The New Victory Theater

Family Activities

FAMILY

ACTIVITY

At The New Victory Theater, we believe that the experience of our audience members begins long before they enter our theater and continues long after the last curtain call. Our staff – including members of our award-winning Education Department – has created activities that can be used before or after you visit the theater to explore a specific aspect of the production. Working together, your family will gain insight into the talent and hard work it takes to produce a show, while possibly learning something new about one another and creating lasting memories as a family.

Kev and Wil B, the ridiculously talented duo of Black Violin, put their own spin on music for strings, taking the audience by storm with their violin virtuosity. In this family activity, you and your family will DJ your way through a soundtrack of musical genres as you mash them up to create the ultimate playlist!

		Challenge #1: Listen Up The modern violin has been around for roughly 500 years and is constructed from over 70 pieces of wood. Listen to these three songs and get to know the signature sounds of the violin. DISCUSS: How would you describe the sound of the violin? How does it make you feel? Can you think of other songs that feature a violin?
		Challenge #2: Violin Hunter Using the versatile violin and some skilled ears, Kev and Wil B mix up tracks from classical to hip-hop. Before you see the show, test your own musical knowledge and give your ears a workout by listening to these three songs that feature a violin in very different ways. DISCUSS: How are the songs similar or different? What’s the style or genre of each song? When do you think each song was created?
		Challenge #3: Mash-Up Madness Kev and Wil B are masters of fusion, “mashing up” different forms of music to create their distinct sound. A “Mash-Up” takes two or more existing pieces of music and combines them to make a brand new song. Listen to Black Violin's "Brandenburg" to hear a hip-hop remix of the Brandenburg Concerto from Challenge #1. DISCUSS: How is this different than the Brandenburg track in Challenge 1? Can you hear any of the styles from Challenge 2 in the mix? What other song do you wish Black Violin would remix or mash-up?

	Ultimate Victory: Family Mash-Up
	You and your kid should each choose a favorite song and play them for one another. Using your favorite songs, create a family mash-up. Fuse the styles, sing simultaneously or put your own distinctive spin on the music to create your family anthem.
	Think about: · Is there a way to mash-up the lyrics, rhythms, or melodies of the songs? · Can you sing them together, or sing lyrics of one to the melody of the other?	· What instruments would you use to score your creation? (kazoo and kitchen pots qualify) · What would you call the new musical style you’ve created?

Let Us Join The Fun!

		Is your kid a budding composer? Snap a photo and tag the #NewVic on Instagram or Twitter.
		Have a tip for other families or need a place to share your kid’s DJ skills? Like us on Facebook and post on our wall.