The Music Box: Recent Episodes
Louisville Public Media
The Music Box is an interactive music education podcast for kids, exploring fundamental music concepts through performing, responding and connecting. The current season is hosted by music educator Faith Murphy. Each episode gets listeners involved in making music! Short episodes are perfect for a car ride or just hanging out at home. Get printable lesson plans and ideas for extending the learning at musicboxpod.org. The Music Box is from Louisville Public Media and PRX, sponsored by PNC and also made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
What do you want to be when you grow up? Kiana and Fiona are taking you Behind the Music to learn about being a DJ! Dig into the history of DJing, talk with a special guest, 91.9 WFPK’s very own Destiny Carter, a.k.a DJ Lady Dee, learn all you need to know about starting your DJ journey and some fun facts about DJing along the way!
Find out how to bring 90.5 WUOL and the Music Box to your classroom at lpm.org/music-education or by emailing us at education@lpm.org
Interested in learning how to be a DJ? Our friends over at Amped Music Academy here in Louisville, KY provide accessible resources for musicians aged 6-18.
Kiana, Fiona, and YOU?! We’re bringing the classroom right to your living room in this week’s episode all about musical storytelling. Grab your pen, notebook, and imagination! We’ll listen to the music of The Fretless, Sergei Prokofiev, Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and Paquito D’Rivera while talking about what inspired them to write their stories. Then, Kiana and Fiona encourage you to write and tell us your story.
Find out how to bring 90.5 WUOL and the Music Box to your classroom at lpm.org/music-education or by emailing us at education@lpm.org
The Musical Storytelling Playlist:
Sergei Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet, No. 13: Dance of the Knights played by the London Symphony Orchestra
Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky - “Love Theme” from Romeo and Juliet
Paquito D’rivera - Aires Tropicales: Vals Venezolano (Venezuelan Waltz) played by Imani Winds
The Fretless - Big Trip (Trip to Windsor / Sheepskin & Beeswax)
Shhh! Do you have your listening ears on? Kiana and Fiona are at Waterfront Park in Louisville, Kentucky tuning our ears to the sonic environment. We explore how to use your community's sounds to make music, art and field recordings. So, have your headphones ready for this episode all about found sound!
Break out your binoculars! We're heading through the musical forest in search of bird music. No, not actual birds, but music meant to sound like them. From Saint-Saëns to Jennifer Higdon, Kiana and Fiona show us the musical aviary, and how nature has inspired composers for centuries.
All aboard the Music Box Express! Kiana wants to visit 1953 and meet a renowned jazz theorist, and Fiona wants to travel to the future to hear some tunes. But they get distracted on the train, and end up waaaaay back in ancient Mesopotamia! And they're just in time for a musical performance like none they've ever heard before. Come along!
Ready for your brain to get bigger? Come along with us as we all fill our heads and ears with Indian classical music! We'll learn about the melodies, rhythms and beats that make up this musical style that's over 6,000 years old! And we'll hear some cool instruments that might sound familiar, even if you don't know their names... yet!
There's more than one way to play a violin, and on this episode, we're learning all about non-traditional ways of playing, also called extended techniques. But what's this? The lesson is coming from INSIDE THE VIOLIN! And there are... pigs? Tiny pigs in there. Listening to Béla Bartók. Because of course they are. You won't want to miss these sounds, folks (but you might want to miss the smells).
What does a sound designer do? Turns out, a lot more than Kiana and Fiona think! On this episode, our own sound designer Alex Biscardi shows the power of sound design to transport us through time and space, make us laugh, and even get us out of some tight spots. Turn on your listening ears and come along!
The Music Box is back! And it's a good thing, because it looks like Baroque needs some fixing. Luckily, Dr. Kiana and Dr. Fiona are on the case! The music "doctors" cauterize Baroque's counterpoint, malleate its melodies, and assess its appoggiaturas... but can they bring Baroque back to all its intricate glory? Find out on this episode of The Music Box!
For season six’s FINALE, we’ll board the finest time traveling locomotive this side of the train soundboard once again to explore experimental music throughout history! We’ll be going all the way from Pauline Oliveros to Bjӧrk, remembering all the things we’ve talked about this season, like improvisation, drum machines, and more! Learn about musical experiments, meet up with an old friend, and get your ticket to hop aboard at musicboxpod.org. Recommended for grades 3-8, but all students can join in on the time traveling fun!
In the words of James Brown, “get funky with me! C’mon!” We’re back in the operating room this week, so put on your lab coats and get ready to examine all the elements of our next patient - Funk! Join us as we explore rock steady beats, staying on the one, and grooving supporting guitar chords.
This episode is recommended for grades K-5, but everyone can groove with us! Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org.
Creepy crawlies, wriggling worms, buzzing bees, singing cicadas, oh my! Get your daily dose of music AND science as we dive into the bug's life and the music they inspire.
This episode is recommended for grades K-5, but everyone can join in on the flying fun. Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org.
We’re going behind the music once again this week! We’ll learn all about what it means to be a music therapist in an interview with an expert from the field. Join as we talk about how music affects your brain with music therapist Marissa Thomas of Sharing Music and Mindfulness! Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org. Recommended for grades 6-8 and 9-12, but younger students can join in on the fun with some guidance.
This episode is a special one! We’ll board violinist and sound designer Kojin Tashiro’s private jet and fly all around the Asian continent, meet 4 great composers and learn about the music they make.
Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org. Recommended for grades K-5, but everyone can embark on this ethereal journey.
Blast off on the SS Wendy Carlos with the Music Box team and learn about all things synthesizers. From sine waves to square waves, we’ll explore the musical galaxy together to uncover all there is to know about these otherworldly electronic instruments.
Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org. Recommended for grades K-5, but everyone can embark on this ethereal journey.
Oh, no! Looks like Kiana and Fiona need a little more time to fix up their spaceship before you can come aboard. Luckily, they have everything under control (they took the manual with them).
Get ready to blast off on September 7th. Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org. Recommended for grades K-5, but everyone can have a seat on the spaceship.
What IS a producer anyway? How many hats do they wear? How does a producer help a music track come to life? Find out the answers to all your questions on this episode of The Music Box! We’re going behind the music with producer Antonio Garder, AKA Yons!
Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org. This episode is recommended for grades 6-8 and 9-12, but younger students can join in fun with some guidance.
Have you ever tried to count rhythms with an apple or a pineapple? Tried to pass the melted butter? Maybe a hot cup of tea? Find out what all these wacky expressions mean on this episode of The Music Box. We’re exploring all things polymeters (and their super fun mnemonic devices!)
This episode is recommended for grades K-5, but everyone can join in on the polyrhythmic groove. Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org.
You’ve heard about the instrument families from woodwinds, to brass, to strings, even percussion, but have you explored the mean green drum machine?! On this episode of The Music Box, we’ll be learning all about how musical legends like J Dilla and Sly & the Family Stone used the drum machine as a tool, and how you can too!
Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org.
This episode is recommended for grades 3-5 and above, but all students can catch the beat with some guidance!
We’re going on a completely different journey for this episode! We’ll learn all about what it means to be a recording engineer in an interview with an expert from the field. Join as we go behind the music with Anne Gauthier from La La Land Studios right here in Louisville, Kentucky!
Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org.
This episode recommended for grades 6-8 and 9-12, but younger students can join in fun with some guidance.
This episode, we’ll board the finest time traveling locomotive this side of the train soundboard to explore improvisation through time! Some very special Louisville legends will join us as magical musical guests, taking us from the medieval period all the way to the future of improvisation.
Join in on your own futuristic improvisation with THIS Playtronica Synthesizer.
Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org.
This episode is recommended for grades 3-5 and 6-8, but anyone can join in on the time traveling fun!
Today’s episode is quite the operation. We’ll put on our lab coats and be doctors, examining all the elements of our first patient — jazz! Join us as we explore blue notes, call and response, and syncopation. -
Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org
In this musical short, we’ll celebrate Juneteenth by exploring liberation through music! We’ll journey around the U.S, taking a look at the lives of Black composers from three different time periods. We’ll briefly cover the history of the Juneteenth holiday, and through the lives of Florence Price, Scott Joplin, and Rhiannon Giddens, we’ll investigate how the African musical tradition continues to influence American music. Additional resources at musicboxpod.org.
This episode was written by Kiana Del and Fiona Palensky. Special thanks to Michelle Tyrene Johnson and Stori Crawford.
Support for the Music Box comes from PNC, the Norton Foundation, and the sustaining members of Louisville Public Media.
This episode is an extra special musical journey that explores the world of time signatures, also known as meter. We're calling it "Meter: The Musical," which features original music from host Faith Murphy and Kiana Del, WUOL's engagement manager for music education. In the musical, two kids find a magical music box that transports them to Meter World, where they learn about different genres of music and try to find where they really belong.
Meter: The Musical! Music and lyrics by Faith Murphy and Kiana Del; book by Faith Murphy
Special thanks to our guest musicians: Noah Barker, Trevin Little, Jailynn Lake-Noel, Fiona Palenski, and Stephen Murphy
Recording and mixing engineer: Eric Matthews
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We'll look at rhythm patterns in music and how they can change the sound of a song. You’ll learn about the different ways you could fill up a measure, and how rhythm adds texture and excitement to music!
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It's another visit to the magical land of Arpeggio, as the inhabitants learn what repetition and practice really mean.
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The second part of our feature on Black American composers features more time-traveling fun with Miss Kiana! Bring your dancing shoes and your listening ears.
Featured music:
Duke Ellington: Things Ain’t What They Used to Be
Duke Ellington: Come Sunday, performed by Mahalia Jackson
Sam Cooke: A Change Is Gonna Come
Valerie Coleman: Red Clay and Mississippi Delta, performed by Imani Winds
Valerie Coleman: Umoja, performed by Imani Winds
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We’re going on a musical journey with Miss Kiana this week, traveling through time to meet some of America’s Black composers! Bring your dancing shoes and your listening ears.
Featured music:
Florence Price: Symphony in E minor, performed by the Fort Smith Symphony
Margaret Bonds: Bright Star, performed by Lara Downes
Margaret Bonds: Troubled Water, performed by Joel Fan
Margaret Bonds: The Ballad of the Brown King, performed by the Dessoff Choirs
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What does “tone color” mean in music? Isn't color something that you SEE? We'll dive into tone color and timbre today, using examples from pop, jazz, and classical music.
Featured music:
Antonio Carlos Jobim: The Girl from Ipanema
Frank Sinatra: The Girl from Ipanema
Amy Winehouse: The Girl from Ipanema
Dizzy Gillespie: No More Blues
Carmen McRae: No More Blues
Chet Baker: I Talk to the Trees
Vitamin String Quartet: Fake Plastic Trees
Red Pants Trio: Hot Cross Buns
Scott Bradlee: Bohemian Rhapsody in Blue (Gershwin/Queen Mashup)
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We're learning about patterns and song form on The Music Box today! From binary to ternary to rondo and more, you’ll be able to identify the forms of some of your favorite music.
Featured music:
Shenanigans: Cross Dance
Jörg Demus: The Wild Horseman (Schumann)
Frank Sinatra: Fly Me to the Moon
Tchaikovsky: March from The Nutcracker
Dave Brubeck: Blue Rondo à la Turk
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If you’ve ever been to the opera, you may have found yourself wondering what’s happening onstage. Sometimes opera plots can be tough to understand, especially if you’re a kid! Today we’ll learn about a couple of operas written specifically for kids: “L’enfant et les sortilèges” by Maurice Ravel, and “Brundibár” by Hans Krása.
SPECIAL NOTE FOR GROWNUPS: “Brundibár” is best known for being premiered at the Theresienstadt concentration camp in 1943, performed by a cast of interned children. We opted not to give these details in the podcast episode, because it’s a lot to explain to our youngest listeners. It’s an important part of the history of the opera, though, and a powerful example of art being used in the toughest circumstances. We’re linking some resources below so that you can choose to share this part of the story with your kids if you wish.
Brundibár - Wikipedia entry
Brundibár article on Music & the Holocaust
60 Minutes segment on Brundibár (2016)
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Today’s episode is a virtual trip to Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela, and more, as we explore the work of Latinx musicians and composers. We’ll practice some call and response, we’ll walk on a tightrope, and we’ll learn about how a composer’s background and experiences affect her music. ¡Vámonos!
Featured music:
Juventino Rosas: Sobre las Olas
Maria Grever: Cuando Vuelva a tu Lado
Leo Brouwer: Babalú
Tania León: Alma
Sergio Mendes: Fanfarra (Cabua-Le-Le)
Arturo Márquez: Danzón #2
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What do dinosaurs have to do with music? You'll find out when you listen to this episode, as we explore the range of dynamics and accents through the sounds that dinosaurs made.
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We’re back in the magical Land of Arpeggio, going on a treasure hunt with a group of faun friends! Can you sing the right notes and help them find the treasure?
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We’ll take a look at how some of our favorite songs have been inspired by stories and books, including how you can make songs out of your favorites stories too! From fairy tales to Maurice Sendak and J.M. Barrie, we’ll take a trip around the library and find the songs that are hidden there.
Featured music:
Whitney Houston: “Impossible” from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella”
Alex Newell: “Mama Will Provide” from “Once On This Island” New Broadway Cast Recording
Carole King: “Chicken Soup With Rice” from “Really Rosie”
Carole King: “Pierre” from “Really Rosie”
Cast of The Wiz Live: “Ease On Down the Road”
Idina Menzel: “The Wizard and I” from “Wicked”
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We’re kicking off Season 5 with an exploration of music from your favorite video games! From Mario to Final Fantasy, from Zelda to Among Us, we’ll learn about how music shapes and enhances the experience of playing a game.
Featured music:
Nobuo Uematsu: Final Fantasy Prelude 1987 / Final Fantasy XIV, Prelude
Koji Kondo: Super Mario Bros. Theme / Super Mario Bros. Star Theme
Hajime Wakai: Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Riding: Day
Hans Zimmer: Call of Duty, Modern Warfare 2
Mick Gordon: Doom, Main Theme
Jeremy Soule: Skyrim Theme
Gustavo Santaolalla: The Last Of Us, Theme
Christopher Tin: Baba Yetu
John Siegler & John Loeffler: Pokemon Theme (Gotta Catch ‘Em All)
Wiz Khalifa, Ty Dolla $ign, Lil Yachty & Sueco the Child: Speed Me Up
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It's the holiday season, and that means holiday music! But you may not know as much about your favorite holiday songs as you think... In our final episode for this season, Miss Faith drops some holiday knowledge. And stay tuned after the show for a special holiday bonus!
Featured songs:
Andy Williams: It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Alvin & the Chipmunks: Frosty the Snowman
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings: Eight Days of Hanukkah
Wham!: Last Christmas
Gene Autry: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Gwen Stefani: Jingle Bells
Nat King Cole: The Christmas Song
José Feliciano: Feliz Navidad
Barenaked Ladies: I Have A Little Dreidel
Idina Menzel: Ocho Kandelikas
Mary J. Blige: Petit Papa Noel
La Rondallita: El Burrito de Belén
Marcela Mangabeira: All I Want for Christmas Is You
Faith Murphy: Cozy Corona Christmas
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Today’s the last installment of our series on music from around the world, where we’ll learn about the music of Nicaragua from Marlon Obando Solano, a native of San Lorenzo, Nicaragua, who now lives in Louisville, Kentucky. You’ll hear about different folk traditions, including dances that tell stories about Nicaragua’s people and history. You’ll also learn a new song about bananas!
Featured music:
La Mora Limpia - Otredad
El Solar de Monimbo
Nicaraguan Marimba
El Gueguense
Baile del Toro Huaco
Baile la Gigantona
Suenos del Mar - Appalatin
Resources to help Nicaraguans affected by recent hurricanes and flooding:
Red Cross
GoFundMe organized by Marlon Obando Solano’s family
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We’re going to the mountains today with musician Cari Norris, who teaches us about the traditional music of the Appalachian region. We’ll hear banjos and dulcimers, fun songs to sing along, and how this music can keep families connected.
Featured music:
Hillary Klug & Jim Wood: Arkansas Traveler
Hillary Klug: Fire on the Mountain
Jean Ritchie: Killy Kranky
Jean Ritchie: Shady Grove
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We’re using some of our favorite happy songs to power an imaginary train ride, with a lesson in fast and slow tempo. From grave to presto and everything in between, we’ll move our bodies to the beat.
Featured music:
Whitney Houston & Mariah Carey: When You Believe
John Lennon: Imagine
Cast of The Wiz Live: Brand New Day
Nat King Cole: Smile
Katrina and the Waves: Walking on Sunshine
Flo Rida: Good Feeling
Eva Cassidy: People Get Ready
Judy Garland & Barbra Streisand: Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again
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Continuing our explorations of music outside the European tradition with our guide Charles Amewudah, a native of Ghana and a drumming teacher. We’ll learn about the different kinds of percussion instruments used in Ghanaian music, and how drumming is part of life in Ghana.
Aseye Ensemble, the drum group led by Charles Amewudah
More information on the Ewe drumming tradition, including images of the instruments
A video of dancers with a drum ensemble from the Volta region of Ghana
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We're taking a (virtual) trip to different parts of the world and learning about music from different places! Today, we'll learn about music from Thailand and Iran with multi-instrumentalist and composer Jon Silpayamanant.
Born in Udon Thani, Thailand, Jon Silpayamanant is an intercultural multi-instrumentalist, composer, and music educator based in the greater Louisville area. As a biracial Thai American with musical families on both sides of the world, he has been navigating musical code switching and bimusicality for much of his life and uses that experience to inform his understanding of how music ecosystems interact, hybridize, and evolve into new styles and genres.
More information on the Saw U
More information on the kamancheh
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Getting along with friends can be a challenge, but we've got the musical solution! We’re returning to the magical land of Arpeggio for today’s adventure. Sing along with the Three Fierce Fairies!
National Standards incorporated:
Exploring and demonstrating music concepts (such as beat and melodic contour)
Creating musical ideas (such as answering a musical question for a specific purpose)
Understanding the relationship between music and the other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts, and daily life
Additional resources:
Singing with Solfege – “Hey, Hey! Look at Me!” (Mi-So Edition)
Build Character Build Success: TEAMWORK
Activity – Can you write a melody just like our three fairy friends? Grab one other person, sing a melody you created, and see if they can sing it back to you. Then, switch places!
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It's a time-traveling musical adventure as we learn about beat and rhythm. We’ll put on a pair of magical boots that will help us save the future of music!
National Standards incorporated:
Exploring and demonstrating music concepts (such as beat and melodic contour)
Creating musical ideas (such as answering a musical question for a specific purpose)
Understanding how a specific music concept (such as beat or melody) is used in music
Additional resources:
Music Lesson: Beat vs Rhythm – Sing! Step! Grow!
Music Theory – Lesson 1 – Pulse and Beats
Evolution of Music - Pentatonix
Suggested activity – Listen to a group of your favorite songs, and see if you can find and clap along with the beat. Then, try it with a family member’s music from a different era.
Featured music:
Dancing in the Street - Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
Stayin’ Alive - The Bee Gees
The Power of Love - Huey Lewis and the News
Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It - Will Smith
I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas
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We'll explore the world of dynamics (how loud or soft a sound is) with a big box of fireworks! KA-BOOM! You’ll hear some very special pyrotechnics and learn some special words to describe dynamics.
National Standards incorporated:
Understanding the relationships between music and other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts, and daily life.
Understanding rhythmic and melodic ideas
Demonstrating knowledge of musical concepts
Additional resources:
Music Theory for Beginners: Dynamics
Dynamics Example
Music-Go-Rounds Dynamics Activity Guide
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You'll learn about how math is used to make music! Just like chopping vegetables in half, you can chop notes in half too.
National Standards incorporated:
Understanding the relationships between music and other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts, and daily life.
Understanding rhythmic and melodic ideas
Demonstrating knowledge of musical concepts
Additional resources:
Musical Notation – The Quarter Note, the Half Note, and the Whole Note
Music Lesson – Steady Beat
How to Read Music –Episode 4: Counting and Clapping
Featured music:
Ninja Re Bang Bang: Kyary Pamyu Pamyu
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So many people in our community are grieving and reacting to current events related to the Breonna Taylor case. Out of respect, we’re going to postpone today’s episode until next week. We’d rather direct your attention to what’s happening in our city now.
You can follow the news coverage from our sister station WFPL, and we’re putting some links below for how to talk with your family about racialized violence, justice, and equity. And don’t forget, there are lots of past episodes of The Music Box you can check out anytime in our podcast feed. Go listen to some music you love today, and we’ll be back with you next week.
How to talk to kids about racism, racial violence and police brutality
Racism and Violence: How to Help Kids Handle the News
How to Talk with Kids About Racism and Racial Violence
So many of the composers we usually learn about in school are men -- but that's only telling half the story of who writes the music we love.
National Standards Incorporated:
Analyzing the elements of music (including form) of musical works, relating them to style, mood, and context, and describe how the analysis provides models for personal growth as composer, performer, and/or listener
Understanding the relationships between music and the other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts, and daily life
Understanding how music is informed by the structure, the use of musical elements, and context (such as social and cultural)
Additional resources:
The Story of Music (BBC)
History of Women in Music
The Birth of Jazz
Scat Singing Explained and Example
Featured music:
Felix Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 61, Incidental Music, No. 9 Wedding March (Boston Symphony, Seiji Ozawa)
Fanny Mendelssohn: String Quarter in E-Flat Major: IV. Allegro molto vivace (Quatuor Ebene)
Igor Stravinsky: Firebird Suite (Chicago Symphony)
Ethel Smythe: The March of Women (Chorus and Orchestra of the Plymouth Music Series, Philip Brunelle)
Duke Ellington: Cottontail
Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington: Cottontail
Pete Seeger: Freight Train
Elizabeth Cotten: Freight Train
The Chicks: March, March
Beyonce: Brown Skin Girl
Annie Lennox & Aretha Franklin: Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves
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It’s our Season 4 premiere! We return to the fantasy world of Arpeggio with a tale of two very different performing groups and how they learn to get along.
National Standards incorporated:
Exploring and demonstrating awareness of music contrasts (such as high/low, loud/soft, same/different)
Applying personal and expressive preferences in the evaluation of music
Understanding how to perform music with expression
Additional resources:
The Music Show Episode #4: We’re Gonna Sing High, Low, and in the Middle
Elements of Music: Dynamics
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We’re wrapping up our season with a very special story, featuring a magical land full of extraordinary creatures. And you’ll learn a few new things you can do with your voice too!
National standards incorporated:
Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Additional resources:
Solfege Hand Signs
Solfege Scale with Hand Signs
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We’ll learn about meters in music, also known as time signatures, using math. You'll be able to hear the difference between 3/4 and 4/4 and understand how to read a time signature. Then… it’s an epic battle between time signatures! Who will win??
Featured musical excerpts:
The Beatles: Yellow Submarine
Dionne Warwick: What the World Needs Now
Rodgers & Hammerstein: My Favorite Things from “The Sound of Music”
Post Malone: Sunflower
Queen: Another One Bites the Dust
Pentatonix: Waltz of the Flowers
Elton John: I’m Still Standing
Beyonce: Love On Top
Anthony Gonzalez: Un Poco Loco from “Coco”
National Standards Incorporated:
Reading and notating music
Additional resources:
Rhythm Lesson
Musical Meter!
Time Signatures, Bars and Barlines
Worksheet: Time Signatures
Worksheet: Note Types and 4/4 Time
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Artists and musicians can inspire each other's work, even though they use different materials and techniques! We’ll learn about some of the ways that art and music intersects, and we’ll take a turn being inspired ourselves.
Featured musical excerpts:
George Gershwin: An American in Paris, New York Philharmonic conducted by Leonard Bernstein
Jane Ira Bloom: Jackson Pollack, from Chasing Paint: Jane Ira Bloom Meets Jackson Pollack
John Cage: Sonata V, from Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano, performed by Giancarlo Cardini
National Standards incorporated:
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts
Understanding music in relation to history and culture
Additional resources:
Wassily Kandinsky: 100 Famous Paintings Analysis and Biography
Jackson Pollock: 100 Famous Paintings Analysis and Biography
Pablo Picasso: 150 Famous Paintings, Bio & Quotes by Picasso
A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte
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This is the final episode in our mini-series about songwriting: we’ll explore how instruments are used to tell stories in sound — most specifically, in movie soundtracks! You’ll be sure to hear a few familiar tunes here, and you’ll never watch movies the same way again.
Featured musical excerpts:
John Williams: Star Wars Main Theme, from “Star Wars” Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Hans Zimmer: …To Die For, from “The Lion King” Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
John Williams: Hedwig’s Theme, from “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Opetaia Foa’i, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Marc Mancina: We Know the Way, from “Moana” Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Rachel Portman: Tino, from “A Dog’s Purpose” Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
National standards applied:
Listening to, analyzing, and describing music **Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts
Understanding music in relation to history and culture
Additional resources:
“Tino” from A Dog’s Purpose
10 film composers you should know -- besides John Williams
Female composers are trying to break film’s sound barrier
THE POWER OF MUSIC IN FILM - How music affects film
Moana: On-set visit with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foa’i & Mark Mancina
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This is the second of three episodes on songwriting. This week, we’ll learn about how songs help us celebrate special occasions (hint: it involves cake and candles) and also how songs can make us feel strong in the face of hard times. We’ll hear some examples about songs that bring people together, and we’ll write our own verse to a well-known call-and-response song.
Featured music:
B.B. King: Why I Sing the Blues
Aretha Franklin: A Change Is Gonna Come
Pete Seeger & the Song Swappers: We Shall Not Be Moved
National standards incorporated:
Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
Additional resources:
Songwriting With Kids
How To Teach Children to Write Songs
Sing Me A Story - Songs and Stories for Kids in Need
Resources for discussing current events with your kids:
Race Talk: Engaging Young People in Conversations About Race and Racism (Anti-Defamation League)
75 Things White People Can Do For Racial Justice (Medium)
How White Parents Can Use Media to Raise Anti-Racist Kids (Common Sense Media)
Resources for Talking About Race, Racism, and Racialized Violence With Kids (Center for Racial Justice in Education)
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This is the first of a series of three episodes on songwriting. This week, we’ll learn about how rhyming words can help us tell a story. We’ll start with some songs you already know, and then we’ll write our own song!
Featured music:
W.A. Mozart: Variations on “Ah vous dirais-je, Maman” (Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)
National standards incorporated:
Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music**
**Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines
Additional resources:
Songwriting With Kids
How To Teach Children to Write Songs | Songwriting Tips
Sing Me a Story - Stories and Songs for Kids in Need
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We had a new episode all ready to go for you, but it just doesn’t feel right in this moment. Listen in and we’ll tell you why we’re hitting pause this week. And we’ll be back with you next week with a new episode about how you can write your own songs.
Resources for discussing current events with your kids:
Race Talk: Engaging Young People in Conversations About Race and Racism (Anti-Defamation League)
75 Things White People Can Do For Racial Justice (Medium)
How White Parents Can Use Media to Raise Anti-Racist Kids (Common Sense Media)
Resources for Talking About Race, Racism, and Racialized Violence With Kids (Center for Racial Justice in Education)
We’re wrapping up our roundup of the instrument families with the woodwind instruments this week! We’ll learn how they make sound (with some activities you can do at home) and even learn about a couple of surprise members of the family.
Featured musical excerpts:
Bottle Boys: Call Me Maybe (Carly Rae Jepson cover on bottles)
Corrente: Bartolome de Selma y Salaverde
Bagpipe Master: Going Home played on bagpipes
Roman Andrukhiv: Isn’t She Lovely (Stevie Wonder cover on accordion)
National Standards incorporated:
Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts
Understanding music in relation to history and culture
Additional resources:
How to make a reed for a woodwind instrument featuring Ms. Faith!
BBC National Orchestra of Wales - Woodwind
How To Turn A Carrot Into A Recorder
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We’ll be exploring all the different instruments of the brass family this week. We’ll learn about what defines a brass instruments, the various sounds they make, and all the different kinds of music they play. And we’ll practice blowing into our own imaginary brass instruments — it sounds pretty funny!
Featured musical excerpts:
Hector Berlioz: Damnation of Faust, Hungarian March
John Philip Sousa: Sound Off
Jeremiah Clarke: The Prince of Denmark’s March (performed by Wynton Marsalis)
Wynton Marsalis: RJ
Kai Winding: Black Coffee
Trombone Shorty: Buckjump
W. A. Mozart: Horn Concerto in E-flat, K. 417, Rondo: Allegro (performed by Felix Klieser and Camerata Salzburg)
**National Standards incorporated:
**Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
Understanding music in relation to history and culture
Additional resources:
Music from Home: The Brass Family and Making a Homemade Trumpet
BBC National Orchestra of Wales: Brass
10 Famous Trumpet Players
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Percussion instruments are anything you can hit, shake, or scrape — which means they can be a LOT of fun to play! We’ll learn about the two main categories of percussion instruments, we’ll play a game to tell them apart, and there might even be some dancing, too.
Featured musical excerpts:
Djembe solo by Master Drummer M’Bemba Bangoura
Get Lucky (Daft Punk) - Steel Pan cover played by Jonathan Scales
Legend of Zelda - Main Theme on marimba
Die Glocke :: 12 Pieces for Glockenspiel [Part 1] by Brett William Dietz
Work (Rihanna) - Steel pan cover played by Keishaun Julien
Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, Variation 1 a 1, performed by Glenn Gould
Djembe Solo by Laurent Camara
Send Me On My Way - Rusted Root
**National Standards incorporated:
Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
Understanding music in relation to history and culture
Additional resources:
Music with Ms. Faith: Hair, Hair and More Hair!
Music with Ms. Faith: All About Drums
Wave Drum Tutorial
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Did you know that we can put most musical instruments into family groups? Just like your family, there are larger and smaller members, and they all make different sounds. We’ll start learning about the string family today: violins, violas, cellos, and more.
Featured musical excerpts:
Sonata for Violin Solo, No. 1 in G Minor - J.S. Bach
Viola Sonata, Op. 25, No. 1: III. Sehr Langsam - Paul Hindemith
Passacaglia for Violin and Viola - Johan Halvorsen
Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major - J.S. Bach
Capriccio No. 2 for Solo Double Bass - Dave Anderson
Living in the Country - George Winston
Quintet in A Major, D. 667, “Trout” (Opus 114), Andante - Franz Schubert
National Standards incorporated:
Listening to, describing, and analyzing music
Additional Resources:
Karen Meets the String Family
How do string instruments make a sound?
Make guitars and stringed musical instruments
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We’ll learn about the ways that sound can move, both in the air around us and inside our bodies. Get ready to surf the musical waves with us!
Featured musical excerpts:
Catchy Song - Dillon Francis
Gretchen am Spinnrade, D. 118 - Franz Schubert
Mandala Offering - The Gyuto Monks Tantric Choir
Be Like the Water - A.N.D.
National Standards incorporated:
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
Additional Resources:
WHAT IS SOUND? | LEARNING WITH SARAH | Educational videos for KidsSound Experiments for Kids | Science for Kids | Kids Academy
How Do We Sing?
7 Cool Sound Science Experiments for Kids Nov. 19, 2018
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Welcome to Season 3 of The Music Box! Today’s episode will help us learn how music makes us feel. From silly to sad, from angry to energetic, we’ll discover the tools and tricks that composers use to affect our emotions.
Featured musical excerpts:
The Washington Post March - John Philip Sousa
In the Hall of the Mountain King - Edvard Grieg
Russian Sailors’ Dance - Reinhold Gliere
Happy - Pharrell Williams
Hakuna Matata - The Lion King soundtrack
Poor Unfortunate Souls - The Little Mermaid soundtrack
Nocturne No. 2 in E-flat, Op. 9 No.2 - Frederic Chopin
National Standards incorporated:
Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
Evaluating music and music performances
Additional Resources:
YouTube: Green Eggs and Ham: A Dramatic Reading by Ms. Faith, featuring the music of Edvard Grieg
YouTube: Class Notes: A Recipe for Emotion in Music
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We'll explore the rhythms of our own names, and the special nonsense sounds we use sometimes to speak rhythms aloud.
This is the final of three episodes about rhythm; this one is mainly for 4th and 5th graders, but even little ones have fun with the silly syllables.
Additional information, including lesson plans and suggestions for extending the learning, available at musicboxpod.org.
This episode was recorded in part at Hazelwood Elementary School in Louisville, KY. Thanks to music teacher Kiara Watts and everyone at Hazelwood for hosting us.
Music credits:
Amber Citrine - Sarah the Illstrumentalist
Money Loving - Water Mirrors
The Music Box is a production of Louisville Public Media and PRX, with support from PNC.
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Rhythm patterns coming at you again this week -- and this time we'll try putting different rhythms on top of each other to make a BIG pattern! We'll use the length of your hair to play with rhythms — what??
This is the second of three episodes about rhythm; this episode is aimed at 2nd and 3rd grade, but anyone can play.
Additional information, including lesson plans and suggestions for extending the learning, available at musicboxpod.org.
This episode was recorded in part at Hazelwood Elementary School in Louisville, KY. Thanks to music teacher Kiara Watts and everyone at Hazelwood for hosting us.
Music credits:
It’s Getting Blurry - Alvaro Antin
Playground Fun - Alex Ora
The Music Box is a production of Louisville Public Media and PRX, with support from PNC.
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Rhythm is a pattern! We'll practice listening to rhythms and clapping them back.
This is the first of three episodes about rhythm; this episode is aimed at kindergarten and first grade, but everybody will have fun with these tricky rhythms.
Additional information, including lesson plans and suggestions for extending the learning, available at musicboxpod.org.
This episode was recorded in part at Hazelwood Elementary School in Louisville, KY. Thanks to music teacher Kiara Watts and everyone at Hazelwood for hosting us.
Music credits:
Lenox Avenue - Guy Trevino and Friends
Unknown Switches - Esme Cruz
The Music Box is a production of Louisville Public Media and PRX, with support from PNC.
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Rocking to a steady beat... and waltzing, and marching, and bopping, and more.
This is the final of three episodes about beat; this one is aimed at 4th and 5th grade level, but all ages will have fun counting and stepping.
Additional information, including lesson plans and suggestions for extending the learning, available at musicboxpod.org.
This episode was recorded in part at Eisenhower Elementary School in Louisville, KY. Thanks to music teacher Jenny Yankey and everyone at Eisenhower for hosting us.
Music: Dappy Hays - Homebody (ES)
Wrap Up - Isola James (ES)
The Music Box is a production of Louisville Public Media and PRX, with support from PNC.
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We'll keep exploring that steady beat! This time we'll learn about how beats are grouped in different ways to make time signatures, and we'll move around to a march, a waltz, some jazz, some hip hop, and more.
This is the second of three episodes about beat; this episode is aimed at 2nd and 3rd grade levels, but everybody's welcome to bop along.
Additional information, including lesson plans and suggestions for extending the learning, available at musicboxpod.org.
This episode was recorded in part at Eisenhower Elementary School in Louisville, KY. Thanks to music teacher Jenny Yankey and everyone at Eisenhower for hosting us.
Music credits: Keep It - Dylan Sitts (ES)
Health - Heath Cantu (ES)
The Music Box is a production of Louisville Public Media and PRX, with support from PNC.
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Beat is STEADY! We'll be moving around to different types of music today -- get ready to tiptoe, skip, walk, and hop.
This is the first of three episodes about beat; this episode is aimed at kindergarten & 1st grade, but anyone can jump to the beat!
Additional information, including lesson plans and suggestions for extending the learning, available at musicboxpod.org.
This episode was recorded in part at Eisenhower Elementary School in Louisville, KY. Thanks to music teacher Jenny Yankey and everyone at Eisenhower for hosting us.
Music credits:
Manhattanite - Frook
From Within - Heath Cantu
The Music Box is a production of Louisville Public Media and PRX, with support from PNC.
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Our special music word is "timbre" which means the way something sounds. We'll be using different timbres to tell a story from our imagination -- we'll supply the timbres, you supply the story!
This is the final of three episodes about timbre; this episode is aimed at the 4th and 5th grade levels, but everybody enjoys a good story.
Additional information, including lesson plans and suggestions for extending the learning, available at musicboxpod.org.
This episode was recorded in part at Carter Elementary School in Louisville, KY. Thanks to music teacher Lisa Lucey and everyone at Carter for hosting us.
Music credits:
Lots of Fun - Spectacles Wallet and Watch
Valium - nothanks
Returning to Base Camp - John Barzetti
The Music Box is a production of Louisville Public Media and PRX, with support from PNC.
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We'll continue our investigation of timbre (a music word that means "the way something sounds") with a movement activity that'll get you going in all directions. Plus, we'll make our own version of the cha-cha slide!
This is the second of three episodes about timbre; this episode is aimed at the second and third grade levels, but anyone can play.
Additional information, including lesson plans and suggestions for extending the learning, available at musicboxpod.org.
This episode was recorded in part at Carter Elementary School in Louisville, KY. Thanks to music teacher Lisa Lucey and everyone at Carter for hosting us.
Music credits: The Setup - Gerhard Feng
Life of Finn - Alice Spence
Caribbean Christmas - Guustavv
The Music Box is a production of Louisville Public Media and PRX, with support from PNC.
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Timbre = the way something sounds! We'll play with different timbres, and we'll use body percussion to make our own thunderstorm.
This is the first of three episodes about timbre; this episode is aimed at the kindergarten and first grade level, but is fun for everyone.
Additional information, including lesson plans and suggestions for extending the learning, available at musicboxpod.org.
This episode was recorded in part at Carter Elementary School in Louisville, KY. Thanks to music teacher Lisa Lucey and everyone at Carter for hosting us.
Music credits: Kinda - Gettz
The Music Box is a production of Louisville Public Media and PRX, with support from PNC.
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Pitch is high, pitch is low -- and we'll use some singers you know (and a few you probably don't) to explore different pitches in the human voice.
This is the final of three episodes about pitch; this one is aimed at 4th and 5th grade, but we can all sing along.
For more information, including printable lesson plans and ideas for extending the learning, visit us at musicboxpod.org.
This episode was recorded in part at Semple Elementary School in Louisville, KY. Thanks to music teacher Penelope Quesada and everyone at Semple for hosting us.
Music credits:
Racks on Racks - Da Tooby
Everything to Win - Experia
The Music Box is a production of Louisville Public Media and PRX, with support from PNC.
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High pitch or low pitch or something in between? We'll use pitch to help us know which way to go, and we'll hear different members of the instrument families with high or low pitches.
This is the second of three episodes about pitch; this one is aimed at 2nd and 3rd grade, but there's something for everyone here.
For more information, including lesson plans and ideas for extending the learning, visit us at musicboxpod.org.
This episode was recorded in part at Semple Elementary School in Louisville, KY. Thanks to music teacher Penelope Quesada and everyone at Semple for hosting us.
Music:
Every Second of My Life - Vividry
On a Better Day - Arthur Benson
The Music Box is a production of Louisville Public Media and PRX, with support from PNC.
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Pitch is high, pitch is low. We'll have some fun with animal sounds that make high and low pitches, and we'll pretend to be birds and cows.
This is the first of three episodes about pitch; this one is aimed at kindergarten and 1st grade, but everyone can do an animal sound or two. (Moooooooo!)
Additional information, including lesson plans and suggestions for extending the learning, available at musicboxpod.org.
This episode was recorded in part at Semple Elementary School in Louisville, KY. Thanks to music teacher Penelope Quesada and everyone at Semple for hosting us.
Music heard in this episode:
Away on a Stroll - Nocturnal Spirits
Nap Time - Josef Falkenskold
The Music Box is a production of Louisville Public Media and PRX, with support from PNC.
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A new season of The Music Box is coming soon! Hosted by musician and educator Jecorey Arthur, we’ll explore four fundamental music concepts — beat, rhythm, pitch and timbre — with episodes for all ages. Our website at musicboxpod.org includes extras like teaching ideas for extending the learning. New episodes coming September 5!
Don't have an instrument? Don't you worry!
Sometimes if you practice all you need is a leaf to make beautiful music.
Listen to our final episode of Season I and get inspired to make your own homemade instrument. We have special guests from the 1st grade music class at Kentucky Country Day plus we'll hear from experts Dr. Aaron Allen from North Carolina and Dr. Robin Ryan all the way from Australia!
Credits:
Hosted and produced by Sara Louise Callaway, WUOL
Curriculum design by Paul Robinson, JCPS
Photography by Tyler Franklin
Special Guests: Dr. Robin Ryan, Dr. Aaron Allen, and the KCD 1st grade music class and their teachers- LuAnne Hayes, Heather Ribblett, Rebecca Gallian, and Gregory Acker.
Music Credits:
00:00 Happiness Nuggets by Colleen
00:36 Birth Of The Blues written by Ray Henderson, Lew Brown, and Buddy DeSylva, performed by Herb Patten, Gumleaf
3:10 Sonata No. 6 (a Manuel Quiroga) performed by Rachel Barton Pine, Violin
3:56 Rain, Rain Go Away! Performed by Ms. Hayes’ 1st grade class
5:52 Waltzing Matilda by Christina Macpherson performned by Herb Patten, Gumleaf
6:24 Happiness Nuggets by Colleen
The Music Box is supported by PNC
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Rachel Grimes is a composer from Carroll County, Kentucky. The ukulele class at Harmony Elementary interviewed her about what it's like to be a composer today. Listen and you'll learn that you can be a composer too! Sometimes you just need to start small. Just like you can build cities out of legos you can build symphonies out of just a few notes.
Hosted and produced by Sara Louise Callaway, WUOL
Curriculum design by Paul Robinson, JCPS
Photography by Tyler Franklin
Recording Assistance by Anne Gauthier
Host: Harmony Elementary and James Albritton
Music Credits:
00:00 Happiness Nugetts by Colleen
:36 The Corner Room by Rachel Grimes
1:48 Brooks Farm Field Recording by Aaron Rosenblum
3:37 The Corner Room by Rachel Grimes, performed by Jason Seber and the Kansas City Symphony
7:02 Dorothy Susan Grimes (Mama Dot)
8:35 Going to the Chapel of Love by The Shirelles
9:21 My Dear Companion by Rachel Grimes
10:32 Every Morning by Rachel Grimes
11:24 Every Morning, Birds by Rachel Grimes
12:01 She Was Here by Rachel Grimes
12:40 G7 Blues by The Harmony Elementary Ukulele Ensemble
13:18 Every Morning, Birds by Rachel Grimes +
Instruments that can talk?! Mozart as a super hero?! An old time machine in the back of the UofL music library?! How did this craziness happen? Oh ya, we let the 4th grade orchestra write the script… and it’s great! What exactly is classical music, we ask. Well, answers are always more complicated than we hope but it’s worth the ride. Hop on but make sure you buckle up and have your signed permission slip!
Access our learning resources and complete music credits at wuol.org/musicbox under the activities tab
Episode Credits:
Sara Louise Callaway, Host and Producer
Paul Robinson, Curriculum Design
Helen Haverstick, collaborating teacher
4th Grade Orchestra Class at Lincoln Elementary, episode collaborators
Lucas Adams, voice of Mozart
Matt Ertz, UofL Music Library
Anne Gauthier, Recording Assistant
Tyler Franklin, Photographer
The Music Box is a production of Louisville Public Media and is made possible by PNC +
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Somewhere out in space there floats a golden record… Listen to the 2nd grade class at Lincoln Elementary school as they explore classical that’s way out there, like past the Oort cloud out there. That’s right, there are symphonies floating in interstellar space just waiting to be heard. How? Find out in our opening episode where it doesn’t matter if you’ve ever heard classical music before, or even music, or even live on planet earth! Listen, learn, and then upload your own golden records for outer space with our resources. +
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Music boxes were invented to make music small enough to fit in your pocket, just like this podcast. With a tap you’ll be carried into classrooms, across the city, and out into the field where we ask what is music and how do we make it. We’re taking classical music out of the box and giving you the inspiration and tools to compose your stories into music. The Music Box is complete with ready-to-use activities integrating core grade-level standards.
Target audience: Pre-K through elementary school classrooms, families, and the forever curious.
Episode I coming August 1st, 2017!
Produced and hosted by Sara Soltau
Curriculum by Paul Robinson
Recording Assistant Anne Gauthier
Photographer Tyler Franklin
The Music Box is a program of Louisville Public Media and 90.5 WUOL Classical Louisville.
Supported by PNC. +