Even while the whole team is fully focused on preparing for Polaris Dawn, the mission is part of an even larger Polaris Program that plans to carry out two more missions in future years. And, the Polaris Program is part of an even larger community of space adventurers, all with big goals for the future of humans in space. Each mission like Polaris Dawn is one more step towards interplanetary existence for humans, and moves humanity that much closer to a future where space adventures and life beyond earth can be accessible and available to all.
Hear about ideas for the future that make Sarah Gillis eager for what comes after Polaris Dawn, and find out in her conversation with superstar composer Kevin Day how his own enthusiasm and curiosity about the future of space adventure fires up his musical creativity.
Composing About Space:
Rocketship! & Lightspeed:
Check out the video on Starship’s information page, or follow the link below to experience what SpaceX imagines a future mission to Mars on Starship might be like:
Let the amazing possibilities of space light up your imagination! Combine your unique creative voice with inspiration from Kevin Day’s piece Rocketship! as you invent a musical answer to this Zone’s Challenge Question:
Listen to two small moments from Kevin Day’s piece Rocketship! One moment is from the very start of the piece, like a musical introduction. The other moment is the final notes of the piece, what could be called an epilogue in a story. As you listen, let yourself imagine what could be happening during these musical moments and write your thoughts on a story chart like the one below.
- What kind of mood or scene do you imagine as you hear the introduction?
- What feeling and energy do you hear in the epilogue? Does it feel final, or like a cliffhanger with more adventure yet to come?
Rocketship! Introduction (:00-:18)
Rocketship! Epilogue (3:50-4:08)
Story Chart: A Musical Space Adventure
With these Introduction and Epilogue ideas in mind, now it’s time to dream up the big action of this Space Adventure story. Create the plot using a simple Seven Sentence Story structure: two sentences to describe the beginning, three for the middle, and two more sentences for the end. Use the questions below to help build your story, and write your sentences on your story chart.
- Where does this adventure take place?
- Who is the hero, or who are the main characters?
- Is this inspired by real life, something fantastical you’ve invented, or a story you already know?
- What kind of challenges or problems happen? Or is this adventure just smooth sailing?
Next, imagine what kind of music could help show the big events in your new Space Adventure. Listen to three important musical ideas, called themes, from Kevin Day’s piece. They each have a unique musical sound and express their own feeling or energy.
- If you were going to borrow musical ideas from Day to help tell your story, which of the three themes would you want to use?
- Which part of your story does the theme(s) connect best with? Why?
Rocketship!
1. Smooth Woodwinds Theme (3:02-3:12)
2. Punchy Brass Theme (:18-:36)
3. Super Percussion Theme (1:19-1:44)
Add the names of any themes you’d like to borrow from Kevin Day to the ideas you already have on your story chart. (Maybe none of Kevin Day’s themes are a good fit for your story–that’s okay, too!)
For any sections of your story still missing music, imagine your own sounds or musical ideas. Singing or humming your thoughts is a great way to get started. You can also tap, clap, or stomp rhythms, and use your voice to imitate any special sounds you think will help show the big ideas from your story. If you have musical instruments available, try playing your ideas, too.
On your story chart use words, drawings, or music notation to describe your ideas for your own Beginning, Middle, and End. Not sure what a story chart might look like at this point? You can click here to see one that’s in progress.
Finally, make an audio or video recording of the musical ideas you like best!
Want to share your Musical Space Adventure? Describe your ideas or make a video of your music and post on social media using the hashtags #space4music. We will be sharing selected musical ideas in this Zone’s Challenge Accepted! space. A few messages may even make it to space with Sarah Gillis!
Listen to the full exciting musical story of Kevin Day’s Rocketship! and see if you can find where he used the three themes you heard earlier in the Challenge. If you like, use the timings chart to help track where you are in his musical story.
- Introduction: 00:00
- Beginning: 00:18
- Middle: 01:44
- End: 02:44
- Epilogue: 03:50
Rocketship! (:00-4:08)
- What do you think happens in this space adventure? What in the music helped you imagine those ideas?
- How does the feeling or mood of the music change during the different sections of the piece?
- Which of the three themes–Smooth Woodwinds, Punchy Brass, and Super Percussion–were you able to hear during the piece? Did you notice if any happened more than once?
For El Sistema USA Members: Would your ensemble like to perform one of Kevin Day’s space-themed pieces? ESUSA Members can access scores and parts for Rocketship and Lightspeed for 30% off on our member resource hub! Access the resources here.
Polaris Dawn Crew
One of the most important developments happening in space exploration–and something that must continue to improve as we head into the future–is the growth of inclusivity and diversity within the pool of people heading into space. One exciting milestone will happen during the Polaris Dawn mission: Sarah and Anna will become the two women who have traveled farthest from Earth!
