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Thursday, October 31, 2013

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2013

QUOTE:
“If we were all determined to play the first violin we should never have an ensemble. 
  Therefore, respect every musician in his proper place.”
AUTHOR: Robert Schumann
MEANING OF THE QUOTE:
“No single person becomes successful on their own; it takes the support 
  of others.”











COMPOSER
DVORAK



Humoresque
Yo Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBDmAxSFt6A&feature=related


Humoresque
Heifetz plays Dvorak's Humoresque
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB8mzdO3MnI&feature=related


humoresque F


A humoresque (hu·mor·esque) or German Humoreske [German Humoreske, from Humor, humor, from English humor] is a type of character piece, generally a short whimsical or fanciful composition expressing a mood or a vague nonmusical idea, usually more good-humored than humorous. Robert Schumann, the first composer to use the term as a musical title, called his Opus 20 (1839) Humoreske (it is atypically like a long suite). His Opus 88, No. 2, is a humoresque for violin, cello, and piano. The best-known is Antonín Dvořák’s Humoresque in G-flat, the seventh in his collection Eight Humoresques for piano (1894). Gustav Mahler originally called his Des Knaben Wunderhorn (1888–99; Songs From the Youth’s Magic Horn) “Humoreske.”

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/humoresque



GRANADA ADV. STRINGS
1.  TUMBALALAIKA

INTRO. TO INSTRUMENT
GRANADA
1.  RECORDER
a.  DONDE ESTA SANTA CLAUS
b.  New Note: High C (T02)
c.  JOY TO THE WORLD

HILLVIEW
1.  VIOLIN
a.  LEFT PIZZICATO REVIEW
b.  RIGHT PIZZICATO
1)  Performed first in guitar position
2)  Performed in regular position
3) Songs played with Right Pizzicato:
CRIPPLE CREEK
BATMAN

GRANADA BEG. STRINGS
1.  GREENSLEEVES
2.  ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH
a.  Fingering review
b.  Playing

HILLVIEW ORCHESTRA
SECTIONALS: first 25 minutes
1.  STRINGS:  MISTER SANTA
2.  WIND ENSEMBLE: POCHAHONTUS
3.  Bb INSTRUMENTS:  TUMBALALAIKA
4.  SAXOPHONES:  MISTER SANTA
5.  REMAINDER OF STUDENTS AT KEYBOARDS

EVERYONE: LAST 25 MINUTES
1.  MISTER SANTA

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2013

QUOTE:
“You may call for peace as loudly as you wish, but where there is no brotherhood there can in the 
  end be no peace.”
AUTHOR: Max Lerner
MEANING OF THE QUOTE:
“Peace will only happen when man learns to accept the differences of 
  others and come together as one.” 








COMPOSER
DVORAK
Serenade For Strings
E Major Op. 22, Complete
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah14jOLKnSs&feature=related



GRANADA ADV. STRINGS
1.  SUBDIVISION OF THE BEAT EXERCISE
2)  BELIEVE

INTRO. TO INSTRUMENT
1.  RECORDER
a.  Holiday Music
1)  JOLLY OLD ST NICK
2)  JINGLE BELLS
3)  WHACKY NUTCRACKER MARCH
4)  DONDE ESTA SANTA CLAUS

GRANADA BEG. STRINGS
1.  GREENSLEEVES
2.  JINGLE BELLS
a.  Played with 2 harmonies and a melody part
1)  Practiced each section alone
2) Put all sections together

HILLVIEW ORCHESTRA
1.  SILENT NIGHT
2.  PACHELBEL/JOLLY
3.  FELIZ NAVIDAD
4.  JINGLE BELL ROCK
5.  RUDOLPH
6.  BELIEVE

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013

QUOTE:
“Everything will pass, and the world will perish but the Ninth Symphony will remain.”
AUTHOR: Ludwig Van Beethoven
MEANING OF THE QUOTE:
“Good art will outlast the generations and continue to be popular.”











COMPOSER
DVORAK


Slavonic Dance No. 2
E Minor Opus 72 

Perlman (violin) and Ma (cello) duet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuOpM43FIDo&feature=related



GRANADA ADV. STRINGS
1. SUBDIVISION B Y 16TH NOTES
2.  MISTER SANTA
a.  Sight Reading
3.  BELIEVE

INTRO. TO INSTRUMENT
1.  THEORY: NOTE READING
a.  Step-wise motion
2.  THEORY:  LINES-SPACES
a.  Completed packet and turned in

GRANADA BEG. STRINGS
1.  OPEN STRING BOWING
a.  Lifted UP bows at the tip
b.  7 Bow Levels
2.  JINGLE BELLS
a.  Harmony Open Strings
b.  Harmony Open Strings and First Finger
1)  Note Reading
c.  Playing both harmony parts together
d.  Playing melody with both harmony parts together

HILLVIEW ORCHESTRA
1.  SECTIONALS
a.  Bb Parts:  TUMBALALAIKA
b.  Flutes: GREENSLEEVES
c.  Eb Saxophones:  MISTER SANTA
d.  Remainder: Keyboards
2.  MISTER SANTA
a.  Sight Reading with the entire class

Monday, October 28, 2013

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013

QUOTE:
“I have learned throughout my life as a composer chiefly through my mistakes and pursuits 
  of false assumptions, not by my exposure to founts of wisdom and knowledge.”
AUTHOR: Igor Stravinsky
MEANING OF THE QUOTE:
“Wisdom and knowledge are developed through lessons learned from 
  making mistakes.”







COMPOSER
DVORAK

http://kaweorejate.blogspot.com/2010/05/bulan-dtg-bulan.html


The opera in three acts Rusalka is an opera in 3 acts written by Antonin Dvorak with a libretto by Jaroslav Kvapil. It is a free adaptation of the story "The Little Mermaid" 
by Hans Christian Andersen.

RUSALKA:
In Slavic mythology, a rusalka (plural: rusalki or rusalky) is a female ghost
water nymphsuccubus, or mermaid-like demon that often dwelt in a waterway.

Rusalka in Russian folklore appears as a beautiful maiden 
or assumes the form of a siren: 
a half women and half-bird or half-fish.



GRANADA ADV. STRINGS
1.  SUBDIVISION BY 8TH NOTES
2.  SILENT NIGHT
3.  PACHELBEL JOLLY
4.  RUDOLPH

INTRO. TO INSTRUMENT
1.  VIOLIN
a. Open String Left Hand Pizzicato
1)  Plucking 4x each string with 1st finger
2)  Open String Song: CRIPPLE CREEK
3)  Open String Song: BATMAN

GRANADA BEG. STRINGS
1.  SCALES
a.  G, D, A Scale
b.  Bow at UH and LH
2.  GREENSLEEVES
a.  Note Reading
2.  Playing the entire piece

HILLVIEW ORCHESTRA
1.  SCALE
a.  Concert D Major Scale
1)  Winds separate articulation
2. Strings shifting using 1st finger on the D string
2.  BELIEVE
3.  TUMBALALAIKA

Friday, October 25, 2013

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2013

QUOTE:
“An artist is never ahead of his time but most people are far behind theirs.”
AUTHOR: Edgard Varese
MEANING OF THE QUOTE:
“Sometimes artists create art which is not understood by the general public.”










COMPOSER
DVORAK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXf0DcX8lO8&feature=related


GRANADA ADV. STRINGS
1.  SUBIDIVISION BY 8TH NOTES
2.  SILENT NIGHT
3.  PACHELBEL/JOLLY

INTRO. TO INSTRUMENT
GRANADA
1.  VIOLIN
a.  Left hand Pizzicato
b.  Establishing left violin angle

HILLVIEW
1.  RECORDER TO KEYBOARD SONGS
a.  Note reading 
b.  Playing songs on the keyboard

GRANADA BEG. STRINGS
1.  OPEN STRINS
a.  7 Bow Levels
b.  UH of bow
c.  LH of bow
2.  GREENSLEEVES
a.  Fingering Concepts Part 2
b. Worked on playing Part 2
c.  Played entire piece with accompaniment
3.  JINGLE BELLS MELODY

HILLVIEW ORCHESTRA
1.  SILENT NIGHT
2.  PACHELBEL/JOLLY
3.  JINGLEBELL ROCK
4.  RUDOLPH

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

QUOTE:
“When I wished to sing of love, it turned to sorrow. And when I wished to sing of sorrow, 
  it was transformed for me into love.”
AUTHOR: Franz Schubert
MEANING OF THE QUOTE:
“Our emotions come out in our music. Many of these emotions 
  are closely related.







COMPOSER
DVORAK

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unIMDYXdHIA&feature=related


LESSON PLAN
http://www.rpo.org/UserFiles/File/PDF/intermediate_05_06/Dvorak2.pdf

GRANADA ADV. STRINGS
1.  SUBDIVISION OF THE BEAT 
COUNTING ASSIGNMENT
2.  SCALE
a.  E Major 1st finger shifting on one string
b.  E Major 1st finger shifting in intervals on one string
3.  FELIZ NAVIDAD
4.  JINGLE BELL ROCK
5.  SILENT NIGHT

INTRO. TO INSTRUMENT
GRANADA
1.  VIOLIN
a.  Reviewed parts
b.  Quiz on parts
c.  Assignment of instruments
d.  Putting on shoulder rests and left violin hold

HILLVIEW
1.  VIOLIN
a.  Left pizzicato review
b.  Note reading open strings
b.  Left pizzicato song: CRIPPLE CREEK

GRANADA BEG. STRINGS
1.  FINGERING
a.  Do-Re-Mi/Do-Re-May each string
b.  Major (happy) versus Minor (sad)
2.  GREENSLEEVES (HARMONY)
a.  Fingering concepts
b.  Played first section
3.  JOY TO THE WORLD BY ROTE

HILLVIEW ORCHESTRA
1.  SUBDIVISION OF THE BEAT 
COUNTING ASSIGNMENT
2.  SCALE
a.  Concert G Major
b.  Played in 2 and 3 part rounds
3.  DOUBLE TONGUING DEMONSTRATION
4.  BELIEVE
5.  FELIZ NAVIDAD

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

MUSICAL THEATRE: WHAT IS A MUSICAL?

INTRODUCTION TO THE MUSICAL: 
WHAT IS A MUSICAL?

Musical theatre is a form of theatre or a story set to a combination of music, song, dance, and spoken dialogue. There are 3 main components that make up the musical. These components are: music, lyrics, and book (or story). Authors write fictional and non-fictional stories that are often based on historical backgrounds and events. History often provides the “setting” (background) or time period the story is set in. In the musical this is often shown in the costume, hair styles, and scenery as well as language usage (dialogue) such as that found in slang, old-fashioned words, etc. Some of the stories are taken from previously written novels; others are original, created just for the musical.

In a musical the person who writes the music is called the composer and the creator of the words to the songs is called the lyricist. Lyrics are words which are set to music and help in the telling of the story. Song lyrics are often set to poetry of some sort and sung by a singer and/or singers. The combination of lyrics and music are often used in the musical to convey deep feelings in the story that the dialogue cannot express. The dialogue is used to move the action of the story forward.

Dance is a planned organization of movement to beats and rhythms by a performer. It is used to set the mood and also convey strong emotional feelings when added to the music or song in a story. Choreographers are responsible for planning the organization of the dance steps that go with the music.

There are other important elements involved, provided by special technicians, in producing a musical to be performed. Some of them are costuming, lighting, staging (props), audio (amplification), and make-up/hair. A creative team of people are responsible for the overall interpretation of the musical. They oversee and coordinate all the technicians as well as the performers (actors, singers, dancers, musicians). The people who make up this creative team consist of the director, musical director (often the orchestra conductor), and the choreographer.


As in other art forms, the musical consists of an overall format having a beginning, middle, and end. The main body of the work is divided into sections (like the way chapters function in a book). In musical theatre the main sections of the musical are called acts and typically there are two of them with an intermission of approximately 20 minutes in length in-between. The first act of a musical is usually longer than the second act because the first act is where most of the music and main song tunes are first introduced to later be reprised or brought back in the telling of the story. Also, certain melodies in the music are often associated with particular characters so the music needs to be introduced as those characters enter the story.



INTRODUCTION TO THE MUSICAL: 
WHAT IS A MUSICAL? 
QUESTIONS


01. The main body of a work is divided into sections (like chapters function in a book). In 
       musical theater what are their main sections called?

02. Where does the music come from?

03. What is dance and why is it an important element of the musical format?

04. What are lyrics and who creates them?

05. What is a song?

06. The first act of a musical is usually longer than the second act. Why is that?

07. Where does the story for the musical come from?

08. What is the purpose of dialogue in the function of a musical?

09. What is a musical?

10. What is the name of the person who creates the dance movements for the musical?

11. There are 3 main components that make up the musical. What are they?

12. Songs are important in a musical play. What is their function?

13. A creative team of people are responsible for the overall interpretation of the
       musical. They oversee and coordinate all the technicians as well as the performers                    (actors, singers,dancers, musicians). Can you name who the people who make up this                creative team?

14. What is the role history plays in the creation of the story in a musical?

15. There are other important elements involved, provided by special technicians, in
      producing a musical to be performed. Can you name some?

WHAT IS A MUSICAL 2 (PEOPLE, PLACES, TERMS)




PEOPLE

Actors -
performers on stage who act out (or tell) the story
Assistant Stage Manager
person who is hired to help the Stage Manager
Box Office Manager
person who is in charge of ticket reservations and ticketing 
Cast
people who perform in a show
Choreographer
person who creates dances and arranges movements for a musical
Chorus -
1) in a musical, the company of dancers and singers 
2) the dancing, singing or songs performed by that company
Company
cast and crew of a show and any other staff who work on the show
Composer -
person who composes or writes the music
Conductor -
1) person who leads the orchestra that accompanies the songs and dances 
2) person who coordinates the orchestra with the stage performers
Costumer
person in charge of the costumes for a show
Crew
all the people who work together on a show except the cast
Dancers - (see Chorus)
Director - 
person who provides the vision of how a show should be presented, who works with the actors on their roles, 
develops the blocking, and is in charge of the rehearsals
Dramatist
person (writer) who creates plays
Dressers
people who help the actors get into and out of their costumes
Ensemble
group of actors, singers or dancers who perform together on stage
House Manager
person in charge of the theater auditorium and anything to do with the audience
Lighting Designer
person who designs the lighting for a show and works with the director to get desired effects
Lyricist -
person (writer) who creates the lyrics or words to songs
Make-Up/Hair Stylist -
person who creates the make-up and hair for the actors

Musical Director
person who works with the director, actors and orchestra to get the desired musical effects for a show

Novelist -
person (writer) who created the original idea in book form 

Prop Mistress/Master
person in charge of all the props and who usually works with them during a show
Producer -
person who financial backs the production
Set Designer
person who designs the sets for a show; in smaller theaters this person also builds the sets 
Sound Effects - 
noises (sounds) which are produced to accompany a scene in a show; these noises are mostly produced by a machine 
but can be produced by actors off stage
Sound Designer - 
person who designs the sound direction for the show 
Stage Manager - 
1) person who runs the show from opening curtain to closing curtain 
2) person who is in charge of everything on the stage and in the back of the stage 

Writer - 
person who conveys ideas or stories through the action of various forms of writing



PLACES


Aisle
passage which goes through two areas of seats. 
Backstage - 
part of a theater which is not seen by the audience, including the dressing rooms, wings and the green room 
Black Box
type of theater usually surrounded by black curtains where the audience and actors are in the same room 
Box Office
place that sells tickets to a performance 
Broadway
largest and most famous theatrical district in New York City 
Callboard
place backstage where the Stage Manager puts up important information for the cast and crew 
Catwalk
narrow walkway suspended from the ceiling of a theater from which sometimes lights and scenery are hung 
Control Booth
place in a theater from which all the sound and lights are controlled 
Downstage
part of the stage which is closest to the audience 
Dressing Rooms
rooms in a theater provided for the actors in which they change costumes and apply make-up
Front of House -
part of the theater known as the auditorium where the audience is seated, the lobby and the box office
Green Room -
place for the performers to relax while waiting to go on stage
House - 
used to describe the audience or as a short way of saying "Front of House"
Offstage
area of the stage which the audience cannot see 
Off Broadway - 
theaters in New York City which are not located on or near Broadway 
Orchestra Pit
area at the front of house, usually sunken, where the musicians and conductor work during a show 

Proscenium
arch that frames the front of a stage 

Rear of House
areas in the back of the stage and those places used for storage 

Repertory Theater
theater group that prepares several plays that they can perform over time; not just one 

Riser
platform placed on the stage to create different levels 

Set
setting of the stage for each act and all the physical things that are used to change the stage for the performance 
Stage Left - 
(these left/right directions are seen from the ACTORS point of view on the stage) this is when the actor standing 
in the center of the stage moves to his left 
Stage Right
(these left/right directions are seen from the ACTORS point of view on the stage) this is when the actor standing 
in the center of the stage moves to his right 
Trap - 
opening in the floor of a stage where a performer or prop can disappear(trap doors in the floor)
Upstage - 
1) area of the stage that is the farthest away from the audience 
2) when one actor moves to the back of the stage and causes another actor to turn away from the audience
     called "upstaging"
3) when an actor draws attention to himself and away from the main action of a play

Wings - 
areas of the stage that are to the sides of the acting area and are out of view usually masked by curtains


OTHER TERMS
Act -
1) the main sections of a musical or play
2) the thing which actors can do

Audition
a time when an actor goes before a group of people who are casting a play to show those people what he can do
Belt
in musical theater, a style of singing which uses a loud, full tone 
Black Out
quick shutting off of all the stage lights 
Blocking
instructions that actors use to know exactly where they are supposed to be on stage at all times 
Book
script of a play or libretto of a musical 
Break A Leg
something people tell actors to wish them "Good Luck" before a performance or audition 
Call
the time that an actor must report to the theater for either a performance or rehearsal. 
Callback
when an actor who has auditioned for a show is asked to come back for a second tryout 
Casting
when the director chooses actors to be characters in a play or musical 
Cue
signals that are given to both the actors, the crew, the musicians and any others working on a show 
Curtain
screen usually of cloth which separates the stage from the audience 
Curtain call
bows at the end of a performance 
Dialogue
words which are spoken in a play 
Dress Rehearsal
rehearsal, usually just before a show opens, to practice the show just how it will be on opening night, including 
costumes and make-up; a rehearsal for both cast and crew 
Exit - 
stage direction telling an actor to leave the stage 
Hand Props - 
those objects used to tell the story which are handled by actors in a production 
Historical Content -
all of the factors relevant to understanding and interpreting a piece of literature or a song at a given moment in history
House Lights - 
lights that are used to light up the auditorium where the audience sits 
Intermission - 
a recess between parts of a performance or production, such as for a theatrical play, opera, concert, or film screening
Libretto
term that describes the book or script of a musical or opera (literally "little book") 
Marking Out - 
when the stage is marked with tape to show where furniture and props should be placed during the performance
Matinee
an afternoon performance of a show 
Monologue
speech given by one actor on stage 
Notes
meeting a director usually has after a rehearsal or performance to tell the cast and crew how he felt about their performance and to make any changes he may think are necessary 
Overture - 
beginning music in musical theater which usually gives the audience an idea of the music to come and gets 
them into the feeling of the show 
Personal Props - 
props that are carried by an actor in his costume during a performance 
Playbill
1) a program (booklet) that contains information about a production 
2) posters used to advertise a production 
Preset - 
when either a prop, costume or something else used in a production is placed in or around the stage before the 
start of a performance 
Prompt - 
as actors move from using the script to no script the prompter follows the play in a book and gives a portion of 
a line to an actor, if needed, to help them remember the line 
Props - 
all the items used in a play to tell the story not including the scenery or costumes, the short forms of "Properties"
Rehearsal
period of practice before the beginning of a show in which the actors and director work on the development of 
the show 
Reprise
in musical theater, when either a whole song or part of a song is repeated 
Run
number of times a show is performed 
Run-through
rehearsal in which the actors perform the show from the very beginning to the very end; "Run the show" 
is another way of saying the same thing 
Running-Time
amount of time it takes to perform the play from beginning to end not including any intermissions; as theater is 
live performance, this can vary slightly for each performance
Song - 
combination of words (often poetry) set to music that is sung
Stage Directions - 
when a script contains information for the actors giving them specific entrances and exits
Standby
person who understudies a single role (or more) but is not part of the chorus or ensemble of a musical or play
Strike
to take the set apart when a show ends
Subtext
feelings behind the words a character speaks
Technical Rehearsal
usually the first time a play is rehearsed in the place where it is going to be seen by the audience and in which the scenery, sound and lighting are used; this rehearsal can be done with or without costumes; "Tech" is the slang 
for this process 
Timing
when an actor has the ability to say or do something at the best moment for the most effect 
Understudy - 
actor who studies the lines and blocking of a role, and is able to take over for the original cast member in a role
Wardrobe
stock of costumes and accessories which are owned by a theater group