“ The orchestra – the greatest machine ever invented” IA IN GRANDAGE 2017

2018

Learning & Engagement

schools concerts

2018 Schools Concerts Resource Kit © 2018

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Introduced Species 2014, rev. 2016 Katy Abbott Duration: approximately 18 minutes Year levels: Years 3 to 6 (Stages 2 and 3) and Years 7 to 8 (Stage 4) Written in the language of the Australian Curriculum in the Arts these resources include activities in each of the music learning areas: performing, composing and listening, and identify the key competencies reinforced in each activity.

Lesson Page Focus Activity 1 5 Listening/Composing 2 7 Performing/Listening and Geography 3 10 Composing/Listening 4 11 Composing/Performing 5 13 Animation challenge

Lesson Index Lesson 1: Students embark on a sound walk around the school. Students are challenged

to consider ‘everyday’ sounds within the context of musical experiences, thinking about the ways we can respond, categorise and group sound.

Lesson 2: Students explore ‘trash’ they would otherwise throw out. They categorise their waste and considering the different materials collected, identifying materials that can be found sound sources. The class forms a ‘trash’ ensemble, performing an adaptable, classroom arrangement of themes from Abbott’s Introduced Species.

Lesson 3: Students consider the idea of storytelling through music – exploring music and words. In groups, students create musical story soundscapes inspired by a word bank derived from Introduced Species.

Lesson 4: Student’s compose a short group piece in response to visual stimuli utilising the creative musical vocabulary and ideas acquired throughout Lessons 1-3 and notating their work using graphic notation.

Lesson 5: Students are invited to create an animation in response to excerpts from Introduced Species.

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Digital Support Materials Audio

Introduced Species (full recording) https://soundcloud.com/sydney-symphony/introduced-species-archival-rec-luke-dollman-melbourne-symphony-orchestra Excerpt 1: Siren theme https://soundcloud.com/sydney-symphony/introduced-species-archival-rec-luke-dollman-melbourne-symphony-orchestra#t=0:20 Excerpt 2: Lullaby theme https://soundcloud.com/sydney-symphony/introduced-species-archival-rec-luke-dollman-melbourne-symphony-orchestra#t=1:20 Excerpt 3: Awakening theme https://soundcloud.com/sydney-symphony/introduced-species-archival-rec-luke-dollman-melbourne-symphony-orchestra#t=3:23 Other

Introduced Species (animation excerpts) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xl2eXzkE3A&t=36s Introduced Species (analysis/process diary) http://www.katyabbott.com/latest/2015/1/8/resources Insight: Introduced Species (Resonate article) https://www.australianmusiccentre.com.au/article/insight-introduced-species

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Composer biography: Katy Abbott (b.1971) Katy Abbott is an Australian composer based in Melbourne. Abbott says of her music: 'In my music, I am trying to capture the little things that make us human or happen to us because we are human. I seek to unpack the human side of life; humour, foibles, quirky things we do and say, beauty, grief and friendship'. Abbott's compositions have been performed, published and recorded around the world, brought to life by many of leading Australian ensembles including Halcyon, The Song Company, Syzygy Ensemble, Ironwood Chamber Ensemble and several major symphony orchestras. Her works have been played in UK, Europe, Asia and the USA and featured in Australian and International music festivals. http://www.katyabbott.com Introduced Species “Introduced Species is a 19-20-minute work for orchestra in three continuous movements. The work is very programmatic in nature as per my current penchant for storytelling. The launching point for Introduced Species came from a work of art by Australian artist Matthew Quick…My work uses the story behind Intrepid Travellers (2010) from this series. In 1992, nearly 29,000 bath toys fell from the cargo ship Ever Laurel on its way from Hong Kong to the USA. Many of the bath toys were yellow rubber ducks. The ducks have since scattered and washed up on beaches all over the globe and even been sold on eBay (for quite a sum!). Scientists and oceanographers have studied their travels and been able to better understand ocean currents, wind patterns and ocean debris. Journalists, writers, artists have also shown much interest.” – Katy Abbott from Insight: Introduced Species The symphony is in three movements

1. Awakening takes on a Disneyesque picture of the tale where the audience is invited to think of the rubber ducks as personalities. The movement takes the form: Introduction – Lullaby – Awakening – Escape (from the ship)

2. Plummet, a 4-minute slow motion ‘snapshot’ of the larger than life rubber ducks plummeting to the ocean amidst sun, glistening sea-spray, evoking feelings of freedom.

3. Trash Vortex depicts the chemical sludge (made from broken down micro-plastics) alongside other

debris found within the Pacific Garbage Patch – a large circular ocean current that collects marine debris.

Key elements of music contained in this work x Timbre/Tone colour x Structure/form x Rhythm (duration) x Music storytelling by developing and exploring ideas At the conclusion of the activities students should be able to: x consider and categorise everyday sounds within a musical context x notate musical ideas through graphic notation x perform, understand and recognise significant themes (rhythmic and melodic ostinatos) from this work x compose a short group composition in response to a visual stimulus x improvise in response to words, visuals and musical ideas using a variety of sound sources.

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Listening Guide Introduced Species Track Cue Section Link 0:00–6:22 Movement I –

Awakening https://soundcloud.com/sydney-symphony/introduced-species-archival-rec-luke-dollman-melbourne-symphony-orchestra Introduction – Lullaby – Awakening – The Escape

6:22–0:27 Movement II – Plummet

https://soundcloud.com/sydney-symphony/introduced-species-archival-rec-luke-dollman-melbourne-symphony-orchestra#t=6:22 Suspension – slow motion (pixilation) – descending to the sea

10:27–18:14 Movement III – Trash Vortex

https://soundcloud.com/sydney-symphony/introduced-species-archival-rec-luke-dollman-melbourne-symphony-orchestra#t=10:26 Surging dirge, reality, beautiful melodies intertwined with the trash vortex texture – Repeat (not literal) – Albatross circling – Ending

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Sequential Classroom Activities Lesson 1: Listening/Composing What are you focusing on when you walk down the street? You might be concentrating on the direction you’re walking, thinking about the weekend, watching your step so you don’t trip over or perhaps you might notice something that’s strikingly out of the ordinary. Often our ‘sound’ world stays in the background and we tune out our noisy, everyday environment. 1. Lead students in a silent “sound walk” around the school - thinking about the locations you will visit that

offer different types of sounds (e.g.: the sounds you might hear emerging from the oval might be very different to what you hear in the library!). Before leaving the classroom, ask students to:

a) Remain silent and focus on using their ears not only their eyes b) Remember one sound ‘found’ on the walk c) Where in the school they heard that sound d) Consider a way they might imitate that sound using their voice or body percussion e) Create a physical movement that complements/responds to their chosen sound.

2. Upon returning to the classroom, create a classroom “Sound Jungle”. Using the remembered sound

from the walk, students are to loop their imitation and walk around the room with the aim of forming a group with students who are making a sound in some way similar/characteristic of their own. Use this activity in a variety of ways to generate discussion regarding the different ways we might listen and categorise sound:

a) Why did you form a group with the people around you? b) In what ways were your sounds similar? c) How can we categorise sound? (E.g. loud, soft, machine, nature, human, low, high, etc) d) Can we categorise the sounds we heard throughout the school? e) Did you hear anything that you hadn’t noticed before?

3. Continue the activity by partnering students up, asking students to:

a) Draw a picture/symbol that represents the sound (not a literal translation) of their partner on a sticky note

b) Swap partners and on a separate sticky note one word that in some way describes the sound (avoiding using a word that identifies the sound).

c) Collect sticky notes so as to reuse and repurpose in Lesson 3.

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Variations: 1. Construct a listening check list for step 1 that might draw students’ attention to different types of sounds.

Allow students to explore the school in groups, collecting and taking notes of where and what sounds have been found. e.g. What sounds can you find throughout the school that can be described by the words below?

2. Create a sound map of your school. Arrange the sticky notes and ‘found sounds’ across the map.

Type What Where

� Soft Air conditioner Library

� Loud Miss Andrew talking to Ms Walsh In the music staffroom

� High Music staff room Rubber chicken

� Low Truck driving past Main road near the playground

� Human Year 4 at PE At the oval

� Machine Jack hammer New playground construction site

� Nature Magpie in the tree Playground

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Lesson 2: Performing/Listening Movement 3: ‘Trash Vortex’ from Introduced Species considers the rubber ducks’ journey to the Pacific Garbage Patch or Trash Vortex – perhaps these cute toys are nothing more than bits of rubber, an introduced species to the complex oceanic system? Part 1 one of this lesson invites teachers to consider cross-curriculum links to Geography within:

Stage 2: The Earth’s Environment Stage 3: Factors That Shape Places Stage 4: Place and Liveability, Landscapes and Landforms; Interconnections

Invite students to bring a piece of rubbish that they have collected throughout the week to class:

1. Trash analysis: Facilitate discussion around the rubbish collected throughout the week and the different types of materials we dispose of. Questions could include:

a) Where did I find this rubbish/waste? Was there other rubbish/waste there? (place and/or space and/or environment; scale)

b) What type of rubbish/waste is it? Can this rubbish/waste be reused or recycled – why or why not? (sustainability)

c) How might the rubbish/waste have got to the place/space/environment where I found it? (interconnection)

d) From the Stage 2 syllabus: How can people use places and environments more sustainably? (place, environment, sustainability, scale)

e) From the Stage 2 syllabus: How do different views about the environment influence approaches to sustainability? (environment, interconnection, sustainability)

f) From the Stage 3 syllabus: How do people influence places and the management of spaces within them? (place, space, sustainability)

g) From the Stage 3 syllabus: How do peoples’ connections to places and environments affect their perception of them? (place, environment, scale)

h) From the Stage 4 syllabus: What are the consequences of a globally connected world for people and places? (place, interconnection, scale)

i) From the Stage 4 syllabus: How can strong community identity and social connectedness enhance the liveability of places? (place, interconnection, sustainability)

j) From the Stage 4 syllabus: What approaches can be used to improve the liveability of places? (place, sustainability, scale)

An ostinato is a repeated rhythmic or melodic pattern. This classroom arrangement explores 6 ostinatos to be repeated, exploring different combinations and layering of parts. Firstly, the three melodic ostinatos to be played on pitched percussion have been derived from three themes - Awakening, Siren and Lullaby - found throughout Introduced Species. Secondly, three rhythmic ostinatos marked “Introduced species” in the score allow students to explore their own found sound of choice.

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2. Introduced Species performance activity:

a) Begin by focusing on the three Introduced Species lines. Using rhythmic call and response, facilitate experimentation using found materials to create sound whilst considering the different types of materials collected and how we might categorise and group different materials.

b) Divide the three Introduced Species lines between these groups, directing an arrangement that explores different combinations of materials and parts.

c) Continue to explore the arrangement, learning then dividing parts amongst the class.

d) Devise a structure to your arrangement as a class.

e) Potential to introduced improvisation over arrangement – opportunities for short individual/group solos using found sounds or pitched percussion. A pitch limitation could be introduced for improvisation e.g. C, D, E, F, G

3. Listening “theme hunt”

a) Play audio excerpts 1 (Siren), 2 (Lullaby), 3 (Awakening) b) Ask students to identify which theme they believe featured in each excerpt c) Discuss in what ways each sounds like awakening, siren, lullaby

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4. In-school trash analysis (cross-curriculum: Geography) This activity could be completed by all Stages as an introductory task and then extended as appropriate to fit the focus of the unit in the relevant Stage.

a) All students and teachers will need to wear rubber gloves (or equivalent) and a disposable face

mask.

b) Lay a tarpaulin or equivalent on the ground and divide in to four sections: food rubbish/waste; plastic rubbish/waste; paper rubbish/waste; other rubbish/waste.

c) Students are invited to put their item of rubbish/waste in the appropriate section

d) Students are invited to observe the rubbish/waste and develop an annotated sketch (on paper or with the use of technology) to show the tarpaulin, sections of rubbish, smells/noise/aesthetics associated with each section. Remember to include a title for the annotated sketch and the date, time and location.

e) Students are to observe and tally: How much of the rubbish/waste in each section could be reused or recycled or is only for single-use

f) Students are to observe and discuss the following questions: Which section of rubbish/waste has the greatest/least amount? What are some possible reasons why? Where the rubbish/waste has come from and how long it might have existed as ‘rubbish/waste’? How noisy/smelly/ugly is each section of rubbish/waste? What could be done to minimise or reduce the amount of waste in the section with the most rubbish/waste?

For further ideas, assistance and support in developing cross-curriculum links with Geography in the context of this Arts program, please contact Susan Caldis (Vice President GTANSW; Unit convenor for HSIE Education and Geography in the Secondary School, Macquarie University) via email: susan.caldis@hdr.mq.edu.au

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Lesson 3: Composing/Listening 1. Quick soundscape

a) Randomly distribute the words and graphic notation sticky notes from Lesson 1 to the class. In small groups, students create a graphic score by arranging the sticky notes and interpreting the ‘score by creating and performing a short ‘soundscape’. In this activity, students are to use their voices only. Introduce the idea of creating a story through sound. Can music (with no words/lyrics!) tell us a story?

2. Revisiting Introduced Species

a) Play excerpts 1 (Siren), 2 (Lullaby), 3 (Awakening) again (without reminding students of what these excerpts are/associated themes)

b) Allow students to list words they associate with what they hear c) Discuss what they heard that made them choose the words listed.

“Sometimes, dots and lines are not enough and even if they are enough,

a word can be simple and very clear”- Katy Abbott 3. Music and words

a) The following word bank is made up of words found throughout Abbott’s score. b) Students are to devise a short group composition, grouping and selecting words from the ‘bank’

to create a musical story to be performed using a mix of classroom percussion and found sound materials collected in Lesson 2.

c) Students are encouraged to include one melodic ostinato from lesson 2 that they feel best matches with their chosen words.

Word bank Lullaby Sighing glissando Ethereal, distant Melancholy

Gutsy and clear With anticipation Steady Bold

Fragile Glassy With clarity Delicate

With breathy tone Like a magic spell With warmth With emerging hope

Introduced Species themes Awakening Siren Lullaby

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Lesson 4: Composing/Performing Katy Abbott’s Introduced Species is inspired by Matthew Quick’s painting Intrepid Travellers. Quick was inspired by a real-life event (rubber ducks escaping, travelling the world and then exploring the Trash Vortex). Animators responded to Katy’s piece – creating visuals to be performed live with her work. A senior student created a meal for her Food Technology assignment. We make art that comes about from the ideas, influences and people around us. 1. Students create a group composition combining various musical elements explored in lessons 1-3 in

response to a chosen visual stimulus. Depending on resources this stimulus could include excerpts from Introduced Species animations or paintings from Matthew Quick’s series Introduced Species. Students are to:

a) Critically and creatively respond to a visual stimulus

b) Include Introduced Species themes

c) Any combination of voice, body percussion classroom instruments, found sounds

d) Notate their composition by creating a graphic score that is representative of their creation

e) Reflect on the work of others (see Elements of Music scaffold on the following page)

Intrepid Travelers (2011) Quick

The Fugitives (2011) Quick

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Elements of Music scaffold

Rhythm (duration) Pitch

Dynamics & expression

Structure/form Timbre/tone colour Texture (layers of sound)

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Lesson 5: Animation Three animators responded to the music of Katy Abbott’s symphony Introduced Species. Excerpts from movements 2 and 3 can be heard/viewed here. Paul Fletcher, Robert Stephenson and Thom Fraser use different styles of animation to capture the intention of the music. Students are invited to refer to the listening guide on Page 4 to create an animation in response to their chosen excerpt – considering the mood, intention, themes, ideas behind Abbott’s music. Movement I: Awakening [0:00 – 6:22] Movement II: Plummet [6:22–10:27] Movement III: Trash Vortex [10:27–14.11] or [14.12–18:14] THE SSO ANIMATION CHALLENGE The SSO will perform Katy Abbot’s Introduced Species 9 times at the Seymour Centre. We invite students and young people who love to explore and create in media arts to participate in our animation challenge. Students may use any software to create the animation for one of the movements in work such as:

x PowerPoint

x AnimateIt for stop-motion animation

x DoInk for green screen activities

x iMovie

x Adobe Animate

x Adobe Character Animator

x Scratch and Scratch Junior

x Minecraft

x and more

Student animations need to be uploaded to YouTube. Students need to email their YouTube link with:

x their name and age, x a short description of what appealed to them in the music to inspire their visual representation, and x which animation tools they selected,

to education@sydneysymphonyorchestra.com by Friday 4 May 2018. The SSO will advise which students’ animations selected for screening in the week commencing 21 May 2018.

PRINCIPAL PARTNER

VENUE PARTNERS

Fellowship Patrons Robert Albert AO & Elizabeth Albert Flute Chair Christine Bishop Percussion Chair Sandra & Neil Burns Clarinet Chair In Memory of Matthew Krel Violin Chair Mrs T Merewether OAM Horn Chair Paul Salteri AM & Sandra Salteri Violin and Viola Chairs In Memory of Joyce Sproat Viola Chair Mrs W Stening Cello Chairs June & Alan Woods Family Bequest Bassoon Chair Anonymous Oboe Chair Anonymous Trumpet Chair Anonymous Trombone Chair Anonymous Double Bass Chair

Education Patrons Bronze & AboveMrs P M Bridges OBE Beverley & Phil Birnbaum Bob & Julie Clampett Howard & Maureen Connors Kimberley Holden In memory of George Joannides Mrs W G Keighley Roland Lee Mr & Mrs Nigel Price Mr Dougall Squair Mr Robert & Mrs Rosemary Walsh

SCHOOLS CONCERTS PARTNER

PREMIER PARTNER

GOVERNMENT PARTNERS

SILVER PARTNERGOLD PARTNER

Fellowship Supporting Patrons Bronze & Above Mr Stephen Bell Bennelong Arts Foundation The Greatorex Foundation Dr Barry Landa Drs Keith & Eileen Ong Dominic Pak & Cecilia Tsai In Memory of Geoff White Dr John Yu AC Anonymous

TunED-Up!TM PatronsBronze & Above Antoinette Albert Ian & Jennifer Burton Ian Dickson & Reg Holloway Drs Keith & Eileen Ong Tony Strachan Susan & Isaac Wakil

The Fellowship program receives generous support from the Estate of the late Helen MacDonnell Morgan

SaluteThe Sydney Symphony Orchestra applauds the leadership role of our

Learning & Engagement partners in providing support for music education.

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra is assisted by the Commonwealth Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.

* Acknowledgements correct as of 1 July 2017