LISTEN Audio Instructions
Need ideas for easy and fun at-home music learning? Here's our YourClassical Music Lesson, featuring Gaelynn Lea.
Target age range: All ages
This lesson is long but can be done in sections over the course of several days.
Each year, Classical MPR reaches tens of thousands of students across Minnesota through the Class Notes Concerts program. Designed to engage and inspire elementary students through live musical performance, these concerts help cultivate active listening skills and allow students to experience the joy of classical music.
Due to current circumstances, we have adapted the concert content to provide a virtual Class Notes Concert. Today's Classical Kids Music Lesson will be a virtual Class Notes concert featuring Gaelynn Lea.
1. Meet Gaelynn Lea. She was born with a disability called osteogenesis imperfecta, and so she performs from her electric wheelchair, holding her violin upright like a tiny cello. She invented her unique style of playing with the help of her middle school orchestra teacher.
2. First, watch and listen to Gaelynn Lea tell you about her instrument.
3. Next, learn about how Gaelynn Lea uses a looping pedal to create layers in her music.
4. Gaelynn will talk about how she thinks of ideas to write her own songs. You will get to sing along with this song!
5. In this next piece, Gaelynn talks about how music is a great way to help us manage strong emotions and feelings.
6. Finally, sing along with Gaelynn in this call-and-response song.
Want to learn more about Gaelynn Lea? Check out the Gaelynn Lea Class Notes Curriculum or the Gaelynn Lea Lesson Plans. A few years ago, Gaelynn Lea won a contest to give a very special concert called a tiny desk concert. You can watch that here:
Have a question or suggestion? Contact Katie Condon, music education specialist.
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This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment‘s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.
