Released in 2009, this murder mystery by Lemony Snicket (aka Daniel Handler) with music brilliantly composed by Nathaniel Stookey introduces readers to the instruments of the orchestra using a fun and humorous approach. The text is written in the style of A Series of Unfortunate Events. For example, definitions are used to explain important terms in the story. The score enhances the text while providing an overview of the different instruments and sections of the orchestra. The finale, a funeral march for the dead, incorporates musical themes from well-known compositions while the composers are mentioned in the text. Humour, mystery and suspense interweave with an intricate musical score to set the stage for a wonderful learning experience. This is a great resource for teaching about music.
It comes with a CD of the San Francisco Orchestra (conducted by Edwin Outwater, currently with the K-W Symphony) performing the work in the venue where it first premiered. The KW Symphony performed "The Composer is Dead" at a concert in 2008 with Daniel Handler narrating and Edwin Outwater conducting. Nathaniel Stookey was also present and spoke about the features of the music he composed. I was fortunate enough to be in the audience for this performance. At intermission, I met Daniel Handler and purchased an autographed copy of one of "The Series of Unfortunate Events" books.
The book has been released and is currently available at most bookstores. Check out this video on Amazon about the book The Composer is Dead.
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