January 14, 2004
Celestial concert
TSO presents Brass and Space at Dennos Museum
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Pairing two human endeavors, science and music, attendees at the Brass and Space program Saturday at the Milliken Auditorium got a whirlwind tour of the human aspirations.
Featuring the Traverse Symphony Orchestra's Brass Quintet playing a dozen space-related pieces - ranging from the Star Wars theme to Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star - the program also included a slideshow of celestial objects. Jerry Dobek, a professional astronomer and instructor at Northwestern Michigan College, and Scott Sorenson a trumpeter in the quintet, narrated the program.
"It's a great thing to go together, music and space, and it is wonderful when parents get involved," said Dobek, curator of the college's Rogers Observatory.
Brass and Space is the third of a series of five programs hosted by the Traverse Symphony Orchestra that introduces all aspects of an orchestra to children ages 3-8. These hour-long Saturday Family Symphony programs begin and end with an instrument petting zoo and also feature the symphony's mascot, Sleeping Bear.
After the program, children completed crafts including making a solar system map and a miniature telescope with pre-set constellations.
Saturday's session drew a record audience of 307 attendees young and old, a significant jump from previous sessions this season.
"It is a wonderful opportunity for kids," said Julie Friley, director of education and annual giving for the Traverse Symphony Orchestra.
After the program, Dobek cooked up some comets in the museum. Stirring together dirt, water, Caro syrup, ammonia and dry ice, he compressed them into a frozen ball of dirt that mimics actual comets in space. Big eyes and a series of 'oohhs' greeted his efforts as the dry ice steamed out of the comet.
A lifetime interest in science can be sparked at any age, Dobek said, and his goal as an educator is to make sure that happens. He noted that space and dinosaurs are two biggies for kids, topics that are sure to generate interest and excitement. The purpose of a program such as Brass and Space is to nurture an interest in space among children and even in the adults who accompany them.
As he narrated through nearly 100 photographs of the sun, moon, planets in the solar system, asteroids and comets, Dobek is sure inquiring minds were being hooked. Dramatic, colorful photos of distant galaxies and nebulae taken by the Hubble Space Telescope were also included, illustrating how a current NASA program adds to human understanding of the universe.
"Space is a quest for the unknown and our future," said Dobek, reflecting on the buzz about an upcoming space policy announcement from President George W. Bush. "It is very relevant, because in generations past our focus was on defense and the Cold War. That fear has now ended, but where's the focus for the next generation - they're going to need something to do."
"Space exploration will add new technologies, new explorations," he added. "If we don't set goals for this generation, if we don't set aspirations for them, they will stagnate."
Dobek also pointed to the jumps in technology that were spurred by previous NASA programs, such as the Apollo missions to the moon.
"The microwave, microcomputers, these are from that research," he said. "By spending the money for the space exploration, we're building the future."
The next program of the Saturday Family Symphony will be Sticks and Skins, featuring the TSO percussion ensemble. This program will be held on Saturday, February 7, at 11 a.m. in the Milliken Auditorium. For more information, call the symphony office at 947-7120 or at www.tso-online.org.