Russian Through Classical Music offers an exciting opportunity to study music in Russian while mastering the language through this process! The lessons are designed for children and teenagers who speak Russian as their native or second language and aim to maintain and develop conversational skills in an engaging and playful manner. The lessons can serve as a supplement to primary Russian language classes or as an independent program.

Many classical music compositions are based on literary texts, providing an excellent opportunity to combine getting acquainted with world musical heritage with learning Russian. During the lessons, we will read and discuss literary works, listen to and analyze related musical compositions, immerse ourselves in various cultures, and simultaneously improve our language skills.

Sample Lesson Topics (Elementary School):

Module Children’s Corner

• ‘Children’s Album’ by P.I. Tchaikovsky: introduction to musical compositions reflecting childhood culture in merchant Russia. Listening to and discussing pieces, learning poems and stories related to the music.
• ‘Children’s Corner’ by C. Debussy and ‘Mother Goose Tales’ by M. Ravel: immersion in the world of French childhood. Reading and retelling fairy tales that inspired the musical compositions. Listening to and discussing pieces from the cycles.
• Children’s games and amusements in the music of different countries: introduction to traditional games of various nations through the example of pieces by different composers from R. Schumann to A. Maykapar. Learning counting rhymes, songs, and discussing game rules.
• ‘Summer Day’ by S. Prokofiev: introduction to the animated film based on the suite of the same name, discussing the music. Collaborative story creation about the hero of the pieces.

Module Monsters and Beasts

• ‘About Leshys, Kikimoras, and Other Monsters’: a quest lesson about fantastic characters from Slavic and Western European folklore. Listening to music by A. Lyadov, N. Rimsky-Korsakov, M. Mussorgsky, and P. Tchaikovsky. Learning counting rhymes and riddles about fairy-tale creatures.
• Animal Portraits in Music: ‘Carnival of the Animals’ by C. Saint-Saëns, ‘The Cunning Little Vixen’ opera by L. Janáček, ‘The Firebird’ ballet by I. Stravinsky. Discussing the musical and literary embodiment of the habits and characters of animals and birds.

Module Magical Fairy Tales

• Western European fairy tales in music: operas ‘Thumbelina’ by E. Podgaits, ‘Puss in Boots’ by C. Cui, ballets ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ by P. Tchaikovsky, ‘Cinderella’ by S. Prokofiev. Reading and discussing fairy tales by C. Perrault and the Brothers Grimm, comparing them with the libretti of operas and ballets.
• Russian fairy tales in music: operas ‘The Tale of Tsar Saltan’ by N. Rimsky-Korsakov and ‘Ruslan and Lyudmila’ by M. Glinka, ‘The Little Humpbacked Horse’ ballet by R. Shchedrin. Introduction to the plots and characters of works by A.S. Pushkin and P. Yershov, analysis of difficult words and expressions, examination of the connection between music and plot. Writing your own opera libretto based on a well-known story.

Module Myths and Legends

• How and what they sang about in Ancient Greece. The structure of the ancient Greek theater. Staging a famous fairy tale in the spirit of an ancient Greek tragedy.
• Myths about music: legends about Orpheus, the god Pan, and the nymph Syrinx.
• Russian epics and legends: the legend of Sadko, the opera ‘Sadko’ by N. Rimsky-Korsakov. Reading epics, analyzing ancient words and expressions, examining the musical characterization of the characters.
• Ural tales: stories by P. Bazhov, ‘The Stone Flower’ ballet by S. Prokofiev. Reading the tales, discussing the characters embodied in the music.

Sample Lesson Topics (Middle School):

Module Module Folklore and Fair Culture

• Introduction to Russian folklore and fair culture traditions.
• Ballets ‘Petrushka’ and ‘The Rite of Spring’ by I. Stravinsky: analysis of music, libretto, and their connection with folklore motifs.
• Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes and their role in popularizing Russian culture abroad.

Module History in Music

• Historical events and personalities in Russian music: operas ‘Ivan Susanin’ by M. Glinka, ‘Prince Igor’ by A. Borodin, ‘The Tsar’s Bride’ by N. Rimsky-Korsakov. Reading historical sources, analyzing libretti and music.
• Cantata ‘Alexander Nevsky’ by S. Prokofiev: the connection between music and historical events. Watching and discussing the film by S. Eisenstein, comparing it with Prokofiev’s music.

Module Fairy-Tale Characters in Opera

• Fairy-tale plots in the opera art of different countries: operas ‘Cinderella’ by G. Rossini, ‘The Tales of Hoffmann’ by J. Offenbach, ‘The Snow Maiden’ by N. Rimsky-Korsakov, ‘The Love for Three Oranges’ by S. Prokofiev.
• Comparing literary sources with opera libretti, analyzing the musical characterization of characters, examining symbolism and allegories.

Module Poetry in Music

• Romances by Russian composers set to the poems of A. Pushkin, M. Lermontov, F. Tyutchev, A. Fet. Introduction to the romance genre, analysis of the interconnection between music and poetic text.
• Operas ‘Ruslan and Lyudmila’ by M. Glinka, ‘Eugene Onegin’ by P. Tchaikovsky: analysis of the musical embodiment of A. Pushkin’s poetic images. Reading fragments of the original sources, comparing them with the libretti and music.

Module Humor and Satire in Music

• ‘Music Jokes’: humorous and satirical images in the works of various composers. Analysis of musical means for creating a comic effect.
• Opera ‘The Golden Cockerel’ by N. Rimsky-Korsakov and ballet ‘The Nose’ by D. Shostakovich: grotesque, irony, and satire in musical theater.

Module Drama in Music

• Dramatic plots and conflicts in musical-theatrical genres: ‘Peer Gynt’ by E. Grieg. Analysis of the characters embodied in the music, comparison
  with the literary source.
• Opera ‘The Queen of Spades’ by P. Tchaikovsky: psychologism, tragedy, and fatalism in music.
• Rock opera ‘Juno and Avos’ by A. Rybnikov: a synthesis of traditions of Russian sacred music, opera, and rock music.