Musical Storytelling

ELEMENTS OF A STORY

As a class, list some of your favorite stories and brainstorm elements that make those stories exciting or interesting. 

Discussion Questions:

• Who are the characters in the story? What traits do they have?

• Where is the story set? How do you know?

• What is the conflict? What do you think will happen?

• How is the conflict resolved?

• What did we learn from this story?

INSTRUMENTS TELL A STORY

Each instrument in the orchestra has unique qualities—different sounds and techniques that can be used to personify characters and communicate ideas.

• Listen to one or more pieces from the concert repertoire, and as a class discuss what you hear:

  • • Which instruments do you hear?

    • What images come to mind when you hear this music?

    • If this music were in a movie, a video game, or stage play, what character or action do you think the instruments represent and why?

    • What sounds do the instruments make that tell us about the characters? the action? the setting?

    • What is the mood? What do you hear in the music that makes you think that? (e.g. dynamics, tempo, mode, etc.)

*Go Deeper: Create a simple soundscape to accompany a story that you explored in the first activity.

• In small groups, have students use simple classroom instruments, their voices, body percussion, and/or found objects to explore different types of sounds for the characters, settings, and actions.  *Students may also choose to use the Chrome Music Lab app to explore and document musical choices.

• Invite each group to share their soundscape with the class and why they chose specific instruments or sounds to represent the elements of the story.

IMAGINATIVE MUSICAL JOUNEY

• Choose one piece from the concert repertoire and go on an imaginative journey as you listen. 

Choose one of these creative options to take you on a listening journey. Imagine the story that this music tells and how you can represent that story visually.

• Draw a picture.

• Write a short story.

• Create a mood collage or timeline (using found images or materials).  

• Choreograph a dance.

• As you explore the music through your creative process, consider these questions:

• What tempo do you hear? Does it change or stay the same?  [*Tempo is the speed of music.]

• What dynamics to you? Do they change or stay the same?  [*Dynamics are the volume of music.]

• Is the music smooth or choppy? Loud or soft? Do you hear a pause or rest?

• What images come to mind when you hear this music? What is the mood?

• How do the instruments or sounds remind you of a character, an action, or an element of time?

• How would you move to this music?