Journey through Musical Storyland, where children’s favourite fairy tales and traditional folktales are re-imagined with magical music performed by musicians of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.
The stories below are narrated by a host of stars; BBC Radio 5 Live presenter, Nihal Arthanayake; international storyteller, Jan Blake; and CBBC and Eastenders actor, Molly Rainford, with live action and animation alongside original music compositions.
As well as traditional European fairy tales, some of the stories in Musical Storyland are taken from other cultures around the world and include musicians and instruments from those countries and cultures - giving the opportunity to see and hear an even wider variety of instruments and soundworlds.
The films feature musicians from the BBC Philharmonic and an array of guest musicians including:
- Sidiki Dembélé – Multi-instrumentalist who has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company and as a soloist and collaborator at festivals, theatres and concert halls all over the world.
- Zi Lan Liao – Guzheng player who has appeared with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and on the soundtrack for The Last Emperor. Zi Lan Liao is artistic director of Pagoda Arts, Europe’s largest and oldest Chinese Youth Orchestra.
- Sean Chandler – DeaF trumpeter, playing lead trumpet in various big bands. Sean is on the teaching staff of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, is a Teacher of the Deaf, and workshop leader.
- Kuljit Bhamra MBE – Tabla player, composer, record producer and pioneer of the British Bhangra sound whose film career includes: Bend It Like Beckham; Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom; and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Three Billy Goats Gruff. video
Join in with the goats’ rhythmic patterns and the troll’s catchy song as they trip trap over the bridge. Which instrument size matches which goat size? And which instrument represents the grumbly troll?
Jack and the Beanstalk. video
Jack meets a giant in his adventures at the top of the beanstalk. Join in with the giant's song and see and hear the instruments that help tell this enduringly-popular story.
Ananse and the Monkeys. video
Ananse, a character from the Caribbean, meets some monkeys who steal his hats. Join in with Ananse's call and response chant as he tries to get his hats back.
The Great Race. video
The Jade Emperor invites the animals of the world to race to decide the order of the years of the Zodiac. This Chinese story, told at Lunar New Year, features the guzheng, piccolo, violin and cello.
The Little Fir Tree. video
This fir tree may be little, but she has some big emotions. She contemplates what life has in store in this musical Christmas story with a sustainability theme.
Hare and Tortoise. video
Has Tortoise got what it takes to beat Hare in a race? This upbeat version of the well-known story features bassoon, clarinet and double bass and includes activities that can help develop co-ordination.
The Enormous Turnip. video
Unexpected characters arrive to help the farmer and her daughter pull up their enormous turnip. Trumpeter Sean Chandler presents and plays in this brass version of the story that’s all about team work.
The Stone Cutter. video
The hard-working Stone Cutter wishes for greater things in life. Join in with the chants in this cyclical story from India, featuring oboe, violin and tabla.
The Baobab Tree. video
Can the hungry forest animals find the magical tree which will give them food and water? This traditional tale from West Africa features the n’goni, calabash, djembe, clarinet and cello.
The Three Little Pigs. video
Can the three little pigs make houses strong enough to keep the hungry wolf out? Children can join in with the call and response chorus in this enduringly popular tale featuring horn, clarinet and accordion.
Using these resources
The resources were devised to cover a range of musical skills and experiences as well as wider curriculum subjects for children within the ages of 3 to 7. Each story appears on its own dedicated page and includes the following resources:
- Downloadable teacher notes
- Full size image highlighting the instruments
- Full size image highlighting the key vocabulary used in the story.
These are appropriate for the educational curricula in all nations of the UK.