- Preschool Programs
- Available Preschool Programs
- Fairy Tales, Folklore, and Fables
- Available Preschool Programs
Fairy Tales, Folklore, and Fables
Auricolae
Ferdinand the Bull, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and other best-loved stories from around the world are told through music and narration to the delight of pre-school students. The goals of the program are to introduce young people to the capabilities and range of classical bowed instruments and to encourage the audience to think about different ways to tell a story. Active audience participation and an emphasis on non-verbal communication are hallmarks of Auricolae’s presentation. In recounting a tale, actual words can be just one piece of a puzzle; you can tell a story without speaking at all and letting the music speak for itself! Students experience how music can color the text and evoke both feelings and thoughts.
What makes the program unique is that David Yang, leader of Auricolae, has collaborated with composers to create music specifically for this ensemble. The group's repertoire includes Ferdinand the Bull, An Adventure at Granny's (Little Red Riding Hood), The Rascally Rogue of the Beanstalk (Jack and the Beanstalk), Rumplestiltskin, Three Little Pigs, Princess and the Pea, The Prince Rooster, and Braggity Rabbit. Most of these pieces have been commissioned from Philadelphia composers by Auricolae in conjunction with Musicopia and received their world premieres in the schools!
Auricolae’s co-director, Tom Kraines, cello, and assisting artist, Carlos Rubio, violin, round out this versatile trio, with David performing as the adept narrator. Students learn about different composition techniques, such as “Sprechspiel”, which is the German word to describe the “speech of instruments.” Students help tell each one of these much-loved tales. Stay tuned, because David is now creating a new work for the trio—the setting of an African folk-tale (How the Turtle Got its Shell), which will feature the violin, viola and cello primarily as percussion instruments!
The content of this assembly can be expanded upon in the ensemble’s Fairy Tales, Folklore and Fables residency program.