Ravel: Pavane pour une Infante Défunte
This program illustrates how melody is used to move musical pieces along in one continuous flow. Beginning with a long, slow strain, we see and hear Ravel’s melody progress through a series of changes and variations created by the addition of diff...
Mozart: Overture to "The Marriage of Figaro"
Using Mozart’s lively operatic piece, this program illustrates how composers weave together musical ideas to bring contrast and texture to their music. Abrupt pizzicatos, resounding fanfares, and languid melodies presented as a series of quick edi...
Milhaud: Bœuf sur le Toit
In this progam, the orchestra uses lighthearted café music from the Milhaud ballet set in a Paris nightclub to illustrate how the use of various keys adds color to the musical landscape. Different instruments, performing the pieces in major and min...
Stravinsky: Devil’s Dance from A Soldier’s Tale and Vivo and Finale from Pulcinella
This energetic program illustrates how unpredictable rhythms punctuate musical pieces, and how different instruments are used to create the effect. The orchestra dissects the two Stravinsky pieces line-by-line, illustrating the composer’s use of s...
Appalachian spring
How "musical space" is used to create drama in classical pieces is explored by examining this famous work of American composer Aaron Copland. Mixing small musical steps with giant leaps between notes and chords, the orchestra shows how Copland devel...