[f_minor] OT: Intro to Classical Music for a young lad ?

[Pat]

Dear all

I am fairly desperate, Amazon, Yahoo Answers and teh Internet in general have been useless so far, forgive the OT. Because you are such a nice and clever bunch of people I thought I’d ask you guys.

I got a godson who is around 10, a bright and clever lad for his age who does not get fooled easily. He is about to get an mp3 player for chrissie and I intend to introduce him to (amongst other musical styles) Classical Music. 

I do firmly  believe that you can shape the musical taste and intellect of a child at this particular age. Of course he will decide what he likes best but suggesting new, cool and fun stuff is what Godfathers are for, right ?

Problem is, I can’t find what I am looking for.

What I would really like to get apart from Peter and the Wolf, Carneval des animaux and dear old Lenny or Britten is something like this : Deutsche Grammophon i.e. has a series in german in which a little woodworm living in an opera house explains operas to the kids and young adults, but that is only in german. (Der Holzwurm in der Oper). I think DG also has a series in which composers are being introduced to the young ones, but also only in german.

Does anybody know if something like that exists in english ? Would also be  very nice to have summet for individual composers, musical styles and history, introduction to the instruments of a symphony orchestra etc . A sorta Terry Deary’s Horrible Histories but for Classical Music. Or The Glenn Gould Trilogy, but for kids.

I must do everything in my power to prevent him from ending up listening to Rap, Taylor Swift or, Darwin forbid, Nickelback and Good Charlotte. Yuck !

At present I am rather reluctant to hand over the GG GBs or Two and Three Part Inventions without any background info as much as I would like to. Would be a bit too much I reckon.

Any ideas or suggestions ? 
I am talking about giving the joy of classical music (music in general for that matter) to a new generation after all, or at least trying to. And if you think me a Fool go and ask your local school about music education.  If they stil have any, that is.

Thank y’all in advance for some good advice.

Pat
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