Bartok

Part of the IB curriculum includes studying a prescribed work for the 2 years students are in IB music. The prescribed work for this year's seniors is Bela Bartok "Concerto for Orchestra". Bartok was a 20th century composer from Hungary and this piece of music was commissioned by Serge Koussevitzky, the great conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The piece is amazing and overwhelming. We've been studying it sense the beginning of the year and when we first started, I thought I would never understand it and be able to teach it, let alone actually like the piece. Now I absolutely love it! I've made a practice of listening to it every morning before school starts, while I am doing email or whatever. (I'm actually listening to it right now) It has definitely gotten under my skin and I think it is great! My kids really love it too and we are having a great time analyzing it. This photo is one Nick took in class. The caption he put on it was "Can anyone guess what movement?" (it is the 5th, and last, movement, if anyone cares). I thought it was a great picture and it pretty much sums up my life the past few months. I joke with the kids and call Bartok my boyfriend, since I spend more time with him than I do with anyone else in my life. :)