Welcome to your Listening Room
Today you are going to learn a little bit about opera and how operas usually open
with some samples of the music in the show. This opening part is called an overture.
You will be listening and moving to a very famous overture – the music that starts
the opera Carmen, written way back in the 1800s by French composer George Bizet.
Your will need the chart Oveture to Carmen.
Your teacher may already have given you a copy of this chart, but if not, you can
download a copy here and print it.
You can point to the beats on the chart as you listen to Rob counting.
If you wish they can find an instrument (or household object and have a go at playing along:
Find a biscuit tin or something similar to use as a drum, and a chopstick:
Theme 1: hit it on the top … drum part
Theme 2: hit it softly on the rim … triangle part
Theme 3: hit it on the side … stick part
Small dots equal soft, large dots equal louder.
Make sure that when you hit your drum, you can still hear the track and the counting.
The Music Room podcasts are written and presented by Rob and Lauren Fairbairn.
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Extension Activities
Watch and listen to performances of the Carmen Overture.
One is done by full orchestra, another by a youth percussion orchestra.
You will also see a TV ad you grandparents may have watched and sung along to.
Ask them 😊
NOTE FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS:
Many of the extension activities involve links to YouTube Videos.
We try to vet the content and immediate links, but we cannot be responsible for where YouTube links may lead.
As with any internet access, you are encouraged to monitor your child’s access to the internet as appropriate.
If you find any issues with any of the links, please let us know through the contact form at the bottom of the page.
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