Music education: I'm trying to be a tiger mom!

I'm trying to be a Tiger Mom to my daughter, getting her to practice, practice, practice her cello! I'm doing this because I believe playing a musical instrument well is key to developing her confidence, self efficacy, creativity, intelligence....well, to developing just about her whole self. You know when you gaze into the eyes of your newborn and say I want you to be independent, compassionate, confident, capable, trustworthy, trusting, loving, curious, intelligent, productive......(my list is quite long). But I'm not the best Tiger Mom. Ever since this "Tiger Mom" concept hit the headlines I've been thinking about how it applies to me. I'm pretty easy going (wimp?) in every other area with my daughter EXCEPT music.

This was an interesting read:

Sorry Tiger Mom, it doesn’t have to be drudgery to be productive and character building.
Getting over the “hump” isn’t just about reaching the inherent rewards, it’s an integral part of the confidence-building element of Sistema previously referenced here. Confidence, in this context, is virtually synonymous to Albert Bandura’s concept of self-efficacy, a term he used to describe our belief in our own ability to ......(go read it!)

This I found at a blog by Johnathan Andrew Govias. It's a short article and touches on music education and self-efficacy AND a program to lift children over the drudgery, the "hump" of learning to play an instrument. Do read it! The program he is talking about is El Sistema and....hark! I hear now the timpani in the distance! El Sistema is coming to Asheville. (In about 18 months.)

Here's a listening experience for you if you'd like goose bumps. The Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra contains the best high school musicians from Venezuela's life-changing music program, El Sistema. Led here by Gustavo Dudamel, they play Shostakovich's Symphony No. 10, 2nd movement, and Arturo Márquez' Danzón No. 2.

Who wouldn't want this experience for their child? I believe every child can.

Playing the Glockenspiel!

Here's pictures from my Kindermusik Young Child 2 class from the South Asheville Arts Center location in Arden.

We singing, playing and reading the notes "C" and "A" and this week our new note "D"!
Above you see Madison, Alexander and Thomas. They look great. You should hear them!

Carnival of the Animals - Aviary

We listened today with my Kindermusik Young Child 1 class to the Aviary from Camile Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals. I mentioned that when you are listening with intent to this piece you might hear the flute and maybe the piano at first. When we listened again we heard more and more layers of sound. This complex listening gets kids ready for paying attention at school and for being extra observant to auditory input.

So here you can listen again and see for yourself! Do you hear the pizzicato cellos? And do you hear the wispy sound of the violins? I mentioned that there were 2 pianos and of course the star of the Aviary is the flute! (My favorite!)

the Aviary by Camile Saint-Saens

We listened today with my Kindermusik Young Child 1 class to the Aviary from Camile Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals. I mentioned that when you are listening with intent to this piece you might hear the flute and maybe the piano at first. When we listened again we heard more and more layers of sound. This complex listening gets kids ready for paying attention at school and for being extra observant to auditory input.

So here you can listen again and see for yourself! Do you hear the pizzicato cellos? And do you hear the wispy sound of the violins? I mentioned that there were 2 pianos and of course the star of the Aviary is the flute! (My favorite!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFFt_kFq_eQ

Helping your child get the most out of his education.

Kindermusik for the Young Child (ages 5-7+).

What you’ll experience in class:

• Singing and vocal development. . It may sound like a foreign language when your child sings “ta” and “ti-ti,” but he’s using the language of professional musicians and composers and getting ready to read and write simple rhythm patterns.
• Movement. You’ll see your child dance expressively to music, giving him the practice he needs to coordinate his body movements to the sound of music. This kind of musical play not only improves musicianship, but his physical coordination as well. Reading and writing. He’ll learn melodic notation and identify pitches such as the C, A, and D notes on the treble clef, plus rhythmic notation. Eventually he’ll even compose his own music.
• Reading and writing. He’ll learn melodic notation and identify pitches such as the C, A, and D notes on the treble clef, plus rhythmic notation. Eventually he’ll even compose his own music.
• Focused listening. Your child will learn to identify a range of orchestra instruments and their sound qualities, while also gaining an early awareness and knowledge of composers and masterworks in Western arts tradition.
• Exploring and playing musical instruments. . Authentic percussion, string, pre-keyboard, and woodwind instruments expose your child to the many choices for future musical study, and at the same time provide your child with the opportunity to musically succeed before taking on more formal instruction.

Then keep the beat going....sign up for flute or percussion or piano....and orchestra and choir.

It will even improve their sports skills, I kid you not. Though it goes beyond that. Kindermusik is a lifetime sport. You will reap benefits even in your old age.

Peace,
(especially today)
Yvette

Eager Faces, Kindermusik smiles!

Congratulations to Ethan, Maria, Summer and Noah! They've just completed the first year of Kindermusik for the Young Child. They know all about the instruments of the orchestra, conductors, composers, reading music (the staff, reading quarter notes and eighth notes, recognizing a tune by reading the music!)...they sing, keep a steady beat, and can play little ensemble music....What a group! Every year I say this...."I'm so amazed!"

Next year we've got our work cut out for us. We'll play the stringed dulcimer, recorder and our glockenspiels. We learn new notes to make up a major scale. We'll explore flats, sharps and key signatures! And more! We'll read and play and sing syncopation and get a glimpse of music from around the world.....and still more!


In June I'm planning a trip to Michigan to attend the violin recital of a Kindermusik Graduate...I hear she's doing so well....It's predictable with:

The Brass Family of Orchestral Instruments

I borrowed the trumpet from my brother! Look how much fun we are having.

Here's Maria, trying out the trumpet!
All instruments in the brass family have tubing, a bell, a mouthpiece and are made of brass. The trumpet, french horn, and tuba have valves. The trombone has a slide!

Noah hits a high note!

Ethan got the buzz going! You have to get your lips buzzing to make a sound in a brass instrument and that can be a challenge!
Luke's a natural! We figured out that if you lengthen the brass tubing by pressing down on a valve the pitch gets lower. But if you buzz your lips faster you can get a higher note! Ah, the physics of sound!

Here we are dancing to a brass serenade.

Glockenspiels!

Look out world, here they come! The new crop of music READERS!!! We can read C and A on the staff and we know several songs on our glockenspiels.Here we are doing a train ensemble. Yes, moms! Your glockenspiel skills are improving! The children have all been singing on pitch and with creative enthusiasm!


These children are working hard. Learning has never been so fun.

Maybe you can play your glockenspiels for the relatives when they come over for the holidays!
Have fun.
Yvette

SING IT!!!

Grayson (that's my special nephew--we share birthdays!!)and Anne (that's my special daughter) sing in the Asheville Symphony children's Chorus. Their concert with the Asheville Symphony is December 20. They sing like angels. And sometimes like chipmunks.

Holiday Pops: Decking the Hall
Saturday, December 20, 2008 8:00 pm
Last week in Kindermusik for the Young Child we heard a little of the story of the Magic Flute and listened to some of Mozart's music for the opera. Maria's mom tells me she's been listening to snippets of the Magic Flute on YouTube!!

Look what I found! It's the love song of Papageno and Papagena....Papageno is playing his glockenspiel! Hmmmm...he only uses one hand. We are learning with both hands so we will be more versatile musicians.