Dmitri Shostakovich and the Suitcase by the Elevator

What You'll Learn

• Learn what a 'musical signature' is — how Shostakovich used the notes D-E♭-C-B (spelled D-S-C-H in German notation) to secretly sign his music with his own name, like a spy's hidden mark
• Understand the difference between a symphony and a string quartet — a symphony is like a speech to thousands of people in a crowded hall, while a string quartet is a whispered conversation between four close friends
• Discover how artists can wear 'masks' — showing one face to the world while keeping their true feelings hidden in their art, like a secret letter only certain people can read
• Learn what it was like to be a composer in Soviet Russia — where music could be dangerous and speaking freely was forbidden, and yet beauty still found a way to survive
• Experience how music can be a refuge — a safe place to put your truest feelings when the outside world won't let you speak them aloud