Gerwhsin's Magic Key: NSO Family Concert

Classical Kids LIVE!

75 Musicians Led by One Conductor

Family Concert

At today’s concert, conductor Benjamin Rous will direct the 75 members of the National Symphony Orchestra in playing the music.

The conductor is a person who leads the orchestra. Conductors generally use their right hand to tell the orchestra how fast to play and use their left hand to tell the musicians how loud or soft to play. Some use a slender white stick called a baton as they conduct.

During the concert, watch how the conductor communicates with the musicians.

David M. Rubenstein Chairman Deborah F. Rutter President Darrell M. Ayers Vice President, Education

Presented in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall

Photo by Bassel Jadaa

A Good Audience… stays seated, stays quiet, watches and listens carefully, and claps. Have fun!

Wait! There’s More!

Musical Instrument “Petting Zoo” One hour before the concert, enjoy hands-on fun in the Kennedy Center Atrium with the instruments that the musicians will play on stage. A project of the Women’s Committee for the NSO.

Kids’ Chat After the 4 p.m. performance, stick around to ask questions of the conductor and concert artists on stage.

Upcoming Family Concerts Please plan to join us for next season’s National Symphony Orchestra Family Concerts for full orchestra, held on Sunday afternoons in the Concert Hall. Check www.kennedycenter.org/nso/programs/family for dates and details.

Macy’s and Washington Gas are the proud sponsors of the NSO Family Concerts.

Additional support for the NSO Family Concerts is provided by The Clark Charitable Foundation; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; an endowment from the Ryna and Melvin Cohen Family Foundation; the U.S. Department of Education; and the Women’s Committee for the National Symphony Orchestra.

Major support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts and the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts.

www.kennedy-center.org/artsedge

The NSO also presents full orchestra Young People’s Concerts for school groups in the Concert Hall each season during the school day for grades 3 through 6.

Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, an education program of the Kennedy Center.

For more about NSO education programs, see www.kennedy-center.org/nso/nsoed

Learn more about education at the Kennedy Center at www.kennedy-center.org/education

Orchestra Interactive Enjoy an interactive exploration of orchestras, their instruments, and their music at the Perfect Pitch Web site at: artsedge.kennedy-center.org/perfectpitch

The contents of this Cuesheet have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education but do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. © 2015 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Go to KC Connections on ARTSEDGE artsedge.kennedy-center.org/students/kc-connections

Music by George Gershwin Lyrics by Ira Gershwin Produced by Classical Kids Music Education Written by Will Martin, Elizabeth Wheeler, and Paul Pement Conducted by Benjamin Rous Directed and produced by Paul Pement Performed by actors Elic Bramlett and Leslie Ann Sheppard

David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of the NSO.

Performances for Young Audiences is made possible by

About the Story

Gershwin’s Greatest Hits

Welcome to the 1920s in New York City—an exciting time full of new buildings, new immigrants (people who move from one country to another), and new music. On a street known as Tin Pan Alley (because songwriters played so much piano, the sounds could be heard all day long), a young boy who loves music sells newspapers. A thrilling adventure begins when, by chance, he meets the famous composer George Gershwin (pronounced GER-shwin).

Together—with a little help from their imaginations— they explore the many sights and musical sounds of New York City.

Gershwin learns the Kid has musical talent…but can the boy find the magic key to unlock it?

During the show, you’ll hear some of Gershwin’s most famous music—some of which you may already know from movies, television shows, and commercials.

Notice the many different types of pieces Gershwin wrote—music for movies, Broadway musicals, concert halls…even the opera stage! And listen up for Gershwin’s toe-tapping songs, many of which include lyrics (words) written by his older brother Ira.

About the Performance During today’s performance, you’ll hear popular pieces by George Gershwin played by the National Symphony Orchestra as two actors perform a story inspired by real events in the composer’s life. The actors will play the roles of George Gershwin and his young friend, but sometimes they change their voices to become different people in the story.

“Kaleidoscope” Composer If you’ve ever looked through a kaleidoscope (kah-LEYE-duh-skope), you know that different colors can sometimes blend together to make a beautiful work of art. This is kind of what happens with George Gershwin’s music. Gershwin, whose parents came to New York City from Russia, started playing music when he was just 12 years old. He enjoyed many musical styles—from African-American jazz and blues, to Tin Pan Alley songs, to classical melodies and beyond—and eventually mixed many of them together to create his own unique American sound.

A Famous Rhapsody At the end of the performance, you’ll hear one of Gershwin’s most popular pieces. It features a lot of piano, and the music includes sounds that might remind you of things—like the honking of a horn, the pounding of a hammer, or the motion of a train. Rhapsody in Blue was a new type of music for audiences in the 1920s because it put together free-wheeling jazz melodies and a classical orchestra.

Listen for what the actor playing Gershwin says about jazz tunes and classical music—do you think Gershwin’s pieces are good to dance to or are best heard in the concert hall? Or both?

Listen for…

4 s taccato (stah - KAH - toh) — short and choppy — notes like those in the opening music or legato (leh-GAH-toh) — smooth and sweet — notes like those in the song “ Summertime” that Gershwin sings 4 h ow Gershwin sometimes uses a single instrument (like the clarinet or the piano) or an entire orchestra to create a variety of sounds 4 m usic that makes you think of something other than just notes (such as ripples of water or sounds of the busy city ) 4 the instrument that’s the “magic key” 4 t he term “melting pot,” which describes the blending of cultures of different people who came to America (like the families of Gershwin and the Kid )

About the Story

Gershwin’s Greatest Hits

Welcome to the 1920s in New York City—an exciting time full of new buildings, new immigrants (people who move from one country to another), and new music. On a street known as Tin Pan Alley (because songwriters played so much piano, the sounds could be heard all day long), a young boy who loves music sells newspapers. A thrilling adventure begins when, by chance, he meets the famous composer George Gershwin (pronounced GER-shwin).

Together—with a little help from their imaginations— they explore the many sights and musical sounds of New York City.

Gershwin learns the Kid has musical talent…but can the boy find the magic key to unlock it?

During the show, you’ll hear some of Gershwin’s most famous music—some of which you may already know from movies, television shows, and commercials.

Notice the many different types of pieces Gershwin wrote—music for movies, Broadway musicals, concert halls…even the opera stage! And listen up for Gershwin’s toe-tapping songs, many of which include lyrics (words) written by his older brother Ira.

About the Performance During today’s performance, you’ll hear popular pieces by George Gershwin played by the National Symphony Orchestra as two actors perform a story inspired by real events in the composer’s life. The actors will play the roles of George Gershwin and his young friend, but sometimes they change their voices to become different people in the story.

“Kaleidoscope” Composer If you’ve ever looked through a kaleidoscope (kah-LEYE-duh-skope), you know that different colors can sometimes blend together to make a beautiful work of art. This is kind of what happens with George Gershwin’s music. Gershwin, whose parents came to New York City from Russia, started playing music when he was just 12 years old. He enjoyed many musical styles—from African-American jazz and blues, to Tin Pan Alley songs, to classical melodies and beyond—and eventually mixed many of them together to create his own unique American sound.

A Famous Rhapsody At the end of the performance, you’ll hear one of Gershwin’s most popular pieces. It features a lot of piano, and the music includes sounds that might remind you of things—like the honking of a horn, the pounding of a hammer, or the motion of a train. Rhapsody in Blue was a new type of music for audiences in the 1920s because it put together free-wheeling jazz melodies and a classical orchestra.

Listen for what the actor playing Gershwin says about jazz tunes and classical music—do you think Gershwin’s pieces are good to dance to or are best heard in the concert hall? Or both?

Listen for…

4 s taccato (stah - KAH - toh) — short and choppy — notes like those in the opening music or legato (leh-GAH-toh) — smooth and sweet — notes like those in the song “ Summertime” that Gershwin sings 4 h ow Gershwin sometimes uses a single instrument (like the clarinet or the piano) or an entire orchestra to create a variety of sounds 4 m usic that makes you think of something other than just notes (such as ripples of water or sounds of the busy city ) 4 the instrument that’s the “magic key” 4 t he term “melting pot,” which describes the blending of cultures of different people who came to America (like the families of Gershwin and the Kid )

Classical Kids LIVE!

75 Musicians Led by One Conductor

Family Concert

At today’s concert, conductor Benjamin Rous will direct the 75 members of the National Symphony Orchestra in playing the music.

The conductor is a person who leads the orchestra. Conductors generally use their right hand to tell the orchestra how fast to play and use their left hand to tell the musicians how loud or soft to play. Some use a slender white stick called a baton as they conduct.

During the concert, watch how the conductor communicates with the musicians.

David M. Rubenstein Chairman Deborah F. Rutter President Darrell M. Ayers Vice President, Education

Presented in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall

Photo by Bassel Jadaa

A Good Audience… stays seated, stays quiet, watches and listens carefully, and claps. Have fun!

Wait! There’s More!

Musical Instrument “Petting Zoo” One hour before the concert, enjoy hands-on fun in the Kennedy Center Atrium with the instruments that the musicians will play on stage. A project of the Women’s Committee for the NSO.

Kids’ Chat After the 4 p.m. performance, stick around to ask questions of the conductor and concert artists on stage.

Upcoming Family Concerts Please plan to join us for next season’s National Symphony Orchestra Family Concerts for full orchestra, held on Sunday afternoons in the Concert Hall. Check www.kennedycenter.org/nso/programs/family for dates and details.

Macy’s and Washington Gas are the proud sponsors of the NSO Family Concerts.

Additional support for the NSO Family Concerts is provided by The Clark Charitable Foundation; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; an endowment from the Ryna and Melvin Cohen Family Foundation; the U.S. Department of Education; and the Women’s Committee for the National Symphony Orchestra.

Major support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts and the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts.

www.kennedy-center.org/artsedge

The NSO also presents full orchestra Young People’s Concerts for school groups in the Concert Hall each season during the school day for grades 3 through 6.

Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, an education program of the Kennedy Center.

For more about NSO education programs, see www.kennedy-center.org/nso/nsoed

Learn more about education at the Kennedy Center at www.kennedy-center.org/education

Orchestra Interactive Enjoy an interactive exploration of orchestras, their instruments, and their music at the Perfect Pitch Web site at: artsedge.kennedy-center.org/perfectpitch

The contents of this Cuesheet have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education but do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. © 2015 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Go to KC Connections on ARTSEDGE artsedge.kennedy-center.org/students/kc-connections

Music by George Gershwin Lyrics by Ira Gershwin Produced by Classical Kids Music Education Written by Will Martin, Elizabeth Wheeler, and Paul Pement Conducted by Benjamin Rous Directed and produced by Paul Pement Performed by actors Elic Bramlett and Leslie Ann Sheppard

David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of the NSO.

Performances for Young Audiences is made possible by