Lithuanian musician Emilija Karaliūtė specialises in performing classical/folk music and more with a unique traditional instrument: the kanklės. In this guest post, learn all about the origin and particularities of this special instrument! Sound Garden : classical music immersion First, a short word about Sound Garden. Founded by classical singer Kayla Collingwood, Sound Garden is an online hub to engage with classical music, no matter your age or level of knowledge or experience! Through online content, digital products, and more, Sound Garden's aim is to provide resources for discovering ..read more

Classical music, or Western art music, has a long and rich history, beginning after the fall of the Roman Empire and continuing to progress today! Let's take a look at the evolution of this genre of music, through a crash course overview of the standard historical era divisions. Each era represents the artistic tastes, political and social changes, and the general characteristics of Western societies at different times in history; music has always been a reflection of humanity! https://youtu.be/FEB_jibY10c Early Music (500-1600 AD) The Early Music period is largely associated with religious m ..read more

The product - Add some classical fun to the festive season! Get ready to jingle all the way with this festive printable classical music listening quiz perfect for your holiday celebrations! Includes 30 well-known and seasonal classical music works for you to identify, individually or in teams! Perfect for classical musicians, music lovers, and anyone who wants to test their knowledge or discover new classical music works! This product is available as a digital download PDF, 8 pages including front and back covers. Suitable for ages 12+. Listen to the music The selected pieces referenced in th ..read more

The product - Discover classical music inspired by autumn/fall! In this music education resource, ten classical music works have been selected, on the topic of autumn/fall. Ten pages of information and activities for each composer/work will help you to kick start the topic! Perfect for homeschoolers, music teachers, music lovers, and anyone who needs a resource to help children to engage with classical music! This product is available as a digital download PDF, 13 pages including front and back covers. Suitable for school-aged children. Listen to the music The selected pieces referenced in th ..read more

The product - Help children to engage with classical music this Halloween! Follow Apollo and Aria on a Halloween-themed classical music adventure to free the spirit of Maestro Mortis from the halls of Prelude Palace! Read the story and complete relevant activities as you listen to the music! Five classical music works have been selected, with five different activities to complete as part of the story. Perfect for homeschoolers, music teachers, music lovers, and anyone who needs a resource to help children to engage with classical music! This product is available as a digital download PDF, 9 p ..read more

Introducing young children and babies to the wonderful world of music in general is a gift which will last a lifetime; classical music should definitely be included among the genres explored! From works by famous composers like Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach to works by lesser-known or contemporary composers, the children in your life (and you as the parent or carer!) have plenty of options to discover! We've selected four examples of classical music and also created a larger Spotify playlist, curated especially for babies, toddlers, and pre-schoolers! You can also visit the "Learning Hub" secti ..read more

William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) was an Irish writer and (later in life) politician. He was a very important figure in 20th century literature (particularly poetry), and many of his poems have been set to music. He was heavily influenced by the work of other poets such as Keats, Wordsworth, and Blake, and his poetry was often inspired by his fascination with the supernatural and occult (he even collaborated with "spirit" writers on some works), symbolism/allusion, and the abstract. He wrote in a more "traditional" style than many of his contemporaries did, preferring to use standard forms rat ..read more

Music has been an integral part of human culture for centuries. (Western) classical music is a genre which many people consider particularly important for its rich and lengthy history, the potential influence on development and creativity, and its contribution to the world we live in today. There are many ways to introduce listeners of all ages to its different facets: theory, history, performance, and more! Music history is an important element of music education; knowing the composers, contexts, and the backgrounds to the musical works one is hearing can really help to add new dimensions to ..read more

Have you ever been curious about classical music, but didn't know where to start? Maybe you felt that you weren't smart enough, or educated enough, or were put off by music theory classes. Maybe you simply feel overwhelmed by just how MUCH music there is to discover! This is the moment for you to start engaging with classical music, through a personalised, guided discovery session! A little about me... My name is Kayla, and I am the founder of Sound Garden : classical music immersion. I trained as a classical/opera singer in New Zealand, and am now based in Paris, France. As well as singing ..read more

Looking for some Christmas classical music to add to your playlists this December? We've selected 5 seasonal works for 4 different categories: instrumental, choral, operatic, and art song! Instrumental Tchaikovsky's magical ballet "The Nutcracker" is a Christmas classic, and the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" is one of the most recognisable excerpts! Josef Strauss was a member of the famous Strauss family of composers, and knew how to write great dance music, too! The polka "Winterlust" brings the magic of the winter season to life. Debussy dedicated the "Children's Corner" piano suite ..read more