How do you do your composer studies?

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

What do you use? I am looking to start adding this in! This is our 3rd year homeschooling and I feel like this is over due in our homeschool :blush: Thanks

[mcconnellboys]

I have Music Masters tapes that we listen to. These are on CD now, too.

 

I have some of the books from the Zeezok series, such as Ludwig Beethoven and the Chiming Tower Bells,Opal Wheeler. These have music printed in them (so if you play, you can play the excerpts) and come with CD's.

 

 

Here are a couple of websites:

 

http://www.classicsforkids.com/

 

http://www.alaska.net/~tiptoe/webquest/

 

(Here's an orchestra lapbook, too, in case you might be interested:

 

http://www.homeschoolhelperonline.com/lapbooks/orchestra.htm )

[Sara in AZ]

Hi,

 

I just started with composer studies this year. I am teaching to a very small co-op (3 families) once a month. Since the older kids (3rd graders) in the group are all doing SOW 3 this year it fit nicely for a study of the baroque and classical periods. So I chose 4 baroque composers for this semester and we will do 4 classical composers next semester. I found these great notebooking pages and made everyone a folder:

 

http://notebookingpages.com/archives/1005

 

Each session we start with a musical sharing time where any of the kids who are studying instruments can play for each other. Then we sit around the table and I give a bio on the composer while they color a picture. Then I play a few selections for them while they write a narration. Then we do some kind of related activity and I send them home with a listening sheet to fill out as they listen to another piece by this composer and an activity page to do at home.

 

It helps that my degrees are in music so I can wing this pretty easily. But I do usually just google to get the info for the bios and worksheet activities to send home. There is a lot available on line. And then I choose aspects of the style period to focus on with each composer. For example:

 

Bach: we talked about counterpoint and listened for the combination of several different melodies going on at the same time.

Vivaldi: We talked about the baroque orchestra and the Tutti/solo technique as we listened to The Four Seasons.

Scarlatti: We learned about the harpsichord

 

Handel is next month and I plan on discussing the oratorio and we will try to get to a performance of Messiah.

 

I haven't gotten to next semester yet...

 

This isn't too helpful if you want something to just open up and do, but it is possible to put together a simple biography and listening assignment just by choosing some composers and googling.

 

Have fun! We've loved composer study so far.

Edited November 2, 2010 by Sara in AZ

[EmilyK]

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=214620&highlight=composer&page=2

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=217448&highlight=composer

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=214213&highlight=composer

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=208451&highlight=composer

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=204713&highlight=composer

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=200532&highlight=composer

[helena]

Vox cds and library books.

Nice and easy. :001_smile:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Story-Bach-Johann-Sebastian/dp/B000001KCL/ref=pd_sim_m_1

[tuesdayschild]

If you don't mind visiting blogs we have this post with links listing some of the things we've used, or are using.

[....]

mcconnellboys!! Thanks for posting the orchestra lapbook!! We were going to look at the orchestra and families of instruments this week. My kids love doing lapbooks. Thanks! :001_smile:

[Beth in SW WA]

We listen to classical music daily -- in the car, in the kitchen, etc. It's an integral part of our life. Music, music, music.

 

We read & listen to Themes To Remember. Delightful program.

[Medieval Mom]

We are using Themes to Remember this year. It is a WINNER! We learn a new tune each week, color a page from the book, read about the composer, and listen to the full version of the song (from our music collection on cd or mp3). We sing the new tune daily, and review 2-3 previous songs at least once a week. Ds LOVES this program!

 

I bought all three books. This year we are doing a collection of various songs, but next year we'll begin studying the composers chronolgically, using all three books to do so, spread out over our history cycle (AO). So, for example, next year we will study Baroque music with all the Baroque composers and songs in the three TTR books, as well as a few weeks of just listening to more Baroque music, from the awesome lists included in TTR books. Classical Karaoke, the third book, even includes questions to answer about music terms, composers, the orchestra, etc. Good stuff! It is definitely our "find" of the year. :)

 

Just for fun, we also enjoy listening to Classical Kids and just plain old listening to fantastic classical music . :) We are learning the Nutcracker suite songs from TTR now, so we've been enjoying watching The Nutcracker on dvd from Netflix. He is really into it, and has even read a DK book about The Nutcracker. I had no idea the sparks TTR would ignite in my ds!

[Hannah]

We have a "composer of the month". I have a picture of the composer up on the wall and during the month we listen to his/her music, read biographies and listen to the VOX and classicsforkids resources listed above.

[Mama2two]

We have a "composer of the month". I have a picture of the composer up on the wall and during the month we listen to his/her music, read biographies and listen to the VOX and classicsforkids resources listed above.

 

we do the same thing but tend to spend 2-3 months on a composer.

 

For the holidays we are going to try the Color the Classics Christmas book/cd for Christmas songs

 

http://www.colortheclassics.com/

 

edited to add we really like the Mike Venezia books to go along with the composer we are studying

Edited November 2, 2010 by Mama2two

[NanceXToo]

We kept it pretty simple when we did it last year.

 

We used the site http://www.makingmusicfun.net which is free and went on the "Meet The Composer" section.

 

We then read the mini bio for a different composer each week, and listened to samples of that composer's music right on Youtube.

 

I'm sure you could follow up with further info found online if you wanted but you really don't have to spend a penny or leave your house to do it, which was nice :D

[mcconnellboys]

You're most welcome! Glad to help. I love looking at pictures of lapbooks online, LOL (more than I like doing them, I think)....