
Kinder Konzerts is a unique music learning experience designed especially for preschool-aged children. Each year, Kinder Konzerts features a composition with narration based on a children’s book.
FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra commissions these compositions especially for Kinder Konzerts.
The goals of the Kinder Konzerts program are:
- To introduce young children to orchestral music, musicians, and instruments.
- To develop the concept of what it means to be an audience.
- To promote literacy development and help children understand that music can tell a story.
Virtual Kinder Konzerts© is a series of 17 video lessons that promote the learning goals outlined above.
- To use Virtual Kinder Konzerts, just click through the lessons to watch the videos and enjoy them.
- Virtual lessons can be done at your own pace at school or at home.
Lesson 1: We Are the Audience 3:50 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Lesson 2: A Trip to Orchestra Hall 4:05 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Lesson 11: Music Tells A Story, Part 1 6:31 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Lesson 13: Meet the Composer 2:13 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra

Kinder Konzerts is a unique music learning experience designed especially for preschool-aged children. Each year, Kinder Konzerts features a composition with narration based on a children’s book.
FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra commissions these compositions especially for Kinder Konzerts.
The goals of the Kinder Konzerts program are:
- To introduce young children to orchestral music, musicians, and instruments.
- To develop the concept of what it means to be an audience.
- To promote literacy development and help children understand that music can tell a story.
Virtual Kinder Konzerts is a series of 17 video lessons that promote the learning goals outlined above.
- To use Virtual Kinder Konzerts, just click through the lessons to watch the videos and enjoy them.
- Virtual lessons can be done at your own pace at school or at home.
Lesson 1: We Are the Audience 3:50 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Sing We Are the Audience before sharing time or any at-home performance.
- Practice being an audience any time you watch or listen to anything. Before viewing, review the idea of an audience. Sing the song to prep for watching, make sure you clap and say bravo after a performance is over.
- Go to the Minnesota Orchestra website to find video performances like this one. Perfect for listening to beautiful music and practicing audience skills.
Lesson 2: A Trip to Orchestra Hall 4:05 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at this picture, on the Minnesota Orchestra website, that shows you where all the musicians sit on stage. You can click on some instruments to learn more about them and discover how they make their sounds.
Look in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box to find musician pictures. Cut these out and stage a pretend concert. Use construction paper or other art supplies to make a wood floor and some magic cubes, just like you saw in the video with Ms. Katie.
Lesson 3: The Flute 5:00 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at a great picture and description of the flute, here.
- If you really love the flute, you might like its close relative, the piccolo. Look at a picture and watch a demo for the piccolo here
- Listen to a little music for solo flute by scrolling down to the “Flute” section on this page.
Look for the flute player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 4: The Clarinet 1:46 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at a great picture and description of the clarinet, here.
- Listen to a little music for solo clarinet by scrolling down to the “Clarinet” section on this page.
- Take a look at the Meet the Clarinet lesson on Classical MPR’s Music Lesson page.
Look for the clarinet player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 5: The Bassoon 4:03 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at a great picture and description of the bassoon, here.
- Take a look at the Bassoon Basics lesson on Classical MPR’s Music Lesson page.
- Listen to a little music for solo bassoon by scrolling down to the “Bassoon” section on this page.
Look for the bassoon player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 6: The French Horn 2:48 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at a great picture and description of the French horn, here.
- Take a look at the French Horn Frenzy lesson on Classical MPR’s Music Lesson page.
- Listen to a little music for the solo French Horn by scrolling down to the “French Horn” section on this page.
Look for the French Horn player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 7: The Violin 5:25 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Lesson 8: The Viola 2:45 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at a great picture and description of the viola here.
- Listen to a little music for the solo viola by scrolling down to the viola section on this page.
Look for the viola player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 9: The Cello 3:08 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at a great picture and description of the cello here.
- Take a look at the Cello Magic lesson on Classical MPR’s Music Lesson page.
- Listen to cello player Nygel Witherspoon play a famous cello piece in this video.
Look for the cello player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 10: The Marimba 2:51 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Learn about the marimba and several other mallet instruments at the Mallet Magic! Part One lesson on Classical MPR’s Music Lesson Page.
Look for the marimba player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 11: Music Tells A Story, Part 1 6:31 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Story comprehension is reinforced through re-telling. Do a dramatic re-enactment of the story. Use props!
- Use the character pictures and red canoe from the Kinder Konzerts in a Box to retell the story.
- Re-read the story, and use the loon call from your Kinder Konzerts in a Box at the appropriate moment.
- Think about the north woods’ environment. See the directions for a One-Dog Canoe mural in the Kinder Konzerts in a Box to help students identify natural elements of this habitat.
Lesson 12: Music Tells A Story, Part 2 2:31 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Vocalization of animal sounds promotes vocal development and helps children explore their vocal range. Use the character pictures from the Kinder Konzerts in a Box as cue cards for animal sound vocalization.
- Interested in hearing authentic sounds for the One-Dog Canoe animals? You can listen to them HERE.
Make connections to science! See the lesson on page 10 of the One-Dog Canoe Educator Guide for ideas about how to connect this content to science learning.
Lesson 13: Meet the Composer 2:13 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Try a little at-home or at-school composing. You don’t need to know how to read or write music! A musical score is really just a set of directions for a performer.
Choosing a title is a good place to start. It might help you decide how fast or slow to play, or how loud or soft.
Choosing a sound source is the next step. Maybe you have access to a piano, or maybe you decide to make some found object percussion.
- Use the Collection of Instruments or the Instruments to make from your Kinder Konzerts in a Box to create your compositions!
Finally, add some notes about how long the sounds should continue- 10 seconds? Until a grown up holds up a “stop sign”?
Using a musical ideas grid like the one below can help organize some thoughts.
TITLE | |
INSTRUMENT | |
PERFORMER NOTES | . |
Here’s a completed sample:
TITLE | Thunderstorm! |
INSTRUMENT | A big bucket and a wooden spoon |
PERFORMER NOTES | Gentle taps with the spoon on the bottom of the bucket (5 seconds)
Louder taps, like thunder! (5 seconds) Back to gentle taps, like the rain stopping (5 seconds) |
Listen to more music by Daniel Nass here.
Lesson 14: Meet the Author 4:46 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- See the Book List in the Kinder Konzerts in a Box Notebook of Activities and Lessons for some more books inspired by wilderness, the north woods, camping, canoeing, outdoor life, and animals.
Find out more about author Mary Casanova here.
Lesson 15: Exploring Musical Ideas 4:25 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Use the Collection of Instruments or the Instruments to Make from the Kinder Konzerts in a Box to find steady beats and accompany your classroom songs.
- Dancing is a great way to feel and internalize a steady beat. Try the TGIF Dance Party lesson, the Dance Party lesson, or the Shake, Jump, Clap, and Stomp lesson. For a calmer vibe, try the Smooth Moves Dance Party lesson. All from Classical MPR’s Music Lesson Page.
Lesson 16: Listen to the Musical Story of One-Dog Canoe 11:42 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Have a post-concert chat! When a concert is over, members of the audience often like to talk about or discuss what they just heard. (Sometimes while eating special treats.) After you listen to One-Dog Canoe, have a post-concert chat. Treats are optional.
- What was your favorite part?
- Which animal’s music sounded the most peaceful?
- Were there any funny parts?
- Can you think of any other musical stories?
- Was there anything unexpected?
- Listen again and pretend you are each animal, moving to their music. When you hear the bear join in, move like a bear! Flap your loon wings when you hear the loon’s pretty melody on the flute, or pretend to play the flute! Use the props and cutouts from the Kinder Konzerts in a Box as accessories.
- Find a bin or bucket or a toy boat- bonus if it’s red! Use stuffies or dolls or cut outs of each animal to re-enact the story while listening.
- Listen again and see if you can say “Can I come too” each time another animal asks to join in.
- Here is an audio-only version of the musical story of One-Dog Canoe.

Kinder Konzerts is a unique music learning experience designed especially for preschool-aged children. Each year, Kinder Konzerts features a composition with narration based on a children’s book.
FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra commissions these compositions especially for Kinder Konzerts.
The goals of the Kinder Konzerts program are:
- To introduce young children to orchestral music, musicians, and instruments.
- To develop the concept of what it means to be an audience.
- To promote literacy development and help children understand that music can tell a story.
Virtual Kinder Konzerts is a series of 17 video lessons that promote the learning goals outlined above.
- To use Virtual Kinder Konzerts, just click through the lessons to watch the videos and enjoy them.
- Virtual lessons can be done at your own pace at school or at home.
Lesson 1: We Are the Audience 3:50 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Sing We Are the Audience before sharing time or any at-home performance.
- Practice being an audience any time you watch or listen to anything. Before viewing, review the idea of an audience. Sing the song to prep for watching, make sure you clap and say bravo after a performance is over.
- Go to the Minnesota Orchestra website to find video performances like this one. Perfect for listening to beautiful music and practicing audience skills.
Lesson 2: A Trip to Orchestra Hall 4:05 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at this picture, on the Minnesota Orchestra website, that shows you where all the musicians sit on stage. You can click on some instruments to learn more about them and discover how they make their sounds.
Look in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box to find musician pictures. Cut these out and stage a pretend concert. Use construction paper or other art supplies to make a wood floor and some magic cubes, just like you saw in the video with Ms. Katie.
Lesson 3: The Flute 5:00 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at a great picture and description of the flute, here.
- If you really love the flute, you might like its close relative, the piccolo. Look at a picture and watch a demo for the piccolo here
- Listen to a little music for solo flute by scrolling down to the “Flute” section on this page.
Look for the flute player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 4: The Clarinet 1:46 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at a great picture and description of the clarinet, here.
- Listen to a little music for solo clarinet by scrolling down to the “Clarinet” section on this page.
- Take a look at the Meet the Clarinet lesson on Classical MPR’s Music Lesson page.
Look for the clarinet player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 5: The Bassoon 4:03 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at a great picture and description of the bassoon, here.
- Take a look at the Bassoon Basics lesson on Classical MPR’s Music Lesson page.
- Listen to a little music for solo bassoon by scrolling down to the “Bassoon” section on this page.
Look for the bassoon player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 6: The French Horn 2:48 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at a great picture and description of the French horn, here.
- Take a look at the French Horn Frenzy lesson on Classical MPR’s Music Lesson page.
- Listen to a little music for the solo French Horn by scrolling down to the “French Horn” section on this page.
- Look for the French Horn player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 7: The Violin 5:25 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Lesson 8: The Viola 2:45 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at a great picture and description of the viola here.
- Listen to a little music for the solo viola by scrolling down to the viola section on this page.
- Look for the viola player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 9: The Cello 3:08 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at a great picture and description of the cello here.
- Take a look at the Cello Magic lesson on Classical MPR’s Music Lesson page.
- Listen to cello player Nygel Witherspoon play a famous cello piece in this video.
- Look for the cello player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 10: The Marimba 2:51 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Learn about the marimba and several other mallet instruments at the Mallet Magic! Part One lesson on Classical MPR’s Music Lesson Page.
Look for the marimba player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 11: Music Tells A Story, Part 1 6:31 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Story comprehension is reinforced through re-telling. Do a dramatic re-enactment of the story. Use props!
- Use the character pictures and red canoe from the Kinder Konzerts in a Box to retell the story.
- Re-read the story, and use the loon call from your Kinder Konzerts in a Box at the appropriate moment.
- Think about the north woods’ environment. See the directions for a One-Dog Canoe mural in the Kinder Konzerts in a Box to help students identify natural elements of this habitat.
Lesson 12: Music Tells A Story, Part 2 2:31 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Vocalization of animal sounds promotes vocal development and helps children explore their vocal range. Use the character pictures from the Kinder Konzerts in a Box as cue cards for animal sound vocalization.
- Interested in hearing authentic sounds for the One-Dog Canoe animals? You can listen to them HERE.
Make connections to science! See the lesson on page 10 of the One-Dog Canoe Educator Guide for ideas about how to connect this content to science learning.
Lesson 13: Meet the Composer 2:13 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Try a little at-home or at-school composing. You don’t need to know how to read or write music! A musical score is really just a set of directions for a performer.
Choosing a title is a good place to start. It might help you decide how fast or slow to play, or how loud or soft.
Choosing a sound source is the next step. Maybe you have access to a piano, or maybe you decide to make some found object percussion.
- Use the Collection of Instruments or the Instruments to make from your Kinder Konzerts in a Box to create your compositions!
Finally, add some notes about how long the sounds should continue- 10 seconds? Until a grown up holds up a “stop sign”?
Using a musical ideas grid like the one below can help organize some thoughts.
TITLE | |
INSTRUMENT | |
PERFORMER NOTES | . |
Here’s a completed sample:
TITLE | Thunderstorm! |
INSTRUMENT | A big bucket and a wooden spoon |
PERFORMER NOTES | Gentle taps with the spoon on the bottom of the bucket (5 seconds)
Louder taps, like thunder! (5 seconds) Back to gentle taps, like the rain stopping (5 seconds) |
Listen to more music by Daniel Nass here.
Lesson 14: Meet the Author 4:46 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- See the Book List in the Kinder Konzerts in a Box Notebook of Activities and Lessons for some more books inspired by wilderness, the north woods, camping, canoeing, outdoor life, and animals.
Find out more about author Mary Casanova here.
Lesson 15: Exploring Musical Ideas 4:25 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Use the Collection of Instruments or the Instruments to Make from the Kinder Konzerts in a Box to find steady beats and accompany your classroom songs.
- Dancing is a great way to feel and internalize a steady beat. Try the TGIF Dance Party lesson, the Dance Party lesson, or the Shake, Jump, Clap, and Stomp lesson. For a calmer vibe, try the Smooth Moves Dance Party lesson. All from Classical MPR’s Music Lesson Page.
Lesson 16: Listen to the Musical Story of One-Dog Canoe 11:42 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Have a post-concert chat! When a concert is over, members of the audience often like to talk about or discuss what they just heard. (Sometimes while eating special treats.) After you listen to One-Dog Canoe, have a post-concert chat. Treats are optional.
- What was your favorite part?
- Which animal’s music sounded the most peaceful?
- Were there any funny parts?
- Can you think of any other musical stories?
- Was there anything unexpected?
- Listen again and pretend you are each animal, moving to their music. When you hear the bear join in, move like a bear! Flap your loon wings when you hear the loon’s pretty melody on the flute, or pretend to play the flute! Use the props and cutouts from the Kinder Konzerts in a Box as accessories.
- Find a bin or bucket or a toy boat- bonus if it’s red! Use stuffies or dolls or cut outs of each animal to re-enact the story while listening.
- Listen again and see if you can say “Can I come too” each time another animal asks to join in.
- Here is an audio-only version of the musical story of One-Dog Canoe.

Kinder Konzerts is a unique music learning experience designed especially for preschool-aged children. Each year, Kinder Konzerts features a composition with narration based on a children’s book.
FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra commissions these compositions especially for Kinder Konzerts.
The goals of the Kinder Konzerts program are:
- To introduce young children to orchestral music, musicians, and instruments.
- To develop the concept of what it means to be an audience.
- To promote literacy development and help children understand that music can tell a story.
Virtual Kinder Konzerts is a series of 17 video lessons that promote the learning goals outlined above.
- To use Virtual Kinder Konzerts, just click through the lessons to watch the videos and enjoy them.
- Virtual lessons can be done at your own pace at school or at home.
Lesson 1: We Are the Audience 3:50 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Sing We Are the Audience before sharing time or any at-home performance.
- Practice being an audience any time you watch or listen to anything. Before viewing, review the idea of an audience. Sing the song to prep for watching, make sure you clap and say bravo after a performance is over.
- Go to the Minnesota Orchestra website to find video performances like this one. Perfect for listening to beautiful music and practicing audience skills.
Lesson 2: A Trip to Orchestra Hall 4:05 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at this picture, on the Minnesota Orchestra website, that shows you where all the musicians sit on stage. You can click on some instruments to learn more about them and discover how they make their sounds.
Look in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box to find musician pictures. Cut these out and stage a pretend concert. Use construction paper or other art supplies to make a wood floor and some magic cubes, just like you saw in the video with Ms. Katie.
Lesson 3: The Flute 5:00 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at a great picture and description of the flute, here.
- If you really love the flute, you might like its close relative, the piccolo. Look at a picture and watch a demo for the piccolo here
- Listen to a little music for solo flute by scrolling down to the “Flute” section on this page.
Look for the flute player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 4: The Clarinet 1:46 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at a great picture and description of the clarinet, here.
- Listen to a little music for solo clarinet by scrolling down to the “Clarinet” section on this page.
- Take a look at the Meet the Clarinet lesson on Classical MPR’s Music Lesson page.
Look for the clarinet player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 5: The Bassoon 4:03 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at a great picture and description of the bassoon, here.
- Take a look at the Bassoon Basics lesson on Classical MPR’s Music Lesson page.
- Listen to a little music for solo bassoon by scrolling down to the “Bassoon” section on this page.
Look for the bassoon player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 6: The French Horn 2:48 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at a great picture and description of the French horn, here.
- Take a look at the French Horn Frenzy lesson on Classical MPR’s Music Lesson page.
- Listen to a little music for the solo French Horn by scrolling down to the “French Horn” section on this page.
- Look for the French Horn player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 7: The Violin 5:25 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Lesson 8: The Viola 2:45 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at a great picture and description of the viola here.
- Listen to a little music for the solo viola by scrolling down to the viola section on this page.
- Look for the viola player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 9: The Cello 3:08 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Look at a great picture and description of the cello here.
- Take a look at the Cello Magic lesson on Classical MPR’s Music Lesson page.
- Listen to cello player Nygel Witherspoon play a famous cello piece in this video.
- Look for the cello player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 10: The Marimba 2:51 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Learn about the marimba and several other mallet instruments at the Mallet Magic! Part One lesson on Classical MPR’s Music Lesson Page.
Look for the marimba player in the Musician Images piece in your Kinder Konzerts in a Box.
Lesson 11: Music Tells A Story, Part 1 6:31 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Story comprehension is reinforced through re-telling. Do a dramatic re-enactment of the story. Use props!
- Use the character pictures and red canoe from the Kinder Konzerts in a Box to retell the story.
- Re-read the story, and use the loon call from your Kinder Konzerts in a Box at the appropriate moment.
- Think about the north woods’ environment. See the directions for a One-Dog Canoe mural in the Kinder Konzerts in a Box to help students identify natural elements of this habitat.
Lesson 12: Music Tells A Story, Part 2 2:31 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Vocalization of animal sounds promotes vocal development and helps children explore their vocal range. Use the character pictures from the Kinder Konzerts in a Box as cue cards for animal sound vocalization.
- Interested in hearing authentic sounds for the One-Dog Canoe animals? You can listen to them HERE.
Make connections to science! See the lesson on page 10 of the One-Dog Canoe Educator Guide for ideas about how to connect this content to science learning.
Lesson 13: Meet the Composer 2:13 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Try a little at-home or at-school composing. You don’t need to know how to read or write music! A musical score is really just a set of directions for a performer.
Choosing a title is a good place to start. It might help you decide how fast or slow to play, or how loud or soft.
Choosing a sound source is the next step. Maybe you have access to a piano, or maybe you decide to make some found object percussion.
- Use the Collection of Instruments or the Instruments to make from your Kinder Konzerts in a Box to create your compositions!
Finally, add some notes about how long the sounds should continue- 10 seconds? Until a grown up holds up a “stop sign”?
Using a musical ideas grid like the one below can help organize some thoughts.
TITLE | |
INSTRUMENT | |
PERFORMER NOTES | . |
Here’s a completed sample:
TITLE | Thunderstorm! |
INSTRUMENT | A big bucket and a wooden spoon |
PERFORMER NOTES | Gentle taps with the spoon on the bottom of the bucket (5 seconds)
Louder taps, like thunder! (5 seconds) Back to gentle taps, like the rain stopping (5 seconds) |
Listen to more music by Daniel Nass here.
Lesson 14: Meet the Author 4:46 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- See the Book List in the Kinder Konzerts in a Box Notebook of Activities and Lessons for some more books inspired by wilderness, the north woods, camping, canoeing, outdoor life, and animals.
Find out more about author Mary Casanova here.
Lesson 15: Exploring Musical Ideas 4:25 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Use the Collection of Instruments or the Instruments to Make from the Kinder Konzerts in a Box to find steady beats and accompany your classroom songs.
- Dancing is a great way to feel and internalize a steady beat. Try the TGIF Dance Party lesson, the Dance Party lesson, or the Shake, Jump, Clap, and Stomp lesson. For a calmer vibe, try the Smooth Moves Dance Party lesson. All from Classical MPR’s Music Lesson Page.
Lesson 16: Listen to the Musical Story of One-Dog Canoe 11:42 © FRIENDS of the Minnesota Orchestra
Follow up ideas for teachers and caregivers:
- Have a post-concert chat! When a concert is over, members of the audience often like to talk about or discuss what they just heard. (Sometimes while eating special treats.) After you listen to One-Dog Canoe, have a post-concert chat. Treats are optional.
- What was your favorite part?
- Which animal’s music sounded the most peaceful?
- Were there any funny parts?
- Can you think of any other musical stories?
- Was there anything unexpected?
- Listen again and pretend you are each animal, moving to their music. When you hear the bear join in, move like a bear! Flap your loon wings when you hear the loon’s pretty melody on the flute, or pretend to play the flute! Use the props and cutouts from the Kinder Konzerts in a Box as accessories.
- Find a bin or bucket or a toy boat- bonus if it’s red! Use stuffies or dolls or cut outs of each animal to re-enact the story while listening.
- Listen again and see if you can say “Can I come too” each time another animal asks to join in.
- Here is an audio-only version of the musical story of One-Dog Canoe.