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Discover contemporary orchestral composition through 'Introduced Species' by Katy Abbott
Discover contemporary orchestral composition through 'Introduced Species' by Katy Abbott
Student music resource developed by The Arts Unit
Years 11 and 12 music
What will I learn?
What will I learn?
You will:
listen and understand how the stimuli have influenced the role of the composer, conductor and performers/instruments in taking a piece of music from its stimulus to performance
analyse the context of 'Introduced Species' through the narrative of sound, exploring concepts of home, place, connection and human nature
reflect on your responses.
- Listen
Listen to this musical piece. It is a narrative of sound that explores significant themes and is inspired by a specific issue.
Before hearing the composer’s intentions, respond either visually or verbally as the music reveals the narrative and thematic elements to you.
What do you think is happening in this section?
Identify the images that are brought to mind. What does it remind you of?
Predict what the composer is trying to represent through this piece of music.
Keep your reflection on hand to refer back to when you have listened to the composer discuss her actual inspiration and intentions for this piece of music.
Musical piece
Duration: 00:502. Explore
2. Explore
Watch the interview with the composer, Katy Abbott, and make the following observations.
Name 3 stimuli that inspired the composer to write this work.
Name and describe the 3 movements in this work.
What is important for the composer to demonstrate in her music?
Interview with Katy Abbott – composer
Duration: 02:59Watch the interview with the conductor, Iain Grandage, and make the following observations.
Identify what is important for the conductor to observe in the music.
Describe his role as a conductor.
Give 3 examples.
Interview with Iain Grandage – conductor
Duration: 03:113. Analyse
3. Analyse
Watch the interviews with each of the performers and listen to each piece, then complete the questions for each orchestral instrument.
Double bass
Describe the role of the double bass in this piece.
Which theme in the music is important for this instrument and why?
Describe how the music has been written for this instrument.
What unique musical technique is used and what is its effect?
Albatross theme
Duration: 00:54Interview with Richard Lynn – double bass
Duration: 02:10Harp
What is the role of the harp in this piece? What effects are created by this instrument?
Describe the Glisten theme in the piece.
Describe how this theme is developed. What did this theme represent in the context of this piece?
Glisten theme
Duration: 00:16Interview with Emily Granger – harp
Duration: 02:07
Violin
What is the role of the first violins in an orchestra?
What is the role of the second violins in an orchestra?
What other tone colours can the violin provide?
Albatross theme
Duration: 00:54Interview with Rollin Zhao – violin
Duration: 02:28Clarinet
Musically, what is the role of the Clarinet in this work?
What part does it play in the narrative of this work?
Which section was it important for the clarinet to watch and why?
Albatross theme
Duration: 00:54
Interview with Magdalenna Krstevska – clarinet
Duration: 02:17Cello
What is the role of the cello in this work?
List the performing techniques that were employed.
Identify the compositional devices that were used.
Which themes featured the cello in the piece?
Explain the role of the cello in the albatross theme.
Siren theme
Duration: 00:39Interview with Daniel Pini – cello
Duration: 02:28
French horn
What is its role in this piece?
What theme does it perform?
Describe the quality of its sound.
Siren theme
Duration: 00:39Interview with Aidan Gabriels – French horn
Duration: 02:04
Oboe
Describe the double reed and its sound quality.
How was the 'chemical sludge' created in the orchestra?
Describe the themes which featured the oboe.
Trash vortex
Duration: 00:50Lullaby theme
Duration: 01:25Interview with Eve Osborn – oboe
Duration: 02:07Percussion
What specific percussion techniques created effects in this piece?
What compositional devices rely on the percussion part?
What other instruments are important to the percussionist?
What information is the conductor providing to the percussionist?
Interview with Sami Butler – percussion
Duration: 02:294. Reflect
4. Reflect
Download the score and watch the Introduced Species concert.
Referring to your responses, listen to the complete work and follow the score.
Find each of the themes mentioned in your previous answers and mark where they occur in the score.
Katy Abbott - Introduced Species - Score.pdfIntroduced Species Score (PDF 3.34MB)
Introduced Species concert
Duration: 21:33Third-party content attributions
Third-party content attributions
Introduced Species: Symphony no.2 Score © Katy Abbott 2014/16 - accessed 12/5/2020.
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