NPR: How to Introduce Kids To Classical Music

[LilJen]

I got curious after I started playing violin in 5th grade. I started checking out records from the library with pieces by some of the same composers we'd played. And it just keeps going from there. One composer leads to another, one musician leads to another, one orchestra leads to another. . .

I would highly recommend Victor Borge to ANYONE of any age! He is freakin' hilarious. William Tell Overture Backwards (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuWUp1M-vuM&feature=related)
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (and pretending to speak "Turkey" to his fellow musician, who is Turkish) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyArTMtgT1w&feature=related) Oh, the piece is by Lisztststst.

[Aussie Willy]

If you ever get a chance to see the Bugs Bunny at the Symphony concerts they are brillant. Where they show the cartoons and a full orchestra plays the music. I went to one at the Sydney Opera House (just happened to be in Sydney that weekend) and it was amazing. And the kids there loved it.

But those guys took their musical appreciation really seriously and knew how perfectly it would fit into what they wanted to do.

For the first time the other night I heard Tubby the Tuba with Danny Kaye narrating. It was wonderful. And Peter and the Wolf is a great story with fantastic music.

I think for adults, something like Bill Bailey doing his Remarkable Guide to the Orchestra is excellent. A lot of adults need to be educated to classical music.

The Melbourne Symphony here every year have concerts where they do themes like Star Wars, Aussie Rules Football music and Olympics music, all designed to try and introduce a new audience to classical music. A lot of that music is wonderful anyway and to see it performed by a live orchestra is a great experience.