Inspired by playing cards with famous authors, Andrew and Karen Surmani created “Alfred’s Music Playing Cards: Classical Composers” to help people learn about famous and influential composers in a fun, unique way.
“A lot of people are intimidated by classical music, and we hope to make it relatable and accessible for children and adults who want to become more familiar with the music and the people who composed it,” says Karen Surmani, early childhood acquisition editor and vocal masterworks editor for Alfred Music Publishing.
Similar to a standard deck, the cards are divided into four suits, or in this case, four different music eras: Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and Romantic. There are 13 composers within each suit, and each card contains information about the composer, including an image, nationality, important dates, facts about their music life and important compositions. Four female composers are represented in the Queen cards, and the four joker cards in the deck contain a description of the corresponding musical style.
“We would love to see the cards inspire more exploration by people who come in contact with them,” says Andrew Surmani, Alfred’s senior vice president of marketing and managing director of school and church publishing. “We hope they will want to find out more and listen to the music created by these amazing musicians. If we could introduce even a few people to the delights of classical music and expand their horizons in that way, it would be a wonderful thing.”
The cards are available in a single deck or 12-pack and allow for virtually any 52-card game.
Visit www.alfred.com for more information.
