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Best of '99 HeaderUpdated JUNE, 2007


Energy In The Air: Sounds From The Orchestra
http://library.thinkquest.org/5116
GRADE LEVEL: 2-8

CONTENT:
Research keeps reaffirming the benefits of listening to music, especially orchestral music, on the development of higher brain function. If you want to get your class interested in orchestral music, then this is the site for you. Energy In The Air: Sounds From The Orchestra features downloadable music clips, information about the instruments, quizzes, and a section on sound waves.

AESTHETICS:
A subtle sheet music background complements an excellent collection of images of the various instruments of the orchestra.

ORGANIZATION:
The main page has a navigational map to information about the instruments of the orchestra. The linked pages all have a navigational sidebar with links to the instrument families, activities, and other important pages. The site requires a RealPlayer plug-in to hear the excellent collection of sound clips.

REVIEW:
Energy In The Air: Sounds From The Orchestra is a platinum award winner in the 1999 ThinkQuest Junior competition and a phenomenal site! An excellent resource for both primary- and middle-school music education, the site includes a history, description, and information on how to play each of the various instruments in the orchestra. Also included is a brief description of sound waves and examples of the types of waves different orchestral instruments produce. To make a good site even better, the Activity Center gives directions for making a large collection of musical instruments from ordinary household items.

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