Lindsey Stirling is a violinist who creates music videos of her personal arrangements with choreographed performance on her YouTube channel. Enjoy her medley of Beauty and the Beast, "a day in the life of Belle on tour"!
Questions
To celebrate Halloween, we will listen to a spooky piece this week! This is one of the most famous organ works - you may have heard the melody before!
Questions
This week, we'll explore a new genre: jazz! Jazz music emerged right before the 1900s in New Orleans, USA. You'll notice it has a different feeling and style to it in comparison with classical music. Listen below to the swing dance hit "In the Mood" made famous by the Glenn Miller Orchestra.
Questions:
1) Jazz instruments differ somewhat from Classical instruments. What instruments do you see being played in this tune? Name at least 3. If you need help, try this site: http://www.jazzinamerica.org/LessonPlan/5/3/228
2) What kind of moods come to mind when you listen to this tune?
3) Which dynamics do you hear throughout? (Remember, dynamics=volume)
This listening activity was provided by Alyssa Ung
Continuing off the duet theme last week, did you know there can be more than two people playing on the piano at once? There are even pieces written for multiple pianos! Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini was originally written for piano and orchestra. This piece is a theme and variations - there is a main theme, then many variations based around that theme. For this week's listening activity, we will focus only on the 18th variation. This is one of my favourite melodies of all time - one of the most beautiful, tender melodies ever written, which grows into an overwhelmingly lush blanket of sound. It warms you like a cup of hot chocolate on a chilly day and you just don't want it to end! I've included the original version as well as an arrangement for 5 pianos.
The 18th Variation (15:15 to 18:09), main theme played by strings (00:29 to 00:39)
Questions
This week's listening activity combines last week's duet and interesting instrumentation theme together. Harry Potter is always the number one request I get for listening activities, even though it has been featured twice before in Magical Music and Journey Through Space and Magic! As requested, here is Harry Potter again - this time, with different instrumentation!
Questions
"Everything must be made to sing."
-Chopin to his pupils
Chopin was a polish composer of the romantic era who wrote almost exclusively for solo piano. A man of great creative power and unique musical style, Chopin understood the limitations of the piano and composed in a way which overcame these limitations. He was greatly inspired by the "bel canto" (beautiful singing) style of Italian Opera, and said to his students, "Everything must be made to sing".
Chopin composed a set of 24 preludes in all major and minor keys. They are often performed as a cycle, offering contrast, tension, and release. For this week, we will focus on Prelude no. 8. I've included a recording of the piece played on piano and another with two performers on marimba!
Prelude no. 8 begins at 9:01
Questions
These delightful waltzes are composed by Chopin. Waltzes feature a specific time signature. Try to figure it out as you listen. Here is a hint: listen to the left hand! Continuing last week's theme, I've listed the grade level along with each piece. The music you hear is attainable, so long as you continue working hard towards your goals!
Welcome back to weekly listening activities - listen to the following pieces and answer the questions below!
The beginning of the year is a great time to set goals. I like to think of listening as looking into the future - the music we look up to and admire may be the notes we play in the near future. Here are a few favourites walking through the RCM (Royal Conservatory of Music) levels.
Questions
Much like watching a sports game to see how players move and carry out a play, learning by observation is just one more way to gain a better understanding of an art, craft, or anything for that matter. Active listening is essential – undivided attention allows the listener to hear how phrasing, articulation, and other musical devices come together in unity.
Weekly Listening Activities
A vast variety of musical gems remain undiscovered simply because they are not played on mainstream media. Our most loved pieces often come by recommendation. This has aided my knowledge and growth in music tremendously. It has also fueled my passion for music and instilled a newfound inspiration in my practice many times.
Suggestions to integrate Active Listening into a busy schedule:
