I love classical music. I majored in music in college, but I’ve always felt a little guilty that I hadn’t listened to more of it. The classical repertoire is vast, overwhelming even at times. That’s why I created The Listening Journal—to offer an easy way in. A way to slow down and listen deeply without pressure or expectation. Plus, now there’s a schedule that I can follow . . . if I feel like it.

I also made this journal for people who are curious, maybe even a little hesitant. People who like music but don’t always know what to choose. People who don’t necessarily want program notes or historical commentary before listening to something. People who want to hear first, then decide what (or whether) to explore more deeply. Although the journal is in calendar format, the musical selections are randomly arranged rather than following a strict chronological or stylistic order.

It’s not a crash course. There’s no test. And you don’t have to commit to 365 days in a row. You can listen every morning or once a week. You can take a month or a year off and pick it right back up. By making notes about what you hear, you can build up your own listening library.

I’ve also built a companion webpage with links to recordings—mostly Spotify, some YouTube—so you don’t have to go hunting. No affiliate links, no clutter. Just music. (Although you will get periodic ads on Spotify if you haven’t signed up.)

The Listening Journal is available as a printed book on Amazon and as a printable PDF on Etsy. If anyone is interested I could run it through my imposition program and create a textblock for bookbinding, but that’s not a priority project at the moment.

A quiet note: This journal is also a kind of memorial to my friend David, who encouraged me to really listen to classical music back in my college days (plus making the occasional classical mix tape for me).

I hope The Listening Journal opens the door for others to experience the joy of listening to classical music.