Hola Tom,

What especially helped me are the grammar explanations, especially in La Flor de Potosi. I've had a lot of trouble with indirect and direct object pronouns. Anyone who buys this should take the time to read the book, too! It will answer your questions about grammar, and the exercises reinforce the concepts. Plus, the music is great!

Kathy Tiss, Chico, California,
May 20, 2005

My students love ¿Cómo es ?  they love the beat and have even asked me if it was the Beatles! (in Spanish, go figure).  We can’t do without it!  Thank goodness for understandable, singable music that teenagers love!

LuAnn Brandt, Heber City, Utah,

April 11, 2005

Tom,

I played ¿Dónde Está mi Gato? to my kids and although they tried
to act like it wasn't cool for high-schoolers, they ask me to play it
everyday!  In fact my 7th period kids came in singing it and I hadn't even played it for them at that point; they said all my 1st period students were singing it out at lunch!!!!  It's wonderful.  In two weeks I will be introducing location vocabulary to my 1's.   It will be perfect for that too!

Thanks,
Diana Hess

Spanish I & II, Murrieta Valley High School, CA

“Your songs and lessons were a tremendous hit with my students.  They actually begged for them to be played beyond the regular classroom use.  It was perfect for my Spanish One high school students.”

"I have used your music for two years but recently I have realized how
influential it is for students. My students from Spanish III (whom I taught in Spanish I) still remember (and request) every one of your songs that I did with them. They loved them! Now, I am teaching a group of Spanish 5 students and they absolutely think you are awesome! I told them I would write and tell you that. I think that says tons about this music you do. I think you would find it interesting to find that boys are the ones who request it more than anyone. You have to admit that being able to make the teenage boys "like something" is so great!"

Danna Sinnott, Helena High School, Helena, MT 59601

"I just purchased your Musicapaedia™ materials  last week.  I think that it is powerful, challenging and entertaining.  I have a very skeptical group of middle-schoolers and they love it!  They especially love the music.  I love the music and the curriculum.  Thank you so much.  I have never seen anything that has inspired me to write a “thank you letter” in 10 years."

--Elizabeth Bamberg, Claire Lilienthal K-8 School, San Francisco, California

“My classes greatly enjoy the songs you have done in the Musicapaedia™ series.  They request to sing them and are impressed how much vocabulary they learn in one 50-minute period.  I have yet to convince them the CD is NOT the Beatles translated into Spanish!  My students grab the tambourine and maracas and play along as well as sing with the CD.”

“I had to check in with you.  Your course is cool, and they type of learning is exciting for me.  I’m on song number five “Pobre Vagabundo”, and progressing well.  I just can’t believe how fast I’m learning the language – especially, understanding and retaining what I’m learning.  I love your music.”

--Carey Bradley, 50, Dallas, Texas (learning on his own)

“Thank you for your Musicapaedia™ for Spanish classes.  I intend to order the upper level for next year.  I have been teaching since 1971 and have always used popular music to teach Spanish…but you have carried it to a higher level by providing the activities to go with it.  As one of my Spanish 2 students said, “Hey, this is fun and we learn things, too!”  That’s my goal, have fun and learn.  Thanks for helping me.”

--Barbara Holland Kelly, Livingston Manor Central School, New York

“Mustafá (“¿Dónde Está Mi Gato?”) had all the kids humming!  The upper level classes felt neglected and wanted “in”.  I will admit that I was the last in the department to use it—there are four of us—and we will now find ways to incorporate the Musicapaedia™ materials more often!”

--Zora Lynch, Tabor Academy

“I love your program, Tom!  You now have 8^th graders rockin’ to your tunes up in Whitefish, Montana, way out in the middle of nowhere!  They LOVE “¿Cómo Es?” and as I write, are singing it on a Karaoke machine.  I’m thrilled because the songs teach necessary and important grammatical concepts and vocabulary. 

I have spent a lot of money on other music programs designed to help students learn Spanish, but the music has been too sappy or boring to be effective.  8^th graders are a tough audience.  If they enjoy and learn from your program, I guarantee you it’s great!”

--Patti McIntyre, Central School, Whitefish, Montana

"I have to tell you, last year when I was in Spanish I, my teacher played three of your songs: '¿Dónde está mi gato?', '¿Cómo es?', and 'Hola Mi Amigo, ¿Cómo Estás?'. Now that I'm in Spanish II, my new teacher hasn't heard about these songs, but a lot of my fellow Spanish learners are still singing the lyrics to 'Mi Gato'. We all hope you continue to put these songs out! We can't wait for anything new!!"

A. Gat. AKA the Kirbster
November 15, 2003

“Thank you for creating such a great learning tool.  The kids love it and are acquiring vocabulary and structures so quickly.  It’s made my job easier and it works very well with our textbook, Buen Viaje, from Glencoe.”

--Andrea Leonardi

“Tom, I just had to write to tell you about a sophomore student I have who insists on listening to Hola Mi Amigo during every test or quiz when I let them listen to whatever they want.  They have listened to lots of singers, but he is a convert.”

--Jane Klaver

“A Spanish teacher at our school loaned me your Hola Mi Amigo book and CD, and I have been enjoying it all summer.  It’s fantastic!  My six-year-old twins, who will start first grade this fall, have started to sing along when I play the CD in the car!!!  Amazing!!!”

“[Also,] the other day at the Laundromat I was able to confidently compliment a cute baby using vocabulary I learned from “¿Cómo Es?”  Her mom was beaming!”

--Heather Elliott

“Thank you so much for the Musicapaedia.  I love studying Spanish with your book and CD.  According to your song, your best friend is your cat Mustafá.  Well, my best friend is my Musicapaedia!”

“I am learning many new words.  I tried to learn Spanish through popular music (Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, Juanes) but it was very slow and difficult.  Musicapaedia is a lot of fun and very smart!”

“The vast universe expresses itself in verse to the sound of love, in full color” “El gran universo se expresa en verso al son de amor, a todo color”– such beautiful poetry!” [The quote is from one of the songs on the CD, La Naturaleza)

“When I watch Spanish TV (Telemundo, Univision) I can understand a lot!  Thank you.  I want to learn about the subjunctive and plan to buy your other book and CD very soon!”   

(the original letter above was written in Spanish; this is the English translation that she also wrote, which indicates at what level she is learning the language)

--Sadia Carone, New York City (learning on her own)

“I am enjoying your songs, and so are my students!  I haven’t purchased La Feria de Abril (intermediate/advanced level), but I’ve liked this one so much I will try to get it, through my school.  Thanks for sharing your talents.  My students are 6^th and 7^th graders, and they enjoy this!”

--Allison Peterman, Broken Arrow, OK

“I can’t tell you how much I have enjoyed using the Musicapaedia™ Level I CD and Book.  My students really get into the songs, and we’ve had competitions with some of the exercises.  I especially found the ¿Cómo Es Ella?” unit appropriate…I can’t wait to receive the second CD and Book…”

--María Jerez, Temecula, California

“I just wanted to tell you thanks.  So far my students love the music.  I have been using “¿Cómo Es?”  as a review for my second- and even third-year classes.  I am also using it in my first year classes.  Some of the students get really into it.  It is fun to watch them, and it’s great to hear the positive things they say about the music, especially coming from Junior High kids!  I look forward to getting the Level II-IV materials and CD.”

--Cami Larsen, Utah

“I just have to tell you how enthusiastic I am about your CD and lesson book!  I teach 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th year Spanish in a small high school in Nebraska.  When I found your website and listened to the samples I was delighted!  I ordered it right away, and my students seem to love it.  For one thing, the music is really good.  I had it playing when they came into the classroom, and they were asking, “Who is that?” and moving to the music.  They asked if this group was popular in Mexico!  I could just tell that they liked it, and believe me, they can be pretty harsh critics…(I tried others that did not get such a welcome, certain rap tapes and so on, were met with mocking laughter or groans).  This, however, is really “cool”… Thanks for creating and developing a really great tool for teaching Spanish!”

--Suzanne Stratton, Holdrege, Nebraska

“Your songs were a great hit!  As a future educator, my final project was to create a lesson plan that included different media for teaching.  Thank you very much!”

--Sandra Dennis

How Músicapædia teaches Spanish through music

Why Músicapædia was created to help you learn Spanish

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