Open Forum

Hi all! We are doing a production of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Dramatic Publishing version) this spring. For the opening scene when we first see Narnia, I'd like to do a short duet dance between the White Stag and the Unicorn. I am looking for some instrumental music that is similar in mood to "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies." Any suggestions for pieces that have that same quiet, magical playfulness to them?

Thanks!

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Jennifer Dinndorf
Chaska High School
Chaska, MN
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Try Music 2 Hues.com -- sometimes, they'll have a piece that will work

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Michael Johnson
Trinity NC

Original Message:
Sent: 02-20-2016 12:26
From: Jennifer Dinndorf
Subject: In search of music for scoring a play...

Hi all! We are doing a production of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Dramatic Publishing version) this spring. For the opening scene when we first see Narnia, I'd like to do a short duet dance between the White Stag and the Unicorn. I am looking for some instrumental music that is similar in mood to "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies." Any suggestions for pieces that have that same quiet, magical playfulness to them?

Thanks!

------------------------------
Jennifer Dinndorf
Chaska High School
Chaska, MN
------------------------------

One of these might fit the bill.

Brahms Sym. #1 3^rd movement (might be more stately than you’d like)

Elgar Enigma Variations, variation 10 or 11

Tchaikovsky Sym #6 3^rd movement  

Holst The Planets – Mercury

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Ken Buswell
Drama Teacher
Peachtree City, GA
http://mcintoshtheater.org/

Original Message:
Sent: 02-20-2016 12:26
From: Jennifer Dinndorf
Subject: In search of music for scoring a play...

Hi all! We are doing a production of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Dramatic Publishing version) this spring. For the opening scene when we first see Narnia, I'd like to do a short duet dance between the White Stag and the Unicorn. I am looking for some instrumental music that is similar in mood to "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies." Any suggestions for pieces that have that same quiet, magical playfulness to them?

Thanks!

------------------------------
Jennifer Dinndorf
Chaska High School
Chaska, MN
------------------------------

We used Stravinsky's, The Firebird for our show.  We also used a piece from it to choreograph the battle scene and to use at the end when Aslan crowns the children.  I loved that it introduced our students to a classical piece of music that is now a part of their lives and it worked so majestically with the story.....and it's royalty free ;-) 

------------------------------
Valerie Scott
Drama Teacher/Director
Perimeter School
Johns Creek, Ga

Original Message:
Sent: 02-20-2016 12:26
From: Jennifer Dinndorf
Subject: In search of music for scoring a play...

Hi all! We are doing a production of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Dramatic Publishing version) this spring. For the opening scene when we first see Narnia, I'd like to do a short duet dance between the White Stag and the Unicorn. I am looking for some instrumental music that is similar in mood to "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies." Any suggestions for pieces that have that same quiet, magical playfulness to them?

Thanks!

------------------------------
Jennifer Dinndorf
Chaska High School
Chaska, MN
------------------------------

EDM (or electronic dance music for all my non-European readers) can often yield some pretty interesting selections, mostly instrumental, fast, slow, beat heavy, subliminal...For a different take, William Orbit's 'Pieces in a Modern Style' is a great source for EDM revisioning of established orchestral classics, such as Barber's Adagio for Strings, and many others.

Search for 'pieces in a modern style' on Amazon and you'll find it pop up as the first choice in digital music. Cover is a black and white photo of a fairly pasty mournful European. Mournful, but reflective. Tried to put a preview in, but the browser is playing up.

The campaign for Real EDM in American Theatre continues...

------------------------------
Phillip Goodchild
Theatre Arts Instructor/Assistant Department Head of English
Ruskin FL

Original Message:
Sent: 02-20-2016 12:26
From: Jennifer Dinndorf
Subject: In search of music for scoring a play...

Hi all! We are doing a production of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Dramatic Publishing version) this spring. For the opening scene when we first see Narnia, I'd like to do a short duet dance between the White Stag and the Unicorn. I am looking for some instrumental music that is similar in mood to "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies." Any suggestions for pieces that have that same quiet, magical playfulness to them?

Thanks!

------------------------------
Jennifer Dinndorf
Chaska High School
Chaska, MN
------------------------------

I second the EDM route. It's something that the students connect with and you'd be surprised how amazing some of the music is. I did a production of Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl and EDM and covers of music transformed the show. I spent almost three weeks just googling music, searching on youtube, and streaming music from my spotify account. It was tedious, but the end product was amazing. For that show I knew I wanted all violin or string music, so I searched that way until I found an artist I really liked. I would do the same since you already have a style in mind. Search artist or songs that "song like" or same "style as."

Another idea is opening up the search to the cast. Play the piece that inspired you and have them look up the song. A colleague of mine suggested that for my next show. She did it when working on a piece and made it an assignment for her kids. The kids got into it and she had so much music that she scored her play solely off of what they turned in.

------------------------------
Alexander Gonzalez
Theater Instructor
Doral Performing Arts & Entertainment Academy
Doral, Florida
ALGonzalez@doralacademyprep.org

Original Message:
Sent: 02-23-2016 12:58
From: Phillip Goodchild
Subject: In search of music for scoring a play...

EDM (or electronic dance music for all my non-European readers) can often yield some pretty interesting selections, mostly instrumental, fast, slow, beat heavy, subliminal...For a different take, William Orbit's 'Pieces in a Modern Style' is a great source for EDM revisioning of established orchestral classics, such as Barber's Adagio for Strings, and many others.

Search for 'pieces in a modern style' on Amazon and you'll find it pop up as the first choice in digital music. Cover is a black and white photo of a fairly pasty mournful European. Mournful, but reflective. Tried to put a preview in, but the browser is playing up.

The campaign for Real EDM in American Theatre continues...

------------------------------
Phillip Goodchild
Theatre Arts Instructor/Assistant Department Head of English
Ruskin FL

I second the student suggestion route. We're doing 'Othello' right now as an 1980's period piece, and I told the kids I wanted songs from the 80s that would fit. I've got too many suggestions than I can possibly use, but it's absolutely true; you'd be surprised (or maybe not, theatre kids are smart critical thinkers) how well they argue for and justify their choices, especially as it gets them the bragging rights to 'I chose that song for the production.' I'll never forget that feeling personally, as a high school student, when two of my suggested choices for music for two different pieces in a show were selected. From my own personal experience, and now, as an adult watching my students, it really is utterly affirming. You just have to be really careful how you 'let down' students whose selections don't get chosen, because music, for teenagers, is intensely personal and very related to self-image.

(It is for adults too, but we don't tend to broadcast it as loudly). :)

------------------------------
Phillip Goodchild
Theatre Arts Instructor/Assistant Department Head of English
Ruskin FL

Original Message:
Sent: 02-24-2016 08:15
From: Alexander Gonzalez
Subject: In search of music for scoring a play...

I second the EDM route. It's something that the students connect with and you'd be surprised how amazing some of the music is. I did a production of Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl and EDM and covers of music transformed the show. I spent almost three weeks just googling music, searching on youtube, and streaming music from my spotify account. It was tedious, but the end product was amazing. For that show I knew I wanted all violin or string music, so I searched that way until I found an artist I really liked. I would do the same since you already have a style in mind. Search artist or songs that "song like" or same "style as."

Another idea is opening up the search to the cast. Play the piece that inspired you and have them look up the song. A colleague of mine suggested that for my next show. She did it when working on a piece and made it an assignment for her kids. The kids got into it and she had so much music that she scored her play solely off of what they turned in.

------------------------------
Alexander Gonzalez
Theater Instructor
Doral Performing Arts & Entertainment Academy
Doral, Florida
<maskemail>ALGonzalez@...</maskemail>