to end, the
bassoon would be 2 ½ metres long and
the contrabassoon would be 5 metres
long!
4) Most woodwind instruments
don’t require much use of the thumb,
however, the bassoon is unique in that
it has 13 keys which are only played by
the thumb.
35
French Horn
The Brass Family
1) The very first horns were made from
the horns of animals and were used to
send signals to people beyond calling
distance.
2)The hunting horn is the French
horn’s ancestor and was designed so
that the tubing wrapped around in a
circle, making it easier to carry over the
hunter’s shoulder.
3) Valves were added to the instrument
in the 1800s, allowing many more notes
to be played.
4) The musician uses the left hand to
press the valves, and inserts the right
hand into the bell of the instrument to
modify the sound.
Trumpet
The Brass Family
1) Thetrumpet is the highest pitched
member of the brass family.
2)Three valves were added to the
instrument in the 1800s, creating a
wider range of available notes.
3) As with all brass instruments, the
trumpeter produces sound by buzzing
his/her lips against the mouthpiece,
which is inserted into the instrument.
The musician changes the pressure
and shape of his/her lips to change the
sound and pitch.
4) The trumpet is frequently used in the
performance of jazz music.
36
Trombone
The Brass Family
Tuba
The Brass Family
1) The trombone was invented in the
1400s and formerly called a “sackbut.”
1) The tuba is the biggest and lowest
pitched instrument of the brass family.
2) This instrument was first heard in
orchestral repertoire when Beethoven
wrote a part for it in the finale of his
Fifth Symphony, in 1808.
2) Invented by a bandmaster in 1835,
the tuba is the youngest member of the
brass family!
3) Unlike the trumpet, French horn
and tuba, which all have valves, the
trombone uses a slide to change notes
or pitches.
4) When brass players blow into
their instruments, their warm breathe
condenses, forming drops of water
inside the instrument. This creates an
unclear sound, so the musician must
remove the water, either by taking the
instrument apart, or by draining the
condensation using a special water key
or “spit valve”. The water is not spit,
but condensation from the player’s
breath.
3) If you stretched the tuba out into one
long piece, it would measure about 5 ½
metres.
4) Related to the euphonium (a smaller,
high-pitched tuba) and the sousaphone
(an instrument invented by John Philip
Sousa, and used a lot in marching
bands).
37
Timpani
Xylophone
The Percussion Family
The Percussion Family
1) The timpani are sometimes called
“kettledrums”. These large, pitched
drums are used frequently in orchestral
music.
1) The xylophone is a pitched
percussion instrument consisting of
tuned wooden bars mounted on a frame
and struck with hard mallets.
2) Looks like a large copper bowl with
a skin or sheet of high-quality plastic
stretched tightly across the top.
2) The shorter the wooden bar, the
higher the pitch; the longer the bar, the
lower the pitch.
3) The pitch of each timpani depends
on the size of the bowl, as well as the
tension of the drum head; the tighter
the skin, the higher the note.
3) The xylophone produces a bright
“wooden” and dry sound, without
lasting resonance.
4) Timpani are tuned with a foot pedal
and can cover a range of about two
octaves.
4) Nobody knows where the xylophone
originated, but similar instruments were
known in West Africa and Indonesia,
dating back to the 1300s.
38
Cymbals & Triangle
Bass & Snare Drum
Cymbals
1) Cymbals are two slightly curved
brass plates, which are held with leather
straps. When hit together they produce
a resounding ring.
Bass Drum
1) The bass drum is the largest drum in
the orchestra and has a low, deep sound.
The Percussion Family
2) A single cymbal can also be suspended
from a stand and tapped with a
drumstick or brushed with a wire brush.
Triangle
1) A triangle is a piece of metal shaped like
a triangle and struck with a metal beater. It
produces a shimmering, tinkling sound.
2) The cymbals and triangle are
unpitched instruments, which means
they cannot produce specific notes or
tones.
The Percussion Family
2) Both the snare and bass drums were
originally used in the military before
they became members of the orchestra’s
percussion section.
Snare Drum
1) The snare drum has a metal or wood
frame with a drumhead on each end,
and strings of wire or gut stretched
across the bottom head.
2) The drum is played with two wooden
sticks. The snares are loosened for softer
notes and tightened for a crisper or
sharper tone.
39
13
40
TSO Musicians
STRINGS
VIOLINS
Jonathan Crow,
CONCERTMASTER
Mark Skazinetsky,
ASSOCIATE
CONCERTMASTER
Marc-André Savoie,
ASSISTANT
CONCERTMASTER
Etsuko Kimura,
ASSISTANT
CONCERTMASTER
Paul Meyer,
PRINCIPAL SECOND
VIOLINS
Wendy Rose,
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL
SECOND VIOLINS
Eri Kosaka
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
SECOND VIOLINS
Ivan Alexander
Atis Bankas
Sydney Chun
Carol Lynn Fujino
Amanda Goodburn
Terry Holowach
Bridget Hunt
Amalia Joanou-Canzoneri
Mi Hyon Kim
Shane Kim
Leslie Dawn Knowles
Sergei Nikonov
Hyung-Sun Paik
Young-Dae Park
Semyon Pertsovsky
Peter Seminovs
Jennifer Thompson
Angelique Toews
James Wallenberg
Virginia Chen Wells
Arkady Yanivker
VIOLAS
Teng Li,
PRINCIPAL
Eric Nowlin,
ASSOCIATE
PRINCIPAL
Theresa Rudolph
ASSISTANT
PRINCIPAL
Daniel Blackman
Gary Labovitz
Diane Leung
Charmain Louis
Mary Carol Nugent
Christopher Redfield
Kent Teeple
OBOES
Sarah Jeffrey,
PRINCIPAL
Keith Atkinson,
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL
Cary Ebli
Sarah Lewis
CELLOS
Joseph Johnson,
PRINCIPAL
Emmanuelle Beaulieu
Bergeron
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL
Winona Zelenka,
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Igor Gefter
Marie Gélinas
Roberta Janzen
Britton Riley
Kirk Worthington
CLARINETS
Joaquin Valdepeñas,
PRINCIPAL
YaoGuang Zhai,
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL
Joseph Orlowski
BASS TROMBONE
Jeffrey Hall
E FLAT CLARINET
YaoGuang Zhai
PERCUSSION
DOUBLE BASSES
Jeffrey Beecher,
PRINCIPAL
Kristen Bruya,
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Theodore Chan
Timothy Dawson
Charles Elliott
David Longenecker
Paul Rogers
WOODWINDS
FLUTES
Nora Shulman,
PRINCIPAL
Julie Ranti,
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL
Leonie Wall
Camille Watts
PICCOLO
Camille Watts
ENGLISH HORN
Cary Ebli
BASS CLARINET
Amy Zoloto
BASSOONS
Michael Sweeney,
PRINCIPAL
Catherine Chen,
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL
Samuel Banks
Fraser Jackson
CONTRABASSOON
Fraser Jackson
BRASS
HORNS
Neil Deland,
PRINCIPAL
Christopher Gongos,
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL
Richard Cohen
Audrey Good
Gabriel Radford
TRUMPETS
Andrew McCandless,
PRINCIPAL
Steven Woomert,
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL
James Gardiner
James Spragg
TROMBONES
Gordon Wolfe,
PRINCIPAL
Vanessa Fralick
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL
TUBA
Mark Tetreault,
PRINCIPAL
TIMPANI
David Kent,
PRINCIPAL
Georgi Videnov
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
PERCUSSION
John Rudolph,
PRINCIPAL
Patricia Krueger
Georgi Videnov
KEYBOARD
Patricia Krueger,
PRINCIPAL
HARP
Heidi Van Hoesen Gorton,
PRINCIPAL
LIBRARIANS
Gary Corrin,
PRINCIPAL
Kim Gilmore
PERSONNEL
David Kent,
PERSONNELMANAGER
41
CONCERT PREPARATION
The Concert Experience
Attending a Student Concert with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra is an exciting experience for
students of all grade levels. For some students this is their first experience listening to and seeing an
orchestra. In order for students to benefit from the concert, teachers should use this guide to prepare
for this special event. When students arrive knowing what to look and listen for, they become a
receptive audience and the trip will be an important learning experience.
•
•
•
•
•
Entering the Hall
Concerts begin promptly at the scheduled start time. It is recommended that your group arrive at
the auditorium at least 20 minutes before the start of the concert to allow sufficient time for seating,
washroom visits, etc. Groups arriving late must wait for a suitable break in the performance before
being admitted into the hall.
Food, drinks and gum are not allowed in the hall.
Please have your group turn off all cell phones when entering the hall.
The use of cameras, video cameras or recording devices is strictly prohibited.
Please remind your students that a restroom break should only be taken during the concert if
it is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. People coming and going from the auditorium disrupts the
performance for the rest of the audience. Students should be encouraged to visit the restroom prior
to the start of the concert.
Seating Arrangements
• Ushers will meet your school group at the door and escort you to your seats.
• Students are to remain seated with their feet on the floor during the entire performance.
• Chaperones should be dispersed throughout the group and should actively supervise students
during the performance. It is suggested that there be one chaperone for every 20 students at the
Intermediate/Senior level.
•
•
•
•
•
Concert Details
The concert is one hour long.
To signal the beginning of the concert, the lights will dim. The concertmaster will appear onstage
and will signal the oboe player to sound an “A” so the orchestra can tune. The conductor then
appears onstage.
Applause is the only appropriate and recognized form of appreciation. Watch the conductor for an
indication of when to applaud.
At the end of the concert the conductor leaves the stage followed by the musicians.
Students should wait for their teachers to indicate that they are ready to leave the auditorium.
42
Student Concerts
Student Concert Evaluation Form (Student)
Date you attended:
__________________________________________
Name of school (optional):
__________________________________________
1. What was your favourite part of the concert and why?
2. What was your least favourite part of the concert and why?
3. Describe how you felt during one of the pieces on the programme. Why do you think you felt
that way?
4. Was there anything that surprised you during the concert?
5. If you were given the task of putting together a concert for the TSO, what two pieces would you
recommend and why?
Other comments ...
PLEASE RETURN TO:
STUDENT CONCERTS
(mail, or email)
TORONTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
212 King Street West, 6th Floor
Toronto, M5H 1K5
EMAIL: studentconcerts@tso.ca
Student Concerts
Student Concert Evaluation Form (Teacher)
Date you attended:
__________________________________________
Name of school (optional):
__________________________________________
1. Please circle the appropriate rating:
Audience Response
Educational Value
Conductor’s Rapport with
the Students
Teachers’ Study Guide
Excellent
Excellent
Very Good
Very Good
Good
Good
Fair
Fair
Poor
Poor
Excellent
Excellent
Very Good
Very Good
Good
Good
Fair
Fair
Poor
Poor
2. Was this the first time you brought a group to the TSO Student Concerts ? Yes
If not, how long have you been bringing students to the TSO Student Concerts ?
No
3. What did your students like most?
4. Did you use the Teachers’ Study Guide? you find most useful?
Yes
No
5. Did you use the podcast? No
If so, did you find it useful?
Yes
If so, which section did
6. Is there anything you’d like to share with the generous donors who support the TSO Student
Concerts?
Other comments ...
PLEASE RETURN TO:
STUDENT CONCERTS
(mail, or email)
TORONTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
212 King Street West, 6th Floor
Toronto, M5H 1K5
EMAIL: studentconcerts@tso.ca