The Story Orchestra series brings classical music to life for children through gorgeously illustrated retellings of classic ballet, opera and program music stories paired with 10-second sound clips of orchestras playing from their musical scores. With The Story Orchestra keyboard sound books, children can play the famous melodies themselves with the sound of a real grand piano.
The Story Orchestra: A Midsummer Night's Dream
Discover the spellbinding magic of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream in this musical reimagining of Mendelssohn's most famous suites - push the button in each scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Mendelssohn's score.
This story takes us to Athens where the Duke and Queen are to be married. However, not everyone is as happy, and on one midsummer's night, mischievous fairies, lively actors and young lovers get caught up in a series of pranks and events in the nearby woods.
As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes of Shakespeare's most beloved and comedic play, press the buttons on each page to hear 10 excerpts from the incidental music! Readers should press firmly on the pages to activate the sounds, encouraging interactive learning and introducing children to this beautiful piece of music.
At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Felix Mendelssohn, with details about his composition of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.
The Story Orchestra: Carnival of Animals
Discover the magical world of Carnival of the Animals in this musical reimagining of this celebrated suite for children – push the button in each breathtaking scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Camille Saint-Saëns’ score.
One day, two brothers discover a magical animal kingdom behind their bookcase. They are greeted by the royal lion with his shaggy mane; ask for directions from an old lonely tortoise; take a ride on some lumbering elephants; topple a skeleton of dinosaur bones; and swim among a school of shimmering fish. If only they could take them all home...
The Story Orchestra: Four Seasons in One Day
Discover what it would be like to travel through the four seasons in one day in this musical story based on the classical masterpiece The Four Seasons - push the button in each breathtaking scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Vivaldi's score.
Follow a little girl called Isabelle and her dog, Pickle, as they take on the adventure of a lifetime. As a sign of the changing seasons, Isabelle carries a little apple tree with her, and we see it bud, blossom and lose its leaves. As you and your little one journey through the vibrant scenes illustrated by artist Jessica Courtney-Tickle, you will press the buttons to hear 10 excerpts from The Four Seasons violin concerti.
At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Antonio Vivaldi, with details about his composition of The Four Seasons. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.
The Story Orchestra: I Can Play (Vol 1)
From the The Story Orchestra series, a beautifully illustrated first piano sound book! Press the keys to learn 8 famous classical tunes from the story books.
Even the youngest child can learn to play music with this simple method. Colour and shape codes correspond to the 14 keys, so kids can learn easy 8-bar, one-finger melodies. Each song includes an enchanting illustration and description of the part of the story that the music is telling along with playing tips. All the favourite characters from the series are there to encourage young musicians as they play their first notes with the sound of a piano.
I Can Play:
The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy - The Nutcracker (Tchaikovsky)
The Dance of the Reed Flutes - The Nutcracker (Tchaikovsky)
Flight of the Swans - Swan Lake (Tchaikovsky)
Dance of the Cygnets - Swan Lake (Tchaikovsky)
Royal March of the Lions - The Carnival of the Animals (Saint-Saens)
The Elephant - The Carnival of the Animals (Saint-Saens)
The Swan - The Carnival of the Animals (Saint-Saens)
Spring Dawn Chorus - The Four Seasons (Vivaldi)
The Story Orchestra series brings classical music to life for children through gorgeously illustrated retellings of classic ballet, opera and program music stories paired with 10-second sound clips of orchestras playing from their musical scores.
The Story Orchestra: I Can Play The Nutcracker
Colour and shape codes correspond to the 14 keys, so kids can learn easy 8-bar, one-finger melodies, so even the youngest child can learn to play music with this simple method. For best results, playing readers the original piece first is recommended so children can familiarise themselves with the pacing of the tune.
Each song includes an enchanting illustration and description of the part of the story that the music is telling, along with playing tips. All the favourites characters from The Nutcracker story are there to encourage young musicians as they play their first notes with the sound of a piano.
I Can Play The Nutcracker:
Grandfather’s Dance
Clara’s Dream
Waltz of the Snowflakes
Russian Dance
Dance of the Reed Flutes
Waltz of the Flowers
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
Finale
The Story Orchestra: In the Hall of the Mountain King
Discover the spellbinding magic of The Mountain King in this musical retelling of Peer Gynt―push the button on each beautiful scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Grieg’s score.
This tale of a boy’s adventure through the valleys and mountains of the Norwegian countryside begins at a wedding feast far, far away. Peer Gynt is bored and he’s longing for adventure. After sneaking off from the party he finds himself at a peaceful lake where he meets some dairy people. When he lies about his escapades riding reindeers through the sky, they dare him to go to the lair of the Mountain King, the king of the trolls.
The king’s halls are dark and spooky, and it isn’t long before Peer is captured. How will he escape? And will he learn the importance of humility and the value of friends?
As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes, you will press the buttons to hear 10 excerpts from the score. Readers should press firmly on the pages to activate the sounds, encouraging interactive learning and introducing children to this beautiful piece of music.
At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Edvard Grieg, with details about his composition of Peer Gynt. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.
The Story Orchestra: Peter and the Wolf
Discover the spellbinding magic of Peter and the Wolf in this musical reimagining of one of Prokofiev’s most famous suites.
This story is about a young boy called Peter who lives with his grandfather, who warns him about being outside because a wolf roams the woods. However, when the wolf threatens his only animal friends—a duck, a bird and his grandfather's cat—Peter decides to ignore his grandfather's warning and save them.
As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes, press the buttons on each page to activate the sounds! This encourages interactive learning and introduces children to this beautiful piece of music.
At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Sergei Prokofiev, with details about his composition of Peter and the Wolf. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.
The Story Orchestra: Swan Lake
Discover the spellbinding magic of Swan Lake in this musical retelling of the ballet - push the button on each beautiful scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Tchaikovsky's score.
This tale of a prince, a beautiful swan princess and an evil sorcerer begins in a woodland clearing far, far away. It is Prince Siegfried's 21st birthday. He is playing games with his friends when his mother, the Queen, arrives to tell him he needs to stop having fun and start looking after the kingdom. Prince Siegfried dreams of running away.
He follows an enchanting flock of swans to a clearing by a lake, where four of the little cygnets begin to dance. The most beautiful swan transforms into the Princess Odette, who tells him that she has been cursed to turn into a swan by day and return to her natural form at night by the evil sorcerer Von Rothbart. As the prince and Odette dance, they begin to fall in love.
The story follows Prince Siegfried as he attends his birthday party, is tricked into proposing to Von Rothbart's daughter Odile and returns to the lake to battle the evil sorcerer. Will the prince be reunited with his swan princess?
The Story Orchestra: The Magic Flute
Discover the sorcery of The Magic Flute in this musical retelling of the opera - push the button on each beautiful scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing, and singers singing, from Mozart's score.
This classic opera, reworked for the benefit of younger readers, tells a tale of a prince, a princess and a magic flute, which begins in a mountain ridge between two magical lands. Prince Tamino enters, chased by a dragon, but three brave mountain rangers gallop past on horseback to rescue him.
His cowardly friend Papageno comes out from his hiding place and they revive the prince. The rangers ask for one favour in return. Their boss, the Queen of the Night, asks Prince Tamino to rescue her daughter, Princess Pamina, from the evil Sun King. She gives Tamino a magic flute and Papageno some magic bells to help them.
The story follows Prince Tamino as he breaks into the Sun King's palace, charms the court with his magic flute, and gets caught by the guards. Will the prince escape with the princess?
At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Mozart, with details about his composition of The Magic Flute. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.
The Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker
Follow Clara on a magical Christmas adventure in this musical retelling of The Nutcracker ballet - push the button on each beautiful scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Tchaikovsky's original score.
It is Christmas Eve at Clara's house. Scents of ginger, chocolate and peppermint waft through the air. Clara's parents are having a party, and her little brother Fritz is decorating the Christmas tree. Clara's godfather, a toymaker, arrives with gifts, including a very special one for her - a wooden nutcracker carved in the shape of a little man. After Fritz breaks it, the children are sent to bed.
The story follows Clara in her dreams as she battles and defeats a mouse king, then travels with her nutcracker-turned-prince to the Land of Sweets where she watches its enchanting inhabitants perform beautiful dances. As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes, you will press the buttons to hear 10 excerpts from the ballet's music, including 'The Waltz of the Flowers', 'The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy', 'The Russian Dance', and the awesome 'Finale'.
At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, with details about his composition of The Nutcracker ballet. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.
The Story Orchestra: The Planets
Discover the spellbinding magic of The Planets in this musical reimagining of one of Holst’s most famous suites. Push the button on each beautiful scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Holst’s score.
This tale is about a brother and sister who adventure deep into our solar system. Our story begins one night as Helen and Tim get ready for bed in their new space rocket bunk beds… but sleep will have to wait as they magically blast up, up, up into the glittering night sky, leaving planet Earth far below them.
Helen and Tim journey here, there and everywhere through our majestic solar system. They soar past the cold rocky surface of Mars as it rises into towering peaks and plunges into deep canyons and glide through a bumpy asteroid belt made of icy rocks. They blast deeper into our solar system, exploring the dazzling stars and astounding planets along the way.
But now it really is time to head home! As the rocket speeds towards Earth, Tim and Helen watch the sun rise over their planet.
The Story Orchestra: The Sleeping Beauty
Discover the enchanting world of The Sleeping Beauty in this musical retelling of the ballet - push the button on each beautiful scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Tchaikovsky's score.
Guardian: 'a lively retelling, enriched by Jessica Courtney Tickle's luscious illustrations - each spread is like an illuminated garden'
Join the King and Queen as they throw a party for their new baby, Princess Aurora. But when a terrible guest arrives and places a curse on princess, the kingdom must find the one special person who can defeat it... As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes illustrated by artist Jessica Courtney Tickle, you will press the buttons to hear 10 excerpts from the ballet's music.
At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, with details about his composition of Swan Lake. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.
