Music Lessons & Activities

Make your own musical instruments, learn about the instrument families, and listen to the music all around us with Mindful Music Moments.

Panpipes Cincinnati

Panpipes Cincinnati is a composition by Tim Berens for strings and student-made instruments (panpipes, rainstick and tenor drum). Follow along with video lessons to build these instruments, learn the parts, play along with CSO Musicians and perform with your friends and family.

Download the Sheet Music:
Panpipes • Tenor Drum • Rainstick
Violin • Cello • Full Score

Lesson 1: How to Make a Panpipe

Grades 3-6

Using PVC pipe, pennies, hot glue and duct tape, learn how to make your very own set of panpipes.

1 of 18

Lesson 2: How to Play Your Panpipes

Grades 3-6

Learn techniques for creating sound with your panpipes and improvise on your instrument.

2 of 18

Lesson 3: Make Your Own Rainstick

Grades 2-6

Use paper towel rolls, toothpicks, masking tape, construction paper and rice to make your own rainstick!

3 of 18

Lesson 4: Patterns and Melodies

Grades 2-6

Begin to recognize patterns and melodies either using your DIY panpipes or another instrument!

4 of 18

Lesson 5: Play Your Panpipes

Grades 3-6

Follow along to learn the panpipes part for Panpipes Cincinnati.

Activity Guide Panpipe Sheet Music

5 of 18

Lesson 6: Create Your Own Drum!

Grades 2-6

Use recycled cans and packing tape to make your very own drum.

6 of 18

Lesson 7: Play Your Drum

Grades 2-6

Join percussion players from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in playing Panpipes Cincinnati using your DIY tenor drum.

Activity Guide Tenor Drum Sheet Music

7 of 18

Lesson 8: Make and Play a Kazoo!

Grades K-6

When is a popsicle stick not a popsicle stick? When it's a kazoo!

8 of 18

Lesson 9: Play Your Rainstick

Grades 3-6

Join percussion players from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in playing Panpipes Cincinnati using a DIY rainstick.

Activity Guide Rainstick Sheet Music

9 of 18

Lesson 10: Make an Egg Shaker!

Grades K-6

Use common kitchen items and a plastic egg to create your own percussion instrument.

10 of 18

Lesson 11: Fun with the Brass Family!

Grades K-6

Learn how brass instruments create sound, practice your own lip buzz, and see CSO musicians play brass instruments.

11 of 18

Lesson 12: Wonderful Woodwinds!

Grades K-6

Learn about the members of the woodwind family and watch a CSO Woodwind Quintet performance.

12 of 18

Lesson 13: The Thing About Strings

Grades K-6

Learn about the similarities and differences between instruments in the string family.

13 of 18

Lesson 14: Just Hit It!

Grades K-6

Learn about the percussion family with the CSO Percussion section!

14 of 18

Lesson 15: The Music All Around Us—Part 1

Grades 2-6

Explore how music can be found all around us and how we can use it in our own composition.

15 of 18

Lesson 15: The Music All Around Us—Part 2

Grades 2-6

Learn the specifics of laying tracks that you've recorded in Garageband.

16 of 18

Lesson 16: Improvisation!

Grades K-6

Get your creative juices flowing and make up melodies with your voice or an instrument!

17 of 18

Lesson 17: Soundscapes

Grades K-6

Use household or classroom items to tell a story by creating the sounds of being in a particular environment.

18 of 18