Can you believe February is almost here? That means it's time for another "Musicianship Monthly" post!
What is "Musicianship Monthly?" Each month, I share links to free resources you can use to focus on a specific musicianship skill with your students. (Want to see past skills we have covered? Click HERE!)
This semester, the Musicianship Monthly series will be focused on music history! For the month of February, we will be learning about the Classical period. Keep reading for fun, accessible resources you can use to introduce your students to this elegant period in music history....
What is "Musicianship Monthly?" Each month, I share links to free resources you can use to focus on a specific musicianship skill with your students. (Want to see past skills we have covered? Click HERE!)
This semester, the Musicianship Monthly series will be focused on music history! For the month of February, we will be learning about the Classical period. Keep reading for fun, accessible resources you can use to introduce your students to this elegant period in music history....
Let's start with an overview of the Classical period! Here is a handy information sheet that will introduce students of all ages to the main characteristics of this style period and a few of the most important composers living and working during this time.
Be sure to encourage your students to check out the listening examples at the bottom of the page! How many of these famous Classical compositions do they recognize?
Download your free PDF copy of this information sheet HERE.
Next, here are a few resources from around the web you can use with your students! I've included resources from my own "Free Stuff" page, as well as a few of my favorite sites for finding free resources: Classics for Kids, G Major Music Theory, Making Music Fun, and IMSLP. Many thanks to the creators of these websites for generously providing these free resources!
Kid-Friendly Biographies
- Biographies and links to podcast shows for many composers from the Classical period are all available at the Classics for Kids website HERE.
- Several printable biographies of Classical composers, along with worksheets and games, are available at the Making Music Fun website HERE.
Activity Sheets and Listening Activities
- Practice packets for Mozart and Beethoven are available on my "Free Stuff" page HERE.
- Haydn Activity Sheet from the Classics for Kids website: PDF available HERE.
- Schubert's "March Militaire" Activity Sheet from the Classics for Kids website: PDF available HERE.
- Mozart's "Turkish Rondo" Activity Sheet from the Classics for Kids website: PDF available HERE.
- Beethoven's "Symphony No. 8" Activity Sheet from the Classics for Kids website: PDF available HERE.
Free Sheet Music
Beethoven
- Theme from the Fifth Symphony (Arr. Chrissy Ricker) available HERE.
- Several pieces at a variety of levels available from G Major Music Theory HERE.
- IMSLP has an extensive list of free scores by Beethoven HERE.
Mozart
- Theme from A Little Night Music (Arr. Chrissy Ricker) available HERE.
- Rondo Alla Turca arranged for late elementary piano, PDF available from G Major Music Theory HERE.
- Allegro in Bb Major for early intermediate piano, PDF available from G Major Music Theory HERE.
- IMSLP has an extensive list of free scores by Mozart HERE.
Haydn
- Pieces for primer and intermediate levels available from G Major Music Theory HERE.
- IMSLP has an extensive list of free scores by Haydn HERE.
Schubert
- "Ave Maria" for late elementary piano available from G Major Music Theory HERE.
- "Ave Maria" for early to mid-intermediate piano available from G Major Music Theory HERE.
- IMSLP has an extensive list of free scores by Schubert HERE.
Finally, here is a fascinating video that shows students the type of piano that the composers mentioned above would have used during the Classical period. It is quite different from the pianos we play today!
What do you think? What resources do you use to introduce your students to the Classical period? What are your favorite Classical-era pieces to teach? I would love to hear from you in the comments!
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