Musical Stories for Children

Four Images of the Anansi

 by Quinn Mason

Artwork by Romuald

Rebecca Stern, narration; Samantha Bennett and Mark Miller, violin; Ute Miller, viola; Marie-Thaïs Oliver, cello

Four Images of the Anansi are now available on streaming services!

The Overtones

Music and text by Benedikt Brydern

Artwork by Kateri Crist

Rebecca Stern, narration; Ivan Petruzziello, clarinet; Mark Miller, violin; Ute Miller, viola; Laura Ospina, cello

The Overtones are now available on streaming services!

Die Obertöne are now available in GERMAN on streaming services!

The Town Musicians

Music and text by Benedikt Brydern

Illustrations by Madeline Crist

Deborah Ragsdale, flute; Mark Miller, violin; Ute Miller, viola; Zachary Mansell, cello;

Will Ryan, English narration; Elke Sommer, German narration; Jordi Caballero, Spanish narration

The Town Musicians are now available on streaming services!

You can hear this wonderful musical story in English, in Spanish, and in German.

The Town Musicians Book + CD

available through this website

In 2015 Mount Vernon Music commissioned a piece for children from composer Benedikt Brydern for use in outreach performances in East Texas schools. Based on the Grimm’s fairy tale The Bremen Town Musicians, the work was made even more accessible to children by the addition of illustrations by artist Madeline Crist. Brydern’s The Town Musicians, A Musical Adventure for narrator, flute, violin, viola and cello was premiered in June 2015. Since then MVM has taken it into many schools, performing it for thousands of young listeners. The impression this piece makes on children who otherwise have no opportunity to see orchestra productions (e.g. Peter & the Wolf) is profound. In order to share this delightful music with as many children as possible, MVM created a bilingual book and CD in English and Spanish, and a version in German and English. These recordings pair Mount Vernon Music’s own Orchard Ensemble with narration by professional Hollywood actors Will Ryan, Elke Sommer and Jordi Caballero.

The German/English version of this book is also available as an e-Book on Apple Books:

Die Stadtmusikanten / The Town Musicians

Whenever you shop  online with Amazon Smile, a portion (.5%) of each purchase price will go to MVM, and it couldn’t be easier! Just sign in at smile.amazon.com and designate Mount Vernon Music as the charity of your choice. Your shopping will support our work to keep sharing music in Northeast Texas. Thank you!