Composer study is part of the art of music studied in Charlotte's schools along with learning folk songs and hymns. It was called Musical Appreciation, in which, one particular composer was set for each term. In an article written in The Parents' Review, Marjorie F. Ransom, ex-student of the House of Education, states:
About six works by some great composer are chosen for study each term. These compositions are played or sung to the children constantly and studied carefully. The children are taught something about the form, harmonic structure, thematic development of the composition and some information is given about the life of the composer. An article appears every term in the Parents' Review on the composer and his works, which is a great help to the teacher or parent who is giving the musical appreciation lessons.Although we don't have the gift of the Parents' Review composer articles, in this day and age, we are blessed with many other resources to draw from. One of which is Ambleside Online. They offer a free "Composer Schedule" with biographical information, music downloads, and book suggestions/links on various composers.
I've decided to incorporate composer study into our schedule this year. We are studying Johannes Brahms the first term using "The Young Brahms" by Sybil Deucher. I've scheduled composer study on Mondays in our Circle Time. I intend to read a section from Deucher's book each Monday, as well as play Brahms music whenever possible over the next twelve weeks. Ambleside Online has a list of suggested pieces that I'll draw from. I plan to use Youtube and other online sources to listen to Brahms music. Today we're listening to Variations on a Theme of Haydn.
For further conviction on incorporating composer study/music appreciation into your homeschool, check out Delight in Music Appreciation by Tina Fillmer.
No comments:
Post a Comment