The Music Box is an interactive music education podcast for kids, exploring fundamental music concepts through performing, responding and connecting. The current season is hosted by music educators Kiana Del and Fiona Palensky. Each episode gets listeners involved in making music! Short episodes are perfect for a car ride or just hanging out at home. Get printable lesson plans and ideas for extending the learning at musicboxpod.org. The Music Box is produced by Louisville Public Media and made possible in part by support from PNC and the Norton Foundation.
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The Music Doctors
Today’s episode is quite the operation. We’ll put on our lab coats and be doctors, examining all the elements of our first patient — jazz! Join us as we explore blue notes, call and response, and syncopation. -
Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org
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Juneteenth Jubilee
In this musical short, we’ll celebrate Juneteenth by exploring liberation through music! We’ll journey around the U.S, taking a look at the lives of Black composers from three different time periods. We’ll briefly cover the history of the Juneteenth holiday, and through the lives of Florence Price, Scott Joplin, and Rhiannon Giddens, we’ll investigate how the African musical tradition continues to influence American music. Additional resources at musicboxpod.org.
This episode was written by Kiana Del and Fiona Palensky. Special thanks to Michelle Tyrene Johnson and Stori Crawford.
Support for the Music Box comes from PNC, the Norton Foundation, and the sustaining members of Louisville Public Media.
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Meter: The Musical!
-This episode is an extra special musical journey that explores the world of time signatures, also known as meter. We're calling it "Meter: The Musical," which features original music from host Faith Murphy and Kiana Del, WUOL's engagement manager for music education. In the musical, two kids find a magical music box that transports them to Meter World, where they learn about different genres of music and try to find where they really belong.
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Meter: The Musical! Music and lyrics by Faith Murphy and Kiana Del; book by Faith Murphy
Special thanks to our guest musicians: Noah Barker, Trevin Little, Jailynn Lake-Noel, Fiona Palenski, and Stephen Murphy
Recording and mixing engineer: Eric Matthews
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Fascinating Rhythm
We'll look at rhythm patterns in music and how they can change the sound of a song. You’ll learn about the different ways you could fill up a measure, and how rhythm adds texture and excitement to music!
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Practice Makes Perfect
It's another visit to the magical land of Arpeggio, as the inhabitants learn what repetition and practice really mean.
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Time Traveling with America's Black Composers - Part Two
The second part of our feature on Black American composers features more time-traveling fun with Miss Kiana! Bring your dancing shoes and your listening ears.
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Featured music:
Duke Ellington: Things Ain’t What They Used to Be
Duke Ellington: Come Sunday, performed by Mahalia Jackson
Sam Cooke: A Change Is Gonna Come
Valerie Coleman: Red Clay and Mississippi Delta, performed by Imani Winds
Valerie Coleman: Umoja, performed by Imani Winds
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Time Traveling with America's Black Composers - Part One
We’re going on a musical journey with Miss Kiana this week, traveling through time to meet some of America’s Black composers! Bring your dancing shoes and your listening ears.
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Featured music:
Florence Price: Symphony in E minor, performed by the Fort Smith Symphony
Margaret Bonds: Bright Star, performed by Lara Downes
Margaret Bonds: Troubled Water, performed by Joel Fan
Margaret Bonds: The Ballad of the Brown King, performed by the Dessoff Choirs
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Tone It Up
What does “tone color” mean in music? Isn't color something that you SEE? We'll dive into tone color and timbre today, using examples from pop, jazz, and classical music.
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Featured music:
Antonio Carlos Jobim: The Girl from Ipanema
Frank Sinatra: The Girl from Ipanema
Amy Winehouse: The Girl from Ipanema
Dizzy Gillespie: No More Blues
Carmen McRae: No More Blues
Chet Baker: I Talk to the Trees
Vitamin String Quartet: Fake Plastic Trees
Red Pants Trio: Hot Cross Buns
Scott Bradlee: Bohemian Rhapsody in Blue (Gershwin/Queen Mashup)***