Three Aksha returns to explore hand gestures and facial expressions through Bharathanatyam in Episode 17!
In Episode 16, Philadelphia's Elegance Quartet teaches us all about their electronic approach to a classical string quartet.
Philly's own Reef the Lost Cauze & Caliph-NOW teach us the basics of songwriting in Episode 14.
Syrian cellist and composer Kinan Abou-afach gives us a look into Arabic music through the oud and the cello in Episode 7.
Ms. Alysia of Sister Cities Girlchoir shows us how we can express our emotions through music in Episode 11.
Carlo and Bob from the Surabhi Ensemble in Chicago show us a beautiful Spanish melody on the guitar and a basic Spanish rhythm on the cajon in Episode 10.
Three Aksha returns to explore hand gestures and facial expressions through Bharathanatyam in Episode 17!
In Episode 16, Philadelphia's Elegance Quartet teaches us all about their electronic approach to a classical string quartet.
Philly's own Reef the Lost Cauze & Caliph-NOW teach us the basics of songwriting in Episode 14.
Syrian cellist and composer Kinan Abou-afach gives us a look into Arabic music through the oud and the cello in Episode 7.
Ms. Alysia of Sister Cities Girlchoir shows us how we can express our emotions through music in Episode 11.
Carlo and Bob from the Surabhi Ensemble in Chicago show us a beautiful Spanish melody on the guitar and a basic Spanish rhythm on the cajon in Episode 10.
Welcome to Mann Music Room: Learn, a way to virtually connect audience and performer, from home to home. Join us as we explore global cultures through music and dance, bringing new lessons, movements, and sounds straight to your living room.
Below you will find a rich catalog of culturally-diverse digital content accompanied by interactive student guides for each episode to deepen the virtual experience. For a full corresponding music curriculum for grades K-6, contact our Education and Community Engagement Department here.
Interested in diving deeper? Click here to learn more about our new partnership with the Satell Institute's Youth Enrichment Series.
Episode 36: Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America
This week’s episode features a beautiful performance from the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America. Driven by passion, tradition, and history, the all-male chorus preserves and exemplifies its mission as ambassadors of Ukrainian culture, music, and the unique 60-stringed instrument: the bandura. слава україні, героям слава 🌻
Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America
Website · Facebook · Instagram · YouTube
Episode 34: Tamar Greene
Our Celebration of Black Excellence continues! In this Mann Music Room x Voices of Hope episode, Tamar Greene returns with an outstanding performance of "Believe In Yourself" from The Wiz.
Episode 33: Cremaine Booker (That Cello Guy)
Our first Mann Music Room x Voices Of Hope: A Celebration of Black Excellence installment is here! Enjoy this gorgeous rendition of ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ by Cremaine Booker (also known as That Cello Guy)! Keep an eye out for more of these very special videos throughout Black History Month & beyond!
That Cello Guy
Website · Facebook · Twitter · Instagram · YouTube
Episode 32: Laurin Talese
To celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we're bringing you a very special Mann Music Room: Learn from Philadelphia vocalist & composer, Laurin Talese. Laurin kicks off Voices of Hope: A Celebration of Black Excellence with a tribute to Dr. King — echoing his message of anti-hate with an uplifting original song, "This Love". Enjoy!
Episode 31: Hispanic Heritage Month
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we're bringing you a special Mann Music Room episode! In this video, you'll enjoy a fantastic Spanish music and dance demo by our friends Carlo and Leticia. ¡Olé! 💃🎶🎸
Episode 29: Dan Blacksberg
We've got a special Mann Music Room episode in celebration of Rosh Hashanah! In this video, Dan Blacksberg teaches us all about klezmer music and its history within Jewish heritage. Shanah tovah! שנה טובה
Episode 27: Sunlight Origami
In this lesson, Sean and Vinnie of Sunlight Origami show us the magic of musical improvisation!
Episode 23: Pax Ressler
In honor of Pride Month, we're bringing you a special episode powered by TD with Pax Ressler, a Philadelphia-based artist, working at the intersection of theatre and music, as well as the intersection of arts and advocacy. In this video, Pax discusses the importance of staying true to yourself while welcoming and celebrating change. Happy Pride!
Episode 22: Brianna Castro
In this video, we learn the importance of musical expression as Brianna Castro performs an original song that, as she describes, captures a moment of her life that she otherwise couldn’t express through just words.
Episode 21: Leana Song
We're here with another Musicopia collaboration, a Philadelphia-based educational music enrichment organization! In this video, we're bringing you a lesson with Leana Song, an 8-piece Afro-Cuban ensemble that specializes in arrangements of ancient song, rhythm, and dance.
Printable Student Activity Guide
Episode 21: Snacktime Brass Band
Snacktime Brass Band is back with another episode! In this video, we'll learn what "busking" is and see it in action on the streets of Philadelphia.
Printable Student Activity Guide
Snacktime Brass Band
Instagram
Episode 20: Modero & Company
We're so excited to be partnering with Musicopia, a Philadelphia-based educational music enrichment organization, for six special Mann Music Room: Learn videos! In our first collaboration with them, we're bringing you a Balinese dance lesson with Modero & Company.
Printable Student Activity Guide
Voices of Hope: Chill Moody
This special Mann Music Room: Learn episode is part of our Black History Month Celebration, Voices of Hope! Each week in February we're bringing you a new video and activity guide exploring the importance of black artistry and its significance worldwide. Join us as West Philly native, Chill Moody, takes us to the sacred grounds of the Belmont Mansion Underground Railroad Museum for an unforgettable performance.
Voices of Hope: Eric Wortham II
This special Mann Music Room: Learn episode is part of our Black History Month Celebration, Voices of Hope! Each week in February we're bringing you a new video and activity guide exploring the importance of black artistry and its significance worldwide. This video features jazz music with Eric Wortham II on piano, Jonathan Smith on bass, and George "Spanky" McCurdy on drums.
Voices of Hope: Dr. J. Donald Dumpson
This special Mann Music Room: Learn episode is part of our Black History Month Celebration, Voices of Hope! Each week in February we're bringing you a new video and activity guide exploring the importance of black artistry and its significance worldwide. This video explores gospel music with the Arch Street Presbyterian Church Choir, Rev. Carla Jones Brown (Pastor), and Dr. J. Donald Dumpson (Minister of the Arts).
Voices of Hope: Benu Ausar Philly
This special Mann Music Room: Learn episode is part of our Black History Month Celebration, Voices of Hope! Each week in February we're bringing you a new video and activity guide exploring the importance of black artistry and its significance worldwide. This video is from Benu Ausar Philly, a traditional West African band led by local music educator Saantis Davis.
Episode 19: Tamar Greene
To honor the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we're bringing you a very special episode with the one and only Tamar Greene, a Broadway performer who currently plays the role of George Washington in the Broadway production of Hamilton.
In this powerful performance, Tamar Greene presents "I Dream", an original composition with text from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s celebrated I Have A Dream speech, as well as an arrangement of "Make Them Hear You" from the Broadway musical Ragtime.
Episode 18: Snacktime Brass Band
We're bringing you some holiday cheer for Episode 18! Snacktime Brass Band is here to perform a joyous version of "This Christmas" by Donny Hathaway.
Printable Student Activity Guide
Snacktime Brass Band
Instagram
Episode 17: Three Aksha
Three Aksha is back! In this lesson, we'll explore hand gestures and facial expressions through Bharathanatyam, the oldest classical dance tradition in India.
Episode 16: Elegance String Quartet
Philadelphia's Elegance Quartet teaches us all about their electronic approach to a classical string quartet. We even get to hear their take on some pop favorites!
Episode 15: Timbalona
In this episode, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Timbalona, a Philadelphia-based percussion ensemble that focuses on folklore and popular music from the Caribbean and Latin America, by learning about the Cuban rumba yambú!
Mann Music Room x Hispanic Heritage Month
Tune in to this special Mann Music Room collaboration with Los Bomberos de la Calle in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, originally premiering on Philly Live Weekends.
Mann Music Room x Mad Beatz Philly
On this special episode, Mad Beatz Philly celebrates elements of hip-hop culture - scratching and percussion - with this super fun collaboration on a classic Run DMC song.
Mad Beatz Philly is a local drumline group that has been providing hip-hop culture and education to the Philadelphia community since 2013. We've partnered with them for many of our Education & Community Engagement initiatives, such as our Young People's Concert Series, IMS Days, and our upcoming pilot program, Motion & Music Academy. They were also our featured artist in Mann Music Room: Episode 6!
Episode 14: Reef the Lost Cauze & Caliph-NOW
Philly's own Reef the Lost Cauze & Caliph-NOW teach us the basics of songwriting. If you've always wanted to write a song, but don't know where to begin, check out these tips and let your creativity flow! 🎤
Printable Student Activity Guide
Reef the Lost Cauze
Website · Facebook · Twitter · Instagram
Episode 13: Ben & Lauren
Ben & Lauren from Washington D.C. show us the similarities and differences between playing the violin and playing the fiddle.
Episode 12: Karen Smith
In this video, Karen Smith, a Philadelphia percussionist and teaching artist, educates us about the djembe, a West African instrument that has influenced the development of drums and drumming worldwide!
Episode 11: Sister Cities Girlchoir
In this video, Ms. Alysia of Sister Cities Girlchoir shows us how we can express our emotions through music! Ms. Alysia is the Coordinator of Fine Arts for the Maryland State Department of Education as well as a Citizen Artist Fellow at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Join us for this special jam session, where we learn how to turn our feelings of frustration, gratitude, and love into a song. (Please note: This video was made in April 2020, with reference to protests around the pandemic.)
Episode 10: Carlo & Bob
In these videos, our friends Carlo and Bob from the Surabhi Ensemble in Chicago show us a beautiful Spanish melody on the guitar and a basic Spanish rhythm on the cajon.
Episode 9: Kevin Leon
In this video, Kevin Leon of St. Paul & The Broken Bones shows us how to make music with "found sounds" from items you have at home. So, grab your pots and pans and let's get creative!
Episode 8: Los Bomberos de la Calle
This week, Los Bomberos de la Calle put together two special videos for us! The first is an interactive lesson of the Puerto Rican Bomba Sicá. The second uses that same Bomba Sicá rhythm to teach us a basic dance routine! So fun.
Printable Student Activity Guide
Los Bomberos de la Calle
Facebook
Episode 7: Kinan Abou-afach
In this video, Syrian cellist and composer Kinan Abou-afach gives us a look into Arabic music through the oud and the cello. He even gives us some tips on musical improvisation!
Episode 6: Mad Beatz Philly
Our sixth episode features Mad Beatz Philly, a local drumline group that we've had the pleasure of partnering with in our summer workshops, Young People's Concert Series, and Motion & Music Academy. In this video, they use their artistry to share the uplifting energy and joy of hip hop culture from the comfort of their own homes!
Episode 5: Saraswathi Ranganathan
In our fifth episode, Saraswathi Ranganthan gives us a lesson on the veena, an ancient acoustic South Indian instrument. Namaste!
Episode 4: LaKeisha Mackey Dean
Our fourth episode is from LaKeisha Mackey Dean (aka Mrs. Dean), the fabulous dance educator at GLAWest. In this video, LaKeisha provides an introductory dance lesson by teaching us some balancing skills!
Episode 3: Trinidelphia
Our third episode is from Trinidelphia, a Caribbean fusion ensemble based right here in Philly. In this video, Chris and Matt show us how they incorporate a steelpan into their performance style!
Episode 2: Three Aksha
Our second episode comes from Three Aksha, an Indian dance company based in Philadelphia that we worked with in last year's summer workshops. In this video, we learn some basic moves for the classical Indian dance, Bharatanatyam. So beautiful!
Episode 1: People Of Earth
Our first episode comes from People Of Earth, a global music collective that we've had the pleasure of working with both in 2019's Young People's Concert Series as well as our CANS program. In this video, Gabriel teaches us a marcha rhythm on the conga!
