Why do you do composer study?

[helena]

Assuming you do it at all. :001_smile:

 

I've just picked up an interesting 2 volume composer encyclopedia (for free :D) today.

I'm looking through it, thinking about next school year, plotting, planning..

I'm thinking about what we've covered this year in composer/classical music study.

 

I'm asking myself, "How much do they need to know about these people? Why are they important enough to keep studying year after year? Why do I do composer study?".

 

I'm slowly answering these questions today, I'm reading and thinking.. My kids play piano and violin, there are musicians in our family, music is a big part of our lives. I've always planned on doing a big music history study in high school.

 

 

I guess I'm just curious about other homeschoolers, why do you allot precious schooling time to this subject?

:bigear:

 

ETA: Also wondering..Will you study classical composers in elementary, middle, and high school? Will you branch out into other genres eventually? Is non-classical music as important to study as classical (for your family)?

Edited March 7, 2011 by helena

[Jeanne in MN]

Sadly, we put little time into composer study, but I'd like to remedy that. One, I think it's just important to be familiar with music and the composer. By learning about the composer you understand their music better and perhaps what they wanted to share with the listener when they wrote it.

 

Second, like art, poetry, writing, etc., music represents eras in history. Much of the arts were/are influenced by the times; we get a better understanding of historical periods and the people. I love that.

 

Also, I think it's just important to have some basic knowledge of composers for the sake of being familiar with them. It's good to know about people who contributed great things to society.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assuming you do it at all. :001_smile:

 

I've just picked up an interesting 2 volume composer encyclopedia (for free :D) today.

I'm looking through it, thinking about next school year, plotting, planning..

I'm thinking about what we've covered this year in composer/classical music study.

 

I'm asking myself, "How much do they need to know about these people? Why are they important enough to keep studying year after year? Why do I do composer study?".

 

I'm slowly answering these questions today, I'm reading and thinking.. My kids play piano and violin, there are musicians in our family, music is a big part of our lives. I've always planned on doing a big music history study in high school.

 

 

I guess I'm just curious about other homeschoolers, why do you allot precious schooling time to this subject?

:bigear:

[KristinaBreece]

Assuming you do it at all. :001_smile:

 

I've just picked up an interesting 2 volume composer encyclopedia (for free :D) today.

I'm looking through it, thinking about next school year, plotting, planning..

I'm thinking about what we've covered this year in composer/classical music study.

 

I'm asking myself, "How much do they need to know about these people? Why are they important enough to keep studying year after year? Why do I do composer study?".

 

I'm slowly answering these questions today, I'm reading and thinking.. My kids play piano and violin, there are musicians in our family, music is a big part of our lives. I've always planned on doing a big music history study in high school.

 

 

I guess I'm just curious about other homeschoolers, why do you allot precious schooling time to this subject?

:bigear:

 

You say they're musicians. If they pursue that academically, they will run into serious music history. I think it is better for them to have a general working knowledge of music history to draw from before they enter that setting.

 

If they don't, I like the idea of having culturally literate children, and that's an important part of our collective culture, IMO.

[happypamama]

Cultural literacy, mostly, and a desire to have my children have a general appreciation for multiple music forms.

[3lilreds in NC]

I want them to be exposed to all different kinds of music! I was in band, and took piano lessons from an excellent teacher, so I learned a lot that I tend to take for granted. Thankfully, my girls are taking lessons from the best piano teacher EVER, so I know they will get some of that from her, but I enjoy pulling out different kinds of music and letting them hear how beautiful they are.

 

We're not doing the greatest job of composer study, because I've found it difficult to listen to classical music in the car, but I'm going to try to get it out more at home.