For many composers, we have added suggested pieces.  However, if it is too difficult to get these in your circumstances, use a “Best of” CD from Amazon or the library, or simply find a single CD or youtube playlist with the chosen composer.

(*Check out our Wildwood Youtube Playlists, though they are still under development. To see our entire 12 year composer rotation: Wildwood Composer Rotation)

2024-2025

Term 1

  • Fun Choice — scroll down for ideas

or, study Vivaldi (scroll to the bottom of the page for specific pieces)

Term 2

Term 3

Our composer rotation is a mix of classical styles from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, and around the world.  We’ve mixed Jazz and Swing in with Beethoven and Strozzi, as well as set aside a few terms for purely fun music studies.  In these ‘fun’ terms, we give suggestions but leave the choice up to you and what would appeal to your family.   For those who want a strictly classical study, we also suggest a traditional composer that is not otherwise in the rotation.

Sneak peak at next year:

2025-2026

  • Ravel
  • Louis Armstrong/Billie Holiday
  • Aaron Copland

‘Fun’ choices do not need to be strictly instrumental.  We heard from members that occasionally, they want permission to deviate from traditional classical music and just take a break.  To that end, we scheduled in a Fun Term approximately every four years.  Here are some ‘Fun choice’ suggestions:

  • Elvis
  • 1920/30s/40s  novelty songs (Mairzy Doats, Ugly Child, etc)
  • The Beatles
  • John Williams (film scores- scroll to the bottom of the spreadsheet for pieces)
  • gaming tracks (click here to see Nadine’s gaming study)
  • history of rock ‘n’ roll
  • WWII music
  • music of a decade (80’s, 90s music, etc)
  • Lindsey Sterling
  • TransSiberian Orchestra
  • musical theater (West Side Story, Phantom of the Opera, etc)
  • movie musicals (Singin’ in the Rain, etc)
  • blues
  • Classical – Spooky Classics
    • Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (Bach)
    • Ride of the Valkyries (Wagner)
    • In the Hall of the Mountain King (Grieg)
    • Mars The Bringer Of War [Allegro] (Hoist)
    • Danse Macabre (Camille Saint-Saens)
    • Night On Bald Mountain (Mussorgsky)
    • Bacchanaele [From “Samson Et Delilah”]
    • Infernal Dance [From “The Firebird”]
    • Central Park In The Dark (Charles Ives)
    • Music For Strings Percussion And Celesta (Béla Bartók)
  • Classical – Children’s Classics —
    • Britten’s “A Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra”
    • Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf”
    • Dukas’s “The Sorceror’s Apprentice”
    • Biget’s “Jeux d’Enfants”
    • Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors” (this is quite religious, and while delightful, could easily be omitted)
    • Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel”
    • Ridout’s “Ferdinand”
    • Coates’s “Three Bears Suite”
    • Ravel’s “Mother Goose”
    • Camille Saint-Sean – Carnival of the Animals
    • Rossini’s “William Tell Overture”
    • Rossini’s “Duet for Two Cats”  students will also enjoy  this version

*Note – Children’s Classics should be experienced by everyone at some point.  Use it as a “fun option”, or as free listening (outside of composer study).  If your children have not had much exposure to classical music, consider using these for the entire first year to ease them into it, then pick up with the regular composer study the following year.

To see our entire 12 year composer rotation: Wildwood Composer Rotation

Antonio Vivaldi suggestions:

  • The Four Seasons: Spring (Concerto No. 1 in E Major, RV 269) – First Movement: Allegro – Can’t miss
  • Concerto for Two Violins in A Minor, RV 522 – First Movement: Allegro
  • Gloria in D Major, RV 589 – First Movement: Gloria in excelsis Deo – Can’t miss
  • Concerto for Guitar (Lute) in D Major, RV 93 – Second Movement: Largo
  • The Four Seasons: Winter (Concerto No. 4 in F Minor, RV 297) – First Movement: Allegro non molto – Can’t miss
  • Concerto for Cello in G Major, RV 413 – First Movement: Alleg
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