Online Course
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Open Course Ware: Music Composition

For Students 9th - 10th
A complete, undergraduate level online course on music composition. Includes all course material, projects, assignments, and exams with solutions.
Online Course
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Open Course Ware: Composing With Computers

For Students 9th - 10th
A complete, undergraduate level online course on music composition with computers. Includes all course material, projects, assignments, and exams with solutions.
Website
University of Pittsburgh

Center for American Music Stephen Foster's Career

For Students 9th - 10th
This University of Pittsburgh site provides a wealth of information about American songwriter Stephen Foster. This link discusses his professional career with various other links within the text about minstrel shows, etc. Return to the...
Website
Classical Net

Classical Net: Renaissance Repertoire: Renaissance Composers

For Students 9th - 10th
Those well-versed in music will find this site helpful, as it offers biographical information on a number of Renaissance composers, along with pictures and information on compositions.
Activity
University of Virginia

Music Paper

For Students 9th - 10th
Composing your own music is just a click away with this blank music paper. Several templates are available to help you quickly begin composing. Simply select the one you would like and print out as many copies as you need.
Activity
Other

Music Sheaf: Music Paper

For Students 9th - 10th
Here is an excellent site that allows you to print your own music paper. The great feature of this site is that you can also create your own customized version of music paper to better suit your needs.
Website
Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Dallas Symphony Orchestra

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Students will enjoy this interactive website. There are many musical topics to explore while having fun. Learning how to make your own instrument, playing games and listening to music are just a few of the things you can do here.
Website
Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Dallas Symphony Orchestra

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Students will enjoy this interactive website. There are many musical topics to explore while having fun. Learning how to make your own instrument, playing games and listening to music are just a few of the things you can do here.
Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs: Elements of Music: Exploring the Composer's Tools

For Teachers 6th - 8th
This online lesson plan will help students understand how composers write music by engaging in a project which culminates in their own compositions.
Website
Other

Creating Music

For Students 3rd - 5th
This online, interactive environment for music creation and exploration includes games and puzzles and interesting activities that teach about music in a visual way.
Interactive
Other

Sfskids: Music Mountain

For Students 3rd - 6th
Become a composer and make your own tune.
Lesson Plan
ArtsNow

Arts Now Learning: Music and Acoustics [Pdf]

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
In this instructional activity, students will create a rhythmic composition using cups to demonstrate understanding and identification of various sounds. Musical skills addressed include improvising, composing, listening, and playing.
Interactive
Other

Chord Studio

For Students 9th - 10th
Have fun composing your own music with this easy to use online tool. Select the chords you want your song to have and choose the various instrument styles. You can sign up for a free account so you can save your songs and edit them later.
Article
Other

Composing Music Using Computers

For Students 9th - 10th
Understanding MIDI, digital audio, and how to compose using both. Although this site is from 1996, much of the information remains relevant.
Interactive
Other

Virtual Composer

For Students 9th - 10th
Compose music with this interesting online tool. To compose, you click small boxes on a grid. The grid is continuously scanned with a line that passes over your clicked boxes which in turn plays their sounds. You can listen to other...
Interactive
PBS

Classics for Kids: Compose Your Own Music

For Students 9th - 10th
In this interactive you will compose your own music in 4/4 time. Hit play to hear to hear your song then send it to your friends!
Website
Other

Morton Subotnick's Creating Music

For Students Pre-K - 1st
This site is an effective and fun way to help children understand music better. There are several online interactive games to play to better understand rhythm, pitch, scales and much more.
Graphic
Other

Examples of Music Scores: Hildegard of Bingen

For Students 9th - 10th
Images and descriptions of original compositions by Bingen.
Website
Other

Philip Glass Official Website

For Students 9th - 10th
This is the official website of 20th century composer, Philip Glass. The site includes news, biography, calendar, works, discography, and more.
Lesson Plan
ArtsNow

Arts Now Learning: Module K: Shapes

For Teachers K Standards
In this series of STEAM activities, students will discover the concepts of geometry through shape exploration and the creation of choreographic sequences. Another activity in this module will allow students to identify shapes by applying...
Handout
Classical Net

Classical Net: Johann David Heinichen

For Students 9th - 10th
A very interesting page outlining the life of composer Johann David Heinichen. This site includes his biography, a list of his compositions and links to some of his recorded music.
Website
Other

Georg Philipp Telemann: A Biographical Note

For Students 9th - 10th
A nice, in-depth biography on composer Georg Philipp Telemann is found here. Details on his compositions and life as a composer are given.
Interactive
PBS

Pbs: Caillou's Magic Keyboard

For Students Pre-K - 1st
This site allows young children to explore composition using elements supplied by the program, to create short, original musical pieces. The instructions are read aloud.
Website
Library of Congress

Loc: The Richard Rodgers Collection

For Students 9th - 10th
This site is provided for by the Library of Congress. Below the long list of Rodgers' works you'll find an extensive timeline of his life and composition history.