ASO

A Musical Journey Through the American South

Join trail guides Bug and Bee for an interactive, educational concert that turns the concert hall into a hiking trail. Students will pick a trail name, learn a traveling song, and explore five distinct Southern regions—each brought to life through orchestral masterpieces and playful storytelling.

Featured Works

• Savannah River Holiday by Ron Nelson

• Catfish Row Suite from George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess (featuring "Summertime")

• Reflections on Georgia by Emily Anne Klayman (student composer) see below

• Variations on a Shaker Melody (from Appalachian Spring) by Aaron Copland

• Mississippi River Suite by Ferde Grofé: "Father of the Waters," "Huckleberry Finn," and "Mardi

This is a playlist of the pieces you will hear at the ASO concert. Below the playlist are a few versions of a song called "Simple Gifts" which is featured in one of the pieces on the concert. 

Choose a version and practice singing "Simple Gifts", then listen to a couple of minutes from each of the pieces (Savannah, Catfish, Shaker melody, and Mississippi River) to find the tune!

Version 1: plain ol' Karaoke

Version 2: with ASL (American Sign Language)

Version 3: Sing along with the world-famous King's Singers

Listen to a couple of minutes from each piece in the playlist, and notice

• tempo: largo, andante, moderato, allegro, presto
• meter: duple or triple?
• dynamics: quiet/piano or loud/forte or changing? 
• tonality: major, minor, or something else?
• timbre: which instruments or instrument families do you hear?
• What do you think is happening in the music?
• How does it make you feel?

AND find which piece has the "Simple Gifts" melody!

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CONCERTS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 

 JERRY HOU, Conductor 

RICHARD STRAUSS Theme from Also sprach Zarathustra, Opus 30 

RICHARD WAGNER Overture to Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman) 

JOHANN, JR. STRAUSS An der schönen blauen Donau, Opus 314 (On the Beautiful Blue Danube) 

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Mvt. IV, Allegro from Symphony No. 6 in F major, Opus 68 ("Pastorale") 

IV. Thunderstorm 

V. Shepherd's Song - Glad and grateful feelings after the storm 

II. Scene by the brook 

CLAUDE DEBUSSY Mvt. I, Nuages, Nocturnes Nuages (Clouds)

 

CONCERTS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 

JERRY HOU, Conductor 

Elizabeth Tiscione, oboe * 

Zach Boeding, oboe ~ 

Talise Trevigne, soprano + 

ELISE ARANCIO Bite Your Tongue for Orchestra and Tape 

VIET CUONG Extra(ordinarily) Fancy Concerto for Two Oboes 

JOEL THOMPSON La Lluvia for Soprano and Chamber Orchestra 

ANTONIO VIVALDI Mvt. I, Allegro from Concerto for Strings in C major, RV 114 

IGOR STRAVINSKY Selection from Le Sacre du Printemps 

SAMUEL BARBER Selection from First Essay for Orchestra, Opus 12 

Approximate music timing 37:00

  Stravinsky 100 Years After the Riot Excerpt starts at 22:22 ish

Viet Cuong · Extra(ordinarily) Fancy: Concerto for Two Oboes