The Flying Orchestra by Clare McFadden

In memory of Glenda Higgs. 

A special teacher who gave the gift of music, with love, 

to hundreds of lucky children 

at Cooerwull Public School, Lithgow, NSW

“Music is important for the following reasons: it is abstract, it doesn’t mean anything outside itself. Music does not describe. Music does not narrate. Music does not tell stories. Music evokes. Music suggests, music implies, and music opens up the mind of a child in an extraordinary way. This abstraction about music is what offers a child the chance to move into a really special way of thinking.” Richard Gill AO


I heard some sad news today that a former colleague of mine had died. The friend who told me thought I may have seen a post about this on Facebook but I had to explain Facebook would only announce this for a famous person. Glenda was not famous but she certainly should have been. Under her gentle care hundreds of lucky Primary School children were able to listen, explore, create and perform music in every genre. Sadly not all children have access to music education. Primary teachers are generalists and many find teaching music daunting. Glenda had the ability, skills and opportunity to provide a rich music program way beyond any syllabus requirements. How lucky were all of those children. Along with lessons for every class in the school Glenda managed choirs, recorder ensembles, a string group and percussion bands.

Children performed at our school, in combined school ensembles in regional towns and in Sydney, at eisteddfods and one lucky group of string players, aged only 8-12, played on the stage of the Sydney Opera House - what an achievement.

One of my most treasured memories relates to a group of Musica Viva performers who came to our school and played Vivaldi Four Seasons (Winter) and then they invited our students to perform with them and this magical moment happened in my school library. The perfect venue.

Each year the Children's Book Council of Australia announce a theme or slogan as a focus for Book Week. Glenda happily composed songs for our school celebrations and I treasure my little cassette tapes of them. One year there was a television competition to sing and film "A Home among the Gum Trees". We didn't win but it was such a wonderful way to bring the whole school together through music. I know the children of Cooerwull Public School, who were lucky to have Mrs Higgs as their teacher, will have many other beautiful memories like these.

Every where I turned today I saw musical references. The thrift shop near my bus stop had a toy piano and violin on display in their window. I attended my own music ensemble lesson (yes it's recorder). Then this evening I found The Flying Orchestra. I had seen a recent post by The Bottom Shelf celebrating the reprint of this book in paperback. The Flying Orchestra was first published in 2010 and won the Crichton Award for new illustrators in 2011.

When you read this book it is good to have access to the related music tracks which are listed in the back of the book. What a beautiful way to introduce some exquisite music to a young reader. I'm sure Glenda would have loved sharing a book like this with her students. Here are a few examples:

The concert program is a busy one - a violin solo when someone misses their train
5th Movement 'Chaconne' from Partita in D minor for solo violin (BWV 1004) by Johann Sebastian Bach .
Listen here.

A symphony at the airport for a traveller coming home
1st movement 'Allegretto' from Symphony No. 2 in D Major (Op 43) by Jean Sibelius.
Listen here.

A concerto when someone stays awake all night thinking
2nd movement 'Andante' from Double Bass Concerto No. 2 in B minor by Giovanni Bottesini.
Listen here.

The Flying Orchestra always plays when a baby is born
Aria 'Schafe konnen sicher weider' (Sheep may safely graze) from Cantata (BWV 208) by Johann Sebastian Bach.  (This is one of my favourites)
Listen here.

The Flying Orchestra will play when someone learns to ride a bike
Waltz in D-flat major 'Minute Waltz' No 1 (Op 64) by Frederic Chopin.
Listen here.

They fly out to the country and play under a sky milky with stars
3rd movement 'Clair de lune' (Moonlight) from Suite bergamasque (L75) by Claude Debussy.
Listen here.

The music starts again, as beautiful as before, in all the places they have been
'The Lark Ascending' by Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Listen here.

Here is a set of teachers notes. I do wish this book came with a CD but I did have fun sourcing some of the tracks for this post. If you are working with a group of younger students you might find these ideas useful. You can see some of the art from this book on the Book Illustrated site.

Here is another book you could link with The Flying Orchestra.