Music appreciation ideas?

[LG Gone Wild]

I am currently using Story of the Orchestra, which I got from SL. The kiddos like it although I find it kind of light.

How can I expand from there?

[pianoplayer]

Listen to great classical music together via classical radio or CDs. Research different forms and styles, and learn to identify their unique aspects (sonata form, the various dance forms, does it utilize melody and harmony or counterpoint, etc.). Have the children check out junior biographies of the great classical composers from your public library and do a report/summary.

BTW, The Harvard Brief Dictionary of Music by Willi Apel is a great beginning resource and can be obtained quite inexpensively.

[St. Theophan Academy]

We have done composer study a la CM - I select 3 composers for the year. I get a cd, a biography if I can etc. We read a little about the composer, then we listen to a particular piece. I play that piece every day as we prepare lunch. We don't spend a lot of time discussing, maybe I will mention a particularly dominant instrument or something about the theme. We will listen to the same piece for 1-2 weeks, then move on to another one. It is very simple, but they gain so much. We do 3-5 pieces per composer. My son (8) can identify a number of pieces when he hears them, and usually can tell me about the composer. The goal is enjoying the music, becoming familiar with it, and not making it an unpleasant chore, but a joy and a privilege to listen to such pieces. We also listen to the classical kids CD about that composer if there is one. It has worked wonderfully for us, and it requires little work from me, and the kids do not look at this as "school" but rather a part of our home life.

Anne Marie

[Hoggirl]

I think I first read about this suggestion from Jessica at Trivium Academy. It is a series of three books...we plan to do one a year. With each book is a CD that has short excerpts of famous Classical Themes. Each theme has two tracks; one traditional version and one to which humorous words have been added. The lyrics name the tune and composer in a funny way...great for retention. We typically do one composer a week. This means the child is listening to (usually) one or two themes per week. The text has short information about each composer as well as musical terms learned along the way. For example: symphony, concerto, opera, oratoria, aria, gavotte, minuet, overture, etc. Next year, I will add in a workbook on the composers as well. We usually review by playing "Name That Tune" every six weeks or so. I randonly pick out the non-word versions of the songs and have my son name the theme and the composer. I forgot to say that the composers are arranged chronologically. We love it!

[chiguirre]

Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concert Series from the 50s is out on dvd. Check your library! I would say they're best for older elementary, they didn't hold my dc's attention and most of the audience members on the video seemed to be 10 and up.

[Verena]

I am currently using Story of the Orchestra, which I got from SL. The kiddos like it although I find it kind of light.

How can I expand from there?

What ages are you talking about?
For elem. age, building a familiarity with classical music is,imho, all that you'd need. Check out this site:

http://www.classicsforkids.com/



Also, if you have a university close by with a music program or a community music school, see what recitals and concerts they offer- usually they are free- and go from there. Before you go to a concert, read about the composer and listen to a few of his pieces.

Here is another site that might be helpful:

http://www.carnegiehall.org/article/explore_and_learn/art_online_resources_listening_adventures.html

Or:
http://www.azstarnet.com/public/packages/reelbook/contents.htm

HTH.

[LG Gone Wild]

I think I first read about this suggestion from Jessica at Trivium Academy. It is a series of three books...we plan to do one a year. With each book is a CD that has short excerpts of famous Classical Themes. Each theme has two tracks; one traditional version and one to which humorous words have been added.

That sounds great. Um, how can I get them?:)

[momtolgd]

That sounds great. Um, how can I get them?:)

Here is Classical Magic's website.

http://www.classicalmagic.net/

You can buy them from Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Themes-Remember-Marjorie-Kiel-Persons/dp/0967599709

You can also get them from Rainbow Resource Center.

http://www.rainbowresource.com/search.php?sid=1203527742-708011


We are enjoying using volume 1, although we are using it lightly and not on a real schedule right now.
HTH!

[Midwest Momma]

This page has some tremendous resources and ideas:
http://www.squidoo.com/musiclapbook

[Kathy in MD]

who enjoys classical music and asks for classical, piano sheet music for Christmas. :D

Now that he's 13 and has enjoyed the music for years, I'm ready to push him into a greater understanding of it. And even then I'll be doing it more as watching Berstein's lectures than turning it into work (for my ds) by making him read and write papers. He does that already with his other academic love, history.

[Jodi-FL]

called "How to Grow a Young Music Lover" that is great. It's an inexpensive way to jumpstart music appreciation, with even a year's worth (12 months) of lesson ideas.

Also, check into doing composer study as in the Charlotte Mason method. We've used that for several years now, and it's become a favorite of my kids.

[MelissaMinNC]

library and listen to them. They're classical pieces set to silly lyrics - and yes, I can see the downfall, but with a 6- and a 3-yo, I think they're fine.

Also, I checked Ambleside Online's Composer Study schedule and noticed that this term is Handel. I found two juvenile biographies on him at my library and checked out a couple cd's as well. We listen to the music, read the books and talk about them. I have no idea if this is a good plan or not, but at this point it's the most I've done.

HTH,
Melissa