How to Listen to Great Music for Orchestra

Build foundational skills for listening to orchestra music and gain insights that will enrich your enjoyment of music for life.

This course, developed by Dr. L. Michael Griffel, chair of Juilliard's music history department, features five key orchestra pieces from Baroque through the 20th century.

Through video examples and online instruction, you will deepen your knowledge of a range of orchestral music and composers so that you can confidently identify classical music that you like, whether you're attending a concert or listening on Spotify.

Verified Learning Track: Upgrade to the verified learning track for a more in-depth and immersive musical experience, featuring:

• Full HD video performances from the Berliner Philharmoniker
• 5 HD Expert Insights videos with key insights
• Listening Guide and Analysis for Each of the 5 works

*Please note that due to copyright compliance, learners in this course must have access to Vimeo to view all video content. Vimeo may not be supported in all countries.

Module 1: Introduction to Juilliard’s Guide to the Orchestra Module 2: The Orchestral Suite: Handel, Water Music Suite No. 1 in F major (1717) Module 3: The Solo Concerto: Mozart, Piano Concerto in E-flat major, K. 271 (1777) Module 4: The Symphony: Beethoven, Symphony No. 9 in D minor (1824) Module 5: The Symphonic Poem: R. Strauss, Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche (1895) Module 6: The Orchestral Concerto: Bartók, Concerto for Orchestra (1943)