Program Summary
Aboard the Del Sol Express, we take an imaginary train journey from San Francisco south through Mexico and South America and home again. Listening to modern works of North, Central and South America makes us remember historical and cultural links to the rest of the world. Through listening to live music performed by the Del Sol String Quartet at school performances we witness first hand the versatility of the string quartet to express world sounds, styles and rhythms as they have contributed to the lively music of the Americas.
Key Concepts
- Diversity is one of the treasures of the Americas.
- By listening and imagining we experience our diverse connections to the world.
- Hearing music from other cultures transports us there.
- Music tickles your senses, bringing to life far more than what your ears hear.
Travel Guide for the Del Sol Express
Start using your imagination right now!- The Del Sol Express is a musical train journey through the Americas.
- Activities 1 - 5 in the Table of Contents (above left) develop the analogy while adding to the fun of the trip. Our ideas on the concept are listed below, indexed to activity pages.
- Sharing memories of a family vacation will help you personalize the analogy as you travel together on the Del Sol Express.
Table of Contents
| Sounds Like Learning© | Like a Travel Agent, helping you decide where you would like to go on your vacation. In performance, the Del Sol Quartet is like a train conductor or engineer driving the train. |
| Program Summary & Goals | This page, is like planning your trip and buying a ticket. The only currency you need to buy your ticket is listening and imagination. |
| All Aboard the Del Sol Express | An interactive map of the musical route of the Del Sol Express and an introduction to the rich multiculturalism of the Americas. Like choosing your itinerary. Also like postcards of places you visit. |
| Pieces of Eight | Latin rhythms are often based on fractions of eight beats. So was the early Spanish peso, the first money of Latin America. Like a language pronunciation guide and a guide to currency conversion. |
| Who Writes the Songs? | Meet the composers and practice composing with rhythms from your life. Like the history and scenery of the places we visit. |
| Shakin' It Up | Make simple Latin percussion instruments and discover how different materials make different sounds. Like culture and customs. Instruments themselves are like your luggage. |
| Home at Last | After any journey it is good to take time to remember and see what you have learned and enjoyed -- and imagine where you will go next! Like a diary, journal, or photographs. |