Do you remember learning about Scriabin, the composer who was fascinated by synesthesia? Synesthesia: A condition that causes people to see colors when they hear sounds The artist Wassily Kandinsky had synesthesia, and like Scriabin, he was inspired by the connection between...
Smartsy Blog
Listen to Silly Satie!
There's a good chance you've heard this famous piano piece before. Take a listen and see if it sounds familiar! Gymnopédie No. 1: Written by Erike Satie in 1888 Gymnopédie No. 1 was written by the French composer Erik Satie. It is...
Get to Know the Javanese Gamelan
Let's learn about percussion! A percussion instrument is something you hit to make noise. Have you heard of any of these percussion instruments before? Fun facts about percussion instruments: Percussion instruments have been around for thousands of years. You can find different...
Painting Through Sound: Debussy's Nocturnes
The American painter James McNeill Whistler painted a famous series of artworks called Nocturnes. The paintings captured different parts of London at night. Using simple color palettes, the paintings lack specific details; everything is loose, moody, and dark! Many people were shocked...
What is a Scale?
A scale is a pattern of musical notes. Composers use scales to understand how different notes relate to each other. This helps them write music! Learn about scales and how they inspired Impressionist composers in this video: Different cultures have their own...