Education is central to the TSO's mission,
and Simply Symphonic is the TSO's flagship educational offering. This
award-winning program is based on a nationally-recognized model pioneered at
the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra by our own Maestro Harvey Felder. In this day and age, most children have few
opportunities to experience the magic and power of a live professional symphony
orchestra. The program provides that
special performing arts experience in a way that links music to other aspects
of what they are learning in school.
Many arts education programs are simple introductory experiences that entertain and expose as many children as possible across
diverse age groups: the floodlight
approach. In contrast, Simply Symphonic is like a spotlight, focused solely on fifth-grade
students, in order to have maximum impact on them at a critical age – where
many may be on the verge of taking up instruments and discovering new talents –
rather than diluting the effect across a number of grade levels.
One of the program's hallmarks is the extensive curriculum guide provided for teachers. The guide is designed as a flexible resource, from which the teacher can choose different exercises, lessons and activities depending on their individual situation and needs. Along with the guide comes a listening CD featuring music to be performed at the concert, along with enriching instruction by Maestro Felder.
Teachers have quipped that it’s like having a famous conductor in the classroom!
Simply Symphonic includes four themes which are rotated annually. These include:
- The Audience Knows the Score: focusing on identifying listeners' innate and acquired knowledge about music
- Brilliant Brass: the exciting sound and history of brass instruments and what they teach us about the science of sound
- Many Happy Returns: an exploration of the patterns we see around us -- in life and in music
- Composer's Toolbox: an introduction to the composer's tools of the trade and how learning about them can help us be better listeners
Simply Symphonic's curriculum and presentations are
updated annually to maintain relevance to changing curriculum standards, as well as the
interests of today’s 10 year-olds. This ensures that teachers have a fresh
program to teach to each year and that the combined quartet of programs aligns
with evolving curriculum priorities across multiple disciplines. Each guide includes a listening list with the
CD, information about preparing for the live concert experience, three core
units, reference and resource lists, and student worksheets. At the start of each unit, the relevant EALRs
are specified, along with how the lesson supports the requirement.
The 2011 theme is "Brilliant Brass." Simply Symphonic concerts take place in the Pantages Theater and are scheduled for the following dates:
- Tuesday, April 12, 2011 10:00 a.m. & 11:30 a.m.
- Thursday, April 14, 2011 10:00 a.m. & 11:30 a.m.
To reserve space for your classroom, call 253-272-7264 and ask for Sheri Bolding, or
email Sheri. If you are interested in sponsoring a classroom or a school, call 253-272-7264 and ask for Executive Director Andrew Buelow, or
email Andy.