The music of Thanksgiving is deep inside us; it is the beat of our hearts as we express our love for others, it is the smile we bestow and the helping hand we lend to people who need it most. May everyday be a day of thanks as we listen to several "thank you" songs from different artists.

This Day in Music History: 1787 - Christoph Willibald Gluck died in Vienna, Austria due to a stroke. He was a composer during the Classical period especially known for his operas and for reforming the operatic styles of that era. He came from a family of foresters but Gluck's true passion was music. When he was about 13 years old, he left home, perhaps to avoid the family profession. His most successful works include his "reform operas" with Ranieri Calzabigi, namely "Orfeo ed Euridice" and "Alceste."

Amazing how swiftly time flies. It seems like we recently celebrated Halloween and now Thanksgiving is just around the corner. This is the time to reflect on the many blessings we have in our lives and to show our gratitude and appreciation to the people around us. Here are some Thanksgiving music resources to make your holiday more memorable. There are links to websites offering free music and music sheets (for a fee or to purchase) for Thanksgiving day.

This Day in Music History: 1816 - John Curwen was born in Heckmondwike, Yorkshire, England. He was a Congregational minister and British educator especially noted for developing a system of musical notation known as the tonic sol-fa. Although not as widely utilized as before, Curwen's system continues to be used in Europe, the United States and other countries.

From Paul Smaczny, the director of the 2006 International Emmy Award winning film "Knowledge is the Beginning," comes this documentary about a revolutionary music education program founded over 30 years ago in Venezuela by Dr. Jose Antonio Abreu. The methodology of El Sistema is now being adapted to the United States.

This Day in Music History: 1915 - Heitor Villa-Lobos' concert was well-received. He was a prolific Brazilian composer, conductor, music educator and advocate of Brazilian music. His works reflected his country's music flavor fused with influences from composers such as Stravinsky and the music of Eastern Europe. His etudes and preludes for the guitar remain popular to this day.

There are various approaches used by educators when it comes to teaching music. Learn more about the four most popular methods of teaching music to children, namely Orff, Kodaly, Suzuki and Dalcroze.

Music Education in the News: Multiple Grammy-winning composer and violinist Mark O'Connor will be releasing the O'Connor Violin Method this November. More information about the O'Connor Violin Methods I and II is available at his Web site.

This Day in Music History: 1833 - Aleksandr Borodin was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. He wrote songs, string quartets and symphonies. His most famous work is the opera "Prince Igor" which was left unfinished when he died in 1887. The said opera was completed by Aleksandr Glazunov and Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov.