Program Description
The Bootinsky Piano Trio consists of a professional pianist, violinist, and cellist. Their highly interactive and challenging program uses “popular” music (The Simpsons, Arthur, Batman) to introduce students to “classical” music. By showing that all types of music use the same basic musical techniques, the students see that “classical” music can be just as engaging and accessible as other types of music.

List of terms
* piano trio
* rhythm
* harmony
* melody
* pianissimo
* fortissimo
* syncopation
* folk music
* pizzicato
* motive

Musical excerpts
The Simpsons
Haydn: C major trio
Beethoven: 5th symphony; Op. 1#1 trio
Batman
Saint-Saens: The Swan
Smetana: G minor trio
Rock of Ages
Ives: trio
Bartok: 4th string quartet
Shostakovich: trio
Arthur
Brahms: C minor trio
Rebecca Clarke: Trio
Guaraldi: Charlie Brown Theme Song

GUIDELINES FOR FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSION
Q: What are the 3 basic elements of music?
A: rhythm, melody, harmony

Q: Do the 3 basic elements of music relate only classical music?
A: no, they relate to almost all types of music

Q: Which type of music do the 3 basic elements of music NOT apply, and why?
A: rap, because it uses only rhythm (not melody and harmony)

Q: Who was the composer of the piece written 200 years ago that sounded a lot like The Simpsons?
A: Haydn

Q: What do we call a music group that consists of a piano, a violin, and a cello?
A: piano trio

Q: What is the word for playing between the beats?
A: syncopation

Q: What is the musical word for “very soft”?
A: pianissimo

Q: What is the musical word for “very loud”?
A: fortissimo

Q: What is the word for plucking the strings?
A: pizzicato

Q: Who wrote The 5th Symphony?
A: Beethoven

Q: Which of the 5 senses was Beethoven missing?
A: hearing

Q: Name another composer who lost his hearing.
A: Smetana

Q: What other personal misfortune happened to Smetana – which inspired him to write one of the most beautiful piano trios in history?
A: the death of his 2 daughters

Q: What do we call a little bit of identifiable “musical information” that’s contained in just a few notes – information that is repeated many times throughout a piece?
A: motive

Q: Do we find motives only in classical music, or are they also found in other types of music, such as R&B, folk, pop, jazz?
A: motives are found in all types of music

Q: Are motives used in rap music?
A: yes, when recurring rhythmic figures form identifiable patterns

Q: Give an example of a 2-note motive.
A: Batman

Q: Is it possible to have a 1-note motive?
A: yes: Arthur

Q: What is the string instrument that is larger than a violin and smaller than a cello?
A: viola

Q: Who was the American composer who was a business man [insurance] and not a professional musician?
A: Charles Ives

Q: Do you have to be a professional musician in order to be a good musician?
A: no

Q: Do you need to practice in order to be a good musician?
A: yes, just as you need to study or practice other things in order to achieve a certain level of excellence

Q: Name a female composer of classical music.
A: Rebecca Clarke

GUIDELINES FOR STUDENT FEEDBACK

ENCOURAGE YOUR STUDENTS TO WRITE TO US
USING ONE OF THESE BEGINNINGS
* After today’s program, I have a different impression of “classical” music because…
* The Simpsons reminds me of the piece by Haydn because…
* The piece by Smetana “comes right from the heart” because…
* I like syncopation because it makes the music more…
* The sound of the viola is different from the violin and the cello because…
* The music by Charles Ives made me feel…
* After today’s program, I may want to play an instrument because…
* Even though Beethoven and Smetana were deaf, their music is…