- Have 7-9 players take the stage and take up a formation similar to an orchestra.
- Instead of instrument sections such as horns, strings, woodwinds and percussion, have each section be an emotional sound; joy, fear, anger and sadness.
- If this is the first time doing this exercise, do a warm up where each section explores the various levels of intensity and volume in each emotion. For example, tittering and giggling moving all the way up to bellowing belly laughs.
- One player enter as the conductor and introduces the name of the piece about to be performed. For example, “Summertime” or “ Birthday Party”.
- Using hand motions the conductor points to the sections and raises or lowers hands to indicate the intensity and volume of the emotion.
- The piece can have blended sounds, crescendos and decrescendos. The conductor can also turn off sections completely by putting their palm up (as if to signal ‘stop’).
- Finish by having the conductor silence the orchestra by closing his or her hands.
TIP: Because this can get quite loud, avoid vocal strain by reminding the participants to explore all levels of the emotion, especially the subtler ones.