Springtime means lots of fun colors as the sun comes out and flowers start to bloom. Spring also signifies the Easter Season is here. Get out your favorite colors and decorate some Easter eggs, then brush up on your music skills with one of our Easter Piano Packets appropriate for Early Elementary (Units 1-2), Early Elementary (Units 3-4) and Elementary (Units 5-8).

Packets include:

Interval Easter Eggs
Easter Bunny Egg Hunt coloring page
Easter Bunny Chords
Easter Egg Keys coloring page

This packet is FREE for Hoffman Academy Premium members.

Skills covered in each packet:

Early Elementary Units 1-2:

Musical alphabet, ascending steps
Note names on the keyboard
Basic music symbols like treble clef, quarter rest, and sharp

Early Elementary Units 3-4:

Musical alphabet ascending skips
Rhythm notation using half, quarter, and eighth notes
Identifying pentascales on the keyboard
Note letter names on the bass and treble staff
Musical symbols like grand staff, time signature, dotted notes

Elementary Units 5-8

Identifying intervals on the staff
Rhythm notation with sixteenth notes and dotted notes
Identifying major and minor pentascales on the keyboard
Note letter names with ledger lines on bass and treble staff
Music symbols like accents, slurs, and fermatas

What classical music is played at Easter?

Let’s explore some of the great classical works written for Easter!

Russian Easter Overture by Rimsky-Korsakov

Rimsky-Korsakov based the haunting melodies in his Russian Easter Overture on chants that had been part of worship in the Russian Orthodox Church for many centuries. The power and beauty of these ancient chants soar over the orchestration as the piece moves from a gloomy, solemn and introspective mood to the bright and joyful celebration of Easter morning. You can hear the interplay of the chants with morning bird song as the night ends, day dawns, and the festival begins! Enjoy this performance of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Russian Easter Overture by an orchestra of inspiring young musicians.

Bach’s Easter Oratorio

This oratorio was first performed on Easter Sunday in 1725. The four vocalists represent Jesus’ apostles Peter and John, and his disciples Mary Madgalene and Mary Jacobe. The lyrics tell the story of arriving at Jesus’ empty tomb on Easter morning and learning that he has been resurrected. As you listen to the duet between Peter and John, listen for the quick, running notes that musically represent hurrying to see the empty tomb.

Handel’s Messiah

Although this magnificent musical work has become more associated with Christmas, Handel’s Messiah was originally written for Easter. It tells the story of the life of Jesus Christ, drawing much of its text from the King James Bible. Handel wrote all of the music for the oratorio in only 24 days! It premiered during the Easter season of 1742 and performances quickly became a favorite annual event. One interesting thing to note about Handel’s Messiah is that in Handel’s day, church music and opera music had very different styles. Handel’s Messiah was groundbreaking in that it was a sacred text with music written in opera style! At first some people thought this style wasn’t appropriate for sacred music, and for many years Handel’s Messiah wasn’t performed in churches, only in concert halls. Now the sound of Handel’s Messiah is heard in both churches and concert halls throughout the world.

What hymns are sung at Easter?

Christ the Lord is Risen Today is a popular Easter time hymn. It was written by Charles Wesley, who along with his older brother, John, founded the Methodist movement in the Church of England. This hymn was first heard in 1739 at the opening of the Wesleyan Chapel in London. Listen to this choral arrangement of Christ the Lord is Risen Today by our very own Mr. Hoffman!

Amazing Grace is a favorite hymn year-round, but it has a special meaning at Easter time with its themes of rebirth and redemption. Hoffman Academy has free sheet music and tutorials to help you learn to play Amazing Grace, no matter what your piano level.

Amazing Grace Early Elementary Level

Amazing Grace Late Elementary Level

Amazing Grace Intermediate Level

In Christ Alone is a twenty-first century Christian hymn that has quickly become a favorite all over the world. The music for this hymn was written by Northern Irishman Keith Getty, and you can hear the lilting, haunting sound of a traditional Irish folk ballad in the melody. The words speak with depth of the personal connection Christian believers have to the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning a little more about Easter music! Happy Easter!