Famous Composers
Objective: This worksheet aims to introduce students to the life and works of a famous composer, with focus on one of their most important pieces of music, while enhancing the students' reading and listening comprehension skills.
Content and methods: The worksheet begins with an informational text about a famous composer, covering their birth and death dates, musical era, characteristics of their music, important works, and influences from other musicians. Students are then tasked with filling out a profile of the composer based on this information. Subsequently, an audio text is introduced to provide more details about one of their most famous pieces of music. After listening, students answer multiple-choice questions about the audio text. The worksheet concludes by providing a link for students to listen to the music online.
Competencies:
- Reading comprehension
- Information extraction and summarization
- Knowledge of music history and famous composers
- Listening comprehension
- Understanding of musical works and their characteristics
Target group: Primary and secondary school students
65 other teachers use this template
Target group and level
Primary and secondary school students
Subjects
Famous Composers
The composer
In this worksheet, you will learn about a famous composer and an important work they composed. First, read the informational text, then fill out the profile.
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born on May 7, 1840, in Votkinsk, Russia, and he died on November 6, 1893, in St. Petersburg, Russia. Tchaikovsky was a famous composer from the Romantic era. This period is known for music that is full of emotion and expression.
Tchaikovsky's music is very emotional and dramatic. He used lots of different instruments to create rich and colorful sounds. Sometimes his music can make you feel happy, and other times it can make you feel sad or excited. His melodies are beautiful and easy to remember.
Some of Tchaikovsky's most important works include "Swan Lake," "The Nutcracker," and "The 1812 Overture." "Swan Lake" and "The Nutcracker" are ballets, which means they are written for dancers. These ballets are still performed all over the world today. "The 1812 Overture" is a very famous piece that celebrates a Russian military victory. It even uses cannons as part of the music!
Tchaikovsky was influenced by many other musicians. He admired the music of Mozart and Beethoven, and he learned a lot from their works. He also liked the music of his Russian contemporaries, such as Mily Balakirev. Tchaikovsky was able to take these influences and create his own unique style that people still love today.
Tchaikovsky's music has inspired many other composers and musicians. His ability to express deep emotions through his music has made him one of the most beloved composers in history. Even now, people listen to and perform his music all around the world.
Additional information for teachers
A famous piece of music
In the following audio text, you will learn more about a famous piece of music by the composer.
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Listen to the music
If you want to listen to the music that was just introduced, you can do so via the following link. Have fun!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNQWdaFoiN4
