Music Blocks

Colorado Public Radio

A music appreciation podcast about the building blocks that make up your favorite sounds. Music Blocks explores how songwriters and composers use sound to express their emotions and share their experiences. Each episode runs about 5 minutes to fit easily into family time, classroom discussion or your podcast queue. Hosted by Luis Antonio Perez and Rebekah Romberg, the show spans genres, cultures and eras to inspire listeners to explore music more deeply. Music Blocks was developed with middle and high schoolers in mind, but it's fun for listeners of any age.

Winner of the 2022 Best Podcast for Kids prize at The Ambies, aka The Awards for Excellence in Audio.

Music Blocks is a production of Colorado Public Radio's Audio Innovations Studio with help from music educators.

Colorado Public Radio

Winner of the 2022 Best Podcast for Kids prize at The Ambies, aka The Awards for Excellence in Audio.

Music Blocks is a production of Colorado Public Radio's Audio Innovations Studio with help from music educators.

Colorado Public Radio

2hr 33min

Thumbnail for "Say Hello to Music Blocks".

Music Blocks is a music appreciation podcast that spans genres, cultures and decades. It’s about human emotions and the sounds we use to express them.

July 22, 20214min 56sec7.17 MB

Surprises can be wonderful or shocking, delightful or jarring. And when musicians find clever ways to surprise listeners, things get really interesting.

August 12, 20215min 6sec7.39 MB

It doesn’t get much better than feeling confident, triumphant and optimistic. Translating a really good feeling into music opens the door for lots of creativity.

August 12, 20216min 20sec9.17 MB

Sometimes a musical phrase or a single line of lyrics can unlock those bad feelings we’ve tried to hide. Music can be a powerful way to capture the mood when we feel anxious, chaotic or a little bit numb.

August 12, 20215min 32sec7.99 MB

Thumbnail for "Ugh. The Sound of Disgust".

Disgust is a powerful emotion, but you might be surprised at the nuanced music it can inspire.

August 12, 20216min 39sec9.64 MB

Grab a box of tissues. This episode of Music Blocks is about the powerful and inventive ways musicians take sadness and turn it into memorable music.

August 12, 20216min 21sec9.17 MB

Angry music can feel potent, like a release of pressure for a singer or a musician. So how do musicians express anger in creative ways?

August 12, 20215min 45sec8.34 MB

Fear is primal. It’s how we react to the unknown. And when composers and songwriters set out to make frightful music, it opens up a world of creative possibilities.

August 12, 20215min 51sec8.46 MB

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Happiness is one of the most basic human emotions and a feeling composers often express through music. But what makes a piece of music sound joyful?

August 12, 20216min 22sec9.23 MB

Thumbnail for "How To Use Music Blocks (For Educators and Parents)".

Music Blocks is a music appreciation podcast developed in consultation with music educators. Here’s how to get the most out of Music Blocks, in three steps.

August 12, 20211min 39sec2.4 MB

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How artists use sounds to tell stories of romance, longing and unabashed adoration.

August 16, 20226min 28sec9.38 MB

How musicians use their songs to tell stories about work.

August 19, 20226min 9sec8.9 MB

Music is a powerful way to tell a story about the place you call home.

August 23, 20226min 57sec10.05 MB

Thumbnail for "The Sound of Heartbreak *Sob*".

The clever techniques musicians use to share stories of heartache.

August 26, 20226min 38sec9.59 MB

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Music gives us a soundtrack for some of the most memorable moments in each of our stories, from graduation ceremonies to holiday celebrations.

August 30, 20226min 10sec8.92 MB

Thumbnail for "Stand Up! Stories of Protest".

Telling a story through music is an especially powerful way to move a listener to action.

September 2, 20226min 37sec9.59 MB

How do musicians tell stories about death and grief?

September 6, 20225min 46sec8.35 MB

Thumbnail for "Yes You Can! Stories of Empowerment".

A well-crafted song can tell a story that makes listeners feel confident, carefree or powerful.

September 9, 20226min 6sec8.82 MB

Thumbnail for "In Season 2, Hear The Stories Of Our Lives".

Season 2 explores how musicians help us tell the stories of our lives. The fun begins on Aug. 16!

August 1, 20222min 55sec4.23 MB

Thumbnail for "In Season 3, Meet Some Incredible Instruments (And Their Families!)".

We'll talk about your favorite sounds and the instruments that create them.

September 1, 20233min 20sec4.83 MB

All around the world, musicians use stringed instruments to make music. The way musicians play these instruments creates beautiful and distinctive sounds.

September 19, 20237min 10sec10.38 MB

Musicians who use the power of air breathe life into the music they play. They create beautiful and ear-catching melodies.

September 26, 20236min 6sec8.81 MB

The spotlight is on membranophones! Membranophones make sound from the vibration of a tightly stretched material.

October 3, 20237min 4sec10.22 MB

Idiophones make sound from the vibrations of an instrument's body. A lot of the time, musicians whack them or shake them rhythmically.

October 10, 20236min 10sec8.94 MB

It’s all about the power and range of the human voice.

October 17, 20237min 51sec11.35 MB

Electrophones, which use electricity to make sound, have changed music! The electrophone instrument family expands the range of musical colors in a composer's toolkit.

October 24, 20237min 6sec10.3 MB

Surprise!

August 12, 20215min 6sec

Surprises can be wonderful or shocking, delightful or jarring. And when musicians find clever ways to surprise listeners, things get really interesting. Here’s a look at unpredictable music from Björk, Igor Stravinsky, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Claude Debussy and The Yoshida Brothers.

Stuff to think about after you’ve listened:

Which of the ideas of surprise in music that were featured in this episode do you want to listen to again?
What are some ways to use sound that are surprising to you?

Ready to explore more surprising sounds? Check out our playlists on Spotify or Apple Music.

This is one of eight Music Blocks episodes exploring how musicians express emotions through sound. You can listen in any order. Find more episodes, discussion questions and playlists at MusicBlocksPodcast.org.

Tell us how you're using Music Blocks in the classroom or at home, or share your playlists and music creations inspired by the podcast! Email us: Hello@MusicBlocksPodcast.org

Music Blocks is a production of Colorado Public Radio's Audio Innovations Studio.

Hosts and Producers: Luis Antonio Perez and Rebekah Romberg
Editors: Jo Erickson and Dennis Funk
Education Advisor: Carla Aguilar, Ph.D.
Executive Producer: Brad Turner

Thank you: Monika Vischer at CPR Classical, Bruce Trujillo and Willobee Carlan at Indie 102.3, Jodi Gersh, Kim Nguyen, Mia Rincón, Clara Shelton, Hart Van Denburg, and all the teachers and students who shared feedback and attended virtual focus groups as we developed this podcast.