The Music Box is an interactive music education podcast for kids, exploring fundamental music concepts through performing, responding and connecting. The current season is hosted by music educators Kiana Del and Fiona Palensky. Each episode gets listeners involved in making music! Short episodes are perfect for a car ride or just hanging out at home. Get printable lesson plans and ideas for extending the learning at music
// The Music Box will be back with a new season in the fall. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy this special about shape note singing — one of the oldest musical traditions in this country. It’s a practice that began in colonial America, and after centuries of up… //
// In the season 8 finale, Kiana and Fiona are taking you Behind the Music to learn about what it takes to be a professional musician. And we’re lucky to have a very special guest join us on this episode – bassist Christian McBride. Interested in knowing more abo… //
// This week on The Music Box, Kiana and Fiona find themselves on the case, investigating a haunted piano with a mysterious character. Everything is not what it seems in this Halloween episode. Help the gang find clues to uncover the ghost of music's past! //
// The Music Box team is getting into the Halloween spirit a little early with this one. Fiona stumbles on mad scientist Kiana and her creations. This week, go a little mad breaking down auditory illusions like the Doppler effect and Shepard’s tone. //
// What do you want to be when you grow up? Kiana and Fiona are taking you Behind the Music to learn about what it takes to work in sound design, and what better way to learn than from LPM’s very own Alex Biscardi? The Music Box is for all ages, however today's e… //
// This week on The Music Box, Kiana and Fiona travel all around the world, going to Japan, Tanzania, and West Virginia to explore the history of work songs and their places across different cultures. Get shot out of a cannon, deal with some unruly pirates, and… … //
// Paging Doctor Kiana and Nurse Practitioner Fiona to the Musical Unit STAT! Another music doctors episode is back, and this time Kiana and Fiona are solving a flamenco fiasco! Learn about all of the elements of flamenco on this week’s episode. //
// Have you ever been on a submarine?! Join Kiana and Fiona as they dive into music written about water. Explore music by Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, and John Cage while you meet a mermaid and find out the curse of the sunken city! //
// What do you want to be when you grow up? Kiana and Fiona are taking you Behind the Music to learn about hosting a show on the radio live on air! Dig into the history of radio, talk with a special guest, former 91.9 WFPK host Otis Junior, learn all you need to … //
// Can Fiona become the ultimate guitar master?! This week, Kiana and Fiona meet Rex “The Earthquaker” Dallas to learn all about guitar pedals and their effects. Listen and learn how to craft an epic tone with us! //
// Music really is all around us! In this week’s episode, sound designer and mystical wizard Alex Biscardi guides Kiana and Fiona through music made with water, singing rocks, even wind that plays the harp! Listen at music box pod dot org. //
// Kiana and Fiona try to pull an all-nighter and end up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil during Carnival! Explore the blocos (blah-co) of Brazilian Carnival to learn about different styles of music from the region like ijexa (ee-jay-shah), xote (sho-chee), and frevo (f… //
// Have you ever learned about extended vocal technique from a tour bus full of yodeling gnomes?? There’s a first time for everything! Join Kiana and Fiona as they explore yodeling, hocketing, throat singing and more in the season 8 premiere! Go to musicboxpod.or… //
// What do you want to be when you grow up? Kiana and Fiona are taking you Behind the Music to learn about being a DJ! Dig into the history of DJing, talk with a special guest, 91.9 WFPK’s very own Destiny Carter, a.k.a DJ Lady Dee, learn all you need to know abo… //
// Kiana, Fiona, and YOU?! We’re bringing the classroom right to your living room in this week’s episode all about musical storytelling. Grab your pen, notebook, and imagination! We’ll listen to the music of The Fretless, Sergei Prokofiev, Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsk… //
// Shhh! Do you have your listening ears on? Kiana and Fiona are at Waterfront Park in Louisville, Kentucky tuning our ears to the sonic environment. We explore how to use your community's sounds to make music, art and field recordings. So, have your headphones r… //
// Break out your binoculars! We're heading through the musical forest in search of bird music. No, not actual birds, but music meant to sound like them. From Saint-Saëns to Jennifer Higdon, Kiana and Fiona show us the musical aviary, and how nature has inspired … //
// All aboard the Music Box Express! Kiana wants to visit 1953 and meet a renowned jazz theorist, and Fiona wants to travel to the future to hear some tunes. But they get distracted on the train, and end up waaaaay back in ancient Mesopotamia! And they're just in… //
// Ready for your brain to get bigger? Come along with us as we all fill our heads and ears with Indian classical music! We'll learn about the melodies, rhythms and beats that make up this musical style that's over 6,000 years old! And we'll hear some cool instru… //
// There's more than one way to play a violin, and on this episode, we're learning all about non-traditional ways of playing, also called extended techniques. But what's this? The lesson is coming from INSIDE THE VIOLIN! And there are... pigs? Tiny pigs in there.… //
// What does a sound designer do? Turns out, a lot more than Kiana and Fiona think! On this episode, our own sound designer Alex Biscardi shows the power of sound design to transport us through time and space, make us laugh, and even get us out of some tight spot… //
// The Music Box is back! And it's a good thing, because it looks like Baroque needs some fixing. Luckily, Dr. Kiana and Dr. Fiona are on the case! The music "doctors" cauterize Baroque's counterpoint, malleate its melodies, and assess its appoggiaturas... but ca… //
// For season six’s FINALE, we’ll board the finest time traveling locomotive this side of the train soundboard once again to explore experimental music throughout history! We’ll be going all the way from Pauline Oliveros to Bjӧrk, remembering all the things we’ve… //
// In the words of James Brown, “get funky with me! C’mon!” We’re back in the operating room this week, so put on your lab coats and get ready to examine all the elements of our next patient - Funk! Join us as we explore rock steady beats, staying on the one, and… //
// Creepy crawlies, wriggling worms, buzzing bees, singing cicadas, oh my! Get your daily dose of music AND science as we dive into the bug's life and the music they inspire.… //
// We’re going behind the music once again this week! We’ll learn all about what it means to be a music therapist in an interview with an expert from the field. Join as we talk about how music affects your brain with music therapist Marissa Thomas of Sharing Musi… //
// This episode is a special one! We’ll board violinist and sound designer Kojin Tashiro’s private jet and fly all around the Asian continent, meet 4 great composers and learn about the music they make.… //
// Blast off on the SS Wendy Carlos with the Music Box team and learn about all things synthesizers. From sine waves to square waves, we’ll explore the musical galaxy together to uncover all there is to know about these otherworldly electronic instruments.… //
// Oh, no! Looks like Kiana and Fiona need a little more time to fix up their spaceship before you can come aboard. Luckily, they have everything under control (they took the manual with them).… //
// What IS a producer anyway? How many hats do they wear? How does a producer help a music track come to life? Find out the answers to all your questions on this episode of The Music Box! We’re going behind the music with producer Antonio Garder, AKA Yons!… //
// Have you ever tried to count rhythms with an apple or a pineapple? Tried to pass the melted butter? Maybe a hot cup of tea? Find out what all these wacky expressions mean on this episode of The Music Box. We’re exploring all things polymeters (and their super … //
// You’ve heard about the instrument families from woodwinds, to brass, to strings, even percussion, but have you explored the mean green drum machine?! On this episode of The Music Box, we’ll be learning all about how musical legends like J Dilla and Sly & the F… //
// We’re going on a completely different journey for this episode! We’ll learn all about what it means to be a recording engineer in an interview with an expert from the field. Join as we go behind the music with Anne Gauthier from La La Land Studios right here i… //
// This episode, we’ll board the finest time traveling locomotive this side of the train soundboard to explore improvisation through time! Some very special Louisville legends will join us as magical musical guests, taking us from the medieval period all the way … //
// Today’s episode is quite the operation. We’ll put on our lab coats and be doctors, examining all the elements of our first patient — jazz! Join us as we explore blue notes, call and response, and syncopation. -… //
// In this musical short, we’ll celebrate Juneteenth by exploring liberation through music! We’ll journey around the U.S, taking a look at the lives of Black composers from three different time periods. We’ll briefly cover the history of the Juneteenth holiday, a… //
// -This episode is an extra special musical journey that explores the world of time signatures, also known as meter. We're calling it "Meter: The Musical," which features original music from host Faith Murphy and Kiana Del, WUOL's engagement manager for music ed… //
// We'll look at rhythm patterns in music and how they can change the sound of a song. You’ll learn about the different ways you could fill up a measure, and how rhythm adds texture and excitement to music!… //
// It's another visit to the magical land of Arpeggio, as the inhabitants learn what repetition and practice really mean. //
// The second part of our feature on Black American composers features more time-traveling fun with Miss Kiana! Bring your dancing shoes and your listening ears.… //
// We’re going on a musical journey with Miss Kiana this week, traveling through time to meet some of America’s Black composers! Bring your dancing shoes and your listening ears.… //
// What does “tone color” mean in music? Isn't color something that you SEE? We'll dive into tone color and timbre today, using examples from pop, jazz, and classical music.… //
// We're learning about patterns and song form on The Music Box today! From binary to ternary to rondo and more, you’ll be able to identify the forms of some of your favorite music.… //
// If you’ve ever been to the opera, you may have found yourself wondering what’s happening onstage. Sometimes opera plots can be tough to understand, especially if you’re a kid! Today we’ll learn about a couple of operas written specifically for kids: “L’enfant … //
// Today’s episode is a virtual trip to Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela, and more, as we explore the work of Latinx musicians and composers. We’ll practice some call and response, we’ll walk on a tightrope, and we’ll learn about how a composer’s background and experience… //
// What do dinosaurs have to do with music? You'll find out when you listen to this episode, as we explore the range of dynamics and accents through the sounds that dinosaurs made. //
// We’re back in the magical Land of Arpeggio, going on a treasure hunt with a group of faun friends! Can you sing the right notes and help them find the treasure? //
// We’ll take a look at how some of our favorite songs have been inspired by stories and books, including how you can make songs out of your favorites stories too! From fairy tales to Maurice Sendak and J.M. Barrie, we’ll take a trip around the library and find t… //
// We’re kicking off Season 5 with an exploration of music from your favorite video games! From Mario to Final Fantasy, from Zelda to Among Us, we’ll learn about how music shapes and enhances the experience of playing a game.… //
// It's the holiday season, and that means holiday music! But you may not know as much about your favorite holiday songs as you think... In our final episode for this season, Miss Faith drops some holiday knowledge. And stay tuned after the show for a special hol… //
// Today’s the last installment of our series on music from around the world, where we’ll learn about the music of Nicaragua from Marlon Obando Solano, a native of San Lorenzo, Nicaragua, who now lives in Louisville, Kentucky. You’ll hear about different folk tra… //
// We’re going to the mountains today with musician Cari Norris, who teaches us about the traditional music of the Appalachian region. We’ll hear banjos and dulcimers, fun songs to sing along, and how this music can keep families connected.… //
// We’re using some of our favorite happy songs to power an imaginary train ride, with a lesson in fast and slow tempo. From grave to presto and everything in between, we’ll move our bodies to the beat.… //
// Continuing our explorations of music outside the European tradition with our guide Charles Amewudah, a native of Ghana and a drumming teacher. We’ll learn about the different kinds of percussion instruments used in Ghanaian music, and how drumming is part of l… //
// We're taking a (virtual) trip to different parts of the world and learning about music from different places! Today, we'll learn about music from Thailand and Iran with multi-instrumentalist and composer Jon Silpayamanant.… //
// Getting along with friends can be a challenge, but we've got the musical solution! We’re returning to the magical land of Arpeggio for today’s adventure. Sing along with the Three Fierce Fairies!… //
// It's a time-traveling musical adventure as we learn about beat and rhythm. We’ll put on a pair of magical boots that will help us save the future of music!… //
// We'll explore the world of dynamics (how loud or soft a sound is) with a big box of fireworks! KA-BOOM! You’ll hear some very special pyrotechnics and learn some special words to describe dynamics.… //
// You'll learn about how math is used to make music! Just like chopping vegetables in half, you can chop notes in half too.… //
// So many people in our community are grieving and reacting to current events related to the Breonna Taylor case. Out of respect, we’re going to postpone today’s episode until next week. We’d rather direct your attention to what’s happening in our city now.… //
// So many of the composers we usually learn about in school are men -- but that's only telling half the story of who writes the music we love.… //
// It’s our Season 4 premiere! We return to the fantasy world of Arpeggio with a tale of two very different performing groups and how they learn to get along.… //
// We’re wrapping up our season with a very special story, featuring a magical land full of extraordinary creatures. And you’ll learn a few new things you can do with your voice too!… //
// We’ll learn about meters in music, also known as time signatures, using math. You'll be able to hear the difference between 3/4 and 4/4 and understand how to read a time signature. Then… it’s an epic battle between time signatures! Who will win??… //
// Artists and musicians can inspire each other's work, even though they use different materials and techniques! We’ll learn about some of the ways that art and music intersects, and we’ll take a turn being inspired ourselves.… //
// This is the final episode in our mini-series about songwriting: we’ll explore how instruments are used to tell stories in sound — most specifically, in movie soundtracks! You’ll be sure to hear a few familiar tunes here, and you’ll never watch movies the same … //
// This is the second of three episodes on songwriting. This week, we’ll learn about how songs help us celebrate special occasions (hint: it involves cake and candles) and also how songs can make us feel strong in the face of hard times. We’ll hear some examples … //
// This is the first of a series of three episodes on songwriting. This week, we’ll learn about how rhyming words can help us tell a story. We’ll start with some songs you already know, and then we’ll write our own song!… //
// We had a new episode all ready to go for you, but it just doesn’t feel right in this moment. Listen in and we’ll tell you why we’re hitting pause this week. And we’ll be back with you next week with a new episode about how you can write your own songs.… //
// We’re wrapping up our roundup of the instrument families with the woodwind instruments this week! We’ll learn how they make sound (with some activities you can do at home) and even learn about a couple of surprise members of the family.… //
// We’ll be exploring all the different instruments of the brass family this week. We’ll learn about what defines a brass instruments, the various sounds they make, and all the different kinds of music they play. And we’ll practice blowing into our own imaginary … //
// Percussion instruments are anything you can hit, shake, or scrape — which means they can be a LOT of fun to play! We’ll learn about the two main categories of percussion instruments, we’ll play a game to tell them apart, and there might even be some dancing, t… //
// Did you know that we can put most musical instruments into family groups? Just like your family, there are larger and smaller members, and they all make different sounds. We’ll start learning about the string family today: violins, violas, cellos, and more.… //
// We’ll learn about the ways that sound can move, both in the air around us and inside our bodies. Get ready to surf the musical waves with us!… //
// Welcome to Season 3 of The Music Box! Today’s episode will help us learn how music makes us feel. From silly to sad, from angry to energetic, we’ll discover the tools and tricks that composers use to affect our emotions.… //
// Introducing our new host, Faith Murphy! Season 3 starts on April 23. //
// We'll explore the rhythms of our own names, and the special nonsense sounds we use sometimes to speak rhythms aloud.… //
// Rhythm patterns coming at you again this week -- and this time we'll try putting different rhythms on top of each other to make a BIG pattern! We'll use the length of your hair to play with rhythms — what??… //
// Rhythm is a pattern! We'll practice listening to rhythms and clapping them back.… //
// Rocking to a steady beat... and waltzing, and marching, and bopping, and more.… //
// We'll keep exploring that steady beat! This time we'll learn about how beats are grouped in different ways to make time signatures, and we'll move around to a march, a waltz, some jazz, some hip hop, and more.… //
// Beat is STEADY! We'll be moving around to different types of music today -- get ready to tiptoe, skip, walk, and hop.… //
// Our special music word is "timbre" which means the way something sounds. We'll be using different timbres to tell a story from our imagination -- we'll supply the timbres, you supply the story!… //
// We'll continue our investigation of timbre (a music word that means "the way something sounds") with a movement activity that'll get you going in all directions. Plus, we'll make our own version of the cha-cha slide!… //
// Timbre = the way something sounds! We'll play with different timbres, and we'll use body percussion to make our own thunderstorm.… //
// Pitch is high, pitch is low -- and we'll use some singers you know (and a few you probably don't) to explore different pitches in the human voice.… //
// High pitch or low pitch or something in between? We'll use pitch to help us know which way to go, and we'll hear different members of the instrument families with high or low pitches.… //
// Pitch is high, pitch is low. We'll have some fun with animal sounds that make high and low pitches, and we'll pretend to be birds and cows.… //
// A new season of The Music Box is coming soon! Hosted by musician and educator Jecorey Arthur, we’ll explore four fundamental music concepts — beat, rhythm, pitch and timbre — with episodes for all ages. Our website at musicboxpod.org includes extras like teach… //
// Don't have an instrument? Don't you worry!… //
// Rachel Grimes is a composer from Carroll County, Kentucky. The ukulele class at Harmony Elementary interviewed her about what it's like to be a composer today. Listen and you'll learn that you can be a composer too! Sometimes you just need to start small. Just… //
// Instruments that can talk?! Mozart as a super hero?! An old time machine in the back of the UofL music library?! How did this craziness happen? Oh ya, we let the 4th grade orchestra write the script… and it’s great! What exactly is classical music, we ask. Wel… //
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