We obviously love orchestra music here at Inside the Orchestra, but we also love hearing smaller groups of musicians get together and perform as well. Check out the fun duet videos and activities featuring a smaller group of musicians
A duet is a piece of music performed by two people. It doesn’t matter what instruments they’re playing (or voice part they’re singing) – the most important thing is that the music features exactly two people. Duets are like a conversation between two people. You have to pay attention to each other and react and respond to what the other person is doing musically in order to stay together.
You too can create art as a duet, reacting to your partners artistic cues. This synchronized drawing activity is a great way for kids to slow down and really pay attention and follow along with their partner.
This video, featuring oboist Kathryn Simpson and horn player Steve Simpson, is a great introduction to duets for young musical learners. It demonstrates some duet basics including:
Watch and listen!
For Preschool and Elementary Age
You can work on the effective communication skills needed to play duets without ever having to pick up an instrument! Try out this fun blindfolded cooperative obstacle course to encourage communication between your children.
Watch and listen as violist Sarah Richardson and bassist Andy Holmes perform a duet by composer Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf. (I know, we love his name too.)
For Elementary Age and Older
Sarah and Andy showed us how bringing their different parts and skills together allowed them to create a beautiful piece of music. Now it’s time for you to work as a team to see what you can create.
We love this marshmallow tower challenge to encourage children to explore creativity and cooperation with a basis in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills. Adults, watch this interesting TED talk about what we can learn from this challenge about working as a team.
Provide your children with the following supplies and ask them to build the tallest free-standing tower they can. The marshmallow has to be on the very top of the tower, they can use ONLY the supplies given, and they have 15 minutes to make their free-standing structure. Supplies needed:
Provide your children with the following supplies and ask them to build the tallest free-standing tower they can. The marshmallow has to be on the very top of the tower, they can use ONLY the supplies given, and they have 15 minutes to make their free-standing structure. Supplies needed:
