Maestro Classics

Many of us love classical music, but it can be hard to find appropriate performances for kids.

That’s the problem the Maestro Classics series set out to solve.

By combining classical music with engaging stories, the series presents music by Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, and others in a format that kids will find fun and entertaining.

We first listened to The Tortoise and the Hare a couple months ago and I was really impressed with the narrator, Yadu, who does a great job with all the character voices and bringing the story to life.

The music is performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Stephen Simon. Each CD also comes with educational tracks describing the creation of the music, the composer’s life, and other interesting facts about the story and music. You’ll also find a neat activity booklet that includes games, lyrics, and information about the performers.

Stephen Simon and his wife, Bonnie, first had the idea for the series when they noticed that there weren’t enough appropriate classical music performance opportunities for their own kids. They wanted to change that and help other parents introduce classical music to their families. Bonnie also runs a blog, Ask Bonnie, where she answers questions about how to instill a love of music in your kids from infancy onward.

We’ve had the chance to listen to a few of the CDs in the Maestro Classics series and Ivan really loves Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, based on Virginia Lee Burton’s classic book, and I think Swan Lake is just beautiful. I’ve also always loved the story of Peter and the Wolf.

Maestro Classics is also a local company, located in Falmouth Massachusetts, so you can feel good about supporting them.

And don’t forget: Story CDs make great companions on long car trips!