Modern Music Teacher Resources

Young scholars read and discuss 'Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra: Mixing Treasures by Duke Ellington and Edvard Grieg,' exploring how jazz transformed European music and the influence jazz has had on modern music. They write musical reviews.

High schoolers take a virtual field trip to Memphis, Tennessee in their study of the blues, its characterisitics, founding fathers, and histororical influence on modern music. They compose blues lyrics that reflect present-day attitudes...

In this music worksheet, students read key points about English folk music including what it is, what instruments are played, its history, and two of its important styles. They answer 10 questions using full sentences before writing a...

Students explore history of technological advances in making, recording, and listening to music that have intrigued and inspired musicians and scientists for decades.

Students explore American history through hands-on use and demonstration of musical material culture representing early colonial America. They compare the music of colonial America to modern music.

Young scholars examine artwork by Thomas Hart Benton. In this interdisciplinary lesson, students analyze the painting The Sources of Country Music, listen to folk music, and examine how recording technology and the movies shaped the...

In this English folk music worksheet, students read an article pertaining to the history of folk music in England from the times of the Industrial Revolution until the 1970s.

In this English folk music worksheet, 8th graders read about the characteristics, instruments, and purpose of traditional music. They read about the history of folk music and contemporary uses of this type of music. They answer 10 short...

Discover the rich cultural traditions and remarkable ingenuity of indigenous people and African slaves by learning about one of the most popular percussion instruments in the world today.

Watching Great Performances’ Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival Chicago launches an investigation into and discussion of how the electric guitar and guitarists have changed the sound of the blues over time. An engaging way to...

Students study the work of Rodgers and Hammerstein in an historical context of the development of American musical theatre as an art form. Students explore "roots" of the genre as it evolves in last half of the 19th and first two decades...

Students analyze the origins of jazz music by examining work songs, spirituals, blues, and gospel songs as well as works of poetry from African American artists. They create their own poems from either the narrative, dramatic, or lyric...

Seventh graders explore the geography of Eastern and Western Europe. They compare and constrast the culture of Jewish people from Eastern and Western Europe. They analyze deportation and confinement in concentration camps, using personal...

Middle schoolers see examples of other types of written stories. They are introduced to the ballad in literature. Students obtain ideas for their own family story. They discuss how ballads can relate true stories through music. Middle...

A complete, undergraduate level online class on the topic of modern music in the 1900s. Includes complete course material.

Fordham University provides college-level reading on how the Nationalism of the 19th Century affected the music of the 20th, especially Classical music. These composers lived most of their lives in the 1800's, but are often classified...

This page covers a wide range of topics concerning 20th century music. Included are many references to styles and composers and terms found in 20th century music.

Can you imagine music without the electric guitar? The Lemelson Center provides us with a comprehensive overview on the history behind its invention and design. Includes photos depicting how the design has changed over the years and...

National Public Radio offers an interesting look at the history of the invention that "Changed modern music and popular culture as well -- the electric guitar."

Many modern musical instruments are complicated pieces of machinery with many moving parts. But the cajon is simply a drum and a stand and a seat all in one box. Paul Jennings explains the history behind the cajon and how it has become...

The official site, with sections devoted to his life, compositions, recordings, writings, and news. The news section has internet links, and the site has a search function!

This site contains the most significant artistic output of the most important composers within each historical period.

National Public Radio offers an interesting look at the history of the invention that "Changed modern music and popular culture as well -- the electric guitar."

National Public Radio offers an interesting look at the history of the invention that "Changed modern music and popular culture as well -- the electric guitar."