I remember as a child in elementary school going to a ballet performance of Peter and the Wolf. What impressed me the most and stayed with me was the music that was used to portray the characters and tell the story. I mention this because I received a free copy of the Tortoise and the Hare from Maestro Classics in order to review for the TOS Homeschool Crew. It is different in that it is a CD with narration of the story but it is still the orchestral music behind the narration that makes it memorable.

Maestro Classics has a collection of music CDs that incorporates narrated stories with symphony music. The CD I received is narrated by Yadu, with original score by Stephen Simon and performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

The CD itself contains the following sections:

1. The Tortoise and the Hare
2. About the Story
3. Pretzel Vendor of Paris Song
4. About The Music
5. Now That You Know a Little More…
6. Want To Have Some Fun? Prepare To Perform
7. Pretzel Vendor of Paris Song – Sing-Along

It was beautifully done and captivated both my younger and older child. Not only are you exposed to a classic story but also to great music as well. Also included with the CD is a booklet which has beautiful playful illustrations intermixed with educational material, some activities such as a dot-to-dot, a word jumble as well as other items.

I know that my kids would also enjoy other selections from Maestro Classics products such as one of the following:
- Peter and the Wolf
- The Story of Swan Lake
- The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
- Casey at the Bat
- Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
- Juanita the Spanish Lobster
- Juanita la longosta espanola

If you are interested in learning more about Maestro Classics visit their website at http://maestroclassics.com/.

You can purchase one of their CDs for $16.98 each or 3 CDs for $45 if you enter the coupon code maestro45.

You can also check out what my fellow TOS Homeschool Crew members think by visiting our blog.

Filed under: Home, TOS Crew by Barbara
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