The History of the Modern Musical (flexible schedule, ages 8-12)

Did you know that the modern musical is rooted in ancient Greece? This 4-week course will explore the interesting history of musicals, different musical genres, and the important figures in musical history. The course outline is as follows: 

Week 1: Ancient Roots of the Modern Musical (Greek theatre and European opera)
Week 2: Modern Musical History (1890-present)
Week 3: Genres of the Modern Musical
Week 4: Important Figures in Musical History 

Learners will learn about the roots of the modern musical by learning about Greek theatre and European opera. They will continue to explore the history of the modern musical from 1890 through the present day. They will learn about different genres of the modern musical, such as "book musicals", "rock musicals", and "jukebox musicals". We also will discuss and learn about important figures in musical history, like Gilbert and Sullivan, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and George Cohen. Each week, learners will be provided with video examples illustrating the weekly topic and providing the opportunity for exposure to new musicals. This is an excellent course for students who love musicals but are not familiar with their history. 

I will provide a video lecture outlining the composer and composition of the week no later than Monday at 5pm. A YouTube playlist will also be posted in the classroom for listening activities. A handout will be provided which summarizes the content of the video lecture and contains critical thinking questions.  Learners should answer these questions after watching the video lectures and listening to the music provided and post their responses to the classroom no later than Friday at 5pm. 

A weekly Q&A thread will be available for students who have questions during their studies each week. I am also available to students through direct message and will respond to questions within 24 hours. I encourage students to interact as a class and will help facilitate classroom discussions about their favorite musicals, their opinions on various musical-related articles and videos, and other relevant topics. These additional conversation posts will be posted throughout the week and will help create a classroom environment. Finally, students will have access to a virtual classroom for additional videos, quizzes, and challenges! To see an example of a virtual classroom, please visit this link: https://tinyurl.com/y7579jnq

No previous musical knowledge is needed to participate and enjoy this course! Learners only need a love of musicals and a desire to learn more. 

This is a flexible schedule course, which means there are NO LIVE CLASSES. I will post materials on a weekly schedule and learners will be responsible for watching lecture videos, listening to music playlists, and posting to the classroom as they take the class. I encourage my students to get to know each other through the online classroom and welcome any questions and comments about the material at any time! For more information on flex classes in my classroom, please watch this video: https://youtu.be/iFdL2cYWiDs