Other
Discover Eso: Percussion Instruments: Harp
Contains information on the harp. Students learn about the history and qualities of the instrument and can listen to audio excerpts of the harp being played.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Guiro
Use this resource to learn about the percussion family of the orchestra and the guiro. This instrument is untuned and comes from South and Central America.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Orchestra Instruments
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart describes the various instrument families and the instruments that fit in each family. Sound files are attached to the instruments so that students can hear what each sounds like.
Quia
Quia: 2003 Music Review
Play musical Jeopardy! Test your knowledge of sound, instruments of the orchestra, music elements, music notation, and rhythm. Play this interactive game by yourself, or with a friend!
Other
Online Mallet Lessons
This site contains numerous tips and suggestions dealing with many facets of playing the vibraphone and marimba. Although much of the information is jazz oriented, some is general enough that it could easily be applied to xylophone and...
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Violin
Read about the violin, as well as a few other string instruments. Use Windows Media Player or Real Audio to listen to three violin samples. Pictures of the instrument are also provided.
University of Michigan
University of Michigan: Instrument Encyclopedia: Clarinet
This article, providing general information on the clarinet -- "a very popular woodwind instrument which originated in Islamic and Asian countries" -- includes an image of a clarinet, several references for reading and research, and a...
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Teachers Lounge
Although this is considered a teachers lounge, it has many activities for students too. Teachers will love this because there are many lesson plans as well as other activities to do with their students.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: William Grant Still
This resource describes how William Grant Still (1895-1978 CE) started out playing the violin and then began teaching himself to play other string instruments as well as the oboe, clarinet, and saxophone. His most famous work is...
PBS
Classics for Kids: Benjamin Britten
A short biography of Benjamin Britten (1913-1976 CE). Click to the past radio shows to hear his music and learn more about this famous composer.
Other
New York Philharmonic: Kid Zone!
Meet musicians, create your own instrument and musical compositions, and tour the backstage home of the New York Philharmonic.
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Timpani
A nice, factual encyclopedia entry from Wikipedia on the timpani. Discusses its origins, how it is played, how it is tuned, and its significance in an orchestra. Links are provided throughout the article for additional information.
Other
Gamelan Tunas Mekar
Music and dance of Bali, as practiced and presented by a community of Indonesian artists devoted to the traditional Balinese arts. At the online home of Gamelan Tunas Mekar, a Denver-based gamelan orchestra, find audio clips of Balinese...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: An Introduction to Kabuki Theater
Kabuki was one of the three most popular dramatic forms of Japan, the other two being Noh drama and puppet theater (bunraku). Singers and an orchestra of drums, flutes, wooden clappers, and samisen (a stringed instrument similar to the...