New March Store Update - March into Musical Greatness!
Happy March! This month, the Practice Space store highlights composers who shaped music in bold and lasting ways. In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re featuring trailblazing composers like Louise Farrenc, Rebecca Clarke, and Julia Perry! They’re accompanied by operatic master Giuseppe Verdi and award-winning composer Alan Menken. From Romantic symphonies to dramatic opera and beloved film scores, these composers represent innovation, storytelling, and musical impact across centuries.
Each new composer avatar can be redeemed in the Practice Space store using Practice Gems, which students earn by meeting their daily practice goals. The store turns consistent practice into motivation—while encouraging students to connect with the people and history behind the music they study.
We’ve also created a March activity packet to accompany this update, complete with composer profiles, a multiple-choice quiz, listening guides, and more. Be sure to explore the curated YouTube links included for each featured piece, making it easy for students to hear these composers’ voices in action.
Check out the new March avatars in the Practice Space shop and celebrate the power of music—past and present—with us.
Louise Farrenc was a 19th-century French composer, pianist, and professor known for her powerful symphonies and chamber music.
Facts in app:
I was the only woman appointed as a professor at the Paris Conservatory in the 1800s.
My Nonet in E-flat major became so popular that it helped me secure equal pay.
I composed three symphonies that stand alongside major Romantic works.
I performed as a concert pianist across France with passion and confidence.
Watch this performance of Symphony No. 3 in G Minor (1847):
Louise Farrenc : Symphonie n°3 en sol mineur op. 36 par l'Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France - YouTube
Rebecca Clarke was a British composer and violist whose expressive chamber music expanded the viola repertoire.
Facts in app:
My Viola Sonata won in the prestigious Second Berkshire Festival Competition.
I was one of the first professional female orchestral violists.
My music blends Romantic lyricism with bold modern harmonies.
I traveled widely to share my love of chamber music.
Check out the this performance of the Viola Sonata:
Rebecca Clarke · Sonata 1919 · Marina Thibeault & Marie Ève Scarfone - YouTube
Julia Perry was an American composer known for bold orchestral works that combine classical structure with emotional intensity.
Facts in app:
I studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris.
My Stabat Mater is one of my most powerful and performed works.
I wrote multiple symphonies despite serious health challenges.
My music combines dramatic rhythms with expressive melodies.
Watch this performance of Symphony in One Movement for Violas and String Basses:
Symphony in One Movement for Violas and String Basses (1961) - Lowell Chamber Orchestra - YouTube
Giuseppe Verdi was an Italian opera composer whose dramatic storytelling and memorable melodies shaped the world of opera.
Facts in app:
I composed famous operas like La Traviata and Aida.
My chorus “Va, pensiero” became a symbol of Italian unity.
My Requiem is one of the most dramatic sacred works ever written.
I continued composing successful operas into my seventies.
Watch this performance from La Traviata:
La Traviata: “Libiamo, ne’ lieti calici” - YouTube
Alan Menken is an American composer known for iconic film and Broadway scores.
Facts in app:
I’ve won multiple Academy Awards for my music.
I composed Disney classics like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin.
I’m one of the few artists to achieve EGOT status.
My melodies blend Broadway style with cinematic orchestration.
Watch this performance of Beauty and the Beast:
Shania Twain & Alan Menken Perform 'Beauty and the Beast' - Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration - YouTube
Background Update
Some other fun additions
These all cheer the student on but also talk about tempo and other musical terms!
