Listening to high quality music is great for developing musicians! In class I try to expose students to new genres and show them videos of excellent string players and musicians. I know that students spend a lot of time out side of class listening to music, so I thought a list of music to search might help students discover new music that they enjoy.
I recommend the following musicians and bands. I love them and think they are great examples of talented musicians. I encourage students to listen to these musicians on Pandora and Spotify and Youtube if okay with parents. I encourage students to always be searching for new music beyond what can easily be found on the radio. Purchase the albums of your favorite musicians, never steal music online. MP3s can be easily purchased on Amazon and itunes.
Fun examples of string playing:
String Fever- cool string quartet
Vitamin String Quartet- covers pop songs
Turtle Island String Quartet -cool string quartet
The Piano Guys- cello/piano
2cellos- electric cellos
Dallas String Quartet- covers pop songs
Trans-Siberian Orchestra- electric orchestra
Moxie Strings- violin, cello duet
Lindsey Stirling- violinist
Yo Yo Ma- cellist
Edgar Meyer- bassist
Paul Kowert- bassist
Lionel Tertis- viola
William Primrose- viola
Mark Wood- electric violin
Christian Howes- jazz violin
Tim Kliphuis- gypsy jazz violinist
Stephan Grappelli- gypsy jazz violinist
Issac Pearlman- classical violin
Joshua Bell- violin
Darol Anger- violin, mandolin, cello
Gary Karr- classical bass player
Harold Robinson- classical bass player
Rinat Ibragimov- classical bass player
Brooklyn Du0- piano and cello
Songs we have listened to in orchestra:
Cool groups:
Punch Brothers- vocals, mandolin, upright bass, violin, guitar, banjo
I'm with Her - similar to the Punch Brothers
Le Vent de Nord- vocals, violin, upright bass, guitar, accordion, hurdy gurdy
Postmodern Jukebox-covers pop songs in different styles. Very talented musicians- CAUTION MODERN POP SONG LYRICS
Goat Rodeo Sessions- violin, bass, mandolin, cello
Vasen- viola, guitar, nyckelharpa
Other instrumentalists and bands you may enjoy:
Mandolin: Chris Thile, David Grisman, Don Stiernberg, Mike Marshall
Banjo: Bela Fleck, Noam Pikelny
Movie Composer: Danny Elfman, John Williams, Hans Zimmer
Jazz: Dave Brubeck, Thelonious Monk, Wynton Marsalis, Ella Fitzgerald, Gershwin
Blues: BB King, Hugh Laurie
Blue Grass: Bill Monroe, Doc Watson, David Grisman
You Tube Video Links:
My Blue Heaven- cello and guitar
The Gonzalo Bergara Quartet "Junio"
String Fever "History of Music"
Lindsey Stirling "Crystallize"
Lindsey Stirling "We Found Love"
2 Cellos "Welcome to the Jungle"
The Piano Guys "The Cello Song"
Sarah Jarosz "Book of Right On"
"After You've Gone" Gypsy Jazz Style
The Aristocats "Scales and Arpeggios"
Punch Brothers "New York City"
Punch Brothers "Movement and Location"
Simply Three "Rolling in the Deep"
Bohemian Rhapsody for orchestra and viola solo
Classical Music Links:
Allegro from Vivaldi's Double Cello Concerto
Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer play a Bach Trio
Principal Bass of London Symphony plays Bottesini's Concerto No. 2 in B minor
Christian Howes You Tube Links:
*This list of musicians and videos was compiled by Rebecca Barko