Hilltown Families 
People’s Music: Songs About Real Life Experiences that Real People Enjoyed Singing Together Do you have a copy of Rise Up Singing? How about companion, Rise Again: A Group Singing Songbook,...
Summertime in Western Massachusetts brims with opportunities to spend time outdoors and gather in community spaces to listen to live music, discover new musical genres, and share musical interests while...
A fun holiday tradition, caroling events are wonderful intergenerational events that explore choral music with your family and friends. With many songs sung during the holiday seasons rich in history, there...
The immediate and primal power of music to illicit emotional response is hard-wired into us as humans. Whether we’re conscious of it or not, we listen to music for many different...
Under the Hat: Independent Music Education with 2015 Latin Grammy Award winner, two time Parents’ Choice Gold Award winner, western MA-based Mister G (Ben Gundersheimer).
Over the past few decades, local artist Dan Blakelee has been creating whimsical and expressive art posters that transport viewers into an eccentric world. During the month of April his work...
The first event of its kind, Goshen Rocks: Youth Arts Expo celebrates the creativity of local teens and showcases music, poetry, and visual art. This teen initiated grassroots event is empowering...
Go on a musical hike with guest DJs Jeff and Paige to explore insects this week on the Hilltown Family Variety Show! Through music and story you’ll learn: how to identify...
Deep from our archives we're rebroadcasting our 2008 Martin Luther King, Jr. Episode. Music by Pete Seeger, Tom Paxton, Dan Zanes, Elle Jenkins, The Deedle Deedle Dees and many other...
"Under the Hat: Independent Music Education" with 2015 Latin Grammy Award winner, two time Parents’ Choice Gold Award winner, Mister G.
Using the upcoming holiday as a catalyst, families can utilize community resources in order to explore classical music through the lens of Halloween! From weekly concerts and kid-friendly symphony visits to...
The seasons can inspire us to learn in so many ways! They can even encourage learning about the art of writing songs! This month in "Under the Hat: Independent...
Ben Gundersheimer (a.k.a. Mister G) has always found it fascinating to dissect how songs are constructed. This month in "Under the Hat: Independent Music Education," get a dose of music ed...
Use music as a lens for learning about history - Lloyd Miller (of The Deedle Deedle Dees fame) has just released a new Civil War-themed album filled with traditional and original...
This month in "Under the Hat," Hilltown Families Contributing Writer, Ben Gundersheimer (aka Mister G) spotlights the universal language of music. He shares a recent conversation he and a Brazilian musician...
Traditional holiday carols have been worked over by so many different musicians and singers! This month in "Under the Hat: Independent Music Education" with Mister G, Ben has a look at...
"Mary Had a Little Lamb" is a very familiar tune for most of us. But can you imagine what it might sound like being played on an electric guitar, bass clarinet,...
In this episode of "Under the Hat," Mister G talks about how as a kid he used to read under the covers by flashlight long after bedtime. After touring around...
The Williams College Museum of Art will have a ragamala exhibit starting at the end of September. This miniature work of art comes from the museum’s remarkable Indian art collection. They...
Beautiful music is an aural delight. But every now and again you have a special situation where music and place just bind themselves together to create a truly memorable experience. The...
A healthy consumption of reading materials can be tantalizing for the imagination. As you sit still, you have to free your mind to interact with a stimulating narrative and go to...
Hilltown Family Variety Show welcomes Guest DJ, Morgan Taylor of international phenomenon Gustafer Yellowgold. Listen now to our commerical-free podcast for an hour-long family program of great music and a terrific...
Every 4th of July the Hilltown Family Variety Show (HFVS) celebrates with a birthday episode, not only because of the national holiday, but because its the birthday of our co-host, Persephone....
Hilltown Family Variety Show welcomes Guest DJ, Orange Sherbet. This week’s show has a delicious flavor as he celebrates local food through music! Listen now to our commerical-free podcast for an...
In this month's "Under the Hat," Mister G and his mom, children's book author/illustrator Karen Gundersheimer, reminisce about the role books and stories played in their household when he was growing...
This week on the Hilltown Family Variety Show we are rebroadcasting our Underground Railroad Episode featuring songs like "Freedom Train," "Follow the Drinking Gourd," Wade in the Water," and many other...
"Wherever we are, there are song ideas just lurking around the corner. The trick is to have your antennae up and let your curiosity lead the way," writes Mister G. "If...
This month in "Under the Hat," Mister G shares his journey from writing English songs for adults to writing and performing Spanish songs in Central & South America for kids...