Sneaky Pete and The Wolf

Ok so I need to get on to the homework, but it was such a fun morning I had to tell you about it :) We got the kids over to the arts center and settled them in a few rows up in the balcony of the new theatre (which is really nice by the way) The orchestra was already set up and ready to go, so they didn't have long to wait. There was a guest violinist, Steven Copes - very talented, who talked about his rare violin and did a very cool violin piece along with the orchestra. Beautiful music and short enough for the kids' attentions span. So then (this part was the best!!!) the conductor chose a few kids to come up and actually conduct the orchestra. Before anyone came up he showed us all -- with the orchestra playing the William Tell Overture -- that he waves the baton (just simple up-down, up-down) and if he crouches down they get quieter... and if he stands up tall they get louder... and if he goes fast theygetfaster... and if he goes slow they g e t s l o w e r.... and so pretty much EVERY kid in the audience raised their hand. He picked two boys and two girls, and I haven't laughed so much in a long time! If you have never heard the William Tell Overture in super-slow motion and super-high-speed -- well, my friends... you haven't truly lived!! :)

So after the "guest conductors" the next part of the concert was an adaptation of "Peter and the Wolf" called "Sneaky Pete and the Wolf" Its the same musical score, but with a completely different narration set in the old west. Sneaky Pete is your somewhat-washed-up gun-slinging hero, Laura is his very competent girlfriend, the wolf is El Lobo. It was a hoot!! I think the kids really enjoyed it, and I certainly did!! :)

Oh, and I got an "A" on my micro-teaching :) Yay!