Sounds of the Season: Relaxed Matinee With Organist Greg Zelek

Find ways to make thematic connections to these suggested topics:

• Music: Organ, Percussion, Choral, Intergenerational Collaborations
• Music Theory
• Music History

Dive deeper with these resources that provide additional information about the performers, the history of the artform, and the artistic process.

Links:

Greg Zelek website

Minnesota Boychoir website

"The Charlie Brown Christmas Special Was the Flop That Wasn't"—Smithsonian Magazine

Richard Purvis biography

Video: "Leroy Anderson Explains How He Wrote Sleigh Ride"

The Story Behind: Joy to the World

The Story Behind: Go, Tell It On the Mountain

"Walking in the Air Was Written When Composer Was on Brink of 'Collapse'"—The Independent

Start a conversation about the performance or encourage reflection, using these questions as inspiration.

Northrop Organist Greg Zelek will welcome in the holiday spirit with a concert featuring celebratory favorites, including selections from A Charlie Brown Christmas performed on organ and drumset. The program will also include organ arrangements of well-known holiday tunes such as Purvis's Carol Rhapsody; Joy to the World; Sleigh Ride; and Go, Tell It on the Mountain.

• What might be the challenges and advantages of pairing secular holiday music alongside traditional, religious music?
• How does live music connect us to cultural traditions? How might new arrangements of well-known holiday music support or challenge audience expectations? 

The program will feature a chorister from the Minnesota Boychoir singing Walking in the Air from the movie The Snowman, and conclude with a dance party onstage, inviting young audience members to join in the fun. 

• How might the presence of intergenerational audiences on stage and in the audience affect the artistic experience of this performance?
• Imagine you are asked to suggest program selections for the organ to perform at a Northrop performance next December. What songs would you like to hear?

During a Relaxed Matinee, house lights will remain dim, sound levels will be lowered, and the audience will be warned of any potential surprises. Attendees can come and go as needed, assisted by ushers trained to accommodate movement and sound. Relaxed Matinee tickets are “Pay What You Wish.”

• Describe the cultural norms of audience behavior during a performance, and explore how the Relaxed Matinee model subverts these norms. How can these subversions lead to more equitable and inclusive audience participation?
• Imagine you are organizing a show that features a Relaxed Matinee. How would you communicate with artists and audiences about the differences from performance norms to ensure an enjoyable experience for all?