Music in Our Schools Month
What does music mean to you? Is it the joy of hearing your favorite song or the excitement when you hum a tune or dance to a beat? Well, get ready to turn up the volume because March is Music in Our Schools Month (MIOSM)! MIOSM is a celebration of the awesome world of music, and everyone is invited—especially students and educators.
MIOSM is all about showing off the fantastic music programs in our schools and reminding everyone why music education is awesome! Music teachers get a chance to showcase their schools’ music programs, and we all get to see how important it is to have music in our schools.
Why is music education so cool? Well, it’s not just about playing instruments or singing—music helps us unleash our creativity and express our emotions. Learning the lyrics and notes to different songs helps improve our memory. Music can also spark your imagination, making pictures and stories appear in your mind. Your imagination can even inspire new lyrics, notes, and tunes—creating your own musical masterpiece! And when we join a choir or a band, we’re not just making music; we’re building awesome friendships and teamwork skills.
But guess what? The best part is that music is all about having FUN! It’s like a magical language that connects us to each other every day. Whether you’re a music star in the making or just love tapping your foot to the beat, let’s all join the MIOSM celebration and enjoy the sound of music!
Here are some musical resources from CCPL to help you with your MIOSM celebration:
For listening to music:
Freegal® Music is a free music service that offers 3 hours of streaming every day and 3 downloads per week to keep forever. The catalog includes over 16 million songs, millions of albums, hundreds of curated playlists, the ability to create your own playlists, thousands of audiobooks, and thousands of music videos. In total, the collection is comprised of music from over 40,000+ labels, with music that originates in over 100 countries. Free apps are available at the App Store and Google Play.
Hoopla is a groundbreaking digital media service offered by your local public library that allows you to borrow movies, music, audiobooks, ebooks, comics, and TV shows to enjoy on your computer, tablet, or phone – and even your TV! Instantly borrow digital movies, music, eBooks, and more 24/7 with your library card. Download the Hoopla app for free at the Apple Store and Google Play.
For recording music:
The Drop the Mic Recording Studio is a full-scale professional recording studio with a sound booth, microphones, and recording and mixing equipment. Reservations can be made on the CCPL website at Meeting Room Reservation by calling P.D. Brown Memorial Branch at 301-645-2864. An adult must be present with children 11 years of age and younger.
Non-fiction books on music from COSMOS:
A History of Music for Children by Mary Richards & David Schweitzer
“Embark on a musical journey around the world to meet the diverse cast of composers, musicians, and performers who are famous for making the music we love. From Johann Sebastian Bach to Billie Eilish, Hildegard of Bingen to DJ Kool Herc, Wolfgang Mozart to Miriam Makeba, musicians come from many different times and places and introduce music from a wide variety of genres. Why do we make music? How does music affect our brains and emotions? These are just some of the fascinating questions addressed in A History of Music for Children, which looks at music’s transnational and boundary-breaking qualities. All over the world and throughout time, music has been recorded and passed down through different oral traditions and forms of notation. It has always been a powerful catalyst for change and connecting people. And what might the future of music hold? Exploring the technology used to listen to and create music, the authors imagine new possibilities, such as computer-generated compositions and robot musicians. Woven into this absorbing narrative is a stellar cast of musicians, including Mozart and his sister Maria Anna, Clara Schumann, Maria Callas, Bob Dylan, Ravi, and Anoushka Shankar, David Bowie, Nina Simone, Charlie Parker, Kraftwerk, John Cage, Beyoncé, and Mali griot Toumani Diabaté, among others. This book even includes a playlist of songs that you can listen to as you read.“
–Amazon
The Science of Song: How and Why We Make Music by Alan Cross, Emme Cross & Nicole Mortillaro
“Music is an outlet for self-expression. It has the power to influence your feelings, connect you to others, and break down barriers … And believe it or not, it’s science — a LOT of science! The tunes that move us are a blend of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, plus passion and emotion. In this book, you’ll find out when humans began making music, the early history of recording and playing back, how things we use every day, like headphones and streaming services, were created, and what’s in store for the future of music technology. Along the way, you’ll be introduced to playlists featuring must-listen songs and a look at the psychology of music, including why you like the music you like and why you can’t get some songs out of your head. A fresh, engaging, and relevant look at an art form that we all love.”
— Provided by publisher
Music by Neil Ardley
Text and pictures introduce musical instruments from early times to the present–from pipes and flutes to electronic synthesizers.
Fiction books on music from COSMOS:
Scout is Not a Band Kid by Jade Armstrong
Scout joins her middle school’s band in order to go on the band’s annual trip and meet her favorite author, but she is forced to face the music when the trombone section leader realizes Scout does not know how to play.
Rock out! by Stephen Shaskan
“Pizza and Taco have decided to start a band, now all they need is to find some instruments, bandmates, and write a song or two.”
— Provided by publisher
All Summer Long by Hope Larson
Thirteen-year-old Bina faces her first summer without her best friend, Austin, who has left for soccer camp.
