Classical Encounters
Awakening wonder in little minds through the power of classical music
In an age of over-stimulation, kids are in need more than ever before of experiencing the transformative power of music.
Stripped of the distractions of screens and media, Classical Encounters brings classical music to life as a powerful art form that ignites imagination, self-reflection, and expression. My aim is always to deepen knowledge and sharpen ears while engaging with a child’s natural wonder and imagination.
With degrees in history and music, over 15 years of teaching experience to kids of all ages, and a commitment to quality design and imagery, pianist & music educator Sadie Hoyt creates quality educational materials that are grounded in academic & aesthetic excellence for your family or classroom.
Sadie
-founder of Classical Encounters
Pianist & music educator Sadie Hoyt introduces kids to key works from the classical canon by providing music history, theory, composer bios and prompts for individual interpretation. Kids will learn about composers, musical terms, instruments, and music history as they journey through some of the most spectacular works in the classical repertoire.
Music History Course:
The Story of Classical Music, Part I
Learn the story of classical music, from its origins in medieval chant up through the polyphonic masterpieces of J.S. Bach in the Classical Encounters Music History Series, Part I. This course contains 24 lessons that richly narrate the story of classical music for families, classrooms, and the adult learner. By contextualizing the development of Western music within the key artistic, historical, and philosophical movements that contributed to its flowering, each masterpiece of the classical canon comes to life as both a cultural synthesis of its own time and an artistic expression of transcendent beauty that crosses all borders of time and place.
LISTENING GUIDES
on famous works in the classical canon or specific themed topics
My Listening Guides offer young ages the opportunity to engage with the world’s greatest musical masterpieces from inside the creation process. Each of my listening guides are the products of detailed score study combined with a foundation in music theory and history and 15+ years of experience teaching children music.
Journey through classical works that encapsulate the reverence, wonder, and delight we feel when experiencing the Beauty of Nature! This first volume in the Nature series explores the theme of “SKY” in classical music through ten masterpieces inspired by sunrises, clouds, storms, and starry nights.
Organized into simple, inspiring and informative lesson plans which you can easily implement into your classroom nature appreciation activities!
COMPOSERS COVERED: Grieg, Britten, Strauss, Ravel, Grofe, Debussy, Chopin, Barber, Lauridsen, and Dvorak
PART I: SUNRISE
Experience a sunrise in 4 locations: in a desert, on a island, overlooking the sea, and on top of a mountain in the Swiss Alps.
PART II: CLOUDS
Hear musical cloud formations through the orchestral and piano works of Debussy & Chopin.
PART III: STORM
Experience a dramatic storm over the Grand Canyon in Grofe’s iconic American masterpiece.
PART IV: MOON & STARS
Listen to one of the most beautiful arias in the opera repertoire about the moon. Then conclude your journey through musical skies with 2 exquisite choral settings of a classic American poem about looking up at the stars in wonder on a moonlit night.
Includes playlist and QR Codes for music tracks on Spotify, Apple Music or Youtube!
If you would like to accompany these musical encounters with listening, drawing and journaling activities for the children in your home, be sure to add on the “Activity Packets” listed below, which includes:
-Coloring Pages for Littles (Ages 3-7)
-Drawing Activities for Ages 8+ featuring constellations, cloud types and an Art Tutorial by Artist Elisabeth Waldstein featuring a Sunrise over the Swiss Alps
-Listening & Journaling Activities to facilitate Active Listening
This is a 29 page digital download.
Learn how two Baroque composers vividly capture the feeling, character and scenes of Winter! Italian violin virtuoso Antonio Vivaldi and English opera composer Henry Purcell were two of the first composers to showcase the ability of voices and instruments to illustrate particular emotions and scenes. In this 32 page download, you’ll learn about these composers and their worlds while listening closely to the masterful ways they made voices and strings tremble with cold.
Pieces highlighted: “Winter” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons & “The Frost Scene” from Purcell’s opera King Arthur
32 Page Digital Download includes:
-Music History Readings on Antonio Vivaldi and Henry Purcell
-Listening Activities for Ages 8+
-Coloring Pages for Ages 3-7
*These are excerpts from the Classical Encounters Music Series Curriculum
Experience the world’s most famous Christmas choral work through listening activities that break down the distinct, powerful musical techniques that Handel used to bring to life the story of Christ’s birth, life, death and resurrection. As you journey through scripture passages beautifully set to music, all ages will sharpen ears, grow a musical vocabulary and encounter more deeply the story of the Messiah depicted through this Baroque masterpiece.
This 54 page digital download INCLUDES:
The Story of The Messiah
Musical Tours on 8 of the most famous movements:
Overture
Comfort Ye
Every Valley
For Unto Us a Child is Born
Rejoice Greatly
He Shall Feed His Flock
Behold the Lamb of God
Hallelujah Chorus
16 Musical terms
The powerful musical techniques that Handel used to illustrate the story of the Messiah through music
Mini bio on Handel
Art Tutorial by Florence based artist Elisabeth Waldstein on Westminster Abbey, the burial site for Handel
Beautiful Coloring pages for the Littles
Listening, Journaling and Drawing Activities for Ages 8+
This is a perfect musical reflection for the Advent & Christmas season!
Customer Review:
“As an adult life-long learner who never received a proper music education, your curriculum was exactly what I was looking for. I especially loved your Christmas special featuring Handel's Messiah. After reading through your explanations I sought out a concert near me and brought your notes to the performance. You cracked the secret code of Handel's Messiah! I caught my husband leaning over to read my notes at several moments in the piece and we both agreed your insights elevated our enjoyment and understanding of the piece far past anything we could have researched ourselves.” - Megan P.
The Cadenza is a magical moment in music when the orchestral accompaniment is stripped away and the soloist continues on alone, in a dance-like display of virtuosity and expression. This guide breaks down its origin, history, and characteristics, providing 5 examples from 5 of the most famous violin and piano concertos. This 18 page digital download includes Spotify/Apple Music/Youtube Playlists, Study Questions, Composer + Composition Fun Facts, Musical Era Timeline, + Journaling Prompts.
Ages 8+
This is a digital download that will be immediately delivered to your inbox. No physical product will be delivered.
Learn how Vivaldi sets to music the sights, sounds, and feeling of Springtime in his most famous work through these listening activities - a perfect Spring activity for the whole family! These activities will deepen knowledge of instruments, techniques, and musical terms while showcasing music’s powerful ability to illustrate a story.
12 page digital download includes:
-A Trip to Venice, Vivaldi’s Home
-Biography of Vivaldi
-A Brief History of the Word Concerto
-A Musical Tour of “Spring”
-Spring Coloring Pages for Littles
-Prompts for Active Listening
-QR Codes and hyperlinks for music tracks on Youtube
Journey through the story of the Nutcracker while learning about musical terms & instruments of the orchestra! This guide draws children’s attention to those special musical details that make this score so magical. Through listening activities, coloring pages and engaging knowledge for all, this guide engages young imaginations and prompts a participation in music's powerful ability to tell a story. With Listening Activities intended for ages 8-14, Coloring Pages intended for the littles, and engaging knowledge for all ages, this Listening Guide can become a holiday activity for the whole family.
Includes:
12 Activities on the following tracks of the Nutcracker:
Overture
Lighting the Christmas Tree (“Guests Arrive/Unveiling the Christmas Tree”)
Drosselmeir’s Presents and Games (“March”)
Clara and Her Nutcracker (“Guests Depart”)
The Magic Spell is Cast (“Marie’s Dream”)
The Battle between the Mouse King and the Nutcracker
Journey through the Snow (“Nutcracker and Marie Depart for the Pine Forest”)
Waltz of the Snowflakes
The Arabian Coffee Dance
Russian Trepak
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
Pas de Deux
6 Beautiful Original Coloring pages by children’s illustrator Laura Kern
QR codes + Hyperlinks for all tracks linking to Spotify, Apple Music & Youtube
Introductions to 15 instruments + 12 Music Terms
This is a 57 page digital download that will be immediately delivered to your inbox. No physical product will be delivered.
RESOURCES FOR LITTLE EARS
Start cultivating an excellent ear and appreciation for classical music in your 3-7 year olds
With coloring pages, engaging and simple “circle and draw what you hear” prompts, a visually engaging approach and narrations to ignite your child’s creativity and imagination!
Deepen your child’s understanding of the instruments of the orchestra by encountering 6 powerful examples of musical storytelling by composers Britten, Rimsky-Korsakov, Prokofiev, Vaughan Williams and Grieg! Through guided prompts, quizzes and listening activities, children will come away with knowledge of how the instruments are organized, the ability to recognize a musical theme, knowledge of 7 musical terms, and an experience with music’s powerful ability to tell a story.
For ages 5-11.
Learn how Vivaldi sets to music the sights, sounds, and feeling of Springtime in his most famous work through these listening activities - a perfect Spring activity for the whole family! These activities will deepen knowledge of instruments, techniques, and musical terms while showcasing music’s powerful ability to illustrate a story.
12 page digital download includes:
-A Trip to Venice, Vivaldi’s Home
-Biography of Vivaldi
-A Brief History of the Word Concerto
-A Musical Tour of “Spring”
-Spring Coloring Pages for Littles
-Prompts for Active Listening
-QR Codes and hyperlinks for music tracks on Youtube
Color along to Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker while deepening knowledge of music! Intended as a precursor to my Listening Guide for older kids, this 26 page guide contains 12 Listening Activities + 5 original coloring pages on Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker for ages 3-7. Kids will learn about instruments of the orchestra while engaging their imaginations and experiencing Tchaikvosky’s masterful rendering of the Nutcracker Story!
This is a digital download that will be immediately delivered to your inbox. No physical product will be delivered.
PRINTABLES
These are small & valuable resources created with the goal of making classical music appreciation in the home as accessible + doable as possible.
Discover the jewels of opera: the most opulent of all classical genres, where music, poetry, and theater converge to showcase the expressive power of the human voice. As you journey through 31 of the most exquisite arias in the operatic repertoire, you’ll encounter the full sweep of human emotion, conveyed through vocal artistry of Olympic agility, grace, and passion.
With playlists on Spotify, Apple Music & Youtube, quick composer bios, and recommended resources for deeper exploration—including podcasts and books perfect for road trips—it's the ideal way to keep your family learning all summer long!
Includes:
📆A Beautifully Designed Calendar, featuring 1 iconic opera selection each day
🎶 Hyperlinks and QR Codes, for easy access to tracks on Spotify, Apple Music & Youtube
🎼 Weekly Composer Bio Sheets
📚Recommended Resources for Deeper Exploration—including podcasts and books perfect for road trips!
Bring the soundtrack of America's landscapes and stories into your home and travels this July, with an intoxicating musical kaleidoscope brimming with showbiz flair, jazzy rhythms, soulful melodies, and the aching beauty of folk fiddle tunes and southern spirituals.
With playlists on Spotify, Apple Music & Youtube, quick composer bios, and recommended resources for deeper exploration—including podcasts and books perfect for road trips—it's the ideal way to keep your family learning all summer long!
Includes:
📆A Beautifully Designed Calendar, featuring 1 iconic American work each day
🎶 Hyperlinks and QR Codes, for easy access to tracks on Spotify, Apple Music & Youtube
🎼 Weekly Composer Bio Sheets
📚Recommended Resources for Deeper Exploration—including podcasts and books perfect for road trips!
🇺🇸 BONUS: A Special mini guide to Aaron Copland, “The Dean of American Composers” for July 4th!
Learn how two Baroque composers vividly capture the feeling, character and scenes of Winter! Italian violin virtuoso Antonio Vivaldi and English opera composer Henry Purcell were two of the first composers to showcase the ability of voices and instruments to illustrate particular emotions and scenes. In this 32 page download, you’ll learn about these composers and their worlds while listening closely to the masterful ways they made voices and strings tremble with cold.
Pieces highlighted: “Winter” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons & “The Frost Scene” from Purcell’s opera King Arthur
32 Page Digital Download includes:
-Music History Readings on Antonio Vivaldi and Henry Purcell
-Listening Activities for Ages 8+
-Coloring Pages for Ages 3-7
*These are excerpts from the Classical Encounters Music Series Curriculum
Go inside the score of the most famous movement from Handel’s Messiah in this guide to the Hallelujah Chorus! Learn the story of how Handel wrote his most famous work and the 7 musical techniques that he used to create a majestic, stirring chorus number fit for the “King of Kings” and “Lord of Lords.” Bring the whole family together to encounter more deeply one of the most famous, joyful movements in the classical repertoire!
Best for ages 8-13, this printout can be paired with any orchestral piece and encourages active participation while the child listens. Simply turn on a great orchestral masterpiece and ask your child for their interpretation of the work by filling in the prompts! Includes: Music era timeline (your child colors in the era the piece belongs to); Instrument glossary (your child learns the families of the orchestra); Music Terms Translations (classic music uses a lot of Italian words, so your child learns some Italian along the way!); 5 Listening Prompts that encourage active listening and help the child to articulate a response to the music (your child experiences the power of music to become a unique story or image that only their ears hear!).
A checklist of 25 great classical works that every child should know. Hang this on your fridge or bulletin board for an easy way to go through the classics with your child. These works are highly imaginative, exciting masterpieces that will introduce your child to the wonder and power of classical music. Simply look these works up and have them play in the background as you go about your daily activities. Your child will absorb their power! For more active listening, ask your child to draw or write what they hear as they listen.
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"Classical Encounters is an inspiring, multifaceted program that my whole family enjoyed. Each week's lessons engaged our senses and helped us encounter the rich beauty of the foundations of western music. The program was thorough, conveniently laid out, and easy to follow. This was a perfect addition to our home studies!"
-Carrie Mitchell, Mother of 4
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"We've ended each school day this week with your program and it's been truly lovely." The course is informative, but I love most that we can end the day in stillness and contemplation, listening to beautiful music and drawing or coloring beautiful pictures. Thank you so much, Sadie!
-Anna, mother of 5
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"We found Classical Encounters to be just what we needed to add beauty and reflection to our week and give our kids a strong foundation in understanding music."
-Loretta Tullius, Mother of 5
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“My kids and I are loving this resource! We did the drawing tutorial today while listening to the provided playlist. It was sublime!”
Deborah, mother of ages 8 + 10
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"We have been looking for a music appreciation curriculum that actually teaches how to listen to music and learn about music in an engaging way. Often what you get is a composer history without really delving into what makes that particular music unique or musical. And there are only so many times you can listen to Peter and Wolf. Classical Encounters provides a deep, rich look into the music of the time period and what elements make it important."
Loretta, mother of 5
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"Sadie's Classical Encounters music program has benefited our family so much. My homeschooled kids range in age from 6 to 14 and we all learned so much from both the historical and musical components. My personal favorite was learning about Hildegard of Bingen. The art projects were a huge hit too! I highly recommend Sadie's program to all families looking to bring beautiful music and art into their homes."
-Micaela D.
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"There is so much beautiful classical music that I want to listen to and share with my children. This program gives an organized and educational approach that I know will leave a long-lasting impression on my family. It's a fantastic way to find beautiful music that you might not otherwise have heard and learn all the history that goes along with it.”
-Marisa, mother of 4
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“Sadie has developed a beautiful curriculum for introducing children to classical music! My children loved the polyphony coloring pages and I was impressed with the amount of history included in the guide. We all enjoyed painting Notre Dame in watercolors while listening to Sadie's carefully curated selections. The materials are beautifully formatted and easy to follow. This is a sweet way to make memories with your children, and educational as well.”
-Lynne W.
Educational Blog for Tips
Want music appreciation to flourish in your home? I write regular tips for including music in your home activities and point you to the best resources on the market.
There is a wealth of great American classical music + composers to celebrate, and each year I love putting together a playlist and a number of resources to help bring this rich musical heritage to life in our homes! This year in addition to creating a playlist and a free listening calendar for the month of July, I researched great books for introducing children to American Composers. Here are 4 Great Additions to your home library on composers Scott Joplin, Duke Ellington, and George Gershwin.
As a parent, you want your child to have the best possible start in their musical journey, and choosing the right piano keyboard can make all the difference. With so many options available, it can be challenging to determine which instrument is best suited to your child's needs. In this comprehensive guide, we'll discuss the key factors to consider when selecting a piano keyboard for kids.
We live in an incredible time of innovation for keyboards but it’s important to choose one that will not compromise sound quality, accurate key feel and size, and will give your child an accurate experience of piano playing that will allow them to be proficient and versatile in adjusting and playing all keyboard instruments. The investment is more than worth it -with the right piano keyboard your child can enjoy a fulfilling musical journey and a lifelong love of music!
Learning to play the piano at a young age provides numerous lifelong advantages that can contribute to personal and professional success. These benefits include improved memory and brain function, enhanced academic performance, increased discipline and focus, creative thinking and emotional expression, social skills development, and stress and anxiety management.
As children grow into adulthood, the skills they learn through piano lessons can continue to benefit them in various ways. For example, the focus and discipline required for piano practice can translate into career success and improved productivity. The creative thinking and emotional expression skills developed through music can also be applied in various aspects of life, such as problem-solving and communication.
Additionally, the social skills developed through piano lessons can contribute to success in professional relationships and networking. The stress and anxiety management skills learned through music can also be applied to adult life, helping individuals manage the demands of a busy career and personal life.
Overall, the advantages of learning to play the piano at a young age can have a lasting impact on personal and professional success throughout one's lifetime. The skills developed through piano lessons can provide valuable tools for achievement in various aspects of life and contribute to overall well-being and happiness.
Do you have kids taking music lessons but struggle to maintain consistent practice habits? As a piano teacher to 30 kids, I know all too well the challenge that parents face to instill consistent practice habits in the home. Here are some tips for helping your child achieve joy and consistency on their instrument!
Gathering around the piano during the holidays is a beautiful thing. To have someone in the family who can accompany the family’s singing on the keys - this is a precious gift, one that truly makes the house glow with the magic of Christmas.
Growing up I’d often color or draw along to classical music, and it was one of my favorite activities.
In its cathedral of sound, I seemed to hear the full complexity of the human life story organized into a majestic, cohesive whole. It filled me with renewed wonder at the world both within and around me, and when I emerged from this space, I looked at the world differently, with more respect, and with a deeper awareness of its power and beauty.
Cadenzas create a moment of contrast and intimacy: we glimpse their power as an individual apart from the orchestra and outside the strictures of notation and accompaniment.
In Salzburg I experienced first hand the possibility of high caliber art and ordinary life fused together in a life-giving affirmation that beauty belongs to everyone, everywhere, in every station and chapter of life.
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Deepen appreciation of nature and knowledge of geography as you listen to classical music inspired by rivers and oceans!
Your family will learn about the composers, explore the geography of their home countries and hear how these masterpieces bring to life the beauty of water through streams of sound that flow with grace, momentum and power!
Each of the four music lessons are paired with a famous poem on water and an accompanying drawing activity to facilitate synthesizing the visual, literary and musical arts. In addition, each piece of music on rivers comes with a “color in the river map” to deepen understanding of geography as you listen!
Organized into four simple, inspiring and informative lesson plans which you can easily implement into your home nature appreciation activities.
What ages is it for?
Ages 3+
With coloring pages for littles, activities for ages 8+ and engaging and informative knowledge for all ages, this guide is an excellent family activity!
Make sure to add on the Activity Books for Children for the accompanying activities!
COMPOSERS COVERED: Smetena, Strauss, Glass and Debussy
ACCOMPANYING CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES:
Drawing, Journaling, Listening and Coloring Activities to complete to facilitate active listening and prompt a response.
LESSON 1: A RIVER’S JOURNEY
Featuring The Moldau by Smetena
LESSON 2: WALTZING DOWN THE DANUBE
Featuring The Blue Danube Waltz by Strauss
LESSON 3: THE MIGHTY AMAZON
Featuring Águas da Amazônia by Glass
LESSON 4: RIDING WAVES OF SOUND
Featuring La Mer by Debussy
Includes playlist and QR Codes for music tracks on Spotify, Apple Music or Youtube!
This is a 31 page digital download.