Program Description

People who think soccer and music have nothing in common will have to reconsider after experiencing the lively debate between Monique Mead and a soccer coach at the concert, "Soccer a tempo." From team work to tempo, the audience discovers that the soccer and classical music are, in fact, very closely connected.
To start off, three soccer players demonstrate some fancy passes, and Monique explains how the famous 4-note beginning of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony is just like a musical soccer, which gets passed around the orchestra from player to player--just like passing the ball on the court.

"But classical music is just not as exciting as soccer," says the coach, "and has no variety; In fact, musicians are limited to just tooting, or hitting, or sawing away at one instrument the entire time. Isn't that a little boring?" The musicians don't think so, in fact, a young trumpeter comes on stage and shows the coach how exciting her instrument is, by playing one of the flashiest pieces ever composed for the trumpet.
 

After that, Monique makes the coach dizzy by playing Paganini's "Perpetual Motion" in a blazing tempo. For this piece, children from the audience get to guess how many notes she managed to play during those 5 minutes. (The answer: 3000. That means 600 notes per minute -- 10 notes per second!)
But the coach wants to see some serious perspiration on stage -- like his basketball team sweats when they're putting all they've got into a game. Not a problem. The orchestra plays three dances, in three different tempos, from Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite." They are joined by a ballet company, who, by the time they're finished with the kicks in the Russian dance, all show a gleam of perspiration on their foreheads.

With the help of the soccer players and Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, Monique demonstrates how the words Allegro, Presto, Andante, Largo, and Adagio apply equally to the soccer court as to the concert hall. For the grand finale, the team song is played, and much to the delight of the audience, a young composer premiers his "Variations" on the popular tune. Autographs from the coach, players, and musicians send the children back home with more than they ever dreamed of.

This program can be adapted other team sports.

Repertoire

Ludwig Van Beethoven: "Allegro con Brio" from Symphony No. 5 in C-minor, Op.67
Jean Baptist Arban: Variations for Trumpet on "Carnival in Venice"
Niccolo Paganini: Perpetual Motion, Op. 11
Peter Tschaikovsky: Finale from Violin Concerto in D-Major, Op. 35
Hans J. König: "Blue and White" (or other team song)
Manuel Rösler: Variations on the Theme "Blue and White" (or other team song)
Peter Tschaikovsky: "Moderato assai e molto Maestoso" from Symphony No.5 in E-minor, Op. 64 (4th mvt.)
Peter Tschaikovsky: Three Dances from "The Nutcracker" Suite

Special Guests
Coach from local basketball team (or other sport)
3 players from the team Ballet dancers from local ballet school
Young trumpet soloist
Young composer

For information regarding preparatory materials for teachers, school workshops, or activities before or after the concert, please contact Klassik for Kids at info@klassik-for-kids.de