TOS Review: Maestro Classics

*Since posting this review, Maestro Classics has updated their website with many more educator materials and extras for each cd.  Click on any graphic or link in this post to check it out!*

Maestro Classics is a cd series of children’s stories set to classical music performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.  It is designed for children ages 5 and up.  According to the Maestro Classics website:

 

The Stories in Music™ series offers three significant benefits, including opportunities:

"To expand listening horizons."
This new series of recordings introduces young people to an orchestra's magical sounds and
awe-inspiring power, and helps them understand that music can be dramatic, can paint pictures, and is often filled with humor.

"To hone listening skills and accumulate musical memories."
The musical discussions will sharpen listening skills of children and adults alike, the discussion of the story will promote conversation about human values, and the musical work will leave each listener whistling a new tune.

"To encourage adults and children to listen to music together."
The very young will listen for the story, the slightly older child will enjoy the music, and the adult will be surprised how much he/she has learned.

Currently the site offers seven classic children's stories on cd;  Peter and the Wolf, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Casey at the Bat, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel,  Juanita the Spanish Lobster (also available in Spanish,) The Tortoise and the Hare, and The Story of Swan Lake.  Each cd comes in a sturdy case with an attractive cover and colorful illustrations.  The case houses the cd and a program book with fun activities and puzzles.  The site also offers lesson plans for Casey at the Bat and Mike Mulligan and articles about the benefits of exposing your children to music.

We received a copy of Peter and the Wolf for our review.

The boys and I gathered around the kitchen table and had a listen.  Ds4 pretended to be the conductor.  Ds3 is excited in this photo because he recognized the music representing the wolf as some from A Christmas Story movie.  :)  Afterwards I played the instrumental version while the boys did the activities in the play book.  The cd definitely made an impression on my boys, with ds3 excitedly telling dh all about it when he came home and both boys wanting to delve further and learn more about orchestras…I was happy to oblige lol and off we headed to the library.   We are now fully ensconced in a study of classical music.  :)

  I was very pleased with the cd.  The quality of the packaging, the professionalism of the product itself, the little extras all certainly are worth the cost and proved most useful in our homeschooling.  I had always wanted to do a study of classical music with my boys and this cd proved to be a superb starting point.  We definitely experienced each of the three benefits listed above that the site proclaimed the cd series would provide.

Each cd is available on the Maestro Classics site for $16.98.  Right now there is a special going on, buy 3 cds for $45.  There are also special gift sets for Casey at the Bat and Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel for $24.99 and samples of the stories to listen to.

I was given a copy of Peter and the Wolf Maestro Classics cd to facilitate this review.  I received no other compensation.  To see other TOS Crewmember reviews, please click on the banner below.