Teach your child about classical music with confidence and without hours of planning even if your only experience with music is playing the radio!

Image of man in white long wig with disguise of glasses, big nose and moustache and wearing a turquoise jacket and holding up a blue magnifying glass to his eye. Next to him is a purple streak of color with the word The Composer Detective in white.

Leading your child in learning about the orchestra has never been easier!

“Music is a more potent instrument than any other for education,
and children should be taught music before anything else."
Plato

Does this sound like you?

You know that music education is important in brain development and in enhancing every area of learning, but you have no idea how to get started teaching music.

Black and white drawing of children holding music folders and singing. There are four children in the back row and five children in the front row.

Let’s face it – teaching about the orchestra and composers when all your knowledge of music only fits on one piano key can be pretty intimidating.

And even if you played an instrument growing up or have some musical background, it's hard to know where to start in teaching your kids to appreciate music.

It’s so exhausting to spend hours of planning and prep work for every subject. With teaching and grading math, writing and ALL THE THINGS, (and fitting in laundry, shopping, cooking and cleaning), you don’t really want to research another subject you're not comfortable with.

And when you have actually put in the work to add music to the school day, there’s nothing more disheartening than having your children yawn and tell you it’s boring.

You know there have got to be kid-friendly music resources out there that are “open and go”, but you haven’t found them yet. (Reading Classical Music for Dummies isn’t kid-friendly, right?)

Maybe you’ve even searched the library for CDs and books or gotten lost on YouTube looking up videos of composers and pieces.

And yet, it’s not quite working.

You’re just not comfortable teaching a subject you have little background in. You’re tired of scouring the internet for resources to create a hodge-podge mess of a curriculum.

And how on earth are you going to make it fun so your kids fall in love with music?

You’re not alone. Many homeschool moms feel inadequate in teaching music appreciation.

The truth is that having the right curriculum is a game-changer...

One that will give you the confidence of a rock star (I mean, an opera star!), provide fun, engaging lessons for the whole family...

And even offer “plug and play” lessons with everything you need in one place.

Is there such a curriculum?

YES!

I WANT THE COMPOSER DETECTIVE!

Hi, I'm Justina!

And I want to be your guide in teaching about the orchestra and composers!

As a homeschooling mom, I know I don't want another curriculum that requires two to three hours of prep for every hour of lessons!

Fortunately, you don't have to! It turns out that there are those who love the subject and can teach you and your child in an online course to make everything easy.

Yep! I’m talking about me.

Let me be your online music teacher with my 20 years of teaching experience!

Image of smiling woman with brown hair in red shirt learning against a tree

That’s exactly what The Composer Detective is – an online course where I dress up as George Frideric Handel (and other composers) and teach your children so that the composers and their music come to life!

I have created fun videos for learning about famous composers and their music so you can simply log into the course and play the next video!

Bring music and history to life with The Composer Detective!

Imagine having...

A "done for you" curriculum music course where:

  • The essentials of what you need to know are all in one place
  • You don’t have to be the expert but can feel confident your children are learning the fundamentals
  • You can enjoy music together as a family (and grow your brains!)
  • You and your children are not only learning music but also history, geography, and culture
  • You and your children are being exposed to great performers, conductors and orchestras in a fun and engaging way

Here's what that would look like...

  • Knowledge and resources provided with everything you need in one place
  • Easy-to-use course platform
  • Short, engaging lessons which can be adapted in length
  • Curated performances of great performers, conductors, and orchestras
  • Exposure to history, geography, and culture through the lessons and worksheets

But how is this possible?

INTRODUCING

Image of man in white long wig with disguise of glasses, big nose and moustache and wearing a turquoise jacket and holding up a blue magnifying glass to his eye. Next to him is a purple streak of color with the word The Composer Detective in white.

Helping families investigate the lives and music of some of the world’s great and influential composers in an engaging way!

The Composer Detective is an easy-to-use, all-in-one online course, designed to help you lead your children in investigating orchestra instruments, music and composers, so that you exude the confidence of an opera star, and they fall in love with listening to music, a benefit for a lifetime.

The Composer Detective was created with you in mind as a homeschool mom to help you achieve confidence in leading an orchestra and composers unit, because music is beneficial in all areas of education!

If you are a homeschooling parent, especially if you are a Classical Conversations tutor, or if you want to get your whole family interested and engaged in learning about the orchestra and famous orchestral music and composers, this is an opportunity that I promise you will not want to miss.

Let's make classical music and history fun!

“THAT WAS CLASSICALLY WONDERFUL!!! Thank you for sharing in this manner – my girls LOVED your portrayal. Thank you!”
Helen P.

4 PHASES OF LEARNING

ABOUT ORCHESTRAL MUSIC:

Image of 4 columns with numbers one through four and musical images and words below

"I can't sing enough praises for The Composer Detective and the joy it has brought to my home. We are a homeschool family with 4 kids ranging from ages 10 down to 20 months, and I needed to introduce a subject matter that would be engaging to all of them. I know absolutely nothing about the orchestra, so this course came as a gift to me. Everything was ready and prepared for me and all I had to do is play the videos and print out the resources. The whole family had fun learning about the composers and the instruments used in an orchestra. It is also very satisfying to hear my kids intelligently pick out the instruments in music pieces over the radio and in movies, making me look like such a well-rounded homeschool teacher! The truth is, I learned as much as they did!"

Yolande Dugmore

Image of smiling woman with toddler boy on lap and three girls around her.

WHAT'S INCLUDED:

When you purchase The Composer Detective, you will have instant access to all the tools you need to teach with the confidence of an opera star! You will follow a clear path through the phases of learning about the orchestra and know what and how to learn and enjoy classical music as a family!

Part 1 - Investigating the Orchestra

Includes the phases 1) Investigate the Instruments of the Orchestra and 2) Investigate the History of the Orchestra.

Includes:

1.     Videos - Investigate the Instruments of the Orchestra, The Orchestra Song and Investigate the Eras of the Orchestra videos

2.     Playlist of curated performances (videos) of instrument families and listening pieces composed just for children that help children hear and see the instruments in action.

3.      Teacher Notes, so that you don’t have to prepare lessons in advance and know what to do each day.

4.      Student Activity Pack of worksheets, activity sheets, and quizzes, so that your students interacts with the terms and facts about the instruments and learning is fun and easy.

Part 2 - Investigating the Composers

Includes the phases 3) Investigate the Composers of Each Era and 4) Investigate the Music of the Composers.

Includes:

1.     Biography Videos - so that you know who this composer is and have fun getting to know him.

2.      Playlist of curated performances (videos) by the composer, so that you become familiar with and enjoy some of the great pieces / works of this composer and get to know a few characteristics of the music and / or fun facts about the pieces.

3.      Teacher Notes, so that you don’t have to prepare lessons in advance and know what to do each day.

4.      Student Activity Pack of worksheets, activity sheets, and quizzes, so that your student interacts with the terms and facts about the instruments and learning is fun and easy.

Image of a computer screen in the middle with The Composer Detective logo. On the both sides are worksheets fanned out and in front of each set of worksheets are a spiral bound cover of a unit and two screens with still images from videos.
I WANT THE COMPOSER DETECTIVE!

INVESTIGATING THE COMPOSERS

Image of nine composers with their names under the pictures

"We love your videos! They are so helpful! Thank you so much!”
Lorena T.

This is for you if:

  • You want your child to learn about the orchestra and great composers in a fun, engaging curriculum.
  • You want a music appreciation program where you can lead your child but you don’t have to do a lot of preparation.
  • You want the curriculum (videos, lesson plans, worksheets) all in one place.
  • You want your child to learn to enjoy all kinds of music.
  • You want your child to be well-rounded.
  • You are a homeschooling parent wanting to teach your child music, especially if you use these curriculum models: 
    Classical model
    Classical Conversations
    Charlotte Mason
    Unit Studies
  • You want a music course the whole family can enjoy together.

This is not for you if:

  • You want to do all the preparation and research yourself.
  • You want your child to learn an instrument from this program. (This is a music appreciation course where we listen and learn biographies and history.)

"Your videos are funny and fabulous, we love them! Thank you!!!”

Miranda M.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How much time should I devote to music appreciation?

You can plan on spending 10-20 minutes two or three days a week.
You may choose to spend a minimum of 5-10 minutes a day if you repeat a listening piece everyday each week.

What is the difference between music appreciation (listening) and active participation in music?

Musical development corresponds to language and brain development, so listening skills developed in music appreciation will aid in language, reading and math skills.

Also, listening increases attention span, concentration, social skills (i.e., learning to listen to others, communication, sensitivity, compassion), and impulse control. 

Music can be enjoyed at all ages and skill levels through listening.

Active participation in music will increase the development of these skills along with fine motor development, eye-hand coordination, taking turns, appropriate social interactions, creative expression, and providing an emotional outlet.

Are there benefits of music appreciation I don’t know about?

Music is beneficial to brain development and will aid in every area of your child’s education. Music appreciation will balance out the more academic subjects to bring beauty and enjoyment into your child’s life and will give your child a well-rounded education.

Also, the more we know about something, the more we enjoy it. Your child will know orchestra instruments, history, who certain composers are, and grow to enjoy all kinds of music!

I want my children to learn an instrument. Should I bother with music appreciation?

It is not a matter of either/or. Active music making will develop the brain in different ways than listening but both enhance learning! Studying about the orchestra and composers will give your child deeper knowledge and appreciation of the music they are learning to play.

And listening is an activity your children can enjoy throughout their lifetimes!

PURCHASE OPTIONS

THE COMPOSER DETECTIVE FULL COURSE

Image of mockup of course on a light purple background. In the center is an image of a computer and on the screen is a man in a long white wig from the Baroque era wearing a turquoise jacket, a disguise of glasses, a big nose and moustache, and holding up a blue magnifying glass to his eye. Next to him is a purple swash of color with the words The Composer Detective in white. On either side of the screen are images of worksheets and below these are spiral bound book and tablet screens with images of famous composers on them.

The full course of all 10 units for a year-long music appreciation course or for unit studies over several years.



Perfect for those who want the full course with a one-time payment or payment plan.

Includes:

  • 1 unit study of the orchestra instruments and eras
  • 9 unit studies of composers
  • Composer biography videos
  • Curated playlist of composer's works
  • Teacher Notes with lesson plans
  • Student Activity Pack

$197 one-time payment

or payment options available

I WANT THE COMPOSER DETECTIVE!

INVESTIGATING THE ORCHESTRA WITH CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS

Image of a computer screen on a dark purple background with the words Investigating the Orchestra: Carnival of the Animals in the center. Around the words starting in the left top corner and going clockwise are images of a group of animals including an elephant, lion, turtle, swan and kangaroo, then a trumpet, cello, French horn, flute, clarinet and violin. In front of the computer are two spiral-bound books with words and arrows pointing to them. On the left are the words Teacher Notes and on the right are the words Student Activity Pack. There are worksheets fanned out on either side of the spiral books.

A short unit study using the piece Carnival of the Animals to help you lead your younger children in investigating orchestra instruments and eras.


Perfect for those who want to try a short unit study.

Includes:

  • Unit study of the orchestra instruments and eras
  • Original videos about the orchestra instruments and eras
  • Curated playlist of videos of instruments including Carnival of the Animals
  • Teacher Notes with lesson plans
  • Student Activity Pack

$17 one-time payment

I WANT A SHORT STUDY OF THE ORCHESTRA!

INVESTIGATING THE ORCHESTRA

Image of mockup of course on a light purple background. In the center is an image of a computer and on the screen is a logo of a man in a long white wig from the Baroque era wearing a turquoise jacket and holding a blue magnifying glass to his eye. Next to him is a purple swash of color with the words The Composer Detective in white. Under the logo are the words Investigating the Orchestra and instruments and notes fill the screen. On either side below the screen are images of worksheets fanned out and directly below the screen are spiral bound books. There are words and an arrow pointing to the left spiral book that say Teacher Notes and words and an arrow pointing to the right spiral book that say Student Activity Pack.

A month-long unit study to help you lead your children in investigating orchestra instruments and eras that includes study of three major works, Carnival of the Animals, A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, and Peter and the Wolf.

Perfect for those who want to try one unit.

Includes:

  • Unit study of the orchestra instruments and eras
  • Original videos about the orchestra instruments and eras
  • Curated playlist of videos of instruments and orchestral works which highlight learning instruments
  • Teacher Notes with lesson plans
  • Student Activity Pack

$29 one-time payment

I WANT TO INVESTIGATE THE ORCHESTRA!

INVESTIGATING GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL

Image of mockup of course on a light purple background. In the center is an image of a computer and on the screen is a man in a short white wig from the Baroque era wearing a black jacket with silver buttons. Next to him is a purple swash of color with the words Investigating Johann Sebastian Bach in white. On either side of the screen are images of worksheets and below these are spiral bound books. There are words and an arrow pointing to the left spiral book that say Teacher Notes and words and an arrow pointing to the right spiral book that say Student Activity Pack.

A month-long unit study to help you lead your children in investigating the life and music of the German Baroque Era composer, George Frideric Handel.

Perfect for those who want to try one unit.

Includes:

  • Composer biography video, information page and notebooking page
  • Era information page and notebooking page
  • Curated playlist of the music of Handel
  • Teacher Notes with lesson plans
  • Student Activity Pack

$29 one-time payment

I WANT TO INVESTIGATE HANDEL!

INVESTIGATING JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH

Image of mockup of course on a light purple background. In the center is an image of a computer and on the screen is a man in a short white wig from the Baroque era wearing a black jacket with silver buttons. Next to him is a purple swash of color with the words Investigating Johann Sebastian Bach in white. On either side of the screen are images of worksheets and below these are spiral bound books. There are words and an arrow pointing to the left spiral book that say Teacher Notes and words and an arrow pointing to the right spiral book that say Student Activity Pack.

A month-long unit study to help you lead your children in investigating the life and music of the German Baroque Era composer, Johann Sebastian Bach.

Perfect for those who want to try one unit.

Includes:

  • Composer biography video, information page and notebooking page
  • Era information page and notebooking page
  • Curated playlist of the music of Bach
  • Teacher Notes with lesson plans
  • Student Activity Pack

$29 one-time payment

I WANT TO INVESTIGATE BACH!

INVESTIGATING WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART

Image of mockup of course on a light purple background. In the center is an image of a computer and on the screen is a man in a white wig with a ponytail wearing a red jacket. Next to him is a purple swash of color with the words Investigating Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in white. On either side of the screen are images of worksheets and below these are spiral bound books. There are words and an arrow pointing to the left spiral book that say Teacher Notes and words and an arrow pointing to the right spiral book that say Student Activity Pack.

A month-long unit study to help you lead your children in investigating the life and music of Austrian Classical Era composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Perfect for those who want to try one unit.

Includes:

  • Composer biography video, information page and notebooking page
  • Era information page and notebooking page
  • Curated playlist of the music of Mozart
  • Teacher Notes with lesson plans
  • Student Activity Pack

$29 one-time payment

I WANT TO INVESTIGATE MOZART!

INVESTIGATING LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

Image of mockup of course on a light purple background. In the center is an image of a computer and on the screen is a man with gray hair wearing a black jacket and red scarf. Next to him is a purple swash of color with the words Investigating Ludwig van Beethoven in white. On either side of the screen are images of worksheets and below these are spiral bound books. There are words and an arrow pointing to the left spiral book that say Teacher Notes and words and an arrow pointing to the right spiral book that say Student Activity Pack.

A month-long unit study to help you lead your children in investigating the life and music of German Classical / Romantic Era composer, Ludwig van Beethoven.

Perfect for those who want to try one unit.

Includes:

  • Composer biography video, information page and notebooking page
  • Era information page and notebooking page
  • Curated playlist of the music of Beethoven
  • Teacher Notes with lesson plans
  • Student Activity Pack

$29 one-time payment

I WANT TO INVESTIGATE BEETHOVEN!

INVESTIGATING JOHANNES BRAHMS

Image of mockup of course on a light purple background. In the center is an image of a computer and on the screen is a man with medium length grey hair and a grey beard wearing a black jacket. Next to him is a purple swash of color with the words Investigating Johannes Brahms in white. On either side of the screen are images of worksheets and below these are spiral bound books. There are words and an arrow pointing to the left spiral book that say Teacher Notes and words and an arrow pointing to the right spiral book that say Student Activity Pack.

A month-long unit study to help you lead your children in investigating the life and music of the German Romantic Era composer, Johannes Brahms.

Perfect for those who want to try one unit.

Includes:

  • Composer biography video, information page and notebooking page
  • Era information page and notebooking page
  • Curated playlist of the music of Brahms
  • Teacher Notes with lesson plans
  • Student Activity Pack

$29 one-time payment

I WANT TO INVESTIGATE BRAHMS!

INVESTIGATING ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK

Image of mockup of course on a light purple background. In the center is an image of a computer and on the screen is a man withshort brown hair and a moustache wearing a black jacket. Next to him is a purple swash of color with the words Investigating Antonin Dvorak in white. On either side of the screen are images of worksheets and below these are spiral bound books. There are words and an arrow pointing to the left spiral book that say Teacher Notes and words and an arrow pointing to the right spiral book that say Student Activity Pack.

A month-long unit study to help you lead your children in investigating the life and music of the Czech Romantic Era composer, Antonín Dvořák.

Perfect for those who want to try one unit.

Includes:

  • Composer biography video, information page and notebooking page
  • Era information page and notebooking page
  • Curated playlist of the music of Dvořák
  • Teacher Notes with lesson plans
  • Student Activity Pack

$29 one-time payment

I WANT TO INVESTIGATE DVOŘÁK!

INVESTIGATING PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY

Image of mockup of course on a light purple background. In the center is an image of a computer and on the screen is a man with short grey hair and a grey beard wearing a black jacket. Next to him is a purple swash of color with the words Investigating Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in white. On either side of the screen are images of worksheets and below these are spiral bound books. There are words and an arrow pointing to the left spiral book that say Teacher Notes and words and an arrow pointing to the right spiral book that say Student Activity Pack.

A month-long unit study to help you lead your children in investigating the life and music of Russian Romantic Era composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Perfect for those who want to try one unit.

Includes:

  • Composer biography video, information page and notebooking page
  • Era information page and notebooking page
  • Curated playlist of the music of Tchaikovsky
  • Teacher Notes with lesson plans
  • Student Activity Pack

$29 one-time payment

I WANT TO INVESTIGATE TCHAIKOVSKY!

INVESTIGATING CLAUDE DEBUSSY

Image of mockup of course on a light purple background. In the center is an image of a computer and on the screen is a man with short brown hair and a brown beard wearing a black jacket. Next to him is a purple swash of color with the words Investigating Claude Debussy in white. On either side of the screen are images of worksheets and below these are spiral bound books. There are words and an arrow pointing to the left spiral book that say Teacher Notes and words and an arrow pointing to the right spiral book that say Student Activity Pack.

A month-long unit study to help you lead your children in investigating the life and music of the French Modern Era composer, Claude Debussy.

Perfect for those who want to try one unit.

Includes:

  • Composer biography video, information page and notebooking page
  • Era information page and notebooking page
  • Curated playlist of the music of Debussy
  • Teacher Notes with lesson plans
  • Student Activity Pack

$29 one-time payment

I WANT TO INVESTIGATE DEBUSSY!

INVESTIGATING IGOR STRAVINSKY

Image of mockup of course on a light purple background. In the center is an image of a computer and on the screen is a man with short black hair and black round glasses wearing a black jacket. Next to him is a purple swash of color with the words Investigating Igor Stravinsky in white. On either side of the screen are images of worksheets and below these are spiral bound books. There are words and an arrow pointing to the left spiral book that say Teacher Notes and words and an arrow pointing to the right spiral book that say Student Activity Pack.

A month-long unit study to help you lead your children in investigating the life and music of the Russian Modern Era composer, Igor Stravinsky.

Perfect for those who want to try one unit.

Includes:

  • Composer biography video, information page and notebooking page
  • Era information page and notebooking page
  • Curated playlist of the music of Stravinsky
  • Teacher Notes with lesson plans
  • Student Activity Pack

$29 one-time payment

I WANT TO INVESTIGATE STRAVINSKY!

THE COMPOSER DETECTIVE VOLUME 1

Image of mockup of 4 bundle course. In the center of the image is a computer screen with the words Investigating the Orchestra on it and images of instruments and notes with The Composer Detective logo. In front of the computer screen are three more screens with images of the 3 composers in the bundle. On either side of the screen and right above are 3 sets of spiral bound notebooks and worksheets fanned out. There are arrows and words pointing to each set of spiral bound notebooks. On the bottom left are the words Investigating George Frideric Handel. Above the computer screen are the words Investigating Johann Sebastian Bach. On the bottom right are the words Investigating Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

This is a 4-unit bundle of Investigating the Orchestra, Investigating George Frideric Handel, Investigating Johann Sebastian Bach, and Investigating Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Perfect for those wanting to study just a few composers or Classical Conversations families in Cycle 1.

Includes:

  • Original videos about the orchestra instruments and eras
  • Curated playlist of videos of instruments and orchestral works which highlight learning instruments
  • Composer biography video, information page and notebooking page
  • Era information page and notebooking page
  • Curated playlist of the music of each composer
  • Teacher Notes with lesson plans
  • Student Activity Pack

$87 one-time payment

I WANT THE VOLUME 1 BUNDLE!

THE COMPOSER DETECTIVE VOLUME 2

Image of mockup of 4 bundle course. In the center of the image is a computer screen with the words Investigating the Orchestra on it and images of instruments and notes with The Composer Detective logo. In front of the computer screen are three more screens with images of the 3 composers in the bundle. On either side of the screen and right above are 3 sets of spiral bound notebooks and worksheets fanned out. There are arrows and words pointing to each set of spiral bound notebooks. On the bottom left are the words Investigating Johannes Brahms. Above the computer screen are the words Investigating Ludwig van Beethoven. On the bottom right are the words Investigating Antonin Dvorak.

This is a 4-unit bundle of Investigating the Orchestra, Investigating Ludwig van Beethoven, Investigating Johannes Brahms, and Investigating Antonin Dvořák.

Perfect for those wanting to study just a few composers or Classical Conversations families in Cycle 2.

Includes:

  • Original videos about the orchestra instruments and eras
  • Curated playlist of videos of instruments and orchestral works which highlight learning instruments
  • Composer biography video, information page and notebooking page
  • Era information page and notebooking page
  • Curated playlist of the music of each composer
  • Teacher Notes with lesson plans
  • Student Activity Pack

$87 one-time payment

I WANT THE VOLUME 2 BUNDLE!

THE COMPOSER DETECTIVE VOLUME 3

Image of mockup of 4 bundle course. In the center of the image is a computer screen with the words Investigating the Orchestra on it and images of instruments and notes with The Composer Detective logo. In front of the computer screen are three more screens with images of the 3 composers in the bundle. On either side of the screen and right above are 3 sets of spiral bound notebooks and worksheets fanned out. There are arrows and words pointing to each set of spiral bound notebooks. On the bottom left are the words Investigating Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Above the computer screen are the words Investigating Claude Debussy. On the bottom right are the words Investigating Igor Stravinsky.

This is a 4-unit bundle of Investigating the Orchestra, Investigating Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Investigating Claude Debussy, and Investigating Igor Stravinsky.

Perfect for those wanting to study just a few composers or Classical Conversations families in Cycle 3.

Includes:

  • Original videos about the orchestra instruments and eras
  • Curated playlist of videos of instruments and orchestral works which highlight learning instruments
  • Composer biography video, information page and notebooking page
  • Era information page and notebooking page
  • Curated playlist of the music of each composer
  • Teacher Notes with lesson plans
  • Student Activity Pack

$87 one-time payment

I WANT THE VOLUME 3 BUNDLE!