Meet The Great Composers

Description

There are people who are musically inclined, have time to spend in music studies, and really enjoy classical music - then there's me. I guess I wasn't born an auditory person and I can't carry a tune in a bucket. I played the piano when I was young and really enjoyed it, but didn't have a "gift" for it. My very young children begged me to stop when I sang to them...and I mean simple songs like "Itsy, Bitsy, Spider". I don't know a whole note from a quarter note, and don't know a sonata from a fugue. Also, after teaching three levels (thank goodness two of my five school-age children are twins!) the "basics", there's little time left for the arts. But, all this said, I appreciate classical music, think it's important to have more than a name-recognition acquaintance with the great composers, and encourage my children to sing, play instruments and enjoy music. This course seems designed for people like me, who want to expose their children to the composers and their music, but don't have all day to do it. Each book has 17 units which cover composers from the Baroque to Contemporary period in chronological order. Lessons include a picture and short fact sheet about the composer, a suggested listening, a story of the composer's life, a study of his music or something about the time in which he lived and a review in the form of a puzzle or game. All this takes only 20-30 minutes. Listening selections are ample for appreciating the composer's style and genius, but not overly lengthy. They are high-quality piano recordings. Listening to them, it strikes me that it would be a nice exercise to have children listen through the selection once, then "compose" a drawing along with listening a second time. Book 1 covers Bach, Scarlatti, Handel, Haydn, Clementi, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms, Debussy, Joplin, Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Bartók and Kabalevsky. Book 2 includes Couperin, Kuhlau, Schubert, Hensel, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Foster, Tchaikovsky, Dvo?ák, Grieg, MacDowell, Beach, Granados, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Gershwin and Barber.

The activity sheets from the book are now available for separate purchase. One side of each reproducible page includes important facts about the composer with a picture and a reference to a track on the CD found in the actual book. The other side has a puzzle or questions to answer using these facts. Classroom kits include Book 1 or 2 with CD and the corresponding set of 17 reproducible activity sheets. Please note: this series is in the process of converting from physical CDs to Online Access Audio. To access online content, visit alfred.com/redeem and enter the code listed inside the front cover, as directed in the book. Check individual item descriptions to confirm each item before purchasing. 

This survey course will give your children a decent overview of the great composers, the time period in which they played, and an idea of what their music was like. And, if they really enjoy particular selections, you'll know which classical music to invest more time and money in. After listening to the CD through I've gotta say it's growing on me (especially Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag")...this could be the beginning of a brand new interest...

Teaching Method
Traditional
Teacher-centered curriculum commonly used in classrooms that may include a text, teacher manual, tests, etc.
Charlotte Mason
A methodology based on the work of a 19th century educator who maintained that children learn best from literature (Living Books), not textbooks.
Classical
A methodology based on the Latin Trivium (three stages of learning), including the grammar stage (memorization and facts), logic stage (critical thinking), and rhetoric stage (developing/defending ideas).
Unit Study
A thematic or topical approach centered around one topic that integrates multiple subject areas.
Montessori (Discovery)
A methodology based on the work of a 20th century educator that emphasizes student and sensory-driven discovery learning and real-life applications.
Other
Other methodologies
Religious Content
Secular
Contains content contrary to common Christian beliefs (i.e. evolution).
Neutral
Avoids religious or theoretical topics or presents multiple viewpoints without preference.
Christian/Religious
Faith-based or including instructional religious content.
Learning Modality
Auditory
Learns through listening, talking out loud or reading out loud.
Visual
Learns through seeing, prefers written instructions and visual materials.
Kinesthetic/Tactile (Hands-On)
Learns through moving, doing and touching.
Multi-Sensory
Curriculum that employ a variety of activities/components.
Presentation
Sequential
Curriculum progresses through well-defined learning objectives. Emphasizes mastery before moving to the next topic.
Spiral
Topics and concepts are repeated from level to level, adding more depth at each pass and connecting with review.
Conceptual/Topical
Focus is on the “why,” often with a unifying concept as well as specific skills; coverage may be broader.
Teacher Involvement
Low Teacher Involvement
Student-led materials; parent acts as a facilitator.
Medium Teacher Involvement
A mix of teacher-led time and independent student work.
High Teacher Involvement
Teacher-led lessons; may utilize discussions, hands-on activities and working together.
Additional Materials Required
No other materials needed
Everything you need is included.
Other Materials Required
There are additional required resources that are a separate purchase.
Other Materials Optional
There are additional resources mentioned or recommended but are not absolutely necessary.
Consumable
Consumable
Designed to be written in; not reusable.
Non-Consumable
Not designed to be written in; reusable.