Joseph Haydn fact sheet for kids
A free printable fact sheet about Joseph Haydn (1732 to 1809): quick facts, a short life story, three pieces to hear, and room to write and draw.
Joseph Haydn lived from 1732 to 1809. Haydn worked for a rich family, the Esterházys, for about 30 years. He wrote more than 100 symphonies. People call him the father of the symphony.
How to use this sheet
Read the story at the top out loud. Then play the first piece on the list. The line under each title says what to listen for. Tick the box when the piece ends.
Play the other two pieces on other days. One piece at a time is enough. At the end of the week, the child writes what they heard and draws a picture. Search the composer's name and the title on any streaming service or at a library.
For more on the life and the music, read our guide: Haydn for kids.
Only the sheet below prints. It fits letter and A4 paper. For a clean page, turn off headers and footers in the print window.
Composer fact sheet
Joseph Haydn
1732 to 1809 · Austria · Classical era
Quick facts
Born: 1732, Rohrau, Austria
Died: 1809, Vienna, Austria
Played: Violin and keyboard
Era: Classical, about 1750 to 1820
The story in short
Haydn worked for a rich family, the Esterházys, for about 30 years. He wrote more than 100 symphonies. People call him the father of the symphony.
A fact to remember
His Surprise Symphony has one sudden loud chord in the middle of a quiet tune.
Listen to these
Symphony No. 94, Surprise, second movement
A soft, tiptoe tune. Wait for the loud chord.
Symphony No. 45, Farewell, last movement
At the end the players stop one by one until two violins are left.
Trumpet Concerto, third movement
A cheerful trumpet tune that is easy to hum.
What I heard
Draw the music
Joseph Haydn fact sheetkidsclassicalmusic.com
Goes well with
- Haydn for kids: the full guide for parents
- All 24 composer fact sheets
- Composer timeline
- Composer study notebook page
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