Weber State College Comment, April 1985, page 7 State College Comment, April i985, page 6 Seminar on symphony etiquette preparesiildren f by T.J. Bond. Editor Lofgreen Mwteacher education, teaches methods, art, music and creativity in the elementary education department at WSC. She taught in the Ogden City and Weber County school systems for 19 years, beginning in 1954. She has taught classes from kindergarten to grade 6. | Mrs. Lofgreen graduated from Weber Junior College and earned her eS “Sad Donna Sal’ assisted sand, Karen Lofgreen in demonstrating proper (and improper) symphony etiquette to grade school children. Mrs. Lofgreen was asked to prepare the fifth and sixth graders attending elementary schools feeding into Bonneville High for a concert given by the Utah Symphony especially for them at Bonneville in February. In addtition to “Sal” and “Donna” Karen's special friend, “Maestro Phil Harmonic” was on hand to introduce all of the families living in ‘“Orchestraville.” First, the Maestro introduced the String family—they live up on the hill—and include Vincent Violin, Val Viola, and Helen Harp, just to name a few. Then there were Tad Tuba and Tillie Trombone (and a good many more) of the Brass Family who lives across the valley and halfway up the B.S. degree from Utah State University in elementary education with minors in music and physical education. She earned her master of education degree from BYU. While at WSC, she has had the opportunity to instruct a sister and a daughter who are both currently teaching grade school in Ogden. She is married to WSCAA President G. Val Lofgreen. next hill. Around Wilson the block Woodwinds—with are the such members as Fred Flute, Olie Oboe and Clara Clarinet. Last, but not least, down by the railroad tracks live the Percussion family—you'd probably recognize Donna Drums and Celia Cymbal. The Maestro, as he made the in troductions also told his attentive audience how these families got along with each other and with the other families in the neighborhood. For instance, while the String family tends to be refined in their communications, the Percussion family tends to be more loud and even argumentive. Mrs. Lofgreen told the youngsters about the Symphony Debs, who are in charge of the audience during the con- cert and hand out programs. ‘They will quietly come to anyone who is disturbing the concert and say ‘will you please leave,’ and that would be so em- barrassing; it is very important that you know what is OK and what is musical families, concert master and the maestro, Mrs. Lofgreen went on to not,” she said. introduce the three composers and some of their music that the children would hear at the concert. Richard (pronounced “Rik-hard”) Strauss and Til Eilenspiegle were first. The story, as told through the music, tells of a mischevious little imp—Til Eilenspiegle—whom the townspeople want to capture and hang because he is such a nuisance. They do just that after a lengthy chase through “Orchestraville.” But, Karen tells the children, after the hanging, you will hear Til Eilenspiegle out making mischief again. She describes the story while the children listen to a recording of parts of the work. This will enable the children to recognize the piece when they hear it live, and to follow the story. Mrs. Lofgreen did-a similar demonstration with Papa Haydn’s Surprise Symphony, then played a lively rendition of George Gershwin’s | Got Rythm on the classroom piano. Mrs. Lofgreen, who has served with the symphony debs this year, made her hour-long presentation at eight schools to nearly 950 students. And her efforts paid off—no one clapped when they “First the String family enters, then the Brass family—they are the loudest and fewest in the orchestra and occupy the back row,” Mrs. Lofgreen explained. “The Woodwinds sit just behind the strings and the Percussion instruments are on the far left.” She con- tinued, “When they are all seated, the first chair oboist plays an “A” and the others tune their instruments.” “The concert master (or mistress) is always the first chair violinist and sits to the left of the maestro,” she said. “He is very important because he will conduct the orchestra in case of an emergency.” Then, when the orchestra members have finished tuning their instruments and all is quiet, the maestro comes out. “Now you can clap,” she told the children. “And you keep clapping until the maestro raises his baton. This is his signal to the audience that he is ready to begin and everyone should be very quiet,” she said. She also warned them not to clap every time the music stopped. “Watch the baton,” she warned, “It will let you know when the piece is finished, or that there is just a break in the music. When the maestro lays the baton on his music stand, the piece is over and you can clap again.” After a couple of practice runs, using students to represent the shouldn't have. Charles Na... Weber erformance Ketcham, Associate Dirctor of the Utah Symphony, complimented Mrs. Lofgreen on the students’ excellent behavior saying that they were the best behaved children’s group he had performed for. een and her able assistant, Maestro Phil Harmonic, commanded the full at- bf their audience during their presentation on symphony etiquette at Club lementary. various Maestro Phil Harmonic accompanied Mrs. Lofgreen and handled the introductions of all the musical families living in “Orchestra-ville.” Ke Ages ment right joyed what Sal” (pinned to the bulletin board) suffered terrible embarras- = at the symphony because she didn’t know how to act. “Do-itDonna” (next to “Sad Sal”) on the other hand, thoroughly enher experience at the symphony because she knew exactly to expect. Fifth and sixth graders interested in a seminar on how to behave at the symphony/ply! All eyes focus on Mrs. Lofgreen as she outlines the finer points of symphony survival. b With students labeled as the various components of the symphony, the children got to watch what really happens and follow the signals given by the maestro. “The baton is up—what do you do?” asked Mrs. Lofgreen. “Stop clapping,” came the response. PLOT LO PO I IE PDE ARM neath pt awad