New August Store Update - Introducing New Avatars!
Happy August! Gear up for the new school year with our 'Back to School Composers' theme! This August, our Practice Space shop features avatars of diverse composers who made significant contributions to music education. Redeem avatars with your Practice Gems and get inspired by their pedagogical legacies as you head back to class.
Your students can redeem avatars with their practice gems and get inspired by their pedagogical legacies as they head back to school this fall. Keep in mind that redeeming items from the Practice Space shop is reliant on students completing their daily practice goals—such a fantastic motivator!
Below, you'll find details on our August composer update. All of these composers played an everlasting role in advancing music education over the years. We’ve also included YouTube links to pieces by each composer! Every avatar is paired with unique quotes allowing these historical figures to share insights into their lives and musical careers. Below are the six featured composers this month, complete with facts for the app, a brief biography, and a link to one of their notable compositions for your educational use.
Heitor Villa-Lobos (March 5, 1887 - November 17 - 1959) was a Brazilian composer known for blending classical music with Brazilian folk tunes to create vibrant, unique compositions.
Facts in app:
I started playing music by teaching myself the cello when I was just a little boy, before I ever took formal lessons!
I loved to explore the jungles of Brazil, and the sounds and rhythms I heard there inspired many of my compositions.
I composed over 2,000 works, including symphonies, concertos, and chamber music, each filled with the spirit of Brazilian culture.
Did you know I organized thousands of concerts for students in Brazil because I believed every child should enjoy and learn music.
One of my most famous pieces is 'Bachianas Brasileiras,' where I mixed the music of Bach with Brazilian folk music—it's like a musical adventure!
Check out this performance of Etude 1
Etude No. 1 • Villa-Lobos • Andrés Segovia - YouTube
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (August 15th, 1875 - September 1st, 1912) gained fame for his rich, innovative compositions that blended African melodies with classical Western music traditions.
Facts in app:
I was often called the 'African Mahler' because of how passionately I conducted and composed music, much like the famous composer Gustav Mahler.
As a young boy, I loved the violin so much that I started playing at the age of five and later studied at the Royal College of Music in London.
One of my greatest works is 'Hiawatha's Wedding Feast,' a cantata that became so popular it was performed regularly across England and the United States.
I was passionate about promoting African music and even helped establish the Pan-African Movement, which aimed to unify African and Afro-descendant cultures through art.
I visited the United States three times and was treated like a celebrity; I even met President Theodore Roosevelt who invited me to the White House!
Check out this performance of Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast
Samuel Coleridge Taylor "Hiawatha's Wedding Feast"
Zoltán Kodály (December 16th, 1882 - March 6th, 1967) was a Hungarian composer and educator who revolutionized music education through his innovative teaching methods and compositions.
Facts in app:
I developed a special way of teaching music called the Kodály Method, which uses songs and games to make learning music fun and natural for kids.
I traveled all over Hungary with my friend Béla Bartók to collect thousands of folk songs, which inspired many of my compositions.
I believed that music education should start young, so I wrote lots of music to help children learn to sing and understand music better.
Did you know my music is not just educational but also deeply connected to Hungarian culture, which I loved to showcase in my works.
One of my famous pieces is 'Háry János Suite,' which is based on a Hungarian folk tale and features unique instruments like the cimbalom to create magical sounds.
Check out this performance of Dances of Galánta
Dances of Galánta - YouTube
Shinichi Suzuki (October 17th, 1898 - January 26th, 1998) was a Japanese violinist and educator who founded the Suzuki Method, a revolutionary approach to teaching children music as naturally as they learn to speak.
Facts in app:
I began playing the violin when I was seventeen and went on to study in Germany, where I developed a deep love for teaching music.
I created the Suzuki Method because I believe every child can learn to play music if taught with love and encouragement, just like they learn their native language.
My method uses 'mother-tongue' learning, where children start by listening to music daily, imitating what they hear, and gradually learning to read music.
I often said, 'Character first, ability second,' because I believed teaching music should also develop a child's good character.
Thousands of children worldwide have learned to play instruments like the violin, cello, and piano using my method, which also emphasizes playing together in groups.
Check out this performance of Allegro performed by students studying the Suzuki method
Suzuki 1 🎜 'Allegro' - Violin, Violino | Shinichi Suzuki Book 1 - YouTube
Amy Beach (September 5th, 1867 - December 27th, 1944) was an American composer and pianist, celebrated as the first successful female American composer of large-scale art music.
Facts in app:
I was known as 'Mrs. H.H.A. Beach' and started composing when I was just four years old, teaching myself to read music at the same time.
I made my professional debut as a pianist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra when I was just 16, and I quickly gained fame for my performances.
I composed the 'Gaelic Symphony,' the first symphony composed and published by an American woman, which debuted to critical acclaim in 1896.
During my lifetime, I was a leading advocate for American music and often used themes from folk songs and nature in my compositions.
After my husband's death, I toured Europe as a pianist, and my compositions were performed by major orchestras across the continent, helping to establish my international reputation.
Check out this performance of Gaelic Symphony
Amy Beach: Gaelic Symphony - YouTube
Carl Czerny (February 21, 1791 - July 15th, 1857) was an Austrian pianist, composer, and teacher, best known for his piano exercises that continue to train students worldwide.
Facts in app:
I was a child prodigy, giving my first public performance at the age of nine and composing my first piano concerto when I was just fourteen.
I was a student of the legendary composer Ludwig van Beethoven, and later, I passed on Beethoven's teachings to my own students, including the famous Franz Liszt.
I composed over a thousand works, including symphonies, sonatas, and concertos, but I’m most famous for my piano studies which help students develop technical skills.
My piano exercises, especially the 'School of Velocity' and 'The Art of Finger Dexterity,' are essential training tools for classical pianists even today.
I believed in the importance of a solid foundation in piano technique, which led me to write not only exercises but also essays on the art of piano playing.
Check out this performance of Op 299 No 6, The School of Velocity
Carl Czerny op 299 no 6 - YouTube
Background Update
Some other fun additions
These all cheer the student on but also talk about tempo and other musical terms!
