Experience the Musical History of California
Take a musical journey to the early days of California and the West with song books, audio CDs, choral arrangements and musical plays. We have researched and compiled a large collection of traditional songs, dances and singing games which make history come alive. These songs are expressed in the words of people who lived during those times and historians consider them to be primary source documents.
Our books, They Came Singing and Days of Gold, both have been recognized to be in legal compliance with the California State Department of Education’s guidelines for social content of instructional material.
Teaching Across the Curriculum
Hand-picked by music educators with experience in classroom teaching, these authentic songs are chosen for their historical background and lyric variants suitable for all ages.
Featured Materials
Click below to hear a sample from Days of Gold!
Critical Acclaim
"Days of Gold is a companion to They Came Singing: Songs from California's History. Both books and CDs are important additions to the multicultural study of California History. These valuable resources for history buffs, teachers and singers should be included in all school and public libraries and museums throughout the West."
Marilyn Sousa, Crescendo, Publication of Kodaly Association of Southern California
"Coupled with the editors' obvious love of music, the thoroughness of both Days of Gold! and They Came Singing bears out the sentiment expressed in the epigraph of the latter title. The quote from Hendrik Van Loon asserts that 'It is more vital to feel history than to memorize its details'."
Roberto Landzari, Corporate Archivist at Dolby Laboratories, California History, The Magazine of the California Historical Society, Winter, 2000/2001
"... We (KASC) very much enjoyed your wonderful, informative, historically-correct, enjoyable and entertaining workshop, with so much good material for the teachers to take right back to their classrooms
Marilyn Sousa, re: Kodaly Association of Southern California/Los Angeles Unified School District workshop, North Hollywood, CA
I was inspired with California's colorful history through this music and I plan to use it more effectively with my students.
Alice Isaac, President, Central California Association of Kodaly Educators, Fresno
"Proving that general music teachers can also be wonderful performers, the group of teachers who presented "California History Through Folksong" used an incredible array of instruments . . . Playing on everything from banjo to really old washboards, they sang in unison and beautiful harmony as they led us through the pages of California history. Their book is a broad resource of both historical information, maps and music. I was delighted to find several selections in Spanish which I can use with my bilingual classes."
Tempo, CMEA Bay Section Newsletter
I am blown away by the excellence of your music and the depth of your research.
Mary Herzle, classroom music teacher, Los Angeles
"Thank you again for giving up your weekend to be with us. Monday morning 4th grade teachers at our school were already "delving in" - teaching from your materials. They were very excited to have those resources.”
Marilyn Shepherd, re: Carlsbad School District In-service, Hope School, Carlsbad, California
"Calicanto presents music with dignity and style. They are individually accomplished musicians, teachers and researchers. They give the various ethnic groups homage and importance for their individual contributions to California's diversity."
Karen Bellinger, President, Central California Association of Kodaly Educators, California State University, Fresno
"Throughout the day and the weekend, OCTA members came to me with their enthusiastic compliments and thanks for your marvelous program of recitation and music to tell the Anza Trail. I cannot remember in my 25 years with OCTA that I have ever seen a spontaneous standing ovation to speakers or musicians. It came from every member who was touched by their own family experience about the migration of men and women with their children to settle or move into a new region or state or city.You taught us with song and music to accept to mourn and to be joyous at any occasion. So many people commented that they enjoyed being educated about the Anza Trail. You have an outstanding program to share"
Mary Mueller, Oregon-California Trails Association, May 7, 2006
"Thanks again for your wonderful performance of the Calicanto Singers last week. It was truly a delight, and it gave our visitors an appreciation for the music and instruments of the Gold Rush. Your stories and songs were entertaining and educational - and the audience loved them. It was a great family program!. . . "
Margaret Kadoyama, Museum Consultant, Oakland museum of California, James Moore Theatre, re: "Days of '49! Songs from California's History with the Calicanto Singers, June 26, 1998