This listing is inspired by the MTNA‘s Achievement Award program and is designed to support your child’s musical growth in fun, diverse ways beyond the traditional music lesson format. You’ll find a variety of engaging ideas that can be done together or independently to deepen their understanding and appreciation of music. From captivating books and movies to educational podcasts and interactive activities, these resources recognize that music learning takes place in many forms and contexts. Each suggestion is intended to spark curiosity and creativity, providing a foundation for your child’s unique musical journey while also encouraging you to come up with your own inspiring ideas for musical exploration.
Overview
Live Music
- Outdoor music festivals. Countless parks in the Twin Cities offer live music events in the summer, some of which are free (eg, Music in the Parks Minneapolis and St. Paul).
- Local professional orchestra, musical theater, and chamber music performances (examples in Minneapolis: MN Orchestra, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Guthrie Theater, Chanhassen Dinner Theater, Children’s Theatre Company)
- Local college, high school, and middle school concerts and musicals (band, orchestra, choir)
- Local performance venues’ upcoming events (incl. arenas, outdoor amphitheaters, concert halls)
- Local music retail stores often offer free concerts (eg, Schmitt Music, where I work)
- Recitals performed by students of local music teachers
- Local library: Storytime is often held weekly at many libraries; geared toward preschoolers, they often include music and movement and are a great way to introduce very young children to music. This is how I was introduced to Laurie Berkner’s music when my own kids were young.
- Check your local library for smARTpass offerings.
- Tip: Join the email list of these organizations or follow on socials to stay informed on upcoming events.
Books
- The ABCs of My Feelings and Music (2021), by Scott & Stephanie Edgar (ages 5-7)
- Who Was… series; grades 2-5. Musical titles include:
- Who Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart?
- What Is Rock and Roll?
- Who Was Musician’s Pack (includes 5 titles)
- Who is Taylor Swift?
- Who Were The Beatles?
- Who Is Bob Dylan?
- Who Is Elton John?
- Who Is Stevie Wonder?
- Where is Broadway?
- Who Was Elvis Presley?
- Who Are the Rolling Stones?
- Who Was Michael Jackson?
- Who Is Bruce Springsteen?
- Who Is Aretha Franklin?
- Who Is Bono?
- What Was Woodstock?
- Who Was Bob Marley?
- Who Was Selena?
- Who Was Pete Seeger?
- Who Is Dolly Parton?
- Welcome to the Opera: Discover the Enchanting World of Opera with Mozart’s The Magic Flute, by Carolyn Sloane: Ages 3 and up; an interactive book featured in Ep. 175.
- Star-Spangled: The Story of a Flag, a Battle, and the American Anthem, by Tim Grove: Ages 10-14.
- The Classic FM Family Music Box: Hear iconic music from the great composers
- My First Classical Music Book/accompanying 69-minute CD, by Helsby & Chapman: Ages 5-7; Meet composers and hear their music, learn about and listen to instruments in classical works, enjoy musical stories, and more.
- Ada’s Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay Hardcover, by Hood; Ages 4-8. Landfillharmonic documentary (see DVDs) retold for children; When Sr. Chavez began to teach music and recycle trash into instruments for children, lives changed and The Recycled Orchestra was born. A true story, retold for children, with historical notes.
- The Noisy Paint Box, by Barb Rosenstock: Grades K-2; The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract Art
- The Music in George’s Head: K-Gr.4; George Gershwin creates Rhapsody in Blue
- Fun with Roman Numerals, by David Adler: Age 6-9; A straightforward and appealing introduction to a timeless topic
- My First Orchestra Book/accompanying CD, by Helsby: Ages 6-12; Meet every instrument of the orchestra, with audio examples and classical works.
- My First Piano Book/2 CDs, by Helsby & Chapman; Grade 2-3; Part 1: Why is the Piano So Special? How the piano works and sounds. 23 music tracks including: Bach – Prelude in C; Mozart – Piano Concerto No. 21; Joplin – The Entertainer; Debussy – Clair de lune; Faure – Berceuse; John Cage – Perilous Night No. 6; Satie – Gymnopedie No. 1 Part 2: How Do I Play It? A clear introduction to playing the piano. Play along with 12 specially written pieces with Guide Me narration option.
- Peter and the Wolf book/CD: Ages 3 and up; introduce children to classical music with Prokofiev’s musical fairy tale of the little boy (played by all the strings of the orchestra) who, with the help of a bird (played by the flute), outsmarted the big, bad wolf (played by the French horns). A new retelling by Janet Schulman follows the basic story, but with a kinder ending for both the big bad wolf and the argumentative duck. Peter Malone’s paintings have the luminous quality of old Russian masters. The CD, with music performed by the Cincinnati Pops and word-for-word narration by Peter A. Thomas, was made exclusively for this book and CD package. Includes a short bio of Prokofiev.
- The Musical Life of Gustav Mole book/CD, by Kathryn Meyrick; ages 5-10; Gustav Mole is lucky enough to be born into a musical family, and this charming tale traces the enriching role that music plays in his life. Gustav’s musical education is rich and diverse, covering a wide variety of genres and styles. This is the perfect introduction to musical instruments, ensembles and occasions, and a humorous and sensitive exploration of what music can bring to our lives.
- Mole Music, by David McPhail; Ages 4-8; Mole has always led a simple life, but lately he feels something is missing. When he first hears someone playing a violin, Mole realizes that he longs to make beautiful music, too. Through practice and patience, Mole learns to play. And even though he plays alone, in the privacy of his underground home, his music has an effect on others that is more magical than Mole will ever know.
- The Carnival of the Animals book/CD, by Prelutsky, Camille Saint-Saens; ages 5-8; America’s first Children’s Poet Laureate has written all-new verses to accompany the composer Camille Saint-Saëns’s The Carnival of the Animals, and the illustrator of the Harry Potter books has turned these rollicking rhymes into a picture-book fun fest. Included is a CD of the music and of Jack Prelutsky reading the verses.
- Becoming Bach, by Leonard; Ages 4-8; For Johann Sebastian there was always music. His family had been musicians, or bachs as they were called in Germany, for 200 years. He always wanted to be a bach. As he grew, he saw patterns in everything. Patterns he would turn into melodies and song, eventually growing into one of the most important and celebrated musical composers of all time. This is the story of Johann Sebastian Bach.
- Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Composers series, by Venezia. Ages 4-9; Titles include: Beatles, Bernstein, Brahms, Chopin, Copland, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Bach
- Once Upon a Masterpiece series, by Harwell; Ages 4-12. Titles include: Bach’s Goldberg Variations, Beethoven’s Heroic Symphony, Haydn’s Farewell Symphony, and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition
- First Discovery Music series books/CDs, illus. by Voake & Courgeon; Ages elem./middle school; Each biography includes a CD with musical examples keyed to the text, photos and drawings, and suggested activities. Titles include Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy, Handel, Mozart, Purcell, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi.
- The Music of Life: Bartolomeo Cristofori & the Invention of the Piano, by Rusch; Ages 4-8; Award-winning biographer Elizabeth Rusch and two-time Caldecott Honor–recipient Marjorie Priceman team up to tell the inspiring story of the invention of the world’s most popular instrument: the piano.
- Do Re Mi: If You Can Read Music, Thank Guido D’Arezzo, by Roth; Kindergarten-Grade 5. If you can read musical notes, you can sing any song or play any piece. But musical notes have not always been here. Long ago, songs were memorized. If songs were forgotten, they were lost forever. Thanks to one man, Guido d’Arezzo, music now can last forever.
- The History of Rock: For Big Fans and Little Punks, by Rita Nabais; ages 9 to adult
- What Music Means to Me, by Richard Rejino: Age middle school to adult; A timely testament to the importance and validity of music to make a positive and profound difference in the world we inhabit.
- The Art of Piano Performance: Perfect Practice (Chunks, Clumps, Hunks, Clods, Blocks, Slivers, Slices and Globs) by Peter Coraggio. Ages 10 and up; comic magazine-style book. Learn great tips and tricks on how to be a successful pianist.
- The Art of Piano Performance: The Spectrum of Expressive Touches by Peter Coraggio. Ages 10 and up; comic magazine-style book. Learn to play more musically by discovering the many nuances of expressive touches and articulations.
- The Art of Piano Performance: Musical Style (Introduction to the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic Eras) by Peter Coraggio. Ages 10 and up; comic magazine-style book. Learn about the keyboard instruments, composers, and basic elements of music and interpretation that give each musical era its distinctive character.
Excursions
- Music-related museums or exhibits, including:
- Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, AZ
- Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, TN
- National Museum of African American Music in Nashville, TN
- Schubert Club’s evolution of the piano exhibit in St. Paul, MN
- View a complete list here.
- Visit your local music store (that would be Schmitt Music if you live near the Twin Cities, and it is definitely a destination worth visiting!).
- Check your local library for smARTpass offerings
- Visit a musical playground
- Check out a local heritage festival (such as India Fest)
Podcasts
- Enhance Life with Music: Yes, I’m biased toward my own podcast! Learn about the many ways music makes our lives better, and discover resources you can use to make your life better with music. Visit the Archives page of the website to search titles by category or to scan all titles for topics that look most interesting to you. Content is evergreen.
- Decomposed
- Cadence: What Music tells us about the Mind
- David Walliams’ Marvellous Musical Podcast, By Classic FM (for young kids)
- The Music Box podcast (for young kids)
- Oprah’s Master Class Podcast includes the following musician interviews:
- How Music Does That (occasional language)
- Song Exploder
- Piano Puzzler (NPR)
Movies
- Why You Like It: Decoding Musical Taste (PBS Special)
- Evidence of Things Unseen A short (26-min) TIME documentary about a veteran finding healing in art – and then helping others. (Richard Casper, subject of the film, is interviewed in Ep. 43 of Enhance Life with Music podcast.)
- Alive Inside: A story of music and memory. Not rated. Alive Inside is a joyous cinematic exploration of music’s capacity to reawaken our souls and uncover the deepest parts of our humanity. Filmmaker Michael Rossat-Bennet chronicles the astonishing experiences of individuals around the country who have been revitalized and awakened by the simple act of listening to the music of their youth.
- The Music Never Stopped (PG) Based on a true story and an essay titled “The Last Hippie” by neurologist Oliver Sacks
- Mr. Holland’s Opus (PG)
- The Greatest Showman (PG)
- That Thing You Do (PG)
- Green Book (PG-13)
- The Soloist (PG-13)
- Score: A Film Music Documentary: Not rated. Tracking the progress of modern-day film score development, this documentary illustrates how the first few notes on a piano keyboard end up in the most dramatic moments of a film’s emotional climax. Turning the spotlight on the creative struggles that make up a major motion picture score, this documentary showcases the way the world’s top soundsmiths solve musical challenges – from the creative to the technical.
- Landfill Harmonic: Not rated. This documentary follows the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, Paraguay, as it takes its inspiring spectacle of trash-into-music around the world. Follow the lives of a garbage picker, a music teacher and a group of children from a Paraguayan slum who, out of necessity, started creating instruments entirely out of garbage. This film is a beautiful story about the transformative power of music, which also highlights two vital issues of our times: poverty and waste pollution.
- Stay Human, an award-winning documentary by Michael Franti
- Mary Poppins
- Mary Poppins Returns
- Saige Paints the Sky (American Girl movie, not rated)
- Sing (PG)
- Coco (PG)
- How the Beatles Changed the World (PG)
- The Beatles movies, incl.: Eight Days a Week; Yesterday; Hard Day’s Night; Magical Mystery Tour; Yellow Submarine; Let It Be (G or not rated)
- High School Musical (1-3) (G)
- Grace Unplugged (PG)
- Pitch Perfect (1-3) (PG-13)
- Les Miserables (PG-13)
- La La Land (PG-13)
- Walk the Line (PG-13)
- Ray (PG-13)
- The Wizard of Oz
- The Sound of Music
- De-Lovely (PG-13) (about life of Cole Porter)
- Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice (PG-13)
- Rocketman (R): Musical biopic about the life and work of Elton John; has plenty of mature content, but the overall tone is sweet and life-affirming.
- Rubble Kings (Caution: strong language; Not Rated): Powerful and inspiring documentary on the origins of hip hop, the world’s most popular music genre.
- The Greatest Night in Pop (PG-13)
- Tip 1: These titles may be available at your local library.
- Tip 2: Wondering if a title is age-appropriate for your child? Check Common Sense Media for more info and guidance.
Other
- Create a personalized ringtone or alarm from a favorite song.
- Create a Purposeful Playlist.
- Create a seasonal playlist for summer, fall, or another season (or holiday, such as 4th of July).
- Compose a song of your own.
- Give back to your community by volunteering to play your instrument for a religious service, senior center, or civic event.
- Record a song using the Smule app (learn more).
- SPCO’s Concert Library: Watch and listen to SPCO recorded performances, live and on-demand.
Add to the List!
Let me know if you have a recommendation (or encounter a broken link). Simply send an email with the subject “Adventure Listing” to mindy@mpetersonmusic.com.