The Orchestra Rocks
“Mars”
Gustav Holst
Student Participation: Listening
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Repertoire Exploration
Learn fundamental concepts of music and engage in creative activities through a deeper exploration of the ideas and themes of the Link Up repertoire.
Composer Bio
Gustav Holst
Gustav Holst (1874–1934) hailed from a musical family in England, and began playing the violin and piano at a young age. Though Holst loved practicing the piano, he transitioned from the piano to the trombone due to nerve damage in his hands, and relied on his work as a trombonist and choirmaster for income. His music is influenced by a variety of styles, including English folk, and by the stories and mythology of Hinduism. Holst was a gifted teacher who worked as director of music at schools that included St. Paul’s Girls’ School in London. He is most well-known for The Planets, a suite for orchestra in which each movement musically illustrates one of the planets in our solar system. Fun fact: Gustav Holst was a vegetarian!
