Five Resources For Incorporating Orchestral Music Into Your Homeschool

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One of the questions I received about music education was how to incorporate it in your homeschool if YOU yourself aren't musical.  


 My answer is this:   


LEARN ALONG WITH YOUR CHILDREN and EXPOSE YOUR FAMILY TO MUSIC AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY.   You can join homeschool choral groups, take piano lessons, listen to music, attend concerts -- do anything that enriches your musical life!!

Music is, quite simply, an INTEGRAL PART of our daily life. More specifically, I love orchestral music.


Yesterday, I created a downloadable notebooking page for guided listening in your homeschool.   Today I would like to give you some resources for learning about the orchestra and where to find good orchestral music.  

I can recall truly falling in love with music when I was in middle school.  I was attending a summer music camp, and the professional orchestra in residence played Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture (with LIVE cannons) for the Fourth of July concert.   I was SOLD.... from that point on I couldn't get enough music.  


Keep in mind: my mother and father were not trained musicians, but I do recall there was always MUSIC in our house (piano playing and lots of recordings of great music).  My mother sought out good piano teachers and encouraged me every step of the way.  I think my father was probably a member of the Boston Pops fan club!  I know my family learned music by my side.  

As I studied music in college I loved my music history classes (you'll hear from one of my professors tomorrow  - how fun is that?).  I would spend hours listening to my Sony DiscMan (who remembers those??) in preparation for exams.  

Music is a GIFT that once given can never be taken away.   It is a gift that resides in our children's hearts and souls.  It is a gift that teaches history, math, science, and so much more.  

I've watched my children's bad moods turn around after listening to music.  It can change the entire tone of a homeschool day.   It quiets my restless spirit at the end of a long day.    

  


Below are my favorite tools for teaching children about instruments of the orchestra and orchestral music.  (I know there are MANY, MANY MORE quality resources out there.  These are just the ones I have used the most with my own children.)

1.  Bejamin Britten's Young Person's Guide to The Orchestra

This work, composed by Britten in 1946, was designed to teach children about the orchestra. We have the book (written by Anita Ganeri) and accompanying CD.   I highly recommend this.  It is well done, succinct, and meaningful for children!   All four families of the orchestra are highlighted through narration and Britten's original work for orchestra. 


 { After learning about the four families of the orchestra you can follow up with the Dover Musical Instruments Coloring Book! } 

2.  Spotify USA

We use this  EVERY DAY.  Spotify is a subscriber service (we pay $9.99/month for multiple devices, but there is also a $4.99/month one device plan) that works on your computer, smartphone, iPad, etc... 
  
You can listen to ANY piece of music you want.    


Simply search and the world of music is at your fingertips - literally!     You will never need to download music or buy CDs again. 

3.  Orchestra Lapbooks/Notebooks

I happen to love Homeschool Share... next week I'll share a great study we are doing from Homeschool Share, but for now I want to point you to their Connections - Music Page.... tons of lapbooking and notebooking ideas here!  

4.  Classics for Kids


This website makes teaching about composers and instruments of the orchestra a SNAP.   Each month they feature a composer with lesson plans and a biography.  If you would choose to focus on just ONE COMPOSER EACH MONTH that is enough.   Sometimes keeping it simple is best. 

5.  Beethoven's Wig

I could go on and on about these wonderful CDs.   The creators take famous classics and add silly words to help your children remember the tune.    What I LOVE about the recordings is that the original version of each piece is also included.   These are great to keep in the car... focus on just a few pieces each week and pretty soon your children will have an extensive music repertoire!    Warning:  You may be humming the tunes incessantly after listening.  






How Do You Choose Quality Music for Your Children?  




Bonnie Simon, President of Maestro Classics, (who we will hear from in a post next week!) has a great list here.  


Harmony Art Mom offers wonderful thoughts, as well.  


Ambleside Online Composer Schedule


Patrick Kavanaugh has an extensive list in his book, Raising Musical Kids.






I hope this inspires you just a little bit to start/continue studying orchestral music with your children!!  






The 10 Days of Teaching Music:


Day 1:  The Importance of Music in Our Children's Lives  
Day 2:  A Simple Way to Incorporate Music ~ SQUILT Notebooking Pages 




     

  

The 10 Days Series is organized by iHomeschool Network, a collaboration of  homeschool bloggers who connect with each other and with family-friendly companies in mutually beneficial projects. Visit us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. And of course,  visit all the 10 Days posts from these homeschool moms of the iHomeschool Network. You'll be blessed with tips on how to handle bad days, cultivating curiosity, teaching with Legos, and much much more!

Comments

[Amy @ Hope Is the Word]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Links + short explanations = wonderful! Our household is about to become more musical! :-)

[Karen]

What great resources Mary!

Spot iffy sounds awesome!!

Keilee and I love Beethoven's Wig. She distill recognizes songs from the CD

[Karen]

Haha. Silly iPad auto correct. I meant Spotify

[Tereza Crump aka MyTreasuredCr]

Mary, this is such a great post!! All the links are excellent and there is so much free stuff that can be perused right on the websites without downloading.

However, I have a question. My sister and I took piano lessons when we were children. I never kept my lessons up, I wasn't disciplined enough to keep practicing. I do know the pieces that I memorized. My sister still plays and her son is very gifted in music.

My question is: "Do you think it's necessary to be technically knowledgeable to be able to enjoy music?" Although I don't know all the names of the instruments in an orchestra, I love classical music and symphonies.

We play music at home all the time, but I don't want to take the joy of listening to music away by making my children memorize the name of the instruments or the piece they are listening to, or the name of the composer etc etc.

Am I wrong to be so carefree or lazy?? ;)

[JJs Momma]

I am really enjoying your posts for this 10 days series, so glad I found your site!! I have a question, my son is 4 now, will be doing Kindergarten next year. I am planning out our year for next year and really want to include music, I am going to try to include teaching piano to him as well. I would really like to teach him things like you have listed about, but I wonder if you think he is too young? I have a music teacher (for public school) in my family that thinks he should be learning nothing but nursery rhymes at this age, but I disagree. He loves to watch the show Little Einsteins and the music is one of the things he likes the best. I love music as well and I want my children to share this love. Any guideance would be appreciated. Thanks

[Dorcus]

What great resources Mary! We will be adding these to our music lessons next year. Thanks for taking the time to create and share your notebooking pages. We love notebooking pages!!! There is a site I think you may love as well. Tons of free lapbooks and notebooking pages for music education. http://homeschoolblogger.com/joyfulmusic/

Can't wait to see what you have next!