Musical Storytelling

Musical Storytelling explores how composers use the orchestra to bring stories to life without words. Using the familiar tale of Cinderella as a guide, students will discover how melody, rhythm, tempo, and orchestral color can create characters, settings, and emotions. From the sparkling magic of Ravel's Mother Goose Suite and Jessie Montgomery's Starburst to the ticking urgency of Haydn's "Clock" Symphony, the elegance of Dvořák's Symphony No. 8, the midnight chaos of Saint-Saëns' Danse macabre, and the romance of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5, each piece becomes a chapter in Cinderella's journey. Framed by Rossini's Overture to La Cenerentola and ending with the joyful celebration of Smetana's Polka from The Bartered Bride, this concert invites students to use their imaginations while discovering the power of music as a storytelling tool.