With his first childrens book themed on music, and linked to an augmented reality app, Dan Brown has hits the right notes, says a nine-year-old student of violin from Mumbai
Illustrated by Susan Batori, Wild Symphony features Maestro Mouse, a conductor, who recruits a group of animals to join his orchestra. Pics Courtesy /Puffin Books
For those who primarily associate Dan Brown with Robert Langdon, the Harvard symbologist he made the protagonist of his bestselling five-volume book series, learning that he wrote music before thrillers is sort of a revelation. He started writing piano pieces when he was five. But even in his first children's book that has everything to do with music, Brown refuses to let go of his tryst with mystery—a mystery, Vedanth Viswanathan, a nine-year-old learning the violin at NCPA's SOI Music Academy, was happy to solve, given that we invited him to review the title.
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Wild Symphony (Puffin Books) is led by a certain Maestro Mouse, a conductor who introduces his musical friends—from bats and boars to spiders and swans—in 40-odd pages. Each has a special secret and they band together to give the reader a big surprise at the end. But this isn't a traditional read-along. There's a QR code at the beginning, which leads you to download a free, augmented reality app that in turn, lets you listen to music as you point your phone camera towards each page; the music has been composed by Brown himself and performed by the Zagreb Festival Orchestra. Also, hidden in Susan Batori's stunning illustrations are jumbled letters that deliver a message. Both are factors Viswanathan is ecstatic about.
The student of Bombay Scottish School who idolises violinist Itzhak Perlman, read the story, solved the puzzles and listened to the songs in less than an hour, but reckons that a younger child may take longer; although the book is most suitable for children between ages three and seven, Brown recommends it for interested readers of all ages. The story, according to Viswanathan, also brings forth the idea that animals aren't scary. "The book has some great tips for life on each page—the page about cats said that when you fall down, you should pick yourself up. Through the app, you can also learn what different instruments in an orchestra sound like. I had fun guessing the instruments. I was even inspired to try some of the tunes on my violin," he says.
Vedanth Viswanathan is studying the violin at NCPA's SOI Music Academy
Likening the app's musical experience to attending a live concert at the NCPA, Viswanathan points out how each tune aptly represents the animal it is written for: his favourite is Eager Elephant, a piece where one can hear the trumpet, which is the sound the animal makes through its trunk. "I think for the first time I read a book, which inspired me to play music," he says, adding, "Brown, too, started learning music when he was a child, before moving on to writing stories. So I see how he could make words into music. In the future, if I hear a story or a poem, I want to try and make it into a song. I think that will make me a better musician."
With Western classical music growing in popularity across urban India, Viswanathan's mother Sinduja feels that this was the right time for Brown to make his picture book debut. "During the lockdown, it can help kids decide what instrument they want to pick," she says. Since they downloaded the app on iOS, Sinduja says, it works best if your operating system is up to date.
Dan Brown
Once you finish reading the book, the app displays a video where Brown explains his process of creating music. It starts with him sitting at the piano and developing a musical idea, composing parts for each instrument and bringing the piece together on a sequencing software before it is performed live with an orchestra. The Wild Symphony album is also available to listen on streaming apps, and soon will be accompanied by concerts. Brown will be donating all his US royalties to support music education for children worldwide via the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.
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