Getting to Know the Orchestra

Objectives:

To recognise instruments of the orchestra in a new piece of music.

To describe instruments through the use of animals.

Resources:

Space to move around | Anything that resembles two sticks clicking | Long piece of fabric or ribbon for waving

The King Kong Konga! - Lyrics | The King Kong Konga! - Performance Track | Camille Saint-Saëns Biography Sheet | Carnival of the Animals (YouTube)

Warm Up

Learn and sing 'The King Kong Konga!'.

The King Kong Konga! - Lyrics

The King Kong Konga! - Performance Track

Recap

Recap all four sections of the orchestra, Woodwind, Brass, Strings and Percussion, and ask your child to describe or name the instruments in all sections.

Main Activity

Explain that you will be listening to a piece of music called 'Carnival of the Animals' by a composer named Camille Saint-Saens. You can read the Camille Saint-Saens Biography Sheet together and discuss what you find.

Watch

Watch the Carnival of the Animals video for the first three pictures, the Lion, Hens and Roosters, and Mules. On each picture there are instructions that you can follow whilst listening to the pieces.

WATCH - Carnival of the Animals (YouTube)

Your child can play along to the Lion on sticks, and use a long piece of fabric or ribbon to wave in time for Hens and Mules.

Pause in between each piece so you can both express your opinion on what you have heard and change props. Afterwards, play each piece again, and discuss the instruments used. How do the instruments represent the animals? Your child may want to make the sounds of the animals, and then try to recreate the sounds heard on the video.

Ask your child to tell you which instruments go with each movement or animal. You can ask them to perform their dance to you whilst the tracks are playing.

Get Creative

Make up a dance to represent each movement heard. You can also discuss why the piece has a break in between (called movements). Why did the composer decide to write a piece about animals?

Are there any other pieces of music written about animals?