Performing for Schools

[m1469]

I am going to be starting my public schools tour ( ) in a couple of months and I am wondering something....

So far my program is as follows :

Mozart  :
Zwolf Variationen uber .. Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman

Chopin :
Raindrop Op 28 no 15
Maybe Op 28 1-3

Beethoven :
Fur Elise
1st Mov Moonlight


Question :


1.  Do you think the kids could sit through the entire Twinkle and Variations ?


Thanks,
m1469

[arensky]

You might want to omit the repeats in the "Twinkles", but I would be more worried about them during the second Chopin Prelude...maybe play the 7th one (A major) instead?

[Bob]

I would keep the whole thing short.  30 minutes at most.  Maybe pick of few of the most exciting variations.

Watch out for their pianos.  Probably won't be a grand.  Probably only good enough to play chords really, if chords.  Repetition is slow.  Uneven action.  Maybe be out of tune. 

Throw in Disney or Spongebob and they will love it.

[Ruro]

Throw in Disney or Spongebob and they will love it.

CHRIST, of all the forums in the world and I go to the one's with Spongebob mentioned!? BLASPHOMY.

Concurred though, they might need something they recognize. I heard Vivaldi's music most days walking into the Assembly, and frankly classical music failed to appeal to me being the same old gentle strings all the time... normal teachers don't understand Classical FIRE :/ Then again I doubt they enjoyed it either (I know my Head Teacher did!)

If you like I'll try and transcribe the Pokemon theme for you The possibilities!

Pika Pika! *Jukebox*
*Jigs* You've been such a good friend! I known you since I don't know when!
*Continues Jigging* Pokemon!

[BoliverAllmon]

the Baytown Symphony actually went to a local elementary and played an orchestral versino of Spongebob. OUCH it sucked.

[debussy symbolism]

Greetings.

I think it's great that you chose these pieces. Make sure to tell them about the variations(How they are pieces made upon a theme). I am playing them myself(still needs perfecting). I haven't yet played the preludes yet, but that's gotta be good. Any reason you chose this repertoire?

[m1469]

You might want to omit the repeats in the "Twinkles", but I would be more worried about them during the second Chopin Prelude...maybe play the 7th one (A major) instead?

Well, I of course thought about the second Chopin, but I might go ahead and chance it.  It's strange and different enough (for most of them) that it might actually get their attention, but if it doesn't, it's only a page long and sandwitched by two fast and up-beat pieces.  Plus, it's a great contrast for the other two.   I will continue to consider it though.... and your suggestion is good.

I will probably take your suggestion and omit the repeats in the Twinkle.

Greetings.

I think it's great that you chose these pieces. Make sure to tell them about the variations(How they are pieces made upon a theme). I am playing them myself(still needs perfecting). I haven't yet played the preludes yet, but that's gotta be good. Any reason you chose this repertoire?

Yeah, I thought Twinkle and the Variations would be good for several reasons... 1, they will recognize the theme  2.  we could actually do some learning about the form and have some sort of communcation about the variations and recognizing the theme within it... and so on.  Plus, I think they will just love it.

Well, I have chosen the Chopin's because they are short and probably impressive for those guys... plus one of my big things is to help them be more exposed to "Classical" music, and Chopin's preludes are big on my list.  Also, I am going to be doing a solo concert that programs these preludes (and some others) and I am looking to get in some lower-stress performances with them.  So, it seemed like a great choice to me.

The Twinkles I chose primarily because of their expected appeal to the audience... yet they can learn something new too.  Plus, why not have those in my repertoire ? 

I am needing to fill in the program a little more, as I am aiming at about 20-25 mins.  I thought it would be fun to end with some sort of flashy jazzy piece that they might recognize, like the Entertainer or something.  I am open to any suggestions.  I don't think I will be doing any Disney or SpongeBob, they will recognize Twinkle, and part of the point is to help them be exposed to music they don't necessarily hear all of the time, but will probably enjoy.  As a side note, a lot of those Disney pieces don't actually sound like what the kids know when only played on the piano, because normally there is singing with it.  So, they might not even recognize it anyway.

One thing I thought might be fun to do, is have somebody who has never touched a piano before volunteer to come up and learn something that I would play a duet with ... but, we'll see about that  .

Thanks for your responses,
m1469

[contrapunctus]

I like your idea in trying to spread classical music to the schools, but I am afraid it will never catch on. If the schools you are playing are anything like my school, you can garauntee that, at most, two people know who Chopin is. They will like the theme in the Mozart, but you will lose their attention after that. I would not be suprised if they started talking about other things about two or three minutes through the performance.
It is unfortunate really.

[m1469]

Well, he he... first of all, I am going to give it a try no matter what anybody says.  I have experienced first hand that kids can be VERY interested in Classical music.  And, I will do my best as a performer to open these gates to them.  Nobody needs to previously know who Chopin is, and that's not the point.  I am introducing them to something they may not be introduced to otherwise, and more than introducing them to "classical" music, I am introducing them to good music (as in, included within other forms of "good" music).

All of my piano students, including the kids, are interested in Classical music, not every piece, but the stuff they feel is good and speaks to them.  And, it does speak to them.  They just think it's good music and they have fun playing it and listening to it.

We'll see anyway how it goes.  At the very least, I will gain my desired performance experience, so I haven't much to lose.


m1469

[debussy symbolism]

Perhaps you might want to include a piece that they are familiar with, to get their attention. Contrapunctus is right the students at that school aren't going to sit through the variations, especially if they are repeated. My suggestion is instead of repeating them, play them once and fill in the time with a "catchy" and easy pieces that they can understand. I at school often times sit at the piano to not waste time, playing Mozart's alla turca... Guess what... Practically nobody even notices, they are so inured into their pleasures, whatever feeble their comforts may be. However when someone else plays a melody familiar to them they instantaneously react. I am not sure about Fur Elise, you could try that. These are just my suggestions. Hope this helps.

[debussy symbolism]

I would also like to say that I don't think that starting with a slow piece is going to get their attention either.

[jamie_liszt]

Can I bring up Lang Langs School performance, he also did the same thing. He Captured there attention first off with something well known and also Hard. Horowitz transcription of Stars and Stripes. Then I think he played other classical stuff after that. Been a while since i see the link to it. anyone seen it before ? It was a huge primary school!

[Bob]

How about a Gershwin piece?  I've Got Rhythm?

What age are these kids you are performing for?
What's the setting?  Gym, music room, their regular classroom?

Did anyone do variations on chop sticks?  A decent arrangement?


The Star and Stripes is on this site somewhere.  I ask before.  Someone did respond.  It's here somewhere.


You can win the crowd... Pink Pather, theme from Titantic... oh yeah...


In all seriousness, are there any decent version of that stuff?  The very popular things -- Disney, Spongebob, etc.  Has anyone made a real piano arrangement of them?  Something that actually sounds good?  Something like that could be useful for winning over and interesting your audience in case like this.

[contrapunctus]

Fur Elise sounds really good for this type of performance. And before you play it, you can teach them who Beethoven was !

I am serious, most people will only know his name and nothing else.

[AvoidedCadence]

You must not sell out.

If you have the time and energy, you could learn a Radiohead transcription.  Better yet, learn a Liszt transcription.  Seriously though - virtuosity in any form is guaranteed to get attention from kids that age (and anybody else).  Also stuff that's rhythmic - like a lot of Prokofiev, Mendelssohn, Bartok, Scarlatti, ...

When I was primary-school age, I didn't care about Chopin - I liked Bach (short pieces and inventions) - the shorter works are really accessible, especially if people understand what they are listening to (imitation, etc.)  Seriously.

Really, I don't know, though ... the very idea of what the response might be makes me doubt the goodness of the universe.

[Bob]

The whole Moonlight sonata might be interesting.

[debussy symbolism]

Some of Prokofiev or Bartok might be good. I myself am to start Prokofiev's March from the 12 Easy pieces for the piano. It is driving, exciting, dissonant, Prokofievan, and awesome. You could try that. Bartok, perhaps. Bartok's piano writing is very complicated rhythmically and harmonically, as well as melodically so I don't think that they will understand that. You could try his "Chords together and in opposition" from Microkosmos, it is driving, exciting, rhythmically complex(I think), and Bartok like. You could also try his Bear dance, but I don't know. They are all awesome and not too dissonant for them to appreciate. Hope this helps.

[debussy symbolism]

You could also "test out" some pieces infront of a young audience to see what they like.

[m1469]

You could also "test out" some pieces infront of a young audience to see what they like.

What exactly do you mean by this ?  Do you mean play parts or beginnings of them and ask them if they like it and want me to continue ?


I am appreciative of all of the ideas in this thread.  I actually think that Fur Elise will be a good idea too, after Chopin (which I am going to do (unless I change my mind  )).  I am going to add it to my program for now.   

Thanks again,
m1469

[debussy symbolism]

What exactly do you mean by this ?  Do you mean play parts or beginnings of them and ask them if they like it and want me to continue ?

Pick a shorter piece, not the variations at first to start them off, let's say Fur Elise. They will most likely enjoy the piece(everyone, whether children or adults) through out. Then play some short pieces like the Chopin Preludes and see how they react to that. Which ones are you playing? I would go with the "Raindrop" prelude because it is "simple" beautifull, and beautifull again. If they don't like the preludes, try something more energetic and fast. I think the Prokofiev March would do the thing. Also children react to melodies they already know. That is why the go nuts for lets say..."The rugrats" theme, etc. Which is why Fur Elise is "popular" amongst them, because they know the theme(ya-da, ti-da, ti-da di du dummm, du-du-du-dummm, etc. Which is why I would save the preludes for later of the "concert" because they are unfamiliar and yes complex to them. So yes play the entire piece to the "test audience" and see how they react. I would suggest, fast and "popular"(Fur Elise) first, esoteric and complex(to them) later. Hope this helps.

m1469

[m1469]

Well, I have listed which ones I am playing at the top of this thread.  I am playing 1-3, but it is not necessarily as though they would recognize the Raindrop over those guys, although I do know that my students absolutely loved it.  We'll see I guess.

I will think about your ideas.  One of the things I like about what you suggested is the "go with the flow" plan behind it all.  Ultimately, I quite enjoy improvisation.  It's getting me thinking differently about the event, in a good way.

Actually, I am sort of thinking about maybe playing something that they are around more often....  maybe as an encore... hehe  .  I mean, if somebody came to school when I was that age and ripped out some kind of awesome version of some .... ?, I guess video game music (although, let's just say that things were mostly just getting started with video games when I was their age), I would probably have loved it.  But it simply must be truly good.

It's funny, I am getting more inspired about this project with each new post, thanks everyone 

m1469

[m1469]

Just to add a thought... something cool about the Raindrop Prelude would be that I could talk about the "raindrop" that you can hear throughout the piece.  The repeated notes in the middle register... play a little example, and then play the piece.  Or something like that.  hmmmmm.... I am feeling very much like an educator (or at least like a wanna be).


m1469

[debussy symbolism]

Oh yes video game music. They go absolutely crazy over something from a computer game(quite beautifull actually). You could do that.

[debussy symbolism]

And the middle section(minor). You could suggest menacing cloud. And once the major mode begins the weather has cleared. Just a suggestion.

[m1469]

he he... I should probably learn how to play blindfolded and then backwards like the blindfolded (Mario Bros) pianist....

I guess I am realizing that more than just wanting them to be interested in Classical music, I want them to be interested in music (in general), and the piano especially  

Sometimes I get really stuffy about things.... Just tell me to knock it off, m1469 !!  , in the future (except for be careful because, I might bite you if you really say that   )

[debussy symbolism]

I hope you a good concert.

[Bob]

Knock it o....

(reads carefully and shuts up)

[clef]

I am going to be starting my public schools tour ( ) in a couple of months and I am wondering something....

So far my program is as follows :

Mozart  :
Zwolf Variationen uber .. Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman

Chopin :
Preludes 1-3

Beethoven :
Fur Elise


Question :


1.  Do you think the kids could sit through the entire Twinkle and Variations ?


Thanks,
m1469

make them....   

[Bob]

Shorter is better than longer.  If they like it, they'll want more.  If they hate it, then it wasn't so long for them.


The way you'll really know what works is to do some performances.

Kids change daily.  They may love it one day and hate it the next.  You can't go by what they say either.

[m1469]

what do you guys think about playing the first movement on Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven ?  Everybody loves that and wants to play it as soon as they can it seems.

(I feel a little strange playing these pieces... but in a way, learning them makes me feel like a real pianist  )

[Bob]

Sure.  The teachers will like it too.  Win the teachers over.  The teacher influence the kids.

Don't forget to leave business cards for the kids that want lessons.

Good luck!

[jamie_liszt]

1st mvt of moonlight sonata is too boring for school childeren, maybe the third movement.

[m1469]

1st mvt of moonlight sonata is too boring for school childeren, maybe the third movement.

How do you know ? 

[Bob]

What age are these kids?

I wouldn't put the slow piece first, but I think they would recognize it.

[m1469]

Well, I think they are from Kindergarteners up through 14 year olds.  I am not sure it goes that high though.   The next one will be 11-14 year olds.

I won't put it first, I realize it's slow and stuff.  I think I will start off with Fur Elise, as somebody suggested earlier on, and go from there.

We'll see.


m1469 

[lufia]

im not so sure the raindrop prelude is a good idea, people at my school love the nocture in e flat and the raindrop sounds a bit dull to them

[Bob]

You might want to have something else ready just in case.  An encorce piece.

[lufia]

i really wouldn't recommend the prelude...!! its taboo

[mike_lang]

.

[jamie_liszt]

Mozart Rondo alla turca, Beethoven Fur else, Chopin heroic polonaise, Fantasie impromtu. are all examples of popular classical pieces. maybe even symphony no 5 by beethoven. moonlight 3rd or pathetique 3rd. maybe even the 1st mvt of pathetique.

Its just my opinion that little kids will hate slow music. unless they have heard it a billion times that they wont care. idk.

[mike_lang]

.

[m1469]

hmmm.... well, first of all, I will not be bothered explaining myself to people who are not reading what I have actually put there as my program and are making assumptions without being familiar with the music.


Second of all, though I have never done this particular thing before, aside from teaching piano/music, I have indeed worked with tons of kids and tons of people throughout my life in various venues.  I have done musical projects with groups of kids where, of all things, they made cardboard replicas of orchestral instruments and acted as though they were playing these to a recording of a Mozart piano concerto (and everybody wanted to play the piano  ), performing it for the rest of their school.  They were totally into it and a few of them actually kept their cardboard instrument around their house for a up to a year later.  If they can get into this, they can get into the real thing.


I suppose I am going to need to trust my own experience along these matters though I haven't much experience with this exact thing.   I will of course consider suggestions from others, and I thank you for them too.  But, I would just like to say that I believe that some people are greatly underestimating kids.


I guess we'll just have to wait and see

m1469

[Bob]

You may want to tell the music teacher or whoever is setting this up with you and have them put you on the school calendar or just have them remind the other teachers.  There are lots of things that go on at schools and sometimes things end up conflicting at the last minute.

Call and confirma couple days in advance.

You don't to show up and have them unprepared.