The Music Box

The Music Box

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 musicboxpod.org. The Music Box is produced by Louisville Public Media and made possible in part by support from PNC and the Norton Foundation.

Episodes

November 10, 2022 16 mins
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 talked about this season, like improvisation, drum machines, and more! Learn about musical experiments, meet up with an old friend, and get your ticket to hop aboard...

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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 grooving supporting guitar chords.

This episode ...

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October 13, 2022 8 mins
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.


This episode is recommended for grades K-5, but everyone can join in on the flying fun. Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org

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October 7, 2022 11 mins
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 Music and Mindfulness! Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org Read more
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September 30, 2022 10 mins
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.


Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org. Recommended for grades K-5, but everyone can embark on this ethereal journey.

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September 22, 2022 14 mins
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.


Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org. Recommended for grades K-5, but everyone can embark on this ethereal journey.

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August 18, 2022 1 min
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).


Get ready to blast off on September 7th. Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org. Recommended for grades K-5, but everyone can have a seat on the spaceship.

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August 11, 2022 17 mins
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!


Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org. This episode is recommended for grades 6-8 and 9-12, but younger students can join in fun with some guidance.

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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 fun mnemonic devices!)


This episode is recommended for grades K-5, but everyone can join in on the polyrhythmic groove. Additional lessons and resources at musicb...

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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 Family Stone used the drum machine as a tool, and how you can too!


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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 in Louisville, Kentucky!


Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org.


This episode recommended for grades 6-8 and 9-12, but younger students can join i...

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July 14, 2022 21 mins
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 to the future of improvisation.


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July 7, 2022 9 mins
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. -


Additional lessons and resources at musicboxpod.org

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June 15, 2022 7 mins
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, and through the lives of Florence Price, Scott Joplin, and Rhiannon Giddens, we’ll investigate how the African musical tradition continues to influence American music....

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June 3, 2021 23 mins
-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 education. In the musical, two kids find a magical music box that transports them to Meter World, where they learn about different genres of music and try to find where...

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May 27, 2021 14 mins
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!

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Donate to support this and future seasons of The Music Box.

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May 20, 2021 13 mins
It's another visit to the magical land of Arpeggio, as the inhabitants learn what repetition and practice really mean.

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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.

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Featured music:
Duke Ellington: Things Ain’t What They Used to Be
Duke Ellington: Come Sunday, performed by Mahalia Jackson
Sam Cooke: A Change Is Gonna Come
Valerie Coleman: Red Clay and Mississippi Delta, performed by Imani Winds

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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.

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Featured music:
Florence Price: Symphony in E minor, performed by the Fort Smith Symphony
Margaret Bonds: Bright Star, performed by Lara Downes
Margaret Bonds: Troubled Water, performed by Joel Fan
Margaret Bonds: The ...

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May 6, 2021 14 mins
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.

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Featured music:
Antonio Carlos Jobim: The Girl from Ipanema
Frank Sinatra: The Girl from Ipanema
Amy Winehouse: The Girl from Ipanema
Dizzy Gillespie: No More Blues
Carmen McRae: No More Blues
Chet Baker: I Talk to t...

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