Concerto Gross

Description

Concerto Gross is great fun for audience and performers and the director has great flexibility in making the most of the school’s situation.

It is imperative that both soloists and orchestra perform in a straight-forward and serious manner. The three soloists can be selected from the orchestra, the faculty or community. The first and second players should have higher voices and the third lower. The third should also be a showman as the part has the most potential for imaginative improvisation.

You may make an introduction similar to the following:
“All three of our soloists study with (school principal’s name) former professor of kazoo at Julliard. All have very valuable instruments. (name 1st kazoo) is playing on a 1713 Stradigonious. (2nd) has a 1693 Guinaricoccus. (3rd) is playing a current model from the Acme Tin Company”.

Considerable time may be spent tuning the kazoos with the third soloist never coming close to the correct pitch. In performing, it is ideal for each to have a separate mike, but it is not mandatory.

The third kazoo’s cadenza is the highlight of the piece. He can meander over a number of familiar themes (a measure or two of each at most) in a continuous stream until orchestra members, in disgust, shoot the kazoo out of his hand with cap pistols.

The percussion part contains instruments that may not be available but are easily substituted (a suspended cymbal instead of a gong, etc.). A bulb horn may be borrowed from a student’s bicycle.

After the performance, award the salami as a door prize or award it to the school principal for “teaching the students so well”.

Kazoos may be purchased inexpensively from many sources and there should be extras as they easily break. The kazoo should be held firmly between the lips and the notes should be tongued with a do do do (not wa wa wa) with the sound projected.

Published by: Wynn Music Publishers