Have more time? Explore these SHORT AT-HOME ACTIVITIES with your child before coming to Symphony Center!
2-minute activity: What is Courage?
1. Guide your child through a discussion about courage, using the following questions as prompts:
- What does it mean to have courage?
- Does courage look the same for everyone?
- How is being courageous different from being fearless?
7-minute activity: Exploring Courage through Music
1. Ask your child, “What would courage sound like in music?” Continue the discussion with the following prompts:
- Can courageous music sound loud? Can it sound soft?
- Does courageous music sound light or heavy?
- Can it be smooth and sustained or choppy and sudden?
- Can it be fast or slow?
- What instruments do you think would represent courage?
- What other types of sounds could represent courage?
2. Listen to the three excerpts below from Strauss’ Don Quixote with your child. Ask them, “Does this music sound courageous? What made it sound that way to you?”
- Variation I, The Adventure of the Windmills (0:00 – 0:56)
- Variation II, The Battle with the Sheep (0:21 – 1:45)
- Variation VII, The Adventure of the Enchanted Boat (1:03 – 1:53)
10-minute+ activity: The Story of Don Quixote
1. Read the story of Don Quixote to your child. You can enhance this experience by listening to the music – simply follow the instructions in the script provided*.
*Note that this script was also developed for schools attending the CSO School Concert, so there are mentions to CD tracks. Please follow the time-stamps for the Spotify playlist for the best possible listening experience.