The chamber group Satori and I have begun to do programs together that is a combination of music and story. Think "Peter and the Wolf" but plug in old English and German fairy tales, and you'll have the idea. It is called:

ONCE UPON A TUNE

A blend of music and storytelling, setting less-familiar European fables in a framework of classical chamber music. Students hear the dragons, the royal dances, and the magic -- in music as well as words -- and are introduced to wind and string instruments. SATORI's ensemble musicians set the stage for professional storytelling, and offer musical motifs to supplement the events and characters of the tales unfolding. Students learn to identify the sounds of individual instruments, and also gain an appreciation for the power of music to enrich spoken words and create images. This program is most suitable for students in Grades 1-5, and is approximately 45 minutes-1 hour in length.

SATORI is a professional chamber music ensemble, based in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, and performing regularly throughout the eastern United States. Its mission is to foster growth in chamber music appreciation through a regular series of public performances, special projects, and educational programs, to present chamber music in an accessible fashion, maintaining a high standard of musical excellence, and to explore traditional and contemporary chamber music repertoires.

For more information on this program and Satori's numerous other programs go to SATORI.