“Laughter, song and dance create emotional and spiritual connection; they remind us of the one thing that truly matters when we are searching for comfort, celebration, inspiration or healing: we are not alone.”
Sing me a story: We explore the splendor of opera with one of the most recognizable arias thanks to commercials ranging from airlines to paper plates. The Flower Duet from Lakme inspires even my youngest listeners to close their eyes and melt into the music.
The string family: We learn about the violin, viola, cello and bass fiddle with one of the most famous string quartets from Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons.
You are a beautiful flower: We are learning about music from other cultures. The Japanese koto has a very distinct sound and Sakura (translation: Cherry Blossom) is one of the most revered folk songs in Japan.
Music that makes us get up and dance: We are learning about music that was written for Ballet. Perhaps one of the most iconic ballets in history is Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite.
The tricks and treats of Halloween music: We are discovering major and minor scale progressions, using the "call and response" method to learn lots of Halloween and pumpkin songs, and we are listening to more Camille Saint-Saens compositions (his music consistently resonates and sticks with students for years!)
Taking off with Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star: We are singing along, changing the words, playing the bells, discovering melody and different musical genres with the very well-known Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (aka ABC song and Ba Ba Black Sheep).
Seeing with our ears: Classical music from the Romantic Era is so much fun for young ears. Camille Saint-Saens's "Carnival of the Animals" continues to be one of the most requested pieces to listen to in class.