by: Annie Bosler, DMA written as a marketing intern for the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra published in the California Classroom section of the Los Angeles Times (April 2005)

Do you know the tales of Mother Goose? A little more than 300 years ago, in 1697, a Frenchman named Charles Perrault wrote eight stories: Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Tom Thumb, The Enchanted Gar­den, Fairies and Puss 'n Boots.

Almost 100 years ago, Maurice Ravel, a French composer, wrote music based on five of the Mother Goose stories as a duet for chil­dren learning to play the piano. Ravel later rewrote his piano piece to be played by all the instruments in an orchestra. He called it the Mother Goose Suite. Even later, Ravel added more music to make it into a ballet.

Activity

Get a piece of paper and some markers or crayons. Draw a picture of Mother Goose and her friends Little Red Riding Hood, Cinder­ella, Beauty and the Beast, Tom Thumb, Puss 'n Boots and Sleeping Beauty having a musical party in the Enchanted Garden. Which of the characters might play a trum­pet? What about a violin? Which instruments would the other characters play? What would the music be like? Would any of the characters dance to the music?

You can listen to Ravel's music and meet characters from these fairy tales at the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra's family concert titled Mutts, Movement & Mother Goose at 2 p.m. May 1. Daphne Kan, 11, and the chamber orchestra's music director, Jeffrey Kahane, will perform Ravel's original piano version of Mother Goose. Later, the full or­chestra will play the Mother Goose Suite.

If you get there an hour early, you can try out real musical instruments at the Instru­ment Petting Zoo, among other things.

This Learning Link was provided by the L.A. Chamber Orchestra, which performs at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. For tickets and more information, go to www.laco.org or call the box office at (213) 622-7001, Ext. 215. You can also find online fun at www.laco.org/kids.

MUSICAL PETTING ZOO: Kids can try out real instruments before the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra's May 1 family concert.