Duke Ellington and the Nutcracker Suite

Students will be introduced to the great jazz composer and band leader, Duke Ellington by listening to his re-composed, re-orchestrated version of Nutcracker Suite by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, following a previously taught thematic lesson about Tchaikovsky's classic. Students use there prior knowledge of musical concepts and the instrumentation of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite  to recognize similar melodies in Ellington's work to that of Tchaikovsky. Students are taught about Duke Ellington, the American jazz scene, jazz instruments and connections will be made to literature, social studies, music and writing.