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BACKGROUND ACTIVITIES:
Activity One
The purpose of this activity is to provide background knowledge on Istanbul as well as the composers Mozart and Berlioz.
1. Prior to viewing the BERLIN PHILHARMONIC EUROPAKONZERT program, explain to the students that every year the orchestra performs in a new location, chosen for its significance to Europe's rich cultural history, and that one of the purposes of the concert
is to celebrate a new Europe and commemorate the Philharmonic's founding in 1882. The most recent concert was held in Istanbul.
2. Send the students on an information hunt to find out why Istanbul was an apt location.
3. After the students have gathered information on Istanbul, provide time for them to share with the entire class what they have discovered.
4. Discuss why Istanbul is considered, both physically and culturally, the crossroads of the East and West.
Activity Two
1. Select two pieces of music, one from Mozart and one from Berlioz, that reflect very different moods.
2. Pass out two sheets of paper and drawing implements to each student in the class.
3. Ask the students to draw freehand as they listen to the music, a new drawing for each musical selection.
4. Ask the students to write a brief statement on the back of their drawings that explains what they were feeling at the time.
5. When the class has finished, group their drawings according to the piece of music that was playing when they were made and place them in separate areas of the room.
6. Compare and contrast the moods of the drawings between the two groups. Discuss.
STEPS:
Activity One
The purpose of this activity is to develop an understanding of and appreciation for the cultural significance of Istanbul.
1. Divide the class into small groups.
2. Tell the groups that they are going to design a mural that features important elements of Istanbul and Turkish heritage and culture.
3. The following is a list of topics about Turkey that might be included in the mural:
- architecture
- art
- geographical features
- food
- famous people and/or ordinary citizens
- history
- music
4. Encourage the students to use a variety of sources. These Internet links provide a place to begin.
TurkishEmbassy.org at Washington, DC
http://www.turkishembassy.org/start.html
Lonely Planet Online: Istanbul
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/middle_east/istanbul/history.htm
(Note to Teachers: The search engine Google (http://www.google.com) is an excellent source for visual images. Instruct the students to go to the Google Web site, type in the object they are researching in the search field, click the "Images" tab, and then hit the Search button.)
5. After the students have pasted the images onto their mural, ask them to draw a black-and-white outline of the images. Number each image and write a brief explanation of its significance.
Activity Two
The purpose of this activity is for the students to develop an understanding of Turkish oral history and how music can be used to express or enhance a mood.
1. Obtain copies of Turkish folktales from your local or school library. Another option is to access the Turkish folktales found on this Web site:
Traditional Tales from Turkey
http://www3.herkos.artsfac.csuohio.edu/Turkish/turklist.html
2. Divide the class into small groups and have each group select one of the folktales.
3. Ask the students to discuss how the mood of the folktale changes from the beginning to the end.
4. Ask the students to think about how these moods could be expressed or enhanced with music.
5. Provide the students with a selection of music from Mozart and Berlioz. Ask them to choose tracks from the recordings that they think express the mood of the different sections of the folktale.
6. Tell the students to write a short paragraph that explains their choices.
7. Have the groups take turns telling the folktales to the class, incorporating the musical selections.
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:
Perform the folktales for a kindergarten or early elementary class.
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