On the 17th January, the Travelling By Tuba people visited our school. The men who ran it were called Stuart and Chris. They were going to lead us through a journey of how the Tuba works and where it came from.
The first instrument we learned about was the conch shell. It was used about 10,000 years ago in India. It makes a medium pitched sound. If you put your hand in the opening the sound gets lower.
The next instrument was the Viking Animal Horn. It was used in wars, and makes a high-pitched sound.
The Didgeridoo was the next thing they showed us. It was made in Australia out of wood and termites eat the middle out. The Didgeridoo makes a low sound and has only three notes. Two people got the chance to try it out! It looked very hard to play!
Our next activity was a song that Chris played on the tuba. We had to bow our heads and shut our eyes and imagine we were beside a river in Africa.
Next was an instrument called a cornet, it is about 600 years old. It had an acorn shaped mouthpiece. It made an extremely high pitched sound.
The next instrument was the Sackbut. The Sackbut works in the same way as a trombone. The cornet and the Sackbut were played to together for the King or Queen.
Another volunteer got to come out and play the drums with the cornet and the Sackbut, it was meant to sound like a marching band.
We now learned how a Tuba works. Chris and Stuart showed us a hosepipe and said this was the same length as the pipes in the tuba stretched out.
Chris showed us the bell of the tuba and asked somebody to stick his or her head inside it, and it fitted!
We learned about the Posthorn and that it was used by postmen to show that he had delivered. It was used 400 years ago. Chris and Stuart had made a hose-a-phone. St
uart played a tune and we clapped along. The Hose-a-phone and the real posthorn made a high sound. Stuart and Chris then talked about Dobby the dancing pony and that we weren’t allowed to bring him in the school. They chose two people and they were meant to be each half of Dobby. They were given two halves of a coconut to sound like hooves and they banged along to the music.
The first ever tuba was called a serpent because it looks like snake. Chris played it and it was very quiet and out of tune with the piano. It was used about 400 years ago.
We learned about the valves on the tuba. They change the notes. Next, the
real challenge! Stuart has to play all 75 parts of the orchestra, but did he manage it… YES! It was the 1812 overture, they played it during war. Chris put confetti into this thing and it shot out!
Next was the American Sousaphone, it was invented by Mr Sousa as a variation on the tuba. This was done because the tuba was too heavy to carry around all day in a marching band. It has a very strange shape so it wraps around your shoulder. Next, they needed 9 people to play some percussion instruments. There were the maracas, kabasa, cowbell, guiro, tambourine, claves, shakers and a triangle. They played the Bear N
ecessities. Chris then serenaded all of the lady teachers with his tuba. After that, it was the end!
By Laetitia, Rob, Caroline, Kitty and Daniel.
The first instrument we learned about was the conch shell. It was used about 10,000 years ago in India. It makes a medium pitched sound. If you put your hand in the opening the sound gets lower.
The next instrument was the Viking Animal Horn. It was used in wars, and makes a high-pitched sound.
The Didgeridoo was the next thing they showed us. It was made in Australia out of wood and termites eat the middle out. The Didgeridoo makes a low sound and has only three notes. Two people got the chance to try it out! It looked very hard to play!
Our next activity was a song that Chris played on the tuba. We had to bow our heads and shut our eyes and imagine we were beside a river in Africa.
Next was an instrument called a cornet, it is about 600 years old. It had an acorn shaped mouthpiece. It made an extremely high pitched sound.
The next instrument was the Sackbut. The Sackbut works in the same way as a trombone. The cornet and the Sackbut were played to together for the King or Queen.
Another volunteer got to come out and play the drums with the cornet and the Sackbut, it was meant to sound like a marching band.We now learned how a Tuba works. Chris and Stuart showed us a hosepipe and said this was the same length as the pipes in the tuba stretched out.
Chris showed us the bell of the tuba and asked somebody to stick his or her head inside it, and it fitted!
We learned about the Posthorn and that it was used by postmen to show that he had delivered. It was used 400 years ago. Chris and Stuart had made a hose-a-phone. St
uart played a tune and we clapped along. The Hose-a-phone and the real posthorn made a high sound. Stuart and Chris then talked about Dobby the dancing pony and that we weren’t allowed to bring him in the school. They chose two people and they were meant to be each half of Dobby. They were given two halves of a coconut to sound like hooves and they banged along to the music.The first ever tuba was called a serpent because it looks like snake. Chris played it and it was very quiet and out of tune with the piano. It was used about 400 years ago.
We learned about the valves on the tuba. They change the notes. Next, the
real challenge! Stuart has to play all 75 parts of the orchestra, but did he manage it… YES! It was the 1812 overture, they played it during war. Chris put confetti into this thing and it shot out!Next was the American Sousaphone, it was invented by Mr Sousa as a variation on the tuba. This was done because the tuba was too heavy to carry around all day in a marching band. It has a very strange shape so it wraps around your shoulder. Next, they needed 9 people to play some percussion instruments. There were the maracas, kabasa, cowbell, guiro, tambourine, claves, shakers and a triangle. They played the Bear N
ecessities. Chris then serenaded all of the lady teachers with his tuba. After that, it was the end!By Laetitia, Rob, Caroline, Kitty and Daniel.
Photos by Jake, Hannah and Ewan
