Concerto for Two Violins in A Minor
Busy Kids Love Music
In today’s episode, we’re wrapping up our three-part series on Antonio Vivaldi with a piece that feels both intimate and expressive—the Concerto for Two Violins in A Minor. If you’ve been listening along with this series, you already know how much I’ve loved exploring Vivaldi with you. Today’s piece gives us something a little different from The Four Seasons—and it invites us to listen in a whole new way. 🎧 What You’ll Learn in This Episode In this episode, we explore: What makes a concerto unique (and why this one is extra special with two soloists) The difference between...
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The Four Seasons
Busy Kids Love Music
In this episode of Busy Kids Love Music, we continue our three-part series on Antonio Vivaldi with a deep dive into one of the most famous pieces of classical music ever written: The Four Seasons.Even if you’ve never heard Vivaldi’s name before, there’s a good chance you’ve heard this music! Today, we explore how Vivaldi used sound to paint vivid pictures of nature—from birds singing in spring to icy winds in winter.As you listen, you’ll discover how music can tell a story without using any words. Download Your Four Seasons Weather Map Make listening interactive and fun! With...
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The Life of Antonio Vivaldi
Busy Kids Love Music
In this episode of Busy Kids Love Music, we begin a brand-new three-part composer series all about Antonio Vivaldi—one of the most famous composers of the Baroque period. You may already recognize Vivaldi’s name from some of his nature-inspired music, but in this series, we’re slowing down to take a closer look at his life, his music, and what makes his style so unique. In today’s episode, we explore Vivaldi’s early life, family, and musical training, and discover how a boy growing up in Venice became a composer known all across Europe. Download Your Audio Treasure Map Make...
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Why Were So Many Women Composers Forgotten?
Busy Kids Love Music
March is Women’s History Month, and in this special episode of Busy Kids Love Music, we explore a powerful and important question: If women have been composing for centuries…why were so many of their names forgotten? Instead of focusing on just one composer, this episode looks at the bigger historical picture — uncovering the social, cultural, and publishing barriers that kept many brilliant women composers from being widely remembered. You’ll hear excerpts from stunning works and discover why these composers deserve a permanent place in music history. Featured Composers & Works...
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Margaret Bonds
Busy Kids Love Music
In our last episode, we explored the vibrant creativity of the Harlem Renaissance. Today, we zoom in on one extraordinary composer who stood right in the center of that artistic world: Margaret Bonds. Margaret Bonds was a pianist, composer, teacher, and trailblazer whose music blended spirituals, jazz, and classical traditions into something uniquely powerful. She believed music could speak up for fairness, dignity, and hope—and she used her voice boldly. In this episode, you’ll discover: How Bonds’ childhood home in Chicago became a gathering place for Black artists and...
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Music During the Harlem Renaissance
Busy Kids Love Music
In this special Black History Month episode of Busy Kids Love Music, we travel back about 100 years to Harlem, New York—an exciting neighborhood overflowing with creativity, poetry, dancing, painting, and bold new musical sounds. This remarkable time in American history is known as the Harlem Renaissance, a cultural “rebirth” that took place during the 1920s and 1930s. In this episode, we'll explore how music helped shape the Harlem Renaissance—and how the Harlem Renaissance changed the future of American music forever. What Was the Harlem Renaissance? The word renaissance...
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The Rite of Spring
Busy Kids Love Music
In this episode of Busy Kids Love Music, we wrap up our three-part series on composer Igor Stravinsky with one of the most famous — and most shocking — pieces in music history: The Rite of Spring. When this ballet premiered in Paris in 1913, audiences expected graceful dancing and pretty melodies. Instead, they heard pounding rhythms, clashing sounds, and music that felt wild and unpredictable. Some people loved it… and others were so surprised that they began shouting during the performance! We’ll explore why Stravinsky’s music sounded so different from anything audiences had heard...
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The Firebird
Busy Kids Love Music
Igor Stravinsky became famous almost overnight thanks to one magical ballet — The Firebird. In this episode, I'll take you inside the glowing, mysterious world of this Russian fairy tale, filled with enchanted creatures, an evil sorcerer, brave heroes, and powerful music that tells the story without words. Based on centuries-old Russian folk tales, The Firebird follows Prince Ivan, who captures a magical Firebird and receives a glowing feather in return for her freedom. That feather later helps him defeat Kashchei the Immortal, an evil sorcerer who has trapped princesses and turned travelers...
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The Life of Igor Stravinsky
Busy Kids Love Music
Igor Stravinsky, Part 1: The Composer Who Changed Music In this episode of Busy Kids Love Music, we begin a brand-new three-part series all about one of the most bold and imaginative composers in music history: Igor Stravinsky. From ballet stages to concert halls, Stravinsky’s music changed the way people thought about rhythm, sound, and storytelling in music. In Part 1, we explore Stravinsky’s life story—where he grew up, how he was introduced to music, and how he became one of the most important composers of the 20th century. We also learn how Stravinsky’s life was shaped by major...
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The Great Re-Listen Challenge
Busy Kids Love Music
We’ve reached the final episode of 2025, and we’re celebrating the year with something special: The Great Re-Listen Challenge! This fun year-end episode invites your family to revisit some of our favorite musical adventures from the past year — all paired with themes like Road Trip Listen, Dance Party Listen, and Bedtime Listen. Whether you’ve listened to Busy Kids Love Music for years or pressed play for the very first time in 2025, thank you for making this podcast part of your musical journey. This episode is all about reflecting, reconnecting, and rediscovering the music we...
info_outlineThis month on Busy Kids Love Music, we’re celebrating the magic of musical theater — and the brand-new movie Wicked: For Good! In this episode, I introduce young listeners to Stephen Schwartz, the brilliant composer and lyricist behind some of Broadway and Disney’s most beloved songs.
From his early studies at Juilliard and Carnegie Mellon to writing timeless shows like Godspell, Pippin, and Children of Eden, Stephen Schwartz has spent his career creating music that inspires and uplifts. Of course, his most famous work — Wicked — reimagines the story of Oz through unforgettable songs like “Defying Gravity,” “Popular,” and “For Good.”
As you listen, you’ll learn what it means to be both a composer and a lyricist, explore Schwartz’s journey to Broadway, and discover how his music brings characters’ emotions to life.
🎵 Featured Music in This Episode
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“For Good” – Wicked
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“Popular” – Wicked
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“Corner of the Sky” – Pippin
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“Defying Gravity” – Wicked
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“No Good Deed” – Wicked
🧩 Free Printable: Audio Treasure Hunt
Turn this episode into an interactive listening activity!
Download the Audio Treasure Hunt Worksheet from the show notes to answer fun questions about Stephen Schwartz and test your listening skills as you go.
👉 Download Here
💡 Fun Facts
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Stephen Schwartz wrote music and lyrics for Wicked, Pippin, and Godspell. Listen to a full playlist of Stephen Schwartz favorites here!
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He also penned lyrics for Disney favorites like Pocahontas (“Colors of the Wind”), The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Enchanted.
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You can even spot Stephen Schwartz himself in a cameo appearance in Wicked: Part 1!
🪄 Keep Listening
This episode kicks off a month-long celebration of musical theater at Busy Kids Love Music! Stay tuned for more Wicked-themed fun and behind-the-scenes stories about Broadway composers.
🎧 Subscribe to Busy Kids Love Music wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t miss a single musical adventure.
💻 Explore More
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🎹 Learn piano with Busy Kids Do Piano: busykidsdopiano.com
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📸 Follow along on social media:
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Instagram: @busykidsdopiano
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Facebook: Busy Kids Do Piano
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YouTube: Busy Kids Do Piano Channel
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