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Happy, sad, angry, quiet, silly . . . all of these emotions can be expressed through music. How do composers do this? Through the famous story of a little boy named Peer Gynt we explore how one composer, Edvard Grieg, uses musical elements such as tempo, dynamics, melody, and rhythm to help us feel these emotions. Come follow Peer on his adventures and learn about how music enables us to express ourselves. This 35 minute program is in alignment with NY State Standards.
Express Yourself Audio Links- Listen Now!
BPO Seeking Artwork for Express Yourself Youth Concert!
Lesson 1 - Music: Moving with Feeling
Lesson 2 - Music: Performing a Feeling
Lesson 3 - ELA & Music: Storytelling
Lesson 4 - Arts & Social Studies: Exploring Emotions
Make a Birthday Card for the BPO!
Make a BPO Birthday Hat!
Everyone has heard of recycled paper and renewable resources, but did you know that composers recycle in music too? From Brahms recycling old folk tunes into a new piece called Hungarian Dances, to Beethoven using a famously repeated motive in his 5th Symphony, discover many ways that composers recycle when writing music. Also enjoy a piece that uses instruments made of recycled materials, and celebrate the renewable energy source of Niagara Falls. This 45 minute program is in alignment with NY State Education Standards.
Rehearse, Reuse, Recycle! Audio Links- Listen Now!
Lesson 1 - Music: Theme & Variations with Movement
Lesson 2 - Music: Create Your Own Recycled Instrument
Lesson 3 - Music: Arranging Folk Tunes
Make a Birthday Card for the BPO!
BPO Birthday Lesson
The BPO is partnering with the Reinstein Woods Educational Center to provide recycling resources for classroom teachers.
Reinstein Woods is offering FREE, in-school recycling presentations to Erie and Niagara County classes attending the BPO’s Rehearse, Reuse, Recycle! concerts. For more information, please click here.
- Introduction and Index to Reinstein Woods resources
- 3Rs in the Classroom - An alphabetical list of ideas for reducing, reusing and recycling in the classroom.
- Curricula, Fundraisers and Grants - Links to recycling lessons, fundraisers and grants.
- Reinstein School Lessons 2010-2011 Brochure - A description of programs and field trip opportunities offered by Reinstein Woods.
- Educator Workshops- General information about free educator workshops made available through Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center. These workshops are designed to help educators add environmental education to their existing curriculum and can be held at your school or at Reinstein Woods.
- Fall Teacher Workshops 2010 - the fall schedule of free workshops for educators being held at Reinstein Woods.
- School Waste Reduction Guide - A detailed guide to recycling in schools, including background information, information on classroom composting, where to recycle a variety of items, fun facts, and student activities.
- Student Pages - Worksheets with recycling activities like math games, word searches and more. For the answers, click here.
- Reusable Lunchbox Brochure - Useful information for reducing lunch waste.
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What is the science behind the sounds we hear? Do sound waves look the same from a violin and a trumpet? How do composers use the science of sound to create beautiful music? In this program the orchestra demonstrates how frequency, pitch and timbre work in each instrumental section. Using music written by some of the greatest "manipulators of sound" such as Wagner, Beethoven, Dvorak, Bach and Stravinsky we show how physics are an integral part of the music that we enjoy. This 45 minute program is in alignment with NY State Education Standards.
Science of Sound Audio Links - Listen Now!
For Science of Sound videos, please click here.
Perfect for Middle School and High School students, these concerts on Friday mornings allow students the chance to experience a BPO performance in a casual atmosphere at a fantastic price. This year we are offering even more choices! Concerts last 1 and a half to 2 hours, including intermission.
NOTE: All activities and worksheets for the Friday Morning concerts were designed by music students from SUNY Oneonta and SUNY Potsdam as part of a project to engage older students in classical music. Thank you Michelle Fecio, Matthew Marco and Kelcie Hanaka.
October 8th, Lovers' Classics
- featuring Berlioz' Romeo and Juliet, Chen and He's Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto and Florent Schmitt's Suite No. 1 from Antony and Cleopatra
Pre-concert Activity and a Worksheet to bring to the concert
October 12th, Gershwin Festival Pops
- featuring Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and selections from Porgy and Bess, among others
Pre-concert and Day of concert activities
October 19th, Gershwin Festival Classics
- featuring Gershwin's Concerto in F and Second Rhapsody, as well as Schuman's New England Triptych and Philip Rothman's Arc of Visibility (a Buffalo native)
Pre-concert Activity and a Worksheet to bring to the concert
December 10th, Holiday Pops
- featuring an assortment of favorite holiday music
No activities available.
February 4th, Mozart's Birthday
- featuring Mozart's Overture to The Magic Flute and Piano Concerto No. 21, as well as Haydn's Symphony No 101 "The Clock" and Butterworth's The Banks of the Green Willow
Pre-concert Activity and a Worksheet to bring to the concert
March 4th, Aikin Sings Strauss
- featuring Buffalo native Laura Aikin singing Strauss' Four Last Songs and Berg's Seven Early Songs. The BPO performs Strauss' Don Juan and Debussy's La Mer
Pre-concert Activity and a Worksheet to bring to the concert
May 13th, Beethoven's Pastoral
- featuring Beethoven's 6th Symphony "Pastoral" as well as Gould's Stephen Foster Gallery and Daron Hagen's world premiere of Songbook
Pre-concert Activity and a Worksheet to complete after the concert
May 27th, Star Spangled Spectacular
- a star spangled selection of songs to put you in the patriotic mood for Memorial Day weekend, including a salute to our service men and women
No activities available.
