Focus and Listen Time
As a young music student attending my first day at university, my music history professor taught an important lesson that's stuck with me ever since:
The best way to get to know classical music is to listen to it without any distractions.
This inspired me to design F.A.L.T (Focus and Listen Time) Activities: guided activities that help students listen carefully to important musical selections. Before listening, students will read about the composer and the piece for more context. Then, students complete the activities that help develop careful listening techniques such as identifying instrumentation and recognizing dynamics.
Listening to–and yes, enjoying!–classical music is a skill. It is totally normal to find classical music boring or intimidating at first. Our goal is to provide a creative space for students to immerse themselves in the world of classical music. The more they get the opportunity to listen carefully, the more they learn to enjoy what they hear.