CLARA SCHUMANN
In honor of Women's History Month, Joyful Noise music students today celebrated the music of German born Clara Schumann, a very talented and famous female composer and pianist. She lived during the romantic era of classical music (she was born in 1819) and wrote many beautiful arrangements like the one linked below!
Today, students discussed what her life was like, how she wrote songs on piano, and listened to her music while coloring a picture of her and a grand piano. We also explored the keyboard and discussed the difference between white (natural) and black (sharp and flat) keys, and what letters of the alphabet named the keys. I also discussed that it was challenging for Clara to be a female composer at a time when women weren't considered typical musicians. We discussed how that has changed in our modern lives, along with other roles (such as firefighters, police officers, and other things).
This student made a "scary" face to show that he was playing "dark" sounds on the keyboard.
For him, that meant low, and jarring sounds created on the left side of the keyboard. When I asked what
"dark" sounds represented, he told me "leopards, lions and scary things." Love it!
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR CHILD TODAY ABOUT MUSIC
1. What were some of the special things about Clara Schumann, the piano player? She lived in Germany; she played piano by candlelight sometimes; she was a woman composer which was unusual at that time; her father was a piano teacher!
2. What are the black keys on the piano? Sharps and flats
3.Did you color a picture of a piano today? For two year olds and up!
Is your child an infant or toddler? Ask if they played the keyboard! (Yes, they did!)