Carol of the Day
If there is one Christmas carol that most people know, it probably is "Joy to the World. It is believed that the melody for this song was partly based on a famous composers' oratorio.
Composer of the Day
Isaac Albéniz was a piano prodigy who made his debut at age 4, went on a concert tour at age 8 and entered the Madrid Conservatory at age 9. He is known for his virtuoso piano music, most notable of which is a collection of piano pieces called "Iberia."
Today in Music History
On this day in 1995, singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell received the Century Award at the Billboard Music Awards. Joni is primarily identified as a folk musician but she also dabbled in pop, rock, jazz, electronic and acoustic music. What makes Joni Mitchell unique? Is it her gift for songwriting, her lovely voice, her style of playing the guitar or her guts to challenge the norms of the music industry? Learn more.
Suggested Stocking Stuffer
iCoaster - Compare Prices - This is a great toy that inspires creativity as kids 6 and up build roller coaster structures using the 64-piece set. The toy comes with an instructional booklet to guide your small builder; children can also create their own layouts. Magnetic balls whiz past as lights flash and sounds are triggered. It also has a control box with 10 music backgrounds to choose from. Another cool feature of this toy is that you can plug in your MP3 player and choose which tracks to play.
Inside the Music Education Blogosphere
Rachel Rambach of the Listen and Learn blog talks about the Carpenters and their timeless holiday album "The Christmas Portrait." (Ok, I know this post is a day late, but it's the Carpenters!)
