Busy Kids Love Music

Get ready for a festive round of What Was That Sound?—our special holiday edition! In today's episode, we explore four magical instruments that help create the twinkling, sparkling, joyful sound of Christmas music. Kids will listen to short audio clues and try to guess each instrument before the answer is revealed. It's a fun, interactive way to train their ears and learn musical facts! To make the experience even more hands-on, don't forget to download the free What Was That Sound? printable worksheet linked here. Kids can write down their guesses, take notes and share what they've learned using this fun printable. 🎧 What You'll Hear in This Episode Today's four mystery instruments all play a special role in holiday music: Hear the shimmering, fairy-like instrument made famous in Tchaikovsky's Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Learn how Tchaikovsky fell in love with this brand-new instrument and kept it secret before the premiere of The Nutcracker! Discover how a certain instrument's peaceful, angelic sound creates a warm glow underneath Christmas classics like O Holy Night and appears in many holiday film scores. Learn how a certain instrument was originally used on real horses (hint: safety!)—and how composers from Mozart to Leroy Anderson added them to music to create a joyful, snowy atmosphere From Handel's Hallelujah Chorus to jazzy renditions of Jingle Bells, this instrument brings sparkle, celebration and energy to holiday music across many styles. 📄 Free Printable: What Was That Sound? — Holiday Edition Make listening interactive! Kids can track their guesses, jot down fun facts, and bring music learning to life by downlading this printable. 🔗 Explore More Music Episode 18: The Trumpet | Busy Kids Do Piano Episode 52: The Harp | Busy Kids Do Piano Episode 111: Sleigh Bells | Busy Kids Do Piano A curated playlist of all four festive musical selections here ✨ Merry Christmas from Busy Kids Love Music! Thank you for joining me for this joyful, interactive musical celebration. From my family to yours—Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I'll see you next time on Busy Kids Love Music.

*]:pointer-events-auto [content-visibility:auto] supports-[content-visibility:auto]:[contain-intrinsic-size:auto_100lvh] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "120611f7-be3a-4dd2-8ef6-215b4acc1048" data-testid= "conversation-turn-2" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> In this week's episode of Busy Kids Love Music, we're welcoming the Christmas season with a beautiful and expressive work by English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams — a musician who adored both folk tunes and the charming old carols passed down through generations. 🎶 What You'll Hear in This Episode In Fantasia on Christmas Carols, Vaughan Williams weaves together three traditional English carols into one imaginative and atmospheric piece for baritone, chorus, and orchestra: The Truth Sent from Above Come All You Worthy Gentlemen On Christmas Night All Christians Sing (often known as The Sussex Carol) You'll learn: Why Vaughan Williams was passionate about preserving English folk music What a fantasia is and how this piece "daydreams" from one idea to another How the composer added "hidden" carol fragments throughout the music Why this work was meaningful during World War I Details about the piece's 1912 premiere at the Three Choirs Festival How Fantasia on Christmas Carols continues to inspire holiday performances today This episode also explains the unique combination of baritone soloist, full choir, and orchestra, and how the piece begins and ends with a moving cello solo. 🎧 Listen to the Full Piece Find the complete recording of Fantasia on Christmas Carols here. 🎄 More Christmas Music Fun Don't miss these seasonal resources from Busy Kids Do Piano! Online Nutcracker Camp for Kids Musical Advent Calendar 🔔 Up Next Get ready for a fun musical mystery game in our next episode: "What Was That Sound? – Holiday Edition!" We'll explore instruments of the season with festive sound-guessing challenges your kids will love. Thanks for listening, and as always — keep listening and keep learning, because Busy Kids Love Music!

In this fun, interactive episode of Busy Kids Love Music, I invite you to step into the orchestra pit of a Broadway theater to solve some musical mysteries! This month we've been celebrating the release of Wicked: For Good, and today's episode continues that celebration with a special "What Was That Sound?" – Musical Theater Edition! You'll hear short clips from favorite musicals and try to guess which instruments are playing. Each instrument plays a special role in creating the drama, excitement, and emotion of live theater. This episode helps young listeners train their ears, learn about instrument families in the orchestra, and understand how each sound helps tell a musical story on stage. 🎵 Featured Musicals & Mystery Sounds Wicked – "Defying Gravity" Hamilton – "My Shot" The Lion King – "Circle of Life" The Sound of Music – "Do-Re-Mi" 🧩 Free Printable: Musical Mysteries Worksheet Can you guess all the instruments correctly? Download the Musical Theater Edition Audio Treasure Hunt Worksheet to write your answers and keep the game going at home! 👉 Download Here 💡 Learning Highlights Explore four instrument families in the orchestra. Discover how percussion, brass, and strings add character and emotion to theater music. Practice active listening and build your child's musical vocabulary through play. 🎧 Keep Listening & Learning If you enjoyed this episode, check out thh full playlist of songs featured today — perfect for singing, dancing, and listening together as a family! 👉 Playlist Link Don't forget to listen to Episode 162 about Stephen Schwartz, the brilliant composer and lyricist behind Wicked! 💻 Explore More 🎹 Learn piano with Busy Kids Do Piano: busykidsdopiano.com 📸 Follow along on social media: Instagram: @busykidsdopiano Facebook: Busy Kids Do Piano YouTube: Busy Kids Do Piano Channel

This month on Busy Kids Love Music, we're celebrating the magic of musical theater — and the brand-new movie Wicked: For Good! In this episode, I introduce young listeners to Stephen Schwartz, the brilliant composer and lyricist behind some of Broadway and Disney's most beloved songs. From his early studies at Juilliard and Carnegie Mellon to writing timeless shows like Godspell, Pippin, and Children of Eden, Stephen Schwartz has spent his career creating music that inspires and uplifts. Of course, his most famous work — Wicked — reimagines the story of Oz through unforgettable songs like "Defying Gravity," "Popular," and "For Good." As you listen, you'll learn what it means to be both a composer and a lyricist, explore Schwartz's journey to Broadway, and discover how his music brings characters' emotions to life. 🎵 Featured Music in This Episode "For Good" – Wicked "Popular" – Wicked "Corner of the Sky" – Pippin "Defying Gravity" – Wicked "No Good Deed" – Wicked 🧩 Free Printable: Audio Treasure Hunt Turn this episode into an interactive listening activity! Download the Audio Treasure Hunt Worksheet from the show notes to answer fun questions about Stephen Schwartz and test your listening skills as you go. 👉 Download Here 💡 Fun Facts Stephen Schwartz wrote music and lyrics for Wicked, Pippin, and Godspell. Listen to a full playlist of Stephen Schwartz favorites here! He also penned lyrics for Disney favorites like Pocahontas ("Colors of the Wind"), The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Enchanted. You can even spot Stephen Schwartz himself in a cameo appearance in Wicked: Part 1! 🪄 Keep Listening This episode kicks off a month-long celebration of musical theater at Busy Kids Love Music! Stay tuned for more Wicked-themed fun and behind-the-scenes stories about Broadway composers. 🎧 Subscribe to Busy Kids Love Music wherever you get your podcasts, and don't miss a single musical adventure. 💻 Explore More 🎹 Learn piano with Busy Kids Do Piano: busykidsdopiano.com 📸 Follow along on social media: Instagram: @busykidsdopiano Facebook: Busy Kids Do Piano YouTube: Busy Kids Do Piano Channel

In Part 2 of our Imogen Holst series, we step into the crisp, colorful world of autumn through one of her most beautiful works — The Fall of the Leaf. Written in the 1960s and based on a 17th-century English melody of the same name, this short cello concerto paints a gentle, moody, and slightly mysterious musical picture of a single leaf drifting to the ground. We'll explore how Holst uses dissonance, movement, and mood to capture the quiet magic of an October afternoon. This episode also includes another Audio Treasure Hunt! Download the free printable below and use it as you listen to uncover hidden clues about the music. 🎧 What you'll learn in this episode: How Imogen Holst adapted an ancient English tune into her own reflective composition. What dissonance is — and how Holst uses it to create mystery. How musical movement can mimic the slow, twisting drift of a falling leaf. Why this piece feels both peaceful and bittersweet at the same time. 💡 Listening Challenge: As you listen to The Fall of the Leaf, close your eyes and imagine: A single leaf falling from a tall tree. The wind gently blowing. The quiet of an October afternoon. What colors, shapes, or stories come to mind? 📍 Links & Resources: Download the Audio Treasure Hunt Listen to The Fall of the Leaf performance Learn more about Imogen Holst in Episode 160