Money, money, money....

Kindermusik classes begin all next week! What is holding you back?
The most frequently asked question you all have been asking is:  

“My child loved your class and I know it is time so well spent with my child but our financial situation has made it impossible! Do you offer scholarship?“

I have been in your shoes! With my own children we scrimped and scraped to piece together their music education as a top priority because it is the BEST investment you can make. (Think about investing in the stock market or even putting money under your mattress—it’s value goes down!) Investing in your child will pay off in areas like higher SAT scores, leadership skills, and college scholarships. Imagine how I felt after my high school kids played in a concert and they were approached by a college recruiter! I thought that only happened with basketball and football players!!!

First, there’s always a payment option. We can break it down to 3 payments or chisel out what works best for your family.(I’m the human behind all this and if you just talk to me we can work it out!)

What if there’s just NO money to invest?
Let’s start a conversation to see how we can make this work. If you are able to take Kindermusik at either the Weaverville or Skyland locations I can start by offering a 35% scholarship. (Sorry for the Asheville Performing Arts Academy you would need to approach them personally.) I would really need you to fill out this form as it helps with fundraising for the scholarships. Disregard the due date as that does not apply to Kindermusik. The form also lists responsibilities that do not apply to Kindermusik. Please do not stay away because you think it’s not possible!

Let’s talk about this. Classes start very soon. (We prorate for starting after the first week.)

Your baby deserves this experience and we can make it happen.
Email me right away.
singandtwirl@gmail.com

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.

Kindermusik in Asheville wins honors!

The families of Western North Carolina have voted on family friendly activities, restaurants, programs, and much more.  The Kindermusik educators of of Western North Carolina are humbly grateful to have been voted "BEST" in two different categories! Thanks to you we are recognized as WNC Parent's BEST PARENT/CHILD Program and BEST MUSIC Program! HOORAY!!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

 

It really is the BEST thing to do with your little ones. You'll have a moment each week where it's all about the two of you. Delve into your relationship with your child. (Grandparents and dads you are welcome to be here. It's not just "Mommy and Me". This is great for you too.) You will see your child's thirst for musical fun, curiosity in full swing, creativity in movement and sound.

I am so happy that we are recognized as BEST MUSIC Program as I feel so passionately about the power of music to make a difference in the child's cognitive development---and social, emotional, physical development, as well as their musical development. I'm so pleased with the new set of Kindermusik graduates who are stepping into the world of music lessons with a huge advantage of being literate in music reading, listening skills that are turned on, an understanding of music such that they can listen to a piece of music and tell you if the beats are organized in groups of 3s or 4s. Most 7 and 8 year olds would not know what you are talking about if you asked them about meter in music.

If you are interested in registering for the 5-7+yo class with Yvette then send me an email or check out the website. This class was packed full last fall and most likely will be again this year.

AND!!! The summer classes (begins July 8th) still have room (nearly full!) so it's time to try out the shorter summer sessions!

Dream your way through SPRING BREAK

Hello families ofKindermusik with Yvette,
Just a reminder that this week is our Spring Break! No Kindermusik classes! But don't stop the music! I hope you will be singing your way along. Maybe you are on spring break with your family and driving....like me, with your Kindermusik CDs going full blast!  I'm driving to Wisconsin to hear my daughter's Junior Recital at Lawrence University. She emailed me a link to a recording of a piece she is playing. I've posted it here for you! (Yep, she was a Kindermusik kid, of course!)

If you attending my classes you've heard me say: dream big! I look at your little ones and try to add momentum to your dreams! I do mean this literally. If you imagine your child as a teenager;  confident, intelligent, compassionate, beautiful, creative, and talented, then your child is headed that way. If you are already worried about those teen years; wild, defiant, troublesome.... then THAT is what you are imagining and yes, that is where your child is headed. So take it to heart and dream ONLY the BEST!

Step 2? Take action on your dreams. You will love this article about investing in early childhood music. You are on the right track.

Summer is just ahead and here finally on my website is the summer schedule for Kindermusik with Yvette. You can register online except for classes at the Asheville Arts Center (please call 253-4000 or stop by the front desk after spring break). Let's keep the music going during the summer!

See you back in class after the break....stay safe and healthy!
love,
Yvette

Taking your young children to live music events

A great way to encourage a child's curiosity in music and desire to play an instrument is to take them to hear live music. Parents worry that a baby will fuss or cry, that a toddler will not be containable, that a preschooler will not sit still. While all these are possibilities it is still a great idea to begin this musical exposure at a young age. Here are some things to consider to get you started.

1. Know that you will not stay for the entire concert or event the first few times you go. Celebrate that they were attentive for one song or movement. You can look for free or very inexpensive concerts so that you will not regret leaving early. Try a recital at UNCA or a community band or orchestra.

2. Choose family friendly events. Look for high school or even middle school concerts. There may be lots of younger siblings in the audience!

3. Warmer weather is coming! Jump on the chance to take your little ones to outdoor concerts! These venues often have roped off area for children to dance and singing along may even be encouraged!

4. What kind of quiet toys can you bring with you? A scarf? Finger puppets? I used to keep a tiny pencil in my purse and it was handy for drawing on the program. Eventually my daughter was old enough to circle all the "A's" on the program.

5. If you can find out what music you will be hearing try to listen to recordings during the week ahead. It will make it more meaningful for you as well as for your child.

6. Start off by sitting up close. Many families find that sitting close allows the child to SEE which will definitely help in holding their attention.  Instead of sitting in the back (I know, easy and fast when zipping out with a wailing child!), choose a seat at the end of the isle but close to the front. When you can tell they're attention span has had nearly all it can take, then move to standing in back by the door for just a little bit more. From there you can hold them and whisper in their ears what you are noticing and hearing.

7. If you arrive early don't sit down right away. You might even take the chance to go up front and watch as the musicians warm up.

8. Celebrate even the short moments of attention and quiet that they achieve. Look not on how early you had to leave but count every minute at the concert as growing up and learning! On the way home don't lecture them on how awful it was when they started kicking the seat in front of them. Instead say "Did you see the violins?" "Were the drums loud?" "What did you like the best?"

I hope to see you at some of the wonderful concerts around this culture rich region! Maybe you will even come to the "SHOWCASE" hosted by Joyful Noise Community Music and Art Sunday March 6th at 3pm at Calvary Baptist Church in West Asheville.  There's a musical treat at the end: All Kindermusik families will be invited to come right up front, grab some shakers and make music and dance along together! Come on out!

Music, the Universal Language

This week in our Kindermusik Village class (Newborn-18 months) we've been singing a scale song. So very simple. Even the words are "La, la, la, la,......" The babies are curious about how we are singing one of their favorite words we find them staring at mom's mouth and tongue to see how she makes the "L" sound.

The tune is "Do ti la so fa mi re do, do ti la so fa mi re do, do re mi fa so la ti do, do ti la so fa mi re do." Or if this system makes more sense to you: C B A G F E D C, C B A G F E D C, C D E F G A B C, C B A G F E D C. It's just a major scale. Even if you've never studied music you still can sing it on one hearing. (Think the first line of "Joy to the World".)

But here's the math, and it's math that is in a different dimension because it's about the relationships between the frequencies of each pitch. Each note is a specific distance from the next; all being equal except for two intervals that are smaller (those are between the 3rd and 4th notes and the 7th and 8th notes).  Our ears are measuring the relationships of the distances of the pitches. By a very young age we can all understand this mathematical pattern with our ears and we can sing even sing it! And it's a pattern that's used all around the world.

Today in class little Alex was ready to sing the bottom of each phrase going down: "La!" Right on pitch!!! His ear is already calculating the distance! He's doing math! (Don't we LOVE it when kids can do math in their heads!?)

Watch this video of Bobbie McFerrin leading an audience in singing a "Pentatonic Scale". They were only given the directions you see in the video. And this audience is not specifically an audience of musicians, but rather of people who have an interest in science. He proves the universality of the language of music!

Keep singing!

PS here's a good read:

Kindermusik kids now:

Anne's Michigan friend Eleanor (who was a Kindermusik student for many years) in a letter to Anne: "I am doing orchestra in school. It's really easy and the teacher uses me for examples. Are you in orchestra?"

Orchestra is one of Anne's favorite activities each week.

Kindermusik Kids Now

What do Kindermusik kids look like when they grow up? What kind of things do they do for fun? How's this for a bunch of Kindermusik kids grown to TEENAGERS!!!!

Do you envision any of these for your child?

• She's a violinist winning concerto competitions.
• He's applying to engineering schools and receiving great scholarships.
• She's a poised dancer or a skilled basketball player.
• He's a confident CEO.
• She remains very clear minded even late in life.
• He has a talent for music that has given him enjoyment all through his life.

You must be dreaming!!! and we at the Asheville Arts Center say "Dream BIG!"

Kindermusik makes achieving these goals even more of a possibility. It's an investment that won't ever devalue. Take advantage of Kindermusik at the Asheville Arts Center. Students who complete the Kindermusik for the Young Child class (ages 5-7) will more likely enjoy and therefore succeed in taking private music lessons. They will be valued members of music theater groups because they can read music, keep a steady beat with a group, and move in creative ways to musical cues. They will be team players and leaders because of the music ensemble work they have been doing. They will be smarter. That's what the research says.

Free Kindermusik Young Child Demo Class
Saturday October 10
1:30pm
Soli Classica 1550 Hendersonville Rd.(just South of the Blue Ridge Parkway)
Call Karen Sams

p: 828-277-4111

f: 828-277-4112

W-O-W. How can anyone afford to CUT music from their budget?

The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania School District analyzed its 1997 dropout rate in terms of students’ musical experience. Students with no ensemble performance experience had a dropout rate of 7.4 percent. Students with one to two years of ensemble experience had a dropout rate of 1 percent, and those with three or more years of performance experience had a dropout rate of 0.0 percent.
Eleanor Chute, “Music and Art Lessons Do More Than Complement Three R’s,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,
April 13, 1998.

Students with band and orchestra experience attend college at a rate twice the national average.
- Bands Across the USA

thanks to the childrensmusicworkshop.com

You must find a way to make it work.....and there are ways.

Music Class for the BABIES!!!

Next Tuesday, September 29 @ 9:30 am, we will be offering a free music & movement class for babies! Yvette Odell, our Kindermusik director, will be leading a free class from our Village Program at our North location under Atlanta Bread Company on Merrimon Ave. in Asheville. (Newborn-18mos.)

More information about the Village program:

Who knew that you would find gazing into your baby’s eyes the most exciting part of your day? In Kindermusik, we understand how precious this time is with your little one. That’s why Kindermusik created Village.

In a Kindermusik Village class, we take those special bonding moments between you and your baby and add in a unique blend of musical learning activities that stimulate and engage all of the senses. Your educator will teach you how to encourage your baby’s learning through vocal play, object exploration, instruments, and creative movement.

What you’ll experience in class:

• Variety of music. Musical diversity builds strong neural networks in a baby’s forming mind, which is why each Kindermusik semester contains an array of styles, sounds, and genres.
• Instrument play. Age-appropriate experiences with child-safe instruments enhances a sense of rhythm and steady beat, develops a keen awareness of the distinguishing qualities of sound, and encourages spontaneity and creativity.
• Dance. A classroom full of baby and adult pairs dancing together helps a little body develop the muscle strength needed to crawl and walk and helps a little heart to fall in love with the sheer joy of responding to music.
• Together time. A Kindermusik class is truly the essence of “quality time,” offering you a place to create special memories with your child, gain new insights into your child’s development, and nurture your child’s natural love of music.
• Expert advice. A Kindermusik educator explains “what-to-watch-for” every step of the way and how each activity enhances your child’s complete development
• Learning continues at home. With the home materials, the learning continues at home with your child’s best teacher—you!

Enrollment includes:

• Developmentally appropriate curriculum for parents and babies, ages newborn to 18 months
• 16-week semester with two different, eight week themes (length may vary by location)
• Weekly 45-minute class that includes new and unique parent and baby activities
• Two sets of At Home Materials—one for each mini-theme—each including a CD of music from class, literature board book, age-appropriate instrument, and art banner
• You’ll learn over 30 songs, lullabies, and nursery rhymes and play over 200 activities together by the semester’s end.

Music for tools for life:

This book review from NAMM caught my eye. Looks like a must read for me!

“All people deserve the opportunity to make music.... It’s not about giving people the opportunity to become famous musicians; it’s just about giving them the tools they need to succeed in life.” Moriah Harris-Rodger

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

Two for the price of one: Fun music class AND Parenting workshop!

Kindermusik is more than just music classes, it also teaches parenting skills

(Asheville, NC)- Asheville Arts Center’s Kindermusik classes start September 14, 2009. Kindermusik, a world-wide music and movement program, offers music and movement classes for children from newborn to 7 years olds, contributing to overall growth and development.

Each week in class children play, listen, and dance to music that impact in profound ways. Every song, story, and two-step has a carefully chosen purpose in this creative curriculum—one that’s designed to stimulate and strengthen the vital neural wiring taking place in children’s mind, right now.

“I have a t-shirt that says ‘We must be what we want our children to be’ or something like that- I'd have to go in the laundry basket to quote it perfectly,” said Yvette Odell, Kindermusik instructor. “Teaching Kindermusik keeps this out front for me. I offer parents ways to be with their little ones with tools for careful observations, positive communications, nurturing creativity, deliberate guiding, and loving interactions. And everyday I go home and try to hone my own parenting skills, to do my practicum.”

Odell has been teaching Kindermusik since 1994 and in 1998 she became director/owner of her studio in Holland, MI. For nine years she earned the status of Maestro in the top 5% of studios worldwide. Odell has a master’s degree in music education from Wichita State University In Kansas and her bachelor’s degree in music education from Western Maryland College (now named McDaniel College).

Her continuing education involves child development, sensory integration work and communication skills. She is frequently asked to present at conferences on topics such as child development, parenting, music and learning, sensory integration and homeschooling. She has private flute students, is involved her her church’s music ministry by playing the flute and singing with the choir. Yvette has been teaching music to young children since 1980 and is happy to be bringing her warm and friendly style of teaching to Asheville, North Carolina.

Parenting questions never cease.....

The questions just never end...am I doing the right thing? Am I doing enough? Just because everyone else is does that make it right? Just because everyone else is does that mean there are no other options? What about preschool? What about music lessons? What about organized sports? What about nutrition? What about health care and antibiotics? It is easy to get overwhelmed. But we keep on asking.

What about boredom?

This is beautiful:

You are worried about seeing him spend his early years in doing nothing. What? Is it nothing to be happy? Nothing to skip, play, and run around all day long? Never in his life will he be so busy again. (Jean-Jacques Rousseau - "Emile", 1762)

I wonder if Jean-Jacques Rousseau would choose different words if he were alive today. Would he see how busy we've become? Would he say "Never in his life will he be so productive again." Think about the JOB of building brain circuitry! Never again will he be working toward his own potential with the same fervor.

I believe this is the most important work they will ever do. That's why in Kindermusik we're skipping, playing, and running...and singing.

All the day long I'm singing a song. La la la la la la la la la.

Peace and love,
Yvette

Raising Beautiful Children

“If there is anything that we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves.” - C.G. Jung

I have a t-shirt that says "We must be what we want our children to be." or something like that...I'd have to go in the laundry basket to quote it perfectly. Whenever I wear it I do so knowing how hard it is to believe it, act it and evangelize it! I always get a comment, a groan "Oh, that's a tall order." Or "We could never do that!"

Ghandi said "We must be the change we wish to see."

The day I do it perfectly is the day I achieve immortality! HA!!

But we continue to strive, grow, stumble, fall two (or more) steps backwards, and remind each other to keep trying, not to give up. It's worth the effort because it really will pay off in your relationship with your children. It's very worth it.

Teaching Kindermusik keeps this out front for me. I offer parents ways to be with their little ones with tools for careful observations, positive communications, nurturing creativity, deliberate guiding, and loving interactions. And everyday I go home and try to hone my own parenting skills, to do my practicum.

Keep in mind that I'm one step ahead! I'm trying to apply this to teenagers...and beyond! So far I'll say investing the time, energy, grace and creativity with your infants, toddlers and preschoolers is worth every bit of effort.

Did you know Kindermusik is a lot about parenting?

Kindermusik: A Head Start For Children - Mom TV

Kindermusik: A Head Start For Children

This video mentions that Kindermusik is a great program for 7 year olds down to 3 months but I've actually had babies as young as 5 weeks in my classes. I believe it's never too early to start! Babies this young are very attuned to loving stimulation through visual, auditory, touch and vestibular senses. Kindermusik is perfect! When my babies were tiny it was so hard to WAIT for them to be old enough! You're not too early!

I'm having some free "try-it" classes on the 1st of September at both the north Asheville and Arden locations. Email me to be invited so you can experience it with your little one.

Yvette

Do you have to be a gifted musician?

Would you ever say to a child: "You aren't mathematical. You just don't have that gift for math so why don't you try something else?" Of course NOT! We expect all children to achieve a certain level of math.

Why do we NOT expect that all children will achieve a certain level of music fluency? Especially now as we have research that proves that music training improves math scores, reading scores and SCORES of other measurements for scores of other intelligence indicators. Why? How can schools say "We have no money for a music program?" or "We can only afford music for the first half of the year. We'll do visual art for the second half."

Reading music and pitch matching improves reading scores:

TUNEin™ to READING comes alive on our video! See our software in action and meet students, educators and literacy experts who explain how and why it makes such a dramatic difference for struggling readers.

What could be better? Well, I think that "better" would be all the joy endocrines that a student would get singing in a top notch school choir...where the director would help them realize the thrill of matching pitches, making harmony, grooving with intensity...making music together...yes, that would be the best.

Lindley Junior School Choir - Simple Gifts

Coventry Blue Coat School Choir singing Bright Morning Stars Are Rising:

What do you suppose their reading scores are like?
Wait, that's not the right way to be thinking...

I'll bet the LOVE to read.

Smarts

"Whether by voice or by instrument, musical performance requires physical control and precision of a high order. A child working at mathematics or languages can sit back and mentally contemplate for minutes before facing difficulty. The same child singing or playing a musical part must both obey exactly and artistically the present behests of the music and at the same time think ahead to prepare herself or himself to deal equally faithfully with what is coming in the music. In no other subject is a child called upon to make four or five decisions a second and act on them continuously for such stretches of time. This combination of constant vigilance and forethought with ever changing physical responses constitutes an educational experience of unique value. Moreover by its nature and traditions the art lends itself more than most activities to the pursuit of excellence to which there is no nobler aim in education".

A quotation of an English music instructor found in a speech by Dr. Frances Rauscher.

The NEWS is out! The Fly DID Marry The Bumble Bee!!

Hello Friends! Happy wonderful sunny warm spring!!! Here's a video clip of my friend's Kindermusik class in Manistee MI:Kindermusik with Melinda Lise. I know you will enjoy watching and listening to the familiar songs. And also that you will enjoy knowing that fun like this is NEWSWORTHY!!!