Fun Halloween Listening Activities

Nothing sets the mood for Halloween like a good, spooky piece of music! Luckily there are lots of descriptive pieces--many by famous classical composers--that are often associated with Halloween.

Take advantage of these spooky pieces to do a few listening activities with your students this month! You can use these pieces to learn about storytelling through music, introduce students to a variety of musical instruments, review dynamics and music vocabulary, listen for musical themes and form, and more.

Keep reading for a few fun listening activities (including some really cool YouTube videos!) to use with your students as Halloween approaches...​

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1. "In the Hall of the Mountain King"  story worksheet
If you downloaded my Musicianship Monthly freebies for October, you may have seen the link to this cute worksheet from the "Classics for Kids" website that walks students through the story told in the music of Grieg's famous piece. Includes a brief biography of Edvard Grieg. Click HERE for your free PDF!

2. Halloween Music Podcast
The Classics for Kids website also has a special podcast dedicated to Halloween music! This short episode introduces kids to several famous spooky selections by a variety of classical composers and includes a short quiz. Click HERE to visit the website.

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3. Toccata in D Minor performed on pipe organ
I never pass up the opportunity to show students a performance of J.S. Bach's famous piece played on a pipe organ. This video demonstration (recorded on Chicago's largest pipe organ) gives students an up-close look at the keyboard, pedals, and stops of this impressive instrument.
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4. Danse Macabre Visual Listening Guide
"Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens is another Halloween favorite! This fun video walks students through the story behind the music, as well as identifying different musical themes used in the piece and the instruments of the orchestra that play each one.

​5. Beethoven's Fifth Line Rider Video
This video, created with the "Line Rider" app, shows a visual representation of the first movement of Beethoven's famous "Fifth Symphony." Fun to watch, and a great opportunity to review the dynamic markings and articulations shown throughout the video!

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And for an alternative to these familiar classical pieces, take a look at:

6. 8-Bit Music Theory Videos
If you have video game fans in your studio, the 8-Bit Music Theory YouTube channel is a must-see! Your more advanced students will get a kick out of these two videos that explain the music theory behind some of the creepiest songs in the Super Mario and Legend of Zelda video games.

What do you think? What are your favorite listening activities to use at Halloween? I would love to hear your ideas in the comments!