Sharing Multisensory, Intergenerational Activities thru Music, Film, Books & Live Performances

In recent MAP blog posts, I've talked about the value of music for both elders and youth, and shared "earworm" activities; such as playing the same tune by different musicians/instruments/conductors and viewing listening to/viewing the same tune in different films (sound/sight). Most of the sample activities I have shared include links to free YouTube videos/video clips/music. Now that the Pandemic is lightening up, we can also consider on-site options.

Fantasia film/book/music

Walt Disney's Fantasia film is an example of several ways we can appeal to our multi-senses:

Fantasia is a 1940 American animatedmusicalanthology film produced and released by Walt Disney Productions. The Fantasia franchise has grown to include video games, Disneyland attractions, and a live concert series. A sequel, Fantasia 2000, co-produced by Walt's nephew Roy E. Disney, was released in 1999. Fantasia has grown in reputation over the years and is now widely acclaimed; in 1998, the American Film Institute ranked it as the 58th greatest American film in their 100 Year. Source: Wikipedia. The film includes the following classical music pieces, combined with ballet and animation:

• Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach

• The Nutcracker Suite by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

• The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Paul Dukas

• Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky

• The Pastoral Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven

• Dance of the Hours by Amilcare Ponchielli

• Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky

• Ave Maria by Franz Schubert

Live Concerts and Films

In you live in the Bay Area, you can attend live orchestral concerts, including commentary and related films/film clips at Symphony Hall in San Francisco. Fantasia, Jurassic Park, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Peter and the Worlf are examples of film/film clips combined with commentary and live orchestra that are scheduled for the rest of this year and next year at SF's Symphony Hall:

• Fantasia is scheduled for Tuesday, November 22, 2022, at 7:30 pm (highlights from two of Disney's most animated features 1940 and sequal 2000). You can also stream Fantasia on Disney+ streaming service.

• Jurassic Park is scheduled for Friday, January 6, 2023 at 7:30 pm (film and live orchestra).

• How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Saturday, December 17, 2022, 2 pm.

• Peter and the Wolf, Sunday, December 11, 2022, 2 pm (SF Symphony Youth Orchestra & guest narrator).

If your local symphony does not have these live concerts/films, they may be available on a streaming service or on DVD and you can find trailers of the films, film clips, and musical renditions on YouTube, such as Fantasia – all the classical music used in the Disney film.

Books

The Marin public library and many other public libraries, as well as on-site and online book stores, have online and hard/soft cover books and DVDs to complement the above musical scores/films. I usually check books out of the library that appeal to the interests of the population I serve before buying them.

Summary

Bringing adults and children together through music, film, and books can open minds of all participants, including, but not limited to: librarians, teachers, grandparents, relatives, childcare providers, classroom volunteers, activity professionals, and elder community members. I have shared Fantasia as an example because it include classical music from eight composers.