Storytelling Through Music
- Residencies
- Available Residencies
- Storytelling Through Music
- Available Residencies
Storytelling Through Music
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- Did You Know?
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Musicopia and Auricolae have worked together to commission 11 new works for the ensemble, thus creating an entirely new genre of music for kids.
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Auricolae
This innovative residency leads students through an intimate investigation of the emotional and narrative potential of music. Students learn how sound can be organized to create musical compositions that express or tell a story. The residency begins with a concert for the entire school in which Auricolae performs its unique repertoire of musical settings of both familiar and less-well-known stories. Each assembly concludes with a large-group discussion about the relationship between music and text. If you have heard "Peter and the Wolf," Auricolae’s repertoire is similar to this except that the tales are accompanied by a small string ensemble. Next, in a sequence of workshops, a classroom that has been designated by the school will work closely with the members of Auricolae to create their own piece of music based on a story written by students. The music will illustrate emotions and actions of characters, scenery, and plot development. The final assembly consists of a reading of the story with music provided by Auricolae and the students.
During the workshops students will learn: 1) To articulate a story's plot, theme, and characters; 2) To identify the emotional and narrative aspects of sounds; 3) To organize sounds in order to create compositions; 4) To make connections between musical expressions and text; 5) To communicate through written, spoken and musical means; 6) To identify the capabilities of stringed instruments (violin, viola and cello); and 7) To use a musical notation system that is appropriate for age and level. In the end, students will have set their own story to music, using all of the tools above. In particular, the musicians of Auricolae will demonstrate how to use various different forms of “graphic notation,” including figurative pictures, charts, abstract artwork, and more. Students learn to connect their ideas for sounds to concrete images on a page. These images are translated into sound by the versatile and creative teaching artists.
This residency is particular useful to students whose literacy skills are just emerging. By working on connections between literacy and music, students will explore how to communicate through written, spoken and musical means. Even pre-literate students can create their own story and, over the course of multiple visits, explore how to set their own text to music. This residency can also have a strong arts and craft element with students making sets and props.
Auricolae offers this residency to students from preschool through the upper elementary grades. It enriches any literacy curriculum and ideally involves a high degree of participation on the part of the classroom teachers.
David Yang and Tom Kraines lead the workshop sessions, and are joined by Carlos Rubio for the assembly performances.