Practical Information for Orchestras
The Author and the Illustrator
1. Books with CDs
Maximus first appeared in 2008 in the best-selling and awarded book "Maximus Musicus Visits the Orchestra", written by Hallfrídur Ólafsdóttir and Þórarinn Már Baldursson, both members of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Maxi discovers the wonders of music and the symphony orchestra in his
own joyful and friendly manner. In the sequel, "Maximus Musicus Visits the Music School", he sees to his astonishment that children can play musical instruments too! The third tale, "Maximus Musicus Saves the Ballet" is about the wonders of physical expression, both in the natural movement of the listener as in the more disciplined ballet dancers.
The CDs that accompany the books contain a narration of each story with all the sounds and music that go with it, recorded by the ISO. In the first book the orchestral musicians warm up, tune, rehearse and finally play the pieces in a concert. In the second book Maxi listens to children practise their musical instruments and perform with the symphony orchestra and in the third one he sees children rehearse and perform ballet with the orchestra. All CDs have the pieces performed in full length on separate tracks following the narration.
Maximus Musicus Visits the Orchestra
We follow the tale of the mouse, Maximus Musicus, who by chance finds himself in a concert hall. There he experiences many strange and funny things as well as some wonderful and almost overwhelming sounds as the orchestra rehearses and gives a concert. What an interesting and adventurous turn his life has suddenly taken! Maxi enjoys himself so much that he decides to stay in the concert hall and see what happens the next day. The music was carefully chosen to suit the young audience, Ravel's Bolero, a Fanfare and some galopping encores as well as Maxi's Song.
Buy the English version here (available worldwide, except in Aus and NZ)
Buy the Australian version here (available in Australia and New Zealand)
Buy the German version here
Buy the Korean version here
Buy the Icelandic version here
Maximus Musicus Visits the Music School
In this story we hear children practicing as Maxi explores the music school. At the end they make their way to the concert hall to perform in a concert with the orchestra and Maxi hitches a ride in the instrument box. The music for this concert programme should be chosen by each individual ensemble and soloists to suit their ability, any short, fun pieces that fit the children soloists and the young audience in addition to the Toy Symphony and Maxi's Song.
Buy the German version here
Buy the Icelandic version here
Maximus Musicus Saves the Ballet
The third tale of Maxi is about the wonders of physical expression as conveyed by music, in the natural movement of the listener as well as in the more disciplined ballet. Maximus Musicus decides to follow some ballet dancers from the concert hall to their ballet school to learn how to dance as beautifully as they do. He watches the young dancers and not only does he save the ballet show and learn a very valuable lesson, he also finds a good friend.
Buy the Icelandic version here
2. Concert programmes
The stories of Maximus Musicus have been adapted for the concert hall. Maximus Musicus Visits the Orchestra is available as a concert programme for both chamber and symphony orchestras with narrator and illustrations projected onto a screen. The sequel, Maximus Musicus Visits the Music School, can be performed by children soloists and ensembles of various sizes and again the third story, Maximus Musicus Saves the Ballet, a ballet show with dancers on stage as well as the narrator, is based on music for a full orchestra but has been made available for chamber orchestra of ten players.
The concert programmes have been performed to great acclaim at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Nordic House in Faroe Islands and with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in Australia as well as many times with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. The third tale of Maxi's will be performed in the Berlin Philharmonic Chamber Hall with The Ensemble Berlin in February 2013 and a week later the first story will be performed by the ISO in the Nordic Cool Festival at the Kennedy Centre in Washington.
Watch a clip from the concerts (3 min)
Practical Information for Orchestras - PDF
Concert programme 1: Maximus Musicus Visits the Orchestra
We follow the tale of the mouse, Maximus Musicus, who by chance finds himself in a concert hall. There he experiences many strange and funny things as well as some wonderful and almost overwhelming sounds as the orchestra rehearses and gives a concert. What an interesting and adventurous turn his life has suddenly taken! Maxi enjoys himself so much that he decides to stay in the concert hall and see what happens the next day.
The music was carefully chosen to suit the young audience, Ravel's Bolero, a Fanfare and some galopping encores as well as Maxi's Song.
(Orchestration min.: 2**22*2.4331.timp.3perc.hp.str.)
MM1 Concert programme synopsis - PDF
Practical Information for Orchestras - PDF
Hire of concert material - Please contact Schott Music
Concert programme 2: Maximus Musicus Visits the Music School
In this story we hear children playing instruments as Maxi explores the music school. At the end they make their way to the concert hall to perform in a concert with the orchestra and Maxi hitches a ride in the instrument box. The music for this concert programme should be chosen by each individual ensemble and soloists to suit their ability, any short, fun pieces that fit the children soloists and the young audience in addition to the obligatory Toy Symphony and Maxi's Song.
(Orchestration: Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, String Quartet or Piano with Children Soloists)
MM2 Concert programme synopsis - PDF
Practical Information for Orchestras - PDF
Hire of concert material - Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Concert programme 3: Maximus Musicus Saves the Ballet
The third Maximus Musicus adventure is about the wonders of physical expression as conveyed by music, in the natural movement of the listener as well as in the more disciplined ballet. Maximus Musicus decides to follow some ballet dancers from the concert hall to their ballet school to learn how to dance as beautifully as they do. He watches the young dancers and not only does he save the ballet show and learn a very valuable lesson, he also finds a good friend.
The programme includes Maxi's Song, some classical ballet pieces by Tchaikovsky and Glazunov, Ravel's Mother Goose Suite with all its fairytale characters and Fire by Icelandic composer Jórunn Vidar. This concert programme is performed with the participation of young dancers and two small mouse-actors as well as the narrator.
(Orchestration: 3322.4431.timp.3perc.cel.hp.str. or Chamber group of 10)
MM3 Concert programme synopsis - PDF
Practical Information for Orchestras - PDF
Hire of concert material - Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
3. iPhone application
The first iPhone applications with games based on Maxi´s adventures is available at the online Apple store.
More information about Maxi´s iPhone application here
Buy Maxi´s iPhone application here
Free! Get Maxi´s Holiday Piano iPhone application for free here
4. Practical Information for Orchestras
MM1 Concert programme synopsis - PDF
Practical Information for Orchestras: PDF
Hire of concert material - Please contact Schott Music
Maxi 1: Maximus Musicus Visits the Orchestra
Participants (minimum requirements):
Orchestra: 2**22*2.4331.timp.3perc.(&cel).hp.str.
(optional parts: Bass clarinet, D trumpet, Celesta)
Conductor
Narrator
Technician
Artistic director
Equipment:
Sound system (for narrator)
Projector (for illustrations projected above the orchestra)
Screen (above the orchestra)
Spotlight
The concert package includes:
Scores and parts:
Ravel: Abridged Boléro + end of Boléro
Beethoven: Fifth Symphony, 1st movement.
Kaldalóns: Á Sprengisandi
Ólafsdóttir: Maxi´s Song
(Copland: Fanfare is not included for copyright reasons, can also be replaced by another fanfare.)
All cues and guidelines are included, also for each of the musicians acting out the warm-up.
Manuscripts:
Manuscript for the narrator.
Manuscript with illustrations and directions + cues for lighting.
CDs:
Technician’s CD with the illustrations, Ppt and lighting guidelines.
CD with material for e-mailing and website:
- Maxi´s letter to the children and a note to infant-school teachers.
- Maxi´s Song, tune with chord-notation.
- Maxi´s Song, lyrics with chord-notation.
- Maxi´s Song – instrumental, the accompaniment to be used for a possible
recording of Maxi´s Song in your native language for the orchestra´s website.
- Layout for a poster with illustrations of the orchestra and all the instruments.
(This poster can be printed and given to the audience. Not for sale.)
Practical Information for Orchestras: PDF document
Hire the concert material for Maximus Musicus visits the Orchestra:
Distribution agency: Schott Music
Maxi 2: Maximus Musicus Visits the Music School
The concert programme for the second story of Maxi is musically very flexible and suits orchestras and chamber ensembles of all sizes. It is constructed to feature very young soloists playing short pieces.
Each ensemble chooses pieces to suit their players, any short, fun pieces that fit the children soloists and the young audience. The pieces should only be 2 - 3 minutes long, with the exception of one or two pieces up to 4 minutes long, maximum. The programme can even be performed by the soloists and a pianist. Therefore, the concert material only includes the score and parts for the Toy Symphony and Maxi's Song (available for various ensembles and orchestras).
Participants:
Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, String Quartet or Piano
Children Soloists and groups
Conductor
Narrator
Technician
Artistic director
Equipment:
Sound system (for narrator)
Projector (for illustrations projected above the orchestra)
Screen (above the orchestra)
The concert package includes:
Score and parts of Toy Symphony and Maxi's Song (various instrumentations)
(As any short pieces of music can be played we do not include any other scores or parts)
Guidelines
Manuscript for narrator and conductor
Manuscript with illustrations and directions
Technician’s CD with the illustrations, ppt and lighting guidelines.
CD with material for e-mailing and website ( as above).
Practical Information for Orchestras: PDF document
Hire the concert material for Maximus Musicus visits the Music School:
For hiring the concert material, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Programme guidelines and suggestions for Maximus Musicus Visits the Music School
The concert programme should consist of very short pieces, of 2 - 3 minutes duration each, possibly with one or two longer pieces of 4 min. duration. The children soloists can play any instrument, be at any stage of music making, even beginners playing simple tunes, with or without the orchestra, ensemble or piano. Children can perform in groups. Orchestra can play orchestral pieces. As the mouse is searching for his bird friend in the story, listening for the sound of his song, the piece ends with the Toy Symphony or another piece featuring a bird whistle played by a child.
The duration of the programme should be of max 60 minutes, of which the music is 25 minutes.
This is the programme of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra at the first performances, April 2010:
Johannes Brahms: Hungarian Dance no. 5 (3 min.)
Jón Leifs: Icelandic Dances (2 min.)
Friedrich Seitz: Schülerkonzert, 3rd movement, arr. Amir Awad (3 min.)
(played by a group of Suzuki violin students)
Franz Joseph Haydn: Divertimento for piano and orchestra, 3. movement (3 min.)
Michael Praetorius: Branle de la Torche
Thoinot Arbeau: Branle des Chevaux
(Two renaissance dances performed by a group of recorders and a percussionist) (2.30 min.)
François-Joseph Gossec: Gavotte for flute and orchestra, arr. Jón Sigurðsson (3 min.)
David Popper; Gavotte for cello and orchestra, arr. Daníel Bjarnason (4 min.)
Edmund Angerer: Toy Symphony for 6 toy soloists and strings, one movement
(formerly believed to have been composed by Haydn or Leopold Mozart)
1st, 2nd or 3rd movement (4.22, 3.35 or 2.10 min.)
Hallfríður Ólafsdóttir: Maxi's Song (2 min.)
Maxi 3: Maximus Musicus Saves the Ballet
The concert programme for Maxi's third adventure is a ballet show with narrator and the illustrations on the wall as in Maxi's other stories. If the stage is large enough for both orchestra and dancers the orchestra can stay on stage but otherwise is in the pit as described in the story.
Music: Tchaikovsky: Sleeping Beauty Overture, Glazunov: Winter, Ravel: Mother Goose Suite, Tchaikovsky: Sleeping Beauty - Pas de Quatre no. 25, Jórunn Vidar: Fire, Ólafsdóttir: Maxi's Song.
Participants (minimum requirements):
Orchestra: 3322.4431.timp.3perc. cel.hp.str.
Chamber orchestra: 1111.1.Str.quintet
Children dancers
2 Children actors, playing two mice
Conductor
Narrator
Technician
Artistic director
Equipment:
Sound system (for narrator)
Projector (for illustrations projected above the orchestra and scenery (opt.))
Screen (above the orchestra)
Spotlight
The concert package includes:
Chamber orchestra: scores and parts for all the pieces
Symphony orchestra: scores and parts for Jórunn Vidar: Fire and Ólafsdóttir: Maxi's Song
(Other pieces to be provided by other means)
Guidelines and bar numbers for text cues
Manuscript for narrator and conductor
Manuscript with illustrations and directions
Instructions and guidelines for choreography, with timings according to a CD provided.
CD with recordings of the pieces by the Iceland Symphony Orchestra - for ballet rehearsal purposes only.
Technician’s CD with the illustrations, Ppt, scenery graphics and lighting guidelines.
CD with material for e-mailing and website (as above).
Practical Information for Orchestras: PDF document
Hire of concert material - Please contact Schott Music
5. The Author and the Illustrator
The story’s author and illustrator are both members of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. The author, Hallfríður Ólafsdóttir, is the principal flutist of the ISO and the illustrator, Þórarinn Már Baldursson, plays the viola. Both have an extensive experience and knowledge of classical music and a burning desire to share it with the younger generation.
Hallfrídur Ólafsdóttir, Maximus Musicus, Þórarinn Már Baldursson
Hallfrídur Ólafsdóttir is the principal flautist of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Haffi has always been a bookworm. In her opinion symphonic music is the coolest thing on earth but she also has fun playing strange old flutes and whistles.
Þórarinn Már Baldursson is a violist in the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Tóti has been drawing since he was a wee boy. He is also interested in traditional Icelandic culture, and is himself an accomplished bard. The “Þ” in Þórarinn’s name is an Icelandic letter, pronounced like the unvoiced“Th”.
6. Maxi's Music School
Information about Maxi's Music School will be available soon.
7. Credits
Very special thanks to Vladimir Ashkenazy, Patron of the Maximus Musicus Project, and his wife, Þórunn Ashkenazy.
Special thanks to Helgi Tómasson, Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer of the San Fransisco Ballet, for his generous review of Maximus Musicus Saves the Ballet.
Huge thanks to Maxi's main supporters:
The Iceland Symphony Orchestra (ISO), Iceland State Radio, State Fund for the Arts in Iceland, The Study Materials Fund of the Association of Icelandic Music Teachers and the Association of Icelandic Musicians, ISO Staff Association, Ministry of Education Music Fund, Norvik Funding, Children’s Cultural Fund, City of Reykjavík Cultural Fund, Sumargjöf - Children's Friends' Fund, Harpa - Reykjavik Concert Hall, 12 tónar and Iceland Music Export.
Thousand thanks to the following people and establishments:
Allegro - Suzuki Music School and the A-SMS String Orchestra, Amir Awad, Andrew Cauthery, Anna Hildur Hildibrandsdóttir, Ardal Powell, Arna Kristín Einarsdóttir, Ármann Helgason, Ármann Pétursson, Árni Heimir Ingólfsson, Ballet School of Iceland, Berglind Stefánsdóttir, Bernard Wilkinson, Björg Árnadóttir Cauthery, Bragi Þór Hinriksson and MP Factory, Daði Kolbeinsson, Daníel Bjarnason, Eggert Gunnarsson, Eggert Pálsson, Fancy Pants Global Game Studio, Frank Aarnink, Georg Magnússon, Guðrún Dalía Salómonsdóttir, Gunnhildur Halla Ármannsdóttir, Haraldur Vignir Sveinbjörnsson, Helena Margrét Jóhannsdóttir, Helga Aðalheiður Jónsdóttir, Hildigunnur Halldórsdóttir, Jane Smee, Jón Guðmundsson, Jóna Dóra Óskarsdóttir, Kristinn Þorbergsson, Kristín Anna Ólafsdóttir, Lára Stefánsdóttir, Lilja Cardew, Lilja Hjaltadóttir, Lukáš Janičík, Magnea Árnadóttir, Malcolm Holloway, Margrét Gísladóttir, Margrét Ásta Jónsdóttir, Margrét Sigurðardóttir, María Ólafsdóttir, Maxi actors, Mouseband, Ólafur Tómasson, Pawel Panasiuk, Peter Maté, Rachel Atkinson, Rachel Bowron, Rachel Wright, Ragnar Fjalar Lárusson, Reykjanesbær Music School Recorder Consort, Reykjavík Wind Quintet, Rumon Gamba, Sibyl Urbancic, Sigþrúður Gunnarsdóttir, Sigrún Eðvaldsdóttir, Steef van Oosterhout, Stefanía María Pétursdóttir, Steinunn Birna Ragnarsdóttir, Svava Bernharðsdóttir, Tómas Þorvaldsson, Tryggvi Pétur Ármannsson, Tryggvi Marteinn Baldvinsson, Valgerður Benediktsdóttir, Valur Freyr Einarsson, Vovka Ashkenazy, Xinwei Chen, Þorgeir Tryggvason, Þórdís Stross, Þórir Tryggvason, Þórunn Guðmundsdóttir, Þröstur Ólafsson, Össur Geirsson and everyone else that has helped Maxi on his way.
Maxi actors:
Gunnhildur Halla Ármannsdóttir, Ragnheiður Ingunn Jóhannsdóttir,
Lilja Hákonardóttir, Steinunn Lárusdóttir, Stefanía Ragnarsdóttir,
Kristín Kolka Björnsdóttir,
Erla Sverrisdóttir,
Helga Sigríður Kolbeins, Halldóra Elín Einarsdóttir
The Mouseband:
Hallfríður Ólafsdóttir, flute
Ármann Helgason, clarinet
Ásgeir Steingrímsson, trumpet
Sigrún Eðvaldsdóttir, violin
Zbigniew Dubik, violin
Jónína Auður Hilmarsdóttir, viola
Bryndís Björgvinsdóttir, cello
Richard Korn, bass
Pétur Grétarsson, percussion
The Allegro - Suzuki Music School String Orchestra:
Birna Rún Karlsdóttir,
Bjargey Birgisdóttir
Bjarni Hjaltason,
Elín Hanna Ríkarðsdóttir,
Guðfinna Margrét Örnólfsdóttir,
Guðrún Diljá Agnarsdóttir,
Hafrún Birna Björnsdóttir, Iðunn Einarsdóttir, Katla Garðarsdóttir, Kolfinna Þöll Þórðardóttir, Ragnheiður Ingunn Jóhannsdóttir, Tómas Ari Einarsson Conductor: Þórdís Stross. The Reykjanesbær Music School Recorder Consort:
Guðlaugur Ari Grétarsson,
Ísak Freyr Ólafsson,
Rán Ísold Eysteinsdóttir,
Sigurrós Þorgrímsdóttir,
Bogi Haraldsson,
Ína Dóra Hjálmarsdóttir,
Sigrún Gróa Magnúsdóttir,
Tristan Willems
Conductor: Helga Aðalheiður Jónsdóttir.
