Sharing Multisensory, Intergenerational Activities thru Music, Film, Books & Live Performances
Updated: Sep 19, 2022
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.