musical explorers
Explore the music of the world in your own neighborhood! Musical Explorers is a free semester-long program developed in partnership with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute. It connects students in grades K–2 to Nebraska and Iowa’s rich and diverse musical community as they build fundamental music skills through listening, singing, and moving to the music of different cultures.
how it works
- K–2 classroom teachers and elementary music teachers can register to participate in the free program.
- Teachers attend a professional development webinar about ways to incorporate Musical Explorers lessons and receive printed curriculum guides with lesson plans, a CD, and other resources that connect with select state standards. This year's webinar will be available to watch on demand starting Wednesday, January 29.
- Musical Explorers classrooms gather for a year-end concert at the Holland Performing Arts Center with the artists they learned with all semester on Tuesday, April 29!
Musical Traditions
- African American Gospel Music and Spirituals with Ananias Montague and Danielle Cleveland
- Rock ‘n’ Roll with Billy McGuigan
- Salsa Music with Esencia Latina
Questions?
Email MusicalExplorers@O-pa.org
"Musical explorers allows us to be creative, to explore, and to enrich the lives of children. It really allows us to create those connections in the community and to let them be who they are going to be. Their creativity is endless."
— Krista Johnson, Musical Explorers Teacher at College View Elementary
About the program
Musical Explorers launched in 2015 and has brought free professional development workshops, curriculum guides, and CDs to thousands of teachers and students each year. The semester-long, curriculum-based program for grades K-2 focuses on three local ensembles, each representing a musical style and cultural community. Developed in partnership with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, the program builds basic music skills as students learn songs from different cultures and reflect on their own communities. Some examples of genres and musical traditions covered include Cuban jazz, hip hop, Irish music, jug band, Mexican music, West African music and so much more!
This program is supported by:
Community Foundation for Western Iowa, Dr. C.C. and Mabel Criss Foundation, Ike and Roz Friedman Foundation, Iowa West Foundation, J. William and Ruth Lind Scott Fund, John A. and Dianne M. Scott Fund, John K. and Lynne D. Boyer Family Foundation, Midlands Community Foundation, Nebraska Arts Council, Nebraska Cultural Endowment, Presenters Circle, Rebensdorf Family Foundation, Richard Brooke Foundation, and The Hearst Foundation, Inc.
