Art Time & Music Appreciation

One of the combinations I decided to PEG to one another this year is our Art Time and Music Appreciation.  We're starting our year off with some truly delightful Music Appreciation and our Artist studies will be enhanced by enjoying some beautiful musical pieces while we're creating our own Art or learning about an Artist. 

For Music we've chosen to visit Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals for a nice long while.  We love that Saint-Saens gave his first piano recital at age 5 and our Matthias (who is VERY musically inclined) also performed his first piano recital at the same age! 

We are truly enthralled by this particular musician and his ability to make a zooful of animals come alive with his music - it is enchanting and playful and a joy to listen to each and every time.  Violet's favorite part is the Swans and she has made up a beautiful impromptu ballet piece to accompany this part of the movement.  Seamus loves the Finale and Matthias loves it ALL!  We've already had various and sundry performances and "Shows" depicting all aspects of this delightful Carnival and hope to finish our study with a video recording of their own rendition of this very energizing musical study!

Now on to Artists and Art Appreciation, we've chosen Van Gogh as our starting Artist, not for any particular reason other than we've just never reall gotten around to him! (Poor guy!) 

I love how Helen at Castle of the Immaculate has integrated 'self portraits" into her Picture Study and how it helps to put a face with the name so to speak.  I think we'll do this as well, and unlike how Maria Montessori suggests putting art appreciation pictures down low at a child's level (even though I love this idea), we'll just try to fill a wall or a section of a wall with the Artists work for exploration and viewing at any time.  (Besides, Sean-Paul would just tear them down at this point : )  I have toyed with framed art, but so far have only been truly successful with using postcards, wall calenders, and slide shows and screen savers on my computer!  My dear children seem to really enjoy this - so until we can hang true art, we'll just go with the flow!  I should also say that I'm delighted to have Mary Ann Kohl's Discovering Great Artist's to use  as a springborad for ideas!  I know my sweeties will love creating their own fabulous art work while learning about some of the world's most interesting people in Art & Music, and I know I will enjoy their creations the most!

Comments

[Jennifer]

Great timing again. I love the ideas on music study. I never thought to approach it that way. Thanks!

[Dana]

Oh, I love this! We have just started Picasso, but I think Van Gogh is next. I just came across your blog tonight and am loving it! Can't wait to explore it more - I've loved your entries about artists & geography and I'm sure I'll find more to love... and use! Thank you!