School’s Out! A Classical Kids’ Summer Playlist!

Photo by Minnie Zhou via Unsplash

With the Memorial Day weekend come and gone, it is the official start of summer! With that comes the end of another school year and your action-packed summer vacation is here. Here’s a list of hot summer-fun hits to go with all your family-and-friend-filled adventures… until school starts again in the fall!

Perhaps this year marked a milestone and you’re celebrating a graduation. Congratulations! The brass section of the Berlin Philharmonic makes your special day even more so with their honorary tribute to Maestro Rattle; check out their “Sir Simon’ wigs in this fun rendition of the traditional graduation march by Edward Elgar!

Spending more time with your family is always a great part of every summer vacation! Here’s a family that knows how to make a summer truly magical!

Of course, there will be the occasional chore that needs doing, but take this old-school Gershwin tune along with you when you walk the family dog!

If you live in California, there is a good chance that part of your summer vacation is spent on the water. You may have heard this tune before, but did you know it was written by Mexican composer Juventino Rosas, and called “Sobre las Olas” (Over the Waves)? Keep this at the top of your playlist when you are at the beach or on the water!

From sun-up to sun-down, the world is yours when you and your friends hit the road on your bikes! Who knows, you just might have a high-flying adventure like this one from the iconic summer blockbuster from your parents’ era, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.

There is nothing like spending a night out under the stars, especially in California! If you are out on a camping trip, make sure you look into the night sky and make a wish! (Although new songs by Alan Silvestri rounded out the recent live remake of Pinocchio, this classic song was also in the original 1940 score by Leigh Harline with lyrics by Ned Washington)

Have you ever visited the Grand Canyon? In 1916, a young musician named Ferde Grofe traveled from California to Arizona, just to watch the sunrise over the Grand Canyon! It left such an impression on him, he composed the Grand Canyon Suite. Whether you are hiking the canyon or somewhere closer to home, “On The Trail” will put a summertime spring in your step!

The Great American Pastime! No matter what team you root for, Randy Newman’s musical home-run from his score to The Natural will remind you of all the things you love about the game! Check out this Zoom room of dedicated music AND Baseball fans from Silicon Valley!

Vacationing in the wilderness of South America might be a little more comfortable if you took your whole house with you! Carl has the right idea in this amazing scene from Up, with an equally amazing score by Michael Giacchino.

There are more summer modes of transport than just your bike… skateboards, one-wheels, and scooters, oh my! Whatever your chosen method, you’ll get to your summer destination even faster with this piece by John Adams!

All good things must come to an end, even summer vacation. But not to worry; another wondrous schoolyear will be here before you know it! The Sorting Hat may even put you in a new house next term!

What other exciting things do you have planned this year? Leave your best summer adventure ideas in the comments below, especially if you have favorite music to go with!