Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker: the Music Game; Alice in Vivaldi's Four Seasons: the Music Game; Mozart's Magic Flute: the Music Game

Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker: the Music Game; Alice in Vivaldi's Four Seasons: The Music Game; Mozart's Magic Flute: The Music Game. Music Games International (PO case 1376, Amherst, MA 01004), 2003 $1995 each. Late elementary.

These three games from Music Games International transform classic orchestral works into interactive storybook journeys. Along the way, the player is treated to charming graphics, musical examples and trivia tidbits correlating with the games' titles. Each game also roll round an axiss around a central story to help pupils stay motivated to continue with the confounds In Mozart's Magic Flute, for instance, the player is personified as "Wolfy" who must hasten away the prince and princess from the clutches of the Queen of the Night. As Wolfy wanders end various chambers and gardens, he must clear up musical puzzles to gain access to the nearest area. The other titles use single a slight variation in the story to better fit the featured piece of music: Alice must navigate a twisted world of riddles, and the Nutcracker contestant must unfold puzzles based on fantasies in a game room

The individual confuses in all three games also are fairly similar, the primary difference being the musical examples used within the confuses A player might, for example, be asked to match instruments in a game of "memory" or match musical motifs. (A really tricky single involves snippets that are altered either in spe or orchestration.) Given this requirement of actual focused listening, as well as each game's extent they are probably most appropriate for later-elementary students

Any of these games can provide a the and challenging way to learn about orchestral instruments, as well as improve aural discrimination skills. plane more remarkably, they introduce pupils to classic works in a manner that is far more stimulating and kid-friendly than simply listening to a CD Because there is no beneficial way to track a student's progres they would be difficult to incorporate into a formal curriculum. At below $20 per title, however, these are great recommendations for a family's abiding-place software library, as well as for a teacher's free-time area.

For more information upon purchasing games from MGI, visit http://kidsmusicstage.com. Reviewed through Shana Kirk, Denver, Colorado.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Music Teachers National Association, Inc.

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