Classic stories with a classical twist. YourClassical combines illustrated stories from a variety of cultures with classical music.
YourClassical, from American Public Media, is a collection of curated streams, unique programs and relevant features to connect classical listeners with the music they love.
Bruce the goose always swims his morning laps alone, until his life …
Bruce the goose always swims his morning laps alone, until his life changes forever on one fateful summer day. Find out what happens in Goose, Goose, Baby Goose! – the new episode of YourClassical Storytime, with narration by Ryan Lohr, music by Charles Koechlin and illustrations by Mia Jennings.
Once upon a time, a brother and sister named Hansel and Gretel …
Once upon a time, a brother and sister named Hansel and Gretel were abandoned deep in the forest. They were taken in by a wicked witch, who planned to cook the children for dinner. Find out what happened next in Hansel and Gretel, the latest episode of YourClassical Storytime, featuring music by Engelbert Humperdinck and Richard Strauss, with original illustrations by Nancy Carlson.
Harriet ends up with quite a haul after she goes trick-or-treating. But …
Harriet ends up with quite a haul after she goes trick-or-treating. But what will she do with all of those sweets? Find out in Harriet's Halloween Candy, the new episode of YourClassical Storytime, with a story and art by Nancy Carlson and music by Augusta Holmès.
Harriet loves ballet class, but when her teacher announces a recital, she …
Harriet loves ballet class, but when her teacher announces a recital, she comes down with a bad case of stage fright. Will Harriet overcome her fears before the big performance? Find out in Harriet's Recital, the latest episode of YourClassical Storytime, featuring an original story and illustrations by Nancy Carlson and music by Tchaikovsky.
Do you know how the smooth-backed camel who said nothing but "Humph!" …
Do you know how the smooth-backed camel who said nothing but "Humph!" got its hump? Find out in the latest episode of YourClassical Storytime, featuring music by Alexander Borodin and original illustrations by Nancy Carlson.
Nancy Carlson’s classic charmer I Like Me is a short but sweet …
Nancy Carlson’s classic charmer I Like Me is a short but sweet tale of a young pig who learns how to practice good habits of self-esteem and pride – embracing how she looks, what she likes to do and, most importantly, how to be kind to herself. And it’s the newest episode of YourClassical Storytime, featuring storytelling by Ines Guanchez with the help of a bunch of kids and the music of Luigi Boccherini.
Once upon a time, in Ireland, there lived a "gloomery" little girl …
Once upon a time, in Ireland, there lived a "gloomery" little girl named Nora. What's "gloomery"? It's a sort of sad, crying feeling — the kind where, even if no tears fall from your eyes, you can still feel the crying deep in your bones. Restoring Nora's smile would take a magical adventure and the intervention of woodland fairies. Listen now to the Irish folk tale Nora Mavourneen and the Fairy Queen, the latest episode of YourClassical Storytime, featuring Irish music plus original illustrations by Nancy Carlson.
What happens when a boy named Jack climbs a towering beanstalk into …
What happens when a boy named Jack climbs a towering beanstalk into the sky? Hint: It involves a magical harp, a golden goose and an ornery giant named Basil. Go on a wild musical adventure with Jack and the Beanstalk, featuring storytelling by Scott Blankenship, with illustrations by Nancy Carlson and music by Leos Janacek.
Do you like apples? Find out about the real man who loved …
Do you like apples? Find out about the real man who loved apples so much that he traveled the country to share the fruit with everyone he met in Johnny Appleseed. It's the latest episode of YourClassical Storytime, featuring music from Antonin Dvořák's New World Symphony and original illustrations by Nancy Carlson.
Four friends — a violin, viola, cello and bass — are nervous …
Four friends — a violin, viola, cello and bass — are nervous about meeting their new owners. Will the young musicians learn to play properly and treat their string instruments with care? Find out in KinderLute, from YourClassical Storytime, featuring music by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and illustrations by Eusebius Williams.
Why does the king throw every person that cuts his hair into …
Why does the king throw every person that cuts his hair into jail? What is he hiding? Find out in The King With Donkey Ears. It's the latest episode of YourClassical Storytime, with music by Hamilton Harty and illustrations by Nancy Carlson.
What happens when a little man from the Maya city of Uxmal …
What happens when a little man from the Maya city of Uxmal plays the instrument that activates an ancient prophecy? Find out in the latest episode of YourClassical Storytime, The Little Man From Uxmal, featuring narration by Inés Guanchez and Ada Tzab, illustrations by Raul Villanueva and music by Silvestre Revueltas.
Welcome again to YourClassical Storytime. Today's story is one you might know …
Welcome again to YourClassical Storytime. Today's story is one you might know as a Walt Disney movie, The Little Mermaid. But the story is much older than that. It's nearly 200 years old, written by a Danish writer famous for fairy tales, Hans Christian Andersen. People who wrote classical music were fascinated by the story of a mermaids, especially those who wanted to become human. A composer named Felix Mendelssohn wrote a musical story called The Fair Melusina. Richard Wagner wrote big operas featuring mermaids, the Rhine Maidens, who lived in a river and guarded magic gold. And Antonin Dvorak wrote music about a mermaid named Rusalka. In The Little Mermaid, the mermaid makes a great sacrifice to explore the human world: She gives up her voice — well, at least for a little while.
What can small critters do when they’re too afraid to venture out …
What can small critters do when they’re too afraid to venture out into the forest? Find out in The Little Squirrel Who Worried, by Katie O'Donoghue — a special “quiet time” episode of YourClassical Storytime to help young listeners learn to relax, featuring narration by Andrea Blain and music by John Field. This excerpt from The Little Squirrel Who Worried is used with the kind permission of Katie O'Donoghue, an accredited art psychotherapist and author/illustrator based in Ireland, and publisher Gill Books.
A young mouse is starting school for the first time! Henry can't …
A young mouse is starting school for the first time! Henry can't wait for kindergarten, where he'll sing songs, play games and learn his ABCs. He has a lot of questions for his mom about what to expect. But when he arrives, a slight case of the first-day jitters curbs his excitement. All is well, though, when Henry starts to see familiar sights and makes a new friend. Nancy Carlson's book Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come! is told with delightful charm by narrator Melanie Renate and set to music by Franz Hoffmeister, a close friend of Mozart's in 18th-century Austria.
The silver menorah has been in Reb Noson's family for 400 years, …
The silver menorah has been in Reb Noson's family for 400 years, and it’s probably even older than that. But this Hanukkah, it’s gone missing! Find out what happens next in The Lost Menorah, the latest episode of YourClassical Storytime — featuring a story by Howard Schwartz, narration by Theodore Bikel and music by the Eaken Piano Trio. This story is excerpted from American Public Media’s Hanukkah special, Candles Burning Brightly, hosted and produced by Mindy Ratner. The program offers a delightful hour for everyone to celebrate the Jewish Festival of Lights, including lots of music from Jewish communities worldwide and a hilarious lesson on preparing a classic Hanukkah dish. Listen now!
Thanksgiving is coming, but Lurkey the turkey is nowhere to be found. …
Thanksgiving is coming, but Lurkey the turkey is nowhere to be found. Can you help the farmer find the wayward bird? Grab paper and crayons and follow along as narrator Melanie Renate and artist Xee Reiter tell the story, with guitar music by Justin Holland, in the latest episode of YourClassical Storytime.
What happens when a happy-go-lucky wanderer takes over a village bakery? Find …
What happens when a happy-go-lucky wanderer takes over a village bakery? Find out in the hilarious tale The Merry Prankster, the latest episode of YourClassical Storytime – featuring music by Richard Strauss, illustrations by Mia Jennings and narration by Valerie Kahler.
What happens when a poor, lonely woodcutter meets a talking fox? He …
What happens when a poor, lonely woodcutter meets a talking fox? He becomes Mighty Mikko! Find out how their adventures unfold in this charming adaptation of a Finnish folk tale, the latest episode of YourClassical Storytime – featuring narration by Lynn Norris, music by Jean Sibelius and illustrations by Raul Villanueva.
Once upon a time, there was a mouse named Minerva who was …
Once upon a time, there was a mouse named Minerva who was captured by a lion. She pleaded for her life, saying she might be able to help him one day. Laughing at the silly promise from such a tiny creature, he let her go. Good thing for him! Find out what happens next in The Mouse and the Lion, the latest episode of YourClassical Storytime, featuring music by Gustav Mahler and original illustrations by Minnesota children's author Nancy Carlson.
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