Music Web Sites
120 Years of Electronic Music
http://www.obsolete.com/120_years/
Over the years Electronic Music has evolved, but you might be surprised by how much.
Electronic music got it's start way back in 1870 with the Musical Telegraph. Electronic
Music continued to develop through the 1900's. On this site, you can learn about the
various developments in 10 year increments. Some of the articles have pictures of the
inventions and others do not. But most of them are fairly unique. A really unique site if
you are interested in electronic music.
Accordian Dreams (PBS)
http://www.pbs.org/accordiondreams/main/index.html
A renewed interest in grassroots regional musical styles, such as Zydeco, Cajun and
Tejano, have resulted in the rediscovery and rise in popularity of the accordion. Conjunto
is a unique Texas-based Mexican American music tradition born in the 19th century that
continues to evolve and thrive today. The world of accordions and conjunto is attracting a
diverse worldwide audience that includes millions of admirers of the accordion-based polka
that is popular in Czech, Polish, and German communities. You will find pictures, music,
and biographical and historical information.
An Online Christmas Songbook
http://christmassongbook.net/
There are over a hundred hymns and carols on this page to sing and play. You can listen to
them online and also print out the music with all of the words to play on the piano.
ArtsAlive Music
http://www.artsalive.ca/en/mus/
Explore music at this site filled with information and acivities. Visit the Instrument Lab
to listen to and "virtually" handle the instruments. Click on the Great
Composers tab to find out about your favorite composers and listen to some of their works.
Go to Activities and Games to compose music and take quizzes over composers and
instruments. There are many more things to do at this site.
Blues Journey (ARTSEDGE)
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/3948/
Through informative interviews and a wealth of music clips, you'll learn the ins and outs
of blues music and find out about the history of the blues using the loose lesson plan.
Provides related lesson plans and Website links. ARTSEDGE is the Kennedy Center's
interactive education program for K-12 teachers, parents, and students.
Broadway: The American Musical
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/index.html
Start your study of the musical with this site that showcases the major shows like West
Side Story, Hair, Cats and so many more. Clicking on the name of the musical provides
pictures of the cast, facts about the production, audio of a popular song from the play
and a synopsis of the show and its Broadway run. This site also offers interviews, photos,
video and audio recordings, and loads of fascinating facts about Broadway stars. Of
particular importance for the classroom, however, are the essays on topics such as
"Elements of the Musical," "Civil Rights Era on Broadway,"
"Broadway and the Rock Score," and so many more interesting subjects. Teachers
can also utilize the lesson plans and a trivia quiz.
Celebrating Sondheim
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/exploring/mt/sondheim/artsedge.html
Looking for ways to movement, multiculturalism and logical/mathematical intelligence in
lessons? Look to the teaching resources at this ArtsEdge website for Into the Woods, Jr.,
Sondheim's Into the Woods, and Dancing in the Park with Friends.
Classics For Kids: Antonio Vivaldi
http://www.classicsforkids.com/shows/bio.asp?ID=1
Celebrate the birthday of Antonio Vivaldi by clicking into this musical Website by WGUC.
Vivaldi and his music of Spring make for a great discussion at this time of the year.
Students can read a short biography on Vivaldi and listen to some of his music as well as
other selections on the subject of Spring, Teachers will find a colorful Activity Sheet on
"Spring" from The Four Seasons that includes a Listening Map Game.
Creating Music
http://www.creatingmusic.com/
Creating Music is a website created by Morton Subotnick to explore different ways to
create and play with music. The activities and games are fun, easy-to-use ways to explore
making music. There is also a link to this site from the New York Philharmanic Kidzone.
DSOKids (Dallas Symphony Orchestra)
http://www.dsokids.com/2001/rooms/DSO_Intro.html
DSOKids is the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's doorway to a world of musical fun and learning
for students, parents and teachers. The site's mission is to provide attractive,
accessible and child-friendly resources that introduce symphonic music, the orchestra and
its instruments, and to encourage both adults and young people to explore the world of the
symphony orchestra. They do this by providing games, classroom activities, home
activities, description of how hearing works, information and audio clips.
Essentials of Music
http://www.essentialsofmusic.com/
This site, brought to the Web by Sony Classical, allows visitors to track western music's
development through its six main periods: Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical,
Romantic, and Twentieth Century. The site provides brief biographies of more than 60 of
the world's best-known composers.
Fiddle Tunes of the Old Frontier
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/reed/
At this site, part of the Library of Congress "American Memory" collection, you
can listen to an 82-year-old Virginia fiddler, Henry Reed, playing tunes recorded in the
1960's. Many of the tunes have been transcribed and the notation can be viewed on line as
well. The tunes are lively and represent a truly authentic collection of historic
Appalachian music.
George Gershwin
http://www.artsalive.ca/en/mus/greatcomposers/gershwin.html
This site from the National Arts Centre of Canada provides a nice biography on the life
and music of George Gershwin. Content includes information on the early life of Gershwin
and his first job in New York's "Tin Pan Alley," his breakthrough into
songwriting, his most famous compositions, and his tragic death at 39.
Great Performance: Educational Resources (PBS)
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/education/education.html
Lesson plans in culture and arts based on musical theater, opera, classical music, dance
and more. Consists of a variety of resources including multimedia. Example of lessons:
conduct research on the history of Broadway musicals; read about Mel Brooks' life and
work; explore the significance of Istanbul in the cultural history of Europe; explore the
world of Strauss waltzes, polkas, and marches; create a presentation about the cultural
life of Vienna; explore the relationship between language and music;19th-century opera
themes; meaning and usefulness of stereotype as a plot device and much more.
Hop Pop Town
http://www.kids-space.org/HPT/
At this site for 3 to 10 year olds, there are fun sounds to be played and simple stories
to be made! Children can choose from 9 activities like 'Sounds of the Street', where they
can improvise and record musical sequences.
Jazz
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/
This website was created to support the PBS series by Ken Burns. Audio clips of many jazz
performers are available, as well as interesting historical and biographical information
of the highlights of jazz in the United States.
Mojo's Musical Mouseum
http://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/index.html
Keep music alive in the classroom. At this site, you can find the lyrics to many of those
kid songs you thought you had forgotten and many more fun activities for your students.
Mozart's Magical Musical Life
http://www.stringsinthemountains.org/m2m/1once.htm
Musically Inclined: The Ultimate Music Reference
http://library.thinkquest.org/C001468F/home.htm
This site, part of the vast ThinkQuest network, provides a virtual encyclopedia of music,
covering not only its history but also the people and instruments that played key roles in
its development.
Music Room
http://www.empire.k12.ca.us/capistrano/Mike/capmusic/music_room/themusic.htm
Listen to the music of famous composers at this interactive music site. There are also
pages on Melody, Harmony, Rhythm, Intervals, Symphonic Music, Instruments and more.
Music Tech Teacher
http://www.musictechteacher.com/
Students learn to read, write, compose and publish music. The site includes quizzes,
resources, and in-service notes for teachers interested in using technology to enhance
music education.
Music that Mimics Stormy Weather
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/3358/index.html
Listen to three classical music pieces from Vivaldi, Grofe, and Beethoven that demonstrate
how musical instruments can be used to imitate rain, thunder, rising winds, lightning, and
other characteristics of storms. This is an excellent listening activity for exploring
storm-inspired music and musical moods.
Musictheory.net
http://www.musictheory.net/index.html
An interactive website with music theory tutorials for students and teachers by Ricci
Adams. Lesson topics include: staff, clef, and ledger lines; note duration; measure and
time signatures; rest duration; dots and ties; simple and compound meter; odd meter; steps
and accidentals and more. A chord calculator, staff paper generator, and matrix generator
are available for online use. You can download the stand-alone version of the trainers and
utilities. There is also a forum for sharing information and asking questions. Nicely
done, Flash intensive.
Mymusicindex.com
http://www.mymusicindex.com/
Mymusicindex is a quick-reference, informational music resource consisting of a collection
of related music links. The website was specifically designed for music educators,
students, and others interested in accessing information in the areas of music education,
specifically, choral, general, and instrumental music. The home page offers clickable
links to some 50 topics, from A-cappella to Woodwind.
New York Philharmonic Kidzone!
http://www.nyphilkids.org/main.phtml?
Visit the Composer's Gallery, the Instrument Storage Room, the Musician's Lounge, the
Dressing Rooms, the Instrument Lab, and the News section to find out more about the
Philharmonic Orchestra and the instruments they play. Visit the Composer's Workshop to
create your own music!
One More Once: A Centennial Celebration of the Life and Music of Count Basie
http://newarkwww.rutgers.edu/ijs/cb/index.html
To join in the celebration of Black History Month, here is a great site devoted to the
life and music of Count Basie. A musicography tracks his creations through the decades of
his life, and there are also photo essays to add interest to this excellent site.
Online Music Theory Tutor
http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/musictheory/index.html
This online music tutor site includes lessons, tutorials, and much more; there is a sheet
music generator, too.
Playmusic
http://www.playmusic.org
Learn all about orchestras and what it's like to play in one. Students can listen to music
and play games to learn more about various instruments.
San Francisco Symphony Kids' Site
http://www.sfskids.org/templates/splash.asp
Visit this website for a refresher course on The Instruments of the Orchestra and fun
activities in The Music Lab.
Science of Music: Exploratorium's Accidental Scientist
http://www.exploratorium.edu/music/
What is music? Is birdsong music? How about the tap-tap-tap of a hammer, or the wail of a
creaking door? Is playing a garbage can different than playing a drum? Explore the science
of music through these online exhibits, movies, and questions. Along the way, you can
compose, mix, dance, drum, experiment, and listen. Try creating your own "step
routine" using the interactive tools. Stepping is rhythmic movement that uses the
hands and feet as an instrument and is known best among African American fraternities and
sororities. Lots of other fun activities and informational segments.
Sing-A-Long Tunes Index!
http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/music.htm
Songs for Teaching
http://www.songsforteaching.com/
What better way to teach those difficult subjects than to make them into songs? This
effective interdisciplinary approach incorporates easy educational lyrics for the younger
students to sing. The authors offer songs in mathematics, foreign languages, character
development, food and nutrition, as well as other subjects.
Spirituals Project, The Story of the Spirituals
http://ctl.du.edu/spirituals/
The Spirituals Project at the University of Denver is nothing short of a revelation.
Outlining the cultural and historical beginnings of spirituals and their continuing
influence, the site brings together an impressive array of scholarship, interviews, audio
recordings, and photographs that document many facets of this unique form of musical
expression.
Symphony: An Interactive Guide
http://library.thinkquest.org/22673/index.html
Symphony No. 9 "From the New World"
http://www.weillmusicinstitute.org/listeningadventures/nws/splash.html
This listening adventure from the Weill Music Institute at New York's Carnegie Hall
features Antonn Dvork's Symphony no. 9 ("From the New World"). This fully
interactive, animated version of the symphony helps you learn about the music, about the
instruments, and about the composer. The site features wonderful activities that help
learners explore what they have learned, clear graphics, a glossary, and other media-rich
features.
Twelve Benefits of Music Education
http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/advocacy/12benefits.html
Exactly WHY should a school offer music education? If you've ever been asked that
question, or think that you might be asked, this is a site to bookmark. This particular
page briefly lists 12 benefits of music education, but at the left side of the page is a
long list of links to other sets of reasons.
WGUG Classics for Kids
http://www.classicsforkids.com/
This website is sponsored by a classical radio station in the Midwest. The site contains
audio files and text files of past shows, games, a handful of lesson plans, and lots of
energy. You can find information on many composers by clicking on "Past Shows."
Teachers will enjoy this fun introduction to classical music for children!
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