Musical Onomatopoeia and Quotations: A Maestro Classics Giveaway
Monday, November 12, 2012 at 5:00AM
I love it when I can share things our family loves.
We definitely love Maestro Classics! (Remember the Water Xylophone we made after listening to The Sorcerer's Apprentice, or how about the unit we created from Casey At The Bat?) I am confident that each and every time my children listen to one of the stories in music they are getting a quality listening experience. They learn elements of music, facts about the composer, and so much more.
If I had to choose just ONE music resource for our homeschool, Maestro Classics would be it - hands down.
Sophisticated Learning
The most recent CD from Maestro Classics is The Carnival of the Animals, by Camille Saint-Saens. As explained on the CD, this piece is an example of Musical Onomatopoeia (using instruments to imitate animal sounds). Saint-Saens also borrows melodies from other famous composers and changes them just a bit to reflect different animals - a kind of Musical Quotation.
I've always admired how clever this group of pieces is, and now Maestro Classics brings this to light for children in a sophisticated, yet child friendly way. It's BRILLIANT.
The CD includes a 24-page booklet with Odgen Nash verses and pictures by children’s book illustrator, Anne Wilsdorf. The children can follow along with the music and the poetry. The music itself is quite charming, but the nonsensical verse added by Ogden Nash adds an extra element of fun.
The CD booklet also includes the Maestro talking about the music, as well as information about the composer, and information about Au Clarie de la Lune and a sing along.
Our Approach
We've been listening to the CD in the van for the past couple of weeks. Each listening proves to be a different experience, because the more well aquainted my children get with the music, the more they notice about the music.
They follow along with the Ogden Nash verses in the booklet, but I have noticed they are also memorizing the verses, too - without any effort. From a mom's perspective this is wonderful. I don't have to do any work, and I'm learning, too!
During The Ten Days of Teaching Music last spring, Bonnie Simon posted here about Non Stress Musical Learning - EXACTLY why I love these CDs.
Listen to samples from the CD here.
In the next weeks I will plan extension activities - Living Montessori Now has wonderful ideas, and I think the Ogden Nash verses would make good copywork.
{ Of course we'll also be using some of these selections for SQUILT, too! }
There's also a VERY cute Looney Tunes Carnival of The Animals to watch online!
How to Purchase
If you choose to purchase the physical CD, it is $16.98. Another option is to download the .mp3 and printable booklet for $9.98.
I believe a collection of Maestro Classics CD makes for lovely music education resource in your home.
From now until December 1 you can choose any three CDs and receive them for $35, which is a savings of $15. Simply enter the promo code THANKSGIVING at checkout.
Maestro Classics has graciously agreed to give one lucky reader a copy of The Carnival of The Animals! Enter using the widget below to win!
*Maestro Classics is a paid sponsor of Homegrown Learners. I was provided a copy of this product in exchange for my honest review.
Reader Comments (34)
Classics not often with my first 3. We did more Color the Classics and Hymnologies with Lawrence Welk and Musicals.
This last one, a niece we adopted, seems to love it. We did Peter and the Wolf last year and this year Tchaikovsky. We're using My Father's World and they're recommended by them. She enjoys listening to the 3 Beethoven's Wigs that we have. We still do hymns and Lawrence Welk just not as much.
We have not yet begun formal homeschooling, but I love gathering these great ideas and advice from those who know all about it. Would love to have this wonderful resource to help in the process of teaching my kids music!
2x a week
Every time I see someone post about Maestro Classics I want to try one with my kids! It would be great to win one!
Love, love, love Maestro Classics! Our favorite is Mike Mulligan. I would love to win this for our road trip next month :)
Sorry--I didn't see the question with my first comment. We use Harmony Fine Arts for composer studies, trying to listen to the composer of the month a few times a week and reading the short biography in the book Lives of the Musicians.
We try do do some type of music everyday. My son has been exposed to music from the beginning because I'm a piano teacher, and he seems to love music.
Honestly probably once every other week. I really want to do more and maybe this would help =)
Right now we have a music teacher who covers theory and piano
We don't have a set time set aside for music yet. I just try to incorporate it based on what we are talking about. But i was able to acquire a piano last week, once the tuner has been here we will start lessons.
We started taking violin this year using the Mark O'Connor Method. It is more of a Americana, Bluegrass method, but within the workbook, there are commentaries and tid-bits to the how's and why's the songs came about. We practice each day but have not incorporated a formal study. We would love to add this to our curriculum!
We're not very good with it, and only study it about once a month
We haven't started yet. I had seen these on another website. I wanted to buy them, but I have to wait. Just not in the budget yet. Thank you for the chance to win.
Music is something I have not introduced to my kids. This would be fun! I would love to win!
Music has been hit and miss with us, but I really want to make it part of our regular routine. I've heard nothing but good things about Maestro Classics!
We don't really "study" music but my girls love to listen to all kinds of genres. Lately they have been interested in operas and their origins in greek history.
Not enough! We are listening to classical and folk songs a lot, but we just listen to it~that's it. We don't spend enough time talking about the composers or the music. I love Maestro Classics though!
All 3 of my girls play piano & the ukulele & we just started a voice program. I also have a flute player & a sax player, so we are always doing some kind of music. My girls love music!
We listen to music every day, learn hymns, and try to do a formal composer a few times a year.
We listen to music all the time, but we don't study music. I'm looking for something to use, and this would be great!
Music is part of every day!
Other than music classes, we don't have a set time in our homeschool because it seems that we are able to fit music into just about every single part of it. My kids thrive on music and pay very close attention to it...they have always been this way.
We really don't study music, although my kids did just start piano lessons.
Not often, try to select good quality.
Unfortunately, it is hit or miss at our house. We do listen to music everyday and my DD practices piano daily and does music theory, but not much else is planned.