The Listening Room Podcast: Recent Episodes
Listening Room
Welcome to The Listening Room for beginning primary students - a series of musical appreciation lessons mainly for primary or elementary students aged between about 4 and 8. Younger children will also enjoy it.The series is sponsored by Bushfire Press and available free during the current home isolation emergency.Each lesson provides an entertaining half hour of guided listening and movement activities with links to optional followup activities. Perfect to help young people stay grounded and broaden their experience and appreciation of classical music.Find out more about the Listening Room at www.thelisteningroom.net
This episode is the tenth lesson from Listening Room 1 published by Bushfire Press and is written and presented by Rob and Lauren Fairbairn.
During today’s podcast you will be moving, playing and drawing.
This episode is 'Bolero'
This lesson provides guided listening and movement activities with links to optional follow-up activities.
Perfect to help young people stay grounded and broaden their experience and appreciation of classical musicLinks to all support material including a page for children and guides and assessment materials for teachers can be found at www.thelisteningroom.net
Listening Room is also available as pre-planned lessons for the classroom. It comes as a book with accompanying media on USB. Find out more about the Listening Room at www.thelisteningroom.net where you can also take advantage of our current 2 for 1 offer on Listening Room titles.
ABOUT THE MUSICBolero (1928)Maurice Ravel (French 1875- 1937, impressionist period)
This episode is the ninth lesson from Listening Room 1 published by Bushfire Press and is written and presented by Rob and Lauren Fairbairn.
During today’s podcast you will be listening, moving and drawing but, most of all, imagining.
This episode is 'Times and Places'
This lesson provides guided listening and movement activities with links to optional follow-up activities.
Perfect to help young people stay grounded and broaden their experience and appreciation of classical musicLinks to all support material including a page for children and guides and assessment materials for teachers can be found at www.thelisteningroom.net
Listening Room is also available as pre-planned lessons for the classroom. It comes as a book with accompanying media on USB. Find out more about the Listening Room at www.thelisteningroom.net where you can also take advantage of our current 2 for 1 offer on Listening Room titles.
ABOUT THE MUSICTechno World (from The Great Southern Songbook 2001)Rob Fairbairn (Australian b. 1951, modern period)
Available in Bushfire Press Singing Resources
Spring(from The Four Seasons 1725)
Antonio Vivaldi (Italian 1678-1741, baroque period)
The March of Civilisation(from Cool Cats Cross Arts Adventures 1998)
Rob Fairbairn (Australian 1951, modern period)
Available from Bushfire Press
Rainforest(from Cool Cats Red Hot Recorder Course, level 3 1996)
Jeff Mead (Australian b.1957, modern period)
Available in Recorder Resources from Bushfire Press
This episode is the eighth lesson from Listening Room 1 published by Bushfire Press and is written and presented by Rob and Lauren Fairbairn.
In today’s Listening Room podcast we are going to paint or draw to three different pieces of music.
This episode is 'Let’s Make a Picture'
This lesson provides guided listening and movement activities with links to optional follow-up activities.
Perfect to help young people stay grounded and broaden their experience and appreciation of classical musicLinks to all support material including a page for children and guides and assessment materials for teachers can be found at www.thelisteningroom.net
Listening Room is also available as pre-planned lessons for the classroom. It comes as a book with accompanying media on USB. Find out more about the Listening Room at www.thelisteningroom.net where you can also take advantage of our current 2 for 1 offer on Listening Room titles.
ABOUT THE MUSICDance of the Sugar Plum Fairy(from The Nutcracker Suite 1892)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian 1840-1893, romantic period)
Russian Dance(aka Trepak, from The Nutcracker Suite 1892)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian 1840-1893, romantic period)
Hungarian Dance #5(1869)
Johannes Brahms (German 1833-1897, romantic period)
This episode is the seventh lesson from Listening Room 1 published by Bushfire Press and is written and presented by Rob and Lauren Fairbairn.
In today’s Listening Room podcast we are going to listen to the sounds of different musical instruments: some with strings; one you blow and one you play with a keyboard.
This episode is 'Crash Tinkle Plunk Toot'
This lesson provides guided listening and movement activities with links to optional follow-up activities.
Perfect to help young people stay grounded and broaden their experience and appreciation of classical musicLinks to all support material including a page for children and guides and assessment materials for teachers can be found at www.thelisteningroom.net
Listening Room is also available as pre-planned lessons for the classroom. It comes as a book with accompanying media on USB. Find out more about the Listening Room at www.thelisteningroom.net where you can also take advantage of our current 2 for 1 offer on Listening Room titles.
ABOUT THE MUSICThe Minute Waltz (Waltz in D-flat Major 1847)Frederic Chopin (French 1810-1849, romantic period)
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (Serenade for Strings in G Major, 1787)Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (German, 1756-1791, classical period)
Horn Concerto #3 Rondo (1784-7)Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (German, 1756-1791, classical period)
Prelude a l’apres-midi d’un faune (1894)Claude Debussy (French 1862-1916, impressionist period)
This episode is the sixth lesson from Listening Room 1 published by Bushfire Press and is written and presented by Rob and Lauren Fairbairn.
Today we are going to listen and draw 4 different pieces of music
This episode is 'Down by the Sea'
This lesson provides guided listening and movement activities with links to optional follow-up activities.
Perfect to help young people stay grounded and broaden their experience and appreciation of classical musicLinks to all support material including a page for children and guides and assessment materials for teachers can be found at www.thelisteningroom.net
Listening Room is also available as pre-planned lessons for the classroom. It comes as a book with accompanying media on USB. Find out more about the Listening Room at www.thelisteningroom.net where you can also take advantage of our current 2 for 1 offer on Listening Room titles.
ABOUT THE MUSICThe Flight Of The Bumble Bee(from the opera The Tale of Tsat Saltan 1901)
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (Russian, 1844-1908, post-romantic period)
Fingals Cave(aka The Hebrides 1830)
Felix Mendelssohn (German, 1809-1847, early romantic period)
The Aquarium(from the Carnival of the Animals suite, 1886)
Camille Saint-Saens (French, 1835-1921, post-romantic period)
Canarios(Music for the Spanish Guitar Vol. 1 1674)
Gaspar Sanz(Spanish 1640-1710)
Written and presented by Rob and Lauren Fairbairn.
This episode is the fifth lesson from Listening Room 1 published by Bushfire Press and written and presented by Rob and Lauren Fairbairn.
It is all about drama and movement to different types of music – today we are going to move to and play along with 3 different pieces of music.
This episode is 'Play Along'
This lesson provides guided listening and movement activities with links to optional follow-up activities.
Perfect to help young people stay grounded and broaden their experience and appreciation of classical musicLinks to all support material including a page for children and guides and assessment materials for teachers can be found at www.thelisteningroom.net
Listening Room is also available as pre-planned lessons for the classroom. It comes as a book with accompanying media on USB. Find out more about the Listening Room at www.thelisteningroom.net where you can also take advantage of our current 2 for 1 offer on Listening Room titles.
ABOUT THE MUSIC
Sleigh Bells Traditional Folk Tune (Russian)
Turkish MarchLudwig van Beethoven
In the Hall of The Mountain King(from The Peer Gynt Suite #21875)
Edvard Greig
Written and presented by Rob and Lauren Fairbairn.
This episode is the fourth lesson from Listening Room 1 published by Bushfire Press and written and presented by Rob and Lauren Fairbairn.
It is all about drama and movement to different types of music – this time featuring different modes of transport – car, canoe, steam train and hot air balloon. It’s called ‘Going Places’
This lesson provides guided listening and movement activities with links to optional follow-up activities.
Perfect to help young people stay grounded and broaden their experience and appreciation of classical musicLinks to all support material including a page for children and guides and assessment materials for teachers can be found at www.thelisteningroom.net
Listening Room is also available as pre-planned lessons for the classroom. It comes as a book with accompanying media on USB. Find out more about the Listening Room at www.thelisteningroom.net where you can also take advantage of our current 2 for 1 offer on Listening Room titles.
About the Pieces:
An American in Paris - Introduction(from An American in Paris 1928)
George Gershwin (American, 1898-1937, modern period)
Evening Fall(Harp)
Kevin MacLeod (contemporary composer, NYC)
In the Hall of The Mountain King(from The Peer Gynt Suite #21875)
Edvard Greig (Norwegian, 1843-1907, romantic period)
Air on the G-String(from Orchestral Suite #3 in D Major poss 1723)
Johann Sebastian Bach (German 1685-1750 baroque period)
This episode is from Listening Room 2, published by Bushfire Press
and written and presented by Rob and Lauren Fairbairn.
Today’s podcast is all about how an opera overture works (in this case, the overture
to Carmen, by Bizet). It’s called ‘Welcome to the Show’ Welcome to the Show
and includes a fun quiz for assessment.
This lesson provides guided listening and movement activities with links to optional follow-up activities.
Perfect to help young people stay grounded and broaden their experience and appreciation of classical musicLinks to all support material including a page for children and guides and assessment materials for teachers can be found at www.thelisteningroom.net
Listening Room is also available as pre-planned lessons for the classroom. It comes as a book with accompanying media on USB. Find out more about the Listening Room at www.thelisteningroom.net where you can also take advantage of our current 2 for 1 offer on Listening Room titles.
ABOUT THE PIECEOverture to Carmen (from theopera Carmen 1875)Georges Bizet (French, 1838-1875, romantic period)
Written and presented by Rob and Lauren Fairbairn.
This episode is the third lesson from Listening Room 1 published by Bushfire Press.
It is all about drama and different ways of moving to different types of music. It’s called ‘All Creatures Great and Small’.
This lesson provides guided listening and movement activities with links to optional follow-up activities.
Perfect to help young people stay grounded and broaden their experience and appreciation of classical musicLinks to all support material including a page for children and guides and assessment materials for teachers can be found at www.thelisteningroom.net
Listening Room is also available as pre-planned lessons for the classroom. It comes as a book with accompanying media on USB. Find out more about the Listening Room at www.thelisteningroom.net where you can also take advantage of our current 2 for 1 offer on Listening Room titles.
ABOUT THE PIECESThe Golliwog’s Cakewalk (from The Children’s Corner 1908)
Claude Debussy (French 1862-1916, impressionist period)
Barcarolle ‘Belle nuit o nuit d’amour’(from The Tales of Hoffman 1881)
Jacques Offenbach (German/French, 1819-1880, romantic period)
The William Tell Overture (from the opera William Tell 1829)
Gioachino Rossini (Italian 1792-1868, romantic period)
Bydlo (from Pictures at an Exhibition suite, 1874)
Modest Mussorgsky (Russian, 1839-1881, post-romantic period)
Finale from the Carnival of the Animals suite (1886)
Camille Saint-Saens (French, 1835-1921, impressionist period)
Overture to Carmen (from the opera Carmen 1875)
Georges Bizet (French, 1838-1875, romantic period)
This episode is from Listening Room 3 published by Bushfire Press and and explains the 3 prime features of The Baroque era (1600 to 1750).
This lesson provides guided listening and movement activities with links to follow-up activities. It presents 2 pieces of music through which you will be introduced to three of the prime features of Baroque music: the basso continuo, variation and texture.
Perfect to help young people stay grounded and broaden their experience and appreciation of classical music.
Links to all support material including a page for children and guides and assessment materials for teachers can be found at www.thelisteningroom.net
ABOUT THE PIECES
George Frideric Handel
Sarabande4th movement from the Suite in D minor for Harpsichord.
First published in 1733).
Handel wrote a number of suites for harpsichord. The D minor (HWV 437) was written between 1703 and 1706. ‘Sarabande’ is the French name for a dance which originated in Central America. It travelled to Spain where it was known as the zarabanda, eventually finding its way to Italy and France where it became a slow court dance.
Have You Heard of J.S. Bach? (2016)
Rob Fairbairn
(Australian 1951, modern period)
Especially written for Listening Room 3
This episode is from Listening Room 2 published by Bushfire Pressand presents what is possibly the most famous piece of classical music ever composed: The 1st movement of Ludwig Von Beethoven’s 5th Symphony.
This lesson provides guided listening, drawing and movement activities designed to teach the use of motif in composition (and the ‘da-da da dum motif of Beethoven’s 5th symphony is one of the most famous and recognisable motifs of all time).
Perfect to help young people stay grounded and broaden their experience and appreciation of classical musicLinks to all support material including a page for children and guides and assessment materials for teachers can be found at www.thelisteningroom.net
ABOUT THE PIECESymphony No. 5 in C minor Op. 67, first movement (1804-08)
Ludwig van Beethoven (German, 1770-1827, classical/romantic periods)
Beethoven was one of the most celebrated composers of the classical era and his 5th is probably the most famous symphony of all.
It was first performed in Vienna in 1808.
When Beethoven wrote it he was becoming increasingly deaf.
It was written in a time of great turmoil in Europe and since the 2nd World War has become known as the ‘Victory Symphony’.
‘V for Victory’ was a popular phrase used by the Allies during that time.
(‘V’ stands for Victory and in Roman numerals the number 5 is represented by the letter V).
This episode is from Listening Room 3 published by Bushfire Press and presents two pieces of music by one of the leading composers of the Baroque era, George Frideric Handel. The Baroque era was from 1600 to 1750. This lesson provides guided listening and movement activities with links to optional follow-up activities.
Perfect to help young people stay grounded and broaden their experience and appreciation of classical musicLinks to all support material including a page for children and guides and assessment materials for teachers can be found at www.thelisteningroom.net
ABOUT THE PIECES
The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba from the oratorio Solomon 1749).
George Frideric Handel
An oratorio is an opera without the dramatic content i.e. dialogue, costumes, sets, etc. and it is written to be performed in a concert hall rather than on a stage.
While Handel wrote 42 operas in the Italian style between 1705 and 1741, his English audiences became tired of them and he turned to writing oratorios.
The libretto (lyrics) of Solomon is from the biblical stories of wise King Solomon.
The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba is an instrumental piece, or sinfonia, and was scored for strings and two oboes.
The Hallelujah Chorus (from the oratorio The Messiah 1741).George Frideric Handel
The text for this oratorio was from the King James Bible and from the Psalms in the Book of Common Prayer.
The Messiah was Handel’s 6th Oratorio and remains his most popular.
It has become a Christmas favourite.
Much of the vocal music of the baroque was religious or contained religious ideas, themes or texts. A scholarly and knowledgeable friend of Handel, Charles Jennes compiled or helped the composer prepare the text or libretti for many of his oratorios between 1735 and 1745.
This episode is the second lesson from Listening Room 1 published by Bushfire Press.
It is all about moving to music and it’s called ‘Move Along’.
This lesson provides guided listening and movement activities with links to optional follow-up activities.
Perfect to help young people stay grounded and broaden their experience and appreciation of classical musicLinks to all support material including a page for children and guides and assessment materials for teachers can be found at www.thelisteningroom.net
ABOUT THE PIECES
MarchingThe Liberty Bell (March 1893)
John Philip Sousa (American, 1854-1932, post-romantic period) Mice and CatsPizzicato (from the Ballet, Sylvia 1876)
Leo Delibes (French, 1836-1891, post-romantic period) RelaxationPiano Sonata in C# Minor (The ‘Moonlight’ Sonata1801)
Ludwig van Beethoven (German, 1770-1827, classical/romantic periods)
This episode is the first lesson from Listening Room 2,
published by Bushfire Press. It is a Journey through Time.
This lesson provides guided listening and movement activities with links to optional follow-up activities.
Perfect to help young people stay grounded and broaden their experience and appreciation of classical music.
Links to all support material including a page for children and guides and assessment materials for teachers can be found at www.thelisteningroom.net
ABOUT THE PIECES
Also Sprach Zarathustra, Fanfare ‘Sunrise’(from tone poem Also Sprach Zarathustra 1896)
Richard Strauss (German 1864-1949, late romantic period)
The fanfare is the introduction to a 30 minute piece which was inspired by the philosophical novel of the same name by Friedrich Nietzsche. The composer called those familiar 3 notes (C-G-C) the ‘dawn motif’.
Trumpet Voluntary(Prince of Denmark’s March c 1700)
Jeremiah Clarke (English 1674-1707, baroque period)
The march was written in honour of Prince George of Denmark, husband of Queen Anne of Great Britain. It was played during the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981.
A trumpet voluntary is most commonly played on the organ using the trumpet stop.
Piano Concerto #23 - 2nd Movement (1786)Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (German 1756-1791, classical period)
A concerto is an extended piece in three movements for orchestra and solo instrument. Mozart wrote 27 piano concerti as well as concerti for violin, flute, French horn and clarinet.
An American in Paris - Introduction (from An American in Paris 1928)George Gershwin (American, 1898-1937, modern period)
An American in Paris is a jazz-influenced symphonic poem inspired by the time the composer spent in Paris. When it was first performed in New York in December 1928 it used taxi horns which Gershwin brought back from Paris.
This episode is the first lesson from Listening Room 1 published by Bushfire Press. It is a little journey called ‘Wings’.
This lesson provides guided listening and movement activities with links to optional follow-up activities.
Perfect to help young people stay grounded and broaden their experience and appreciation of classical music.
Links to all support material including a page for children and guides and assessment materials for teachers can be found at www.thelisteningroom.net
Pieces used in this Podcast:
ChickensBallet of the Unhatched Chicks
(from Pictures at an Exhibition suite, 1874) Modeste
Mussorgsky (Russian, 1839-1891, post-romantic period)
Large, soaring birds
The Swan(from the Carnival of the Animals suite, 1886)
Camille Saint-Saens (French, 1835-1921, post-romantic period)
BeesThe Flight Of The Bumble Bee
(from the opera The Tale of Tsat Saltan, 1901)
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (Russian, 1844-1908, post-romantic period)