Meet the Woodwind Family

We're kicking off a brand-new series on the podcast, and I could not be more excited about it. Over the next few episodes, we're getting to know all four families of the orchestra — strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. (We already spent time with the strings a while back, if you want to catch up first.)

Today it's the woodwinds' turn. I think this family has some of the most colorful, personality-packed voices in the whole orchestra.

In this episode, your kids will learn:

• What actually makes an instrument a "woodwind" (hint: it's not about being made of wood)
• The two ways woodwinds turn breath into sound — blowing across an opening vs. using a reed
• Why the saxophone is technically a woodwind, even though it's shiny metal
• How to tell the flute, piccolo, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon apart by ear

We use Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf as our guide, since he gave some of the best character roles to woodwind instruments — the bird (flute), the duck (oboe), the cat (clarinet), and the grandfather (bassoon). If your family has listened to our episode on Peter and the Wolf before (Episode 122), this one will feel like meeting old friends again.

Download it below and use it while you listen — there's a spot to check off each instrument as you hear it. It's a simple way to keep kids actively engaged instead of just having the podcast on in the background (though honestly, that's fine too — no judgment here).

👉 Download the Woodwind Family Spotter

I've linked a curated playlist here so you can revisit these pieces anytime — perfect for car rides, quiet time, or background music during a piano practice break.

• Episode 122 — Peter and the Wolf
• Episode 68 — Sousa's "The Stars and Stripes Forever" (piccolo solo)
• Episode 142 — Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue (that famous clarinet glissando)
• Episode 169 — Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring (bassoon playing way outside its comfort zone)

Next episode, we're moving on to the Brass Family — trumpets, trombones, horns, and tuba. (My own daughter plays trumpet, so fair warning, I'm a little biased.)

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