Educational Music Program · STEAM
Celestial Kingdoms
of Sound
A pioneering STEAM program offered as in-school and after-school enrichment — where sound, music, physical sciences, and digital tools converge.
The Celestial Kingdoms of Sound is a pioneering STEAM program, offered as in-school and after-school enrichment programs, begun by The Balance King in partnership with Montessori Tides School in 2018.
Through the program, young learners discover the wonders of sound and music in the natural world, and ignite their passion and curiosity for exploring the world around them — through a science-and-technology-integrated music curriculum.
In today's technology-saturated modern world, learning to use modern digital tools as a positive force for growth and change is paramount to future success in many endeavors and career fields. Technology can too often be a distraction, but in this class, students discover how the devices we find in many of our homes can be implements of creativity and learning.
Curriculum Areas
Sound & Physical Sciences
Spectroscopy, frequency, resonance, harmonics — physical phenomena made tangible through listening and composition.
Curriculum Areas
Music & Digital Tools
Sampling, synthesis, composition, deejaying, rhythm, music history — creative tools as instruments of scientific inquiry.
Program Format
In-School & After-School
Flexible enrichment delivery — integrated into the school day or as a dedicated after-school program in partnership with local institutions.
These goals are achieved through a combination of hands-on activities that tangibly demonstrate concepts in physical sciences, and technology-driven musical exploration through an array of digital music software. These activities include learning how sound and musical properties can be used to understand the inner workings of the world around us, and how sounds from the world around us can be used to make music — the former is commonly referred to as spectroscopy, and the latter, sampling. Topics also include synthesis, frequency, resonance, composition, harmonics, deejaying, rhythm, music history, and much more. The curriculum is flexible, and tailored to each student's abilities and interest level, so all participants are engaged and enriched, regardless of their musical and scientific vocabulary.
The Balance King is a sound curator, educator, composer, classically trained pianist and trumpeter, and chemist with nearly 30 years cumulative experience. Collaborators and curatorial partnerships include Mayo Clinic (Research Technician, protein biochemistry laboratory focusing on aggregates of Alzheimer's disease), Disney's Magic Kingdom, Studio Allston Hotel, Jean Michel Basquiat's and Michael Holman's band Gray, Yellow House, King Britt, Drum Corps International, Jacksonville Public Libraries, fashion photographer Franklin Thompson and TOM FORD, Liz Tran, Motif (interior design), Feeding Northeast Florida, Riverside Arts Market, Bold Bean Coffee Roasters, Jacksonville Lantern Festival, and West End House, among others.
Program Gallery
“The Celestial Kingdoms of Sound is a tremendously exciting new opportunity we are proud to offer the community at Montessori Tides School,” states Head Directress and Co-Owner, Ms. Nancy. “The children responded to the program with overwhelming enthusiasm in its first year. Jeremy is able to masterfully deconstruct complex concepts for the children to grasp, in accessible ways, that augments the existing Montessori curriculum. We are thrilled to continue partnering with Jeremy to develop this program at Montessori Tides School!” – Nancy Hatton, MTS Staff Development Coordinator
Music of the Planets
An H5P interactive lesson exploring the relationship between astronomical phenomenon and musical structure. Students compose and analyze sound through the lens of planetary science.
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