Composer Study: Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake

I love it when a plan comes together.  Or when things come together so it APPEARS that there was a plan.  The latter is how it worked out for us this week.  I had planned for us to spend a little more time with Tchaikovsky in our composer study last week, and we really didn't get much done since we were still trying to settle back into routine after our Christmas break.  It turned out to be fortunate, because this week we've been without our main computer - which is the one that has a working printer - and so I couldn't have printed (or even viewed, likely) the materials from A Young Scholar's Guide to the Composers even if I'd wanted to!

So, instead, we were able to take extra time to listen to and enjoy The Story of Swan Lake from Maestro Classics.  I allowed Landon to skip out for the week, and Kennady and I listened to the story and selections of music from Tchaikovsky's popular ballet. The CD and accompanying booklet also helped her learn a little about major and minor keys, and about Tchaikovsky's life.  I think her favorite part may have been the "Speed Metal Swan" selection!  I'll be posting more details about this CD in a review within the next few days!

I've been reading a biography of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and it is rough going.  I hope to finish it next week.

Oh, and Kennady sang a duet with me in church on Sunday!

This post is linked at ~a teaching heart~ where we are keeping each other accountable for making time for music in our homeschooling!