Busy Kids Love Music

Stop 3 on our summer world tour takes us to the continent of Africa — specifically to Nigeria, the most populous country on the continent, home to more than 500 distinct ethnic groups, hundreds of languages, and one of the richest and most diverse musical traditions in the world. In this episode, we explore the deep roots of Nigerian folk music — from the ancient kingdoms of the Yoruba, Igbo, and...

Our summer world tour continues — and for Stop 2, we're trading the warm Caribbean rhythms of Puerto Rico for something entirely different: the misty fjords, ancient forests, and hauntingly beautiful folk music of Norway. In this episode, we explore Norway's deep folk music roots, from the Norse storytelling tradition to the extraordinary sound of the Hardanger fiddle — an instrument that doesn't...

We're officially stamping our passports for the first stop on this summer's Around the World with Busy Kids Love Music tour — and we're heading to the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. In this episode, we explore the rich, layered history of Puerto Rican folk music, from the ceremonial traditions of the indigenous Taíno people to the vibrant rhythms of bomba and plena, to the intricate melodies of...

  If you've been listening along to our last few episodes, you've heard a lot of violin — Vivaldi wrote for it constantly, and it's easy to understand why. But the violin has a whole family of relatives, and today we're finally introducing all of them. In this episode, we meet the four members of the string family: The violin — the smallest, brightest member of the family, and the one you've been...

In today's episode, we're wrapping up our three-part series on Antonio Vivaldi with a piece that feels both intimate and expressive—the Concerto for Two Violins in A Minor . If you've been listening along with this series, you already know how much I've loved exploring Vivaldi with you. Today's piece gives us something a little different from The Four Seasons —and it invites us to listen in a whol...

In this episode of Busy Kids Love Music , we continue our three-part series on Antonio Vivaldi with a deep dive into one of the most famous pieces of classical music ever written: The Four Seasons .Even if you've never heard Vivaldi's name before, there's a good chance you've heard this music! Today, we explore how Vivaldi used sound to paint vivid pictures of nature —from birds singing in spring...

In this episode of Busy Kids Love Music , we begin a brand-new three-part composer series all about Antonio Vivaldi —one of the most famous composers of the Baroque period. You may already recognize Vivaldi's name from some of his nature-inspired music, but in this series, we're slowing down to take a closer look at his life, his music, and what makes his style so unique. In today's episode, we ex...

March is Women's History Month, and in this special episode of Busy Kids Love Music , we explore a powerful and important question: If women have been composing for centuries…why were so many of their names forgotten? Instead of focusing on just one composer, this episode looks at the bigger historical picture — uncovering the social, cultural, and publishing barriers that kept many brilliant wome...

In our last episode, we explored the vibrant creativity of the Harlem Renaissance. Today, we zoom in on one extraordinary composer who stood right in the center of that artistic world: Margaret Bonds . Margaret Bonds was a pianist, composer, teacher, and trailblazer whose music blended spirituals, jazz, and classical traditions into something uniquely powerful. She believed music could speak up fo...

In this special Black History Month episode of Busy Kids Love Music , we travel back about 100 years to Harlem, New York—an exciting neighborhood overflowing with creativity, poetry, dancing, painting, and bold new musical sounds. This remarkable time in American history is known as the Harlem Renaissance , a cultural "rebirth" that took place during the 1920s and 1930s. In this episode, we'll exp...

In this episode of Busy Kids Love Music , we wrap up our three-part series on composer Igor Stravinsky with one of the most famous — and most shocking — pieces in music history: The Rite of Spring. When this ballet premiered in Paris in 1913, audiences expected graceful dancing and pretty melodies. Instead, they heard pounding rhythms, clashing sounds, and music that felt wild and unpredictable. S...

Igor Stravinsky became famous almost overnight thanks to one magical ballet — The Firebird . In this episode, I'll take you inside the glowing, mysterious world of this Russian fairy tale, filled with enchanted creatures, an evil sorcerer, brave heroes, and powerful music that tells the story without words. Based on centuries-old Russian folk tales, The Firebird follows Prince Ivan , who captures...

Igor Stravinsky, Part 1: The Composer Who Changed Music In this episode of Busy Kids Love Music , we begin a brand-new three-part series all about one of the most bold and imaginative composers in music history: Igor Stravinsky . From ballet stages to concert halls, Stravinsky's music changed the way people thought about rhythm, sound, and storytelling in music. In Part 1, we explore Stravinsky's...

We've reached the final episode of 2025, and we're celebrating the year with something special: The Great Re-Listen Challenge! This fun year-end episode invites your family to revisit some of our favorite musical adventures from the past year — all paired with themes like Road Trip Listen , Dance Party Listen , and Bedtime Listen. Whether you've listened to Busy Kids Love Music for years or presse...

Get ready for a festive round of What Was That Sound? —our special holiday edition! In today's episode, we explore four magical instruments that help create the twinkling, sparkling, joyful sound of Christmas music. Kids will listen to short audio clues and try to guess each instrument before the answer is revealed. It's a fun, interactive way to train their ears and learn musical facts! To make t...

In this week's episode of Busy Kids Love Music , we're welcoming the Christmas season with a beautiful and expressive work by English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams — a musician who adored both folk tunes and the charming old carols passed down through generations. 🎶 What You'll Hear in This Episode In Fantasia on Christmas Carols , Vaughan Williams weaves together three traditional English caro...

In this fun, interactive episode of Busy Kids Love Music , I invite you to step into the orchestra pit of a Broadway theater to solve some musical mysteries! This month we've been celebrating the release of Wicked: For Good , and today's episode continues that celebration with a special "What Was That Sound?" – Musical Theater Edition! You'll hear short clips from favorite musicals and try to gues...

This month on Busy Kids Love Music , we're celebrating the magic of musical theater — and the brand-new movie Wicked: For Good ! In this episode, I introduce young listeners to Stephen Schwartz , the brilliant composer and lyricist behind some of Broadway and Disney's most beloved songs. From his early studies at Juilliard and Carnegie Mellon to writing timeless shows like Godspell , Pippin , and...

In Part 2 of our Imogen Holst series, we step into the crisp, colorful world of autumn through one of her most beautiful works — The Fall of the Leaf . Written in the 1960s and based on a 17th-century English melody of the same name, this short cello concerto paints a gentle, moody, and slightly mysterious musical picture of a single leaf drifting to the ground. We'll explore how Holst uses disson...

  We're kicking off a brand-new series on the Busy Kids Love Music podcast, and this time our focus is on the remarkable life and work of composer Imogen Holst . You might recognize her last name—yes, her father was the famous Gustav Holst, composer of The Planets . But Imogen was far more than "the daughter of…" She built her own musical career as a gifted composer, conductor, teacher, and champi...

Think you can solve a musical mystery? In this extra-fun episode of Busy Kids Love Music, you'll become a musical detective as we play a guessing game with four mystery instrument sounds. I'll play you a short clip from a famous piece of music—your job is to figure out "What Was That Sound?" Once you make your guess, I'll reveal the answer and share some fascinating facts about the instrument, inc...

It's time for a spooky (but silly!) musical adventure as we wrap up our 3-part series on the brilliant French composer Camille Saint-Saëns . In today's episode of Busy Kids Love Music , we're exploring one of Saint-Saëns' most imaginative and well-known pieces: Danse Macabre — or "Dance of Death." But don't worry — while the title sounds a bit eerie, this piece is more like a playful Halloween dan...

Get ready to explore a musical zoo like no other! In this episode of Busy Kids Love Music , we're diving into one of Camille Saint-Saëns' most imaginative and beloved works— Carnival of the Animals . This whimsical suite features 14 short movements, each representing a different animal or creature, from regal lions and squawking roosters to gliding swans and even... piano students!  You'll hear mu...

We're kicking off a brand-new composer series—and this one's all about the brilliant French composer Camille Saint-Saëns ! 🎼 In this first episode of our 3-part series, your child will discover: What made Saint-Saëns a child prodigy  His early musical education and incredible memory How travel and science inspired his compositions  The tragedies and triumphs that shaped his life Why his music sto...

Welcome to the final stop on our Around the World with Busy Kids Love Music summer series! In this episode, we journey to the breathtaking island of Tahiti , the largest island in French Polynesia, where folk music and dance are central to cultural life. From the energetic rhythms of the ʻoteʻa dance to the booming beats of the toʻere and pahu drums, Tahitian music is filled with movement and joy....