Quiet City Chamber Ensemble: Educational Programs


Members of the QCCE are committed to arts education and have full-time teaching experience in both public schools and colleges. All programs below can be modified to suit the needs of individual schools.

Elementary & Middle School

1) Young People’s Concert & Discussion: Carrying on the tradition of Aaron Copland’s interest in composing quality music for young people, the QCCE (Quiet City Chamber Ensemble) brings music composed for, and suited to, younger audiences. Interactive discussion with students guides young listeners on “What to Listen For In Music”; topics and material from Copland’s book of the same name are used as a starting point.
 
In addition to repertoire from their regular program, QCCE also draws upon some of the many short piano pieces Copland wrote, many specifically for young people!
 
This music is used as a springboard to discuss the relationship of literature and music (The Cat and the Mouse), how music without words can express emotion (Three Moods), and the building blocks of musical composition (Petite Portrait).
 
 
High School

2) Chamber Music: High school music teachers will be sent sheet music for Seymour Barab’s Suite for Trumpet, Alto Saxophone, and Piano and asked to distribute it to students on those instruments that they’d recommend. Students prepare that music and then participate in a workshop on performing chamber music using Barab’s piece as an example; students will have an opportunity to perform with each other and/or musicians in QCCE. Other students participate as audience members, and are engaged in a discussion on the role of chamber music through history and today.
 
3) Masterclass: A variety of masterclass options are available that include preparing and feedback on specific repertoire the student is already working on, to a more holistic approach to studying music.

 
College

4) Lecture on “Aaron Copland’s Quiet City: Bringing Previously Unheard Music to Light”: This lecture and Q &A discusses a wide variety of relevant musical skills including research, history, composition/arranging, publishing, recording, and issues related to the entrepreneurship needed to succeed in music today.
 
5) Masterclass: A variety of masterclass options are available that include preparing and feedback on specific repertoire the student is already working on, to more specific topics on studying music.

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BOOSEY & HAWKES

Sheet music for Aaron Copland's "QUIET CITY" (restored chamber version), concert adaptation by Christopher Brellochs, is available.