Unfortunately, there is no evidence to support the widely-held idea that exposing infants and children to classical music can lead to an increase in their intelligence. However, research does indicate that listening to classical music can have a positive effect on many other areas of children's development. Recent studies have suggested that young children who are exposed to classical music find it easier to concentrate, develop a stronger sense of self-discipline, are better listeners, and ultimately have a wider range of interest in music as they grow into young adults. If you’re interested in introducing your child to classical music, these five popular and powerful pieces written by some of the greatest composers in history are an excellent place to get started. 1. Eine kleine Nachtmusik, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
2. The Flight of the Bumblebee, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
3. Fur Elise, Ludwig von Beethoven
4. The Nutcracker Suite Op. 71a, Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky
5. Clair de Lune, Claude Debussy
When parents encourage their children to take music lessons from a young age, the piano is one of the most popular instrument choices. There is no definitive age at which experts suggest children begin music lessons; young musicians only need to be large enough to reach the keys and have enough hand dexterity to manipulate them. If you are a parent who is thinking about introducing your young child to music through piano lessons for the first time, there are certain things you will need to do in order to prepare your child and your home for the experience before the first class. Listed below are six things to do before your child attends his or her first piano lesson. 1. Invest in a piano for your home.The first step that you can take to benefit your future music student is to purchase a piano for him or her to use. Ideally, this should be done months or years ahead of time so that your child can grow up around the instrument and develop a familiarity with it prior to learning to play. At the very least, make sure to invest in a piano right before he or she begins lessons. While there are ways to obtain free access to a piano outside of the home, nothing will be as accessible or as beneficial to your child’s learning experience as having a piano to practice on in his or her immediate environment. While a new piano can be a significant investment, there are many websites where you can find gently-used pianos for affordable prices. Once you’ve found a piano that suits your budget, make sure to get it tuned by a professional so that the notes your child plays as he or she learns are in key. 2. Create the ideal practice space around the piano.Where you place the piano in your home will affect how your young music student feels about the act of practicing. Professionals in music education suggest situating your piano in an area of the home that is neither too isolated nor too close to distractions like a television or computer. The area should be warm and welcoming with adequate lighting. It must also include all the equipment that your child will need for practice sessions, including music sheets, pencils, and a comfortable piano bench. The more positive the physical practice area is, the more likely your child will feel enthusiastic about practicing when the time comes. 3. Listen to music together.Spending quality time listening to music with your child can help him or her to develop a positive relationship with it as they grow up. While they listen, try to introduce them to basic musical concepts like rhythm by having them clap along to the beat of a song with you. It can also be helpful to look up exciting videos of piano performances on YouTube, such as those made by the Piano Guys, to give your child a visual of what it’s like to play the instrument. Having this kind of familiarity may help children feel more comfortable with the instrument when they begin their first lessons. 4. Help your child learn the ABCs. If your child understands the alphabet by the time that he or she takes up piano lessons, that ability will help them to identify and understand the names of notes. The musical alphabet spans notes with names from A to G, and a child who can remember the order and recognize letters when written on a music sheet will be in a better position to learn. It can also be helpful to teach your child how to distinguish between his or her right and left sides as way to improve his or her ability to interact with a piano’s keyboard. Helping your child become aware that he or she can mirror the action of one hand on a side of their body with the other will facilitate the development of better spatial awareness. Additionally, it will help him or her better understand directions given during lessons. 5. Have a discussion about lessons and expectations.While your child may be excited about the prospect of learning to play the piano, it’s important that you as the parent communicate your expectations for him or her at the outset. Make sure that your child knows that learning an instrument will be a fun experience, but that it requires practice and dedication. Talk to your child about the importance of daily practice, and make a verbal agreement on how often, when, and for what minimum amount of time your child will dedicate him- or herself to the practice of the piano each day. 6. Have a meet-and-greet with the instructor.When choosing a music instructor for your child, try to schedule a meeting with prospective teachers before you make a decision. Once you find the right instructor, make sure to discuss the goals that you would like your child to accomplish through lessons and get feedback on the best ways that you can foster your child’s musical development at home.
The guitar has captured the interest of both young aspiring musicians and older learners alike since it first gained popularity in its electric form during the mid-20th century. Arguably one of the most popular instruments in the world, some people choose to take up the guitar as a form of relaxation or creative expression, while others choose it because it allows them to entertain both solo and with other musicians. Still another reason that people choose to play the guitar over other instruments is because the guitar allows musicians the freedom to play and sing at the same time. There are few better instruments to learn to play for a musician who wants to sing along to music, but doing both at the same time can be difficult for beginners. Listed below are seven useful tips that can help new learners develop the ability to play the guitar and sing along. 1. Focus on your guitar-playing first. Before you attempt to play and sing at the same time, you must first focus on developing the ability to play basic chords. As a new guitarist, your ability to recall the fingering for standard chord structures without much thought and to change quickly between these chords are the first steps in singing along to a song on the guitar. 2. Work with a metronome.Keeping rhythm while performing a song is crucial to sounding natural—and it also makes singing along to the guitar easier. One way that guitarists can work on this form of timing during a song is to strum an easy pattern along to a metronome for about 10 minutes each day. If you’re committed to this practice, you’ll see a gradual improvement in your ability to play a song on beat over time—sometimes in as little as a few weeks. 3. Start simple. If you’re just starting out, don’t choose a song that requires you to play advanced chords or sing complicated lyrics. Instead, you should look for songs with simpler chords and a basic rhythm that is well-suited to the beginning learner. Of course, you can develop the ability to sing and play any song with enough dedication and practice, but choosing a song that is overly complicated from the start can lead to frustration, which may take the enjoyment out of the experience. 4. Memorize the music and lyrics separately.You should know the chords and the chord changes by heart before you sit down to sing along to a song. You can gauge your familiarity with a song by how well you’re able to play the chords while you’re distracted, such as when you’re carrying on a conversation or watching a TV show. Likewise, you should be able to sing the lyrics and the tune of the song from memory. The more that both elements of a song are second nature to you, the easier it will be to combine them. 5. Take it slow.The excitement of learning to sing and play at the same time can cause some beginners to try and perform the song as quickly as possible at the start, but this actually does more harm than good. Start out slowly, learning to play and sing the correct parts one measure and lyric at a time—performing with speed will naturally come with time. People who rush through chords, rhythms, and lyrics to try and learn extremely quickly risk developing bad habits that can be difficult to break. It may even be a good idea to start out humming the song along with the chords instead of attempting to sing right away. Humming can help you figure out where the chord changes are in a song, since they don’t always line up with the syllables of the lyrics. 6. Change the key if you need to.Though you can learn how to play a song in its original form, the notes may not suit the range of your voice. In this case, it’s important to remember that you can always change the key of the song to suit your range. This can be done by transposing the chord structure to a higher or lower octave using a transposition chart. Alternatively, you can use a capo, which allows you to play the original chords further up the neck of the guitar while changing the vocal register. Both ways of altering a song’s key have their advantages, so choose the method that you are most comfortable with on a case-by-case basis. 7. Put in a lot of practice. As with any musical goal, learning how to sing and play the guitar simultaneously requires practice and patience. Don’t expect to be able to accomplish this feat right away, and try not to feel discouraged if you can’t master this new ability as quickly as you had hoped. It’s important to avoid rushing the process. In addition, recognize that even the most talented guitar-playing singers did not develop their abilities immediately. As a beginner, you should consider this goal a long-term project, and remember to take pride in your accomplishments when you master a song.
Though most music fans have a favorite genre of music, there are many benefits to listening to music styles from cultures unlike your own. Listening to music from different countries, even when performed in a language that you don’t understand, can help expand your perception of the world, bridge gaps between cultures, and even introduce you to a new favorite music style that you may not have otherwise discovered. For those interested in learning about music outside of the western world, check out the following five international music styles that are widely enjoyed on other continents. K-PopAlready massively popular in its home country of South Korea, K-pop music has steadily gained a dedicated international fan base in recent years, including in parts of Europe, the Middle East, South America, and the United States. This upbeat music style is a blend of hip-hop, pop, and electronic music and is characterized by family-friendly lyrics with song hooks written to be blatantly catchy. K-pop music is almost always performed by all-female or all-male-fronted bands who release exciting, big budget music videos featuring extensive choreography and colorful, fashion-forward costumes. One of the first K-pop songs to receive widespread radio play in western countries was the song “Gangnam Style” by the artist PSY, who released the hit tune in 2012. CalypsoCalypso music is native to the Caribbean islands and most prominently performed in Trinidad. First developed in the early years of the 20th century, Calypso is influenced by both West African rhythm and European folk music. It relies heavily on stringed instruments like the guitar and banjo combined with steady percussion from instruments such as maracas or tamboo-bamboos. The lyrics of Calypso songs originally served as a way of spreading current events throughout the island of Trinidad in the early 1900s, especially news that was political in nature. However, the political climate at the time that Calypso music was first established required musicians to deliver the divisive subject matter through carefully-constructed lyrics that were typically witty and rooted in satire. This lyrical tradition continues in the genre today. Though not technically a Calypso musician, the singer Harry Belafonte helped popularize the genre through the release of “Banana Boat Song (Day-O)” in 1956. QawwaliThe origins of qawwali date back more than 700 years to India and the south of Pakistan. Usually performed by Sufi Muslim men, the music is a tool through which the musicians, known as qawwals, can inspire congregations. It is a powerful form of music that incorporates poetic lyrics and percussive instruments like the harmonium, tabla, and dholak to move its listeners to a state of heightened spiritual union with God, or Allah. The typical qawwali ensembles includes one singer or pair of lead singers accompanied by a chorus of individuals who sing the song’s refrains and support the percussion with rhythmic hand-clapping. Though it remains predominantly religious in nature, the style has expanded beyond the devout Sufi demographic, in a manner similar to Gospel music in the United States. The late musician Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is considered to be the individual responsible for expanding the popularity of qawwali outside of its traditional roots. RaïA style developed in the northern African country of Algeria, raï combines popular western-style music with that of the nomadic desert-dwelling people known as the Bedouins. While early versions of this musical style incorporated flutes and hand drums, the modern iteration of the genre is heavily influenced by pop and dance music and features a wide range of instruments, from saxophones and trumpets to drum synthesizers and electric guitars. One thing that has remained unchanged about raï music from its inception through modern day is the blunt nature of its lyrics, which are sung in Arabic or French. Song lyrics address the ups and downs of everyday life in a direct and occasionally vulgar fashion, and singers sometimes improvise during performances in the way of American blues musicians. The most famous raï singer of today is a performer named Khaled, who is commonly known as “the King of Raï.” Funk CariocaKnown alternatively as baile funk, funk carioca is a beat-heavy music style that developed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the 1980s. By bringing American funk music, hip-hop, and freestyle rap music together and combining them with older Brazilian songs, DJs in Rio de Janeiro created a new genre that became ideal for dancing and popular among the country’s youth. Lyrics in funk carioca music are known for addressing taboo subjects, including poverty, social injustice, sex, and the violence occurring within Rio de Janeiro’s favelas, or shantytowns. The melody of funk carioca songs is typically sampled from an older tune, and may be instrumental or feature rapping and/or singing, often in Portuguese. One of the more popular funk carioca-inspired artists to find success outside of the original fan base in Rio is the rapper M.I.A., who is not Brazilian but is heavily influenced by the style, as evidenced by many songs on her 2005 album Arular. Though film is primarily thought of as a medium for telling a story through acting, music plays a significant role in the way that movies affect their viewers. One gratifying music industry profession is that of a film composer - a professional responsible for captivating audiences through sound and adding a deeper element to the emotions that viewers experience as they watch a story unfold on screen. Listed below are five modern film composers who stand out by doing exactly that. 1. John WilliamsJohn Williams’ work as a composer has included some of the most iconic scores in the history of film. Born in New York City in 1932, Williams is a Julliard-trained jazz pianist who worked as a movie studio musician before pursuing a career as a film composer. Over the course of 50 years, he has written music for over 100 movies, with some of the most notable being Jaws, the Indiana Jones films, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jurassic Park, Home Alone, and the Star Wars films. He has been nominated for 50 Academy Awards, of which he won five, for the movies Fiddler on the Roof, Jaws, Star Wars, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and Schindler’s List. Arguably the most famous modern American film composer today, Williams’ style is identifiable by his loyalty to full-bodied symphonic music in an age when synthesizers and electronic elements are more popular than ever. 2. Danny ElfmanA musician who never received formal musical training, Danny Elfman began his career by composing the score for his brother Richard’s film, The Forbidden Zone. Prior to embarking on his career in music composition, Elfman studied the musical styles of African countries, particularly Mali and Ghana. His exuberant melodies and quirky style caught the attention of eccentric director Tim Burton in the mid-1980s, with whom he first collaborated when he developed the score for the movie Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, which starred Paul Reubens. This led to further work writing music for all but two of Burton’s films, including Beetlejuice, Batman, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Sleepy Hollow, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. His composition style is influenced by an early exposure to jazz, classical, blues, pop, and international music. Though he’s known for his unconventionality, he also has shown himself to be adept at developing more classical scores. His more classically-influenced scores can be seen in his contributions to Academy Award-winning movies like Good Will Hunting, Silver Linings Playbook, and Milk. 3. Hans ZimmerLike the aforementioned Danny Elfman, legendary German-born composer Hans Zimmer did not receive any early formal instruction in music. The self-taught musician was particularly drawn to the electronic synthesizer and piano as a young man. He began his career in music as keyboardist for a band named The Buggles, famously known as the group behind the first music video ever featured on MTV, “Video Killed the Radio Star.” His first work in film was with the director Stanley Myers, with whom he founded a recording studio in London in the 1980s. After working on various critically-acclaimed movie scores, he received his first Academy Award nomination in 1988 for composing the score to Rain Man, starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman. Since this first nomination, Zimmer has received an additional eight Academy Award nods, with one win for his work as composer of The Lion King soundtrack. He has also written the score for blockbuster films such as Interstellar, Inception, Sherlock Holmes, The Last Samurai, and Gladiator. Most experts in the industry describe his style as an innovative hybrid of musical genres, with a heavy rock and roll influence. 4. Thomas NewmanFor Thomas Newman, becoming a film composer was seemingly a birthright; his father was nine-time Academy Award-winning composer Alfred Newman, the man behind the sound of iconic 20th-century films like The King and I, The Mark of Zorro, and The Greatest Story Ever Told. Thomas Newman took lessons in piano and violin as a child, and would later go on to receive his masters in music from Yale University. He earned his first major Hollywood film position supporting John Williams as he recorded the score for the Star Wars film Return of the Jedi. After regular work as a film composer in his own right for the rest of the 1980s, Newman earned the first of 14 current Academy Award nominations for the music he wrote for The Shawshank Redemption. He has since worked as a composer on a wide range of films, including dramas like American Beauty and Road to Perdition as well as family films like Finding Nemo, WALL-E, and Saving Mr. Banks. Additionally, he wrote the score for the Sam Mendes-helmed James Bond movie Skyfall. Newman’s compositional style is considered bold and diverse, with heavy rhythms made up of sweeping orchestral music combined with electronic elements as well as solo piano. 5. Ennio MorriconeThe most prolific and experienced of all composers on this list, Italian composer Ennio Morricone is, in the opinion of film music historians, singlehandedly responsible for the invention of the musical style that characterizes classic American western films. Having worked on over 500 films in his six-decade career, Morricone is a versatile composer who has created music in nearly every genre. However, his legacy as the creator of the “spaghetti western” sound is the one that changed film history. He studied music in Rome as a child, worked as a jazz trumpeter as a young man, and eventually teamed up with director Sergio Leone to create the scores for the Clint Eastwood films A Fistful of Dollars; The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly; and Once Upon a Time in the West. One of his most recent notable works in contemporary western film was the 2015 Quentin Tarantino movie The Hateful Eight, for which he won the first Oscar of his career.
His strength as a composer lies in his ability to combine diverse instruments and styles into a single piece, drawing from a wide range of genres, including jazz, avant-garde, Italian, rock, and electronic music. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based businessman Don Gayhardt is a fintech executive who also dedicates his time to philanthropy and other business ventures. For example, as the chairman of Music Training Center Holdings, Don Gayhardt provides oversight to a group that allows children to train in subjects related to music and the performing arts at multiple locations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. When children are exposed to music from a young age through classes like those provided by Music Training Center Holdings, it can inspire a love of music that stays with them throughout life. Some young music students may even be influenced to pursue music in a professional capacity and seek admission to a music school after graduation from high school. If you are among the many students who wish to study music at an institution of higher education, here are four questions to ask yourself before you choose which school to attend. 1. Which suits my needs best: a university or a conservatory?Higher education in music can be pursued in a traditional university setting or at a conservatory exclusively dedicated to the study of music. The type of school that’s right for you will depend on your professional goals and the kind of experience you want to have as you earn your degree. A conservatory will require students to take some general education courses, but the primary focus of study will be on music. Coursework is often more intense at a conservatory, as the main purpose is to teach students to become professional performers. The level of competition for admission into a conservatory also may be much higher than at a university. On the other hand, the benefit of attending a university or college to major in music means that your experience is likely to be more balanced. For instance, you’ll have the opportunity to take classes in a much wider range of subjects within and outside of music. Students who choose to attend a university can still train to become performers, but they’ll also be able to prepare for other career paths in music, such as business, therapy, and education. 2. What are the faculty and curriculum like at the school I’m interested in?The faculty and curriculum at the music school you choose to attend play a significant role in your development as a music student. Learning about and meeting the faculty you would be learning from is an important part of choosing a school. The majority of music programs at the university level require students to take a certain number of hours of private lessons with different instructors every semester. If you feel like you wouldn’t get along with the instructors at a school, or simply don’t enjoy their style of playing or teaching, it’s going to be much more difficult to enjoy your lessons and, by extension, to learn. If you like the faculty members at a particular school, it’s important to ascertain how accessible they are outside of class for questions and help with assignments. The same consideration should be given to the curriculum of the school that you are considering. Look into the types of classes that are offered, as well as which courses are required and what your elective options are. Additionally, make sure to do some cross-referencing when it comes to claims. If a school says that its curriculum prepares students for a certain type of work in music, check out the accomplishments of its alumni to see if you can find evidence for this claim. 3. How can my financial situation impact my decision?Cost may play a significant role in which music school you choose to attend. Larger, more prestigious schools located far from your hometown may not be in your budget, and it’s important to remember that you can still get an excellent music education from a smaller, lesser-known school close to home. As with anything in music, the value you get out of your music education will ultimately come down to how much work you’re willing to put into it. If you have your heart set on a more expensive school, you can look into financial aid in the form of scholarships, grants, and student loans, or you may choose to build up a savings account by working a job before you enroll in school. There really isn’t a “wrong option” when it comes to getting a music education—there is only the option that is right for your personal situation. 4. Would I be more comfortable in a rural or a city setting?Though not as critical as factors such as faculty, curriculum, and affordability, it’s important to consider how the location of the school you select will affect you as a student. Schools in major cities like New York, San Francisco, or Boston tend to be part of thriving local arts scenes with many opportunities for music students to connect and collaborate with likeminded individuals. However, the busy nature of a big city may not appeal to some students. A smaller, slower-paced town may provide you with a platform to relax and truly focus on your music education through dedicated study and practice, away from the higher costs and many distractions that often accompany big city life.
Ultimately, it’s important to visit the schools you’re seriously considering before committing to enrollment. Taking a trip to the campus will help you get a feel for how comfortable you will be with the faculty, at the school, and living in the town. Remember to take notes about your experiences at each school and ask questions of music students who already attend. This will help you become as well-informed as possible when you make a decision. The former president of Dollar Financial Group, Don Gayhardt today is the CEO of CURO Financial Technologies Corp, a company that offers accessible financial solutions to underserved populations through brands like Rapid Cash, Opt+, and Cash Money. In addition, Don Gayhardt serves as the chairman of Music Training Center Holdings, LLC, an organization that gives children in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the opportunity to take music lessons focused on a wide range of areas, including classes on subjects such as playing in a rock band. When groups of children or adults form a band with friends or other musicians, the first performance can be an exciting yet intimidating prospect. Below are 10 useful tips to help musicians of all ages prepare for their band’s first public performance. 1. Practice more than you think you need to.If your band earns a spot to give a performance, take the opportunity seriously. Make sure that in the weeks leading up to the gig, your band dedicates enough time to practice so that every member feels completely prepared when the day arrives. If you don’t take time to prepare, it will show in the quality of your performance, and you may not receive another opportunity to play at the venue. Practice until you feel completely comfortable with the show you’re scheduled to put on—then practice some more. 2. Establish a set of pre-show best practices.Before you take the stage, your band needs to get focused. For this purpose, it can be useful to have a pre-show ritual to help clear the mind of any nervousness and put you in the right mindset to perform to the best of your ability. Your pre-show routine can consist of any activity that makes you feel relaxed and ready to put on a great performance. Whatever you choose to do before your band takes the stage, make sure to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. In addition, getting enough sleep before the performance will ensure you’re rested, refreshed, and ready to shine. 3. Look the part.Every eye in the audience will be trained on you and your band during the performance, so it’s important to go onstage showing that you take your music seriously by dressing for the occasion. The correct attire will differ depending on the genre of music you play, but the important thing is to dress in a way that makes you feel confident and demonstrates that you’re invested in your music and are enthusiastic about the opportunity to share it with the audience. In addition, try to coordinate your outfit with your bandmates. You don’t all have to wear the same thing, but sharing a similar style will make you appear more cohesive and professional. 4. Give yourself enough time for a sound check.You should arrive at the venue early enough that your group has time to warm up and make sure that all of your equipment is functioning before the show begins. Warming up during a sound check before the show will also give the audio technician at the venue time to set volume levels before the audience arrives, allowing your band to sound balanced when you first take the stage. 5. Have a strong stage presence.Stage presence is a key part of how the audience perceives your show. If you seem reluctant or low-energy, they are likely to respond less enthusiastically than if you show a strong stage presence. Many musicians even choose to develop an onstage persona in order to feel more confident in front of an audience. Simple actions that can improve your stage presence include standing up straight, moving around the stage instead of staying in place, and interacting with the audience throughout the set. 6. Interact with your bandmates on stage.Another way that the audience perceives the energy onstage is based on how often and how well you interact with the other members of your band. It may sound strange, but this aspect of your performance is something that should be practiced during rehearsals. Engaging with your bandmates throughout the set shows a connection that the audience will respond to, and will help your performance seem more authentic. 7. Play through your mistakes.Mistakes are bound to happen, especially during your first gig when nerves are running high. The important thing to remember if someone in your band makes a mistake is to keep playing. Don’t stop in the middle of a song because of a mistake. Push through the stress that you may feel and don’t let it affect the rest of your set. To help your group learn from the mistakes that you make, consider recording the performance so that you can revisit it later and evaluate what needs to be improved. However, if you choose to do this, don’t forget to also notice what the band did well and give yourselves credit. 8. Enjoy yourself.No matter what the circumstances are surrounding your performance, make sure that you enjoy the experience as you show off your hard work and have a good time on stage with your bandmates. When you have fun doing what you love, it shows. The audience will know you’re enjoying yourselves, and may be more inclined to enjoy listening to your performance in return.
Don Gayhardt is a Pennsylvania-based business executive with more than 25 years of leadership experience in the fintech sector. In addition to serving as the president and CEO of CURO Financial Technologies Corp, Don Gayhardt applies his leadership experience to a position as the chairman of Music Training Center Holdings, LLC, a group that offers quality music programs to children in the Philadelphia area. One form of music that many parents would like their children to take an interest in is classical music. Studies have shown that exposure to classical music in childhood can have a positive impact on the development of memory skills and spatial-temporal reasoning. Parents who want to foster an interest in classical music in their children should consider the following helpful tips: 1. Demonstrate excitement about classical music.When a parent shows enthusiasm for a certain type of music, their positive energy is bound to have an impact on their child’s opinion. Look for opportunities to demonstrate your own interest in classical music to your child in everyday situations. It can be helpful to make sharing music a regular family activity, taking turns sharing your favorite classical pieces with your child and listening to music your child has selected. 2. Play classical music in your home and on car trips.In addition to showing an active interest in classical music, incorporate classical songs into your family’s daily routine. Play pieces from your favorite composer as you cook dinner, or in the car as your take your children to school. You can also consider playing classical music for your children as a lullaby to help them fall asleep. The more familiar your child is with the genre, the more interest they may develop in it. 3. Engage your child’s interest with questions.Asking your child opinion-based questions about classical music is an excellent way to engage their attention. When you play a piece, ask your son or daughter how the music makes them feel. Ask your child about the parts of the song they most enjoyed, and what the music makes them think of. 4. Take your child on a field trip to the symphony.Taking your child to a symphonic performance is an excellent way to foster a love of classical music. Apart from the novelty of being out of the house, going to the symphony and seeing the lights, witnessing the orchestra setup, and hearing the music in person for the first time can leave a lasting impression. If you believe your child is mature enough to sit through a symphony performance, make sure to pick the right show. Some local orchestras host performances specifically designed for children, featuring music from the soundtrack of popular children’s films. For children who aren’t quite interested enough to sit through a symphonic performance, the ballet can be a great alternative. Ballet performances provide visual entertainment while featuring classical music as a soundtrack. The Nutcracker is a perennial ballet favorite for families with young children. 5. Encourage your child to take music lessons on a classical instrument.Some children may become interested in the genre if they are allowed to take lessons on a classical musical instrument. Developing as a musician can teach your child to appreciate all genres of music, including classical, in a way that they never would have otherwise. Great beginning instruments for this purpose include the piano and classical guitar. Though the right age to begin lessons will vary from child to child, a majority of professionals suggest that five years old is a good age to start piano, while guitar may be better for eight or nine year olds, due to the hand dexterity necessary to swiftly change chords. 6. Read your child stories that involve classical music. Reading books about famous classical composers to your children during story time may be an effective way to educate and entertain them at the same time. Books like Why Beethoven Threw the Stew by Steven Isserlis and The Farewell Symphony by Anna Harwell Celenza are great choices for teaching children about classical music during story time. Other books like Listen to the Birds by Ana Gerhard, which includes an accompanying CD, can teach your kids about the genre and allow them to hear the sounds of the distinct instruments used in classical music. 7. Watch movies about classical composers.If your child connects better with films than books, there are many family-friendly movies that can help them learn to appreciate classical music. For a lesson on the life of one of the world’s most famous composers, consider the film Beethoven Lives Upstairs. Other movies for children that incorporate classical music include animated features like Looney Tunes Musical Masterpieces, as well as Disney’s version of Peter and the Wolf.
For many children, learning to play a musical instrument is an exciting extracurricular activity that can yield many benefits, including better academic performance, improved social skills, and the opportunity for creative expression. However, even the most dedicated young music students may reach a point where their interest in the subject wanes and they want to quit their lessons. While parents should not force an unhappy child to pursue musicianship, the following seven tips may help parents when their child expresses disinterest in an instrument they previously enjoyed playing. 1. Review your level of involvement. While it’s important for parents to provide children with encouragement as they pursue music, too much involvement can have a negative effect on a child’s commitment to music lessons. If parents find that they constantly need to remind their child to practice or if discussions about lessons often result in arguments, it may be time to consider taking a step back and giving the child more personal autonomy. While it’s important to remember that this advice is more relevant to older children, allowing young music students to decide when and how long they practice may help them feel empowered and renew their interest in music overall. 2. Show more support.Alternatively, kids may begin to lose interest in music because they don’t feel enough encouragement. Parents should make sure that they are taking the time to occasionally listen to their child practice and give positive remarks about performances. Parents can also show support by routinely asking thoughtful questions about their child’s lessons and acknowledging signs of major progress. Additionally, try making a celebration out of even small accomplishments in order to bolster your music student’s confidence in his or her abilities. When kids feel proud of themselves and realize the progress they’ve made on their instrument, they are more likely to stick with their lessons. 3. Make sure that peer pressure is not involved.In some cases, children may lose interest in lessons because their friends discourage them or make negative comments about playing an instrument. Peer pressure can be especially difficult for students in the pre-teen and early teenage years to navigate, and parents should make sure their child’s sudden disinterest in music is not rooted in negativity from their friends and classmates. Having a candid conversation about peer pressure can help prevent a promising music student from quitting an activity that he or she genuinely enjoys. 4. Play similar music in the home.No matter which instrument a child is learning to play, parents should make a point of introducing children to recordings of professional musicians who play a similar style of music. By playing music that is similar to the style the child is learning, parents can show that the family as a group has an interest in the subject. This, in turn, may bolster the child’s interest. Greater familiarity with a certain style of music may also help a child to enjoy it more, and thus feel more enthusiasm about learning to play an instrument. 5. Set up more performances.An endless cycle of only lessons and practice with few opportunities for performance can bore children and make them wonder what the purpose of learning to play the instrument is. Parents can help children stay motivated to make progress on an instrument by finding more opportunities for performance. While recitals organized by the child’s music teacher may be infrequent, parents can seek out local competitions and explore local music groups to allow their child to demonstrate his or her playing skills more often. It can also be fun to invite friends and family over for an event and ask the child to play for guests. By giving the child something to practice for, more performance opportunities may encourage a bored music student to continue lessons. 6. Suggest a new instrument.Growing disinterest in music can also stem from a child’s indifference toward his or her instrument. Children who enjoy music but aren’t excited about the specific instrument they are learning to play may find a renewed passion for the subject if their parents let them take lessons on something else. Parents should arrange for children to take lessons on an instrument that makes them enthusiastic about learning. In addition, don’t be discouraged if a child’s first choice doesn’t turn out to be right for him or her. 7. Find a new teacher.Some children’s learning styles simply do not match up with their music teacher’s instructional methods. A teacher may have a great talent, but a teacher-student pair with the wrong chemistry can easily result in an unhappy and unmotivated child. After making sure the child’s distaste for music lessons isn’t caused by something else, parents should consider arranging for a few weeks of lessons with another instructor. Opt for one who employs a different style of teaching to see if the child’s interest in music returns.
No matter whether you’re a long-time musician, a new music student, or somewhere in between, people who are passionate about music often consider practice or performance an important part of daily life. However, travel can make practicing some traditional instruments difficult, leaving a musician on a trip without an outlet for creativity. If you are a musician who is planning to travel soon, but don’t want to sacrifice your ability to make music while away from home, the following six instruments are easy to take with you no matter where in the world you go. UkuleleA lightweight, hollow-body instrument commonly associated with the Hawaiian Islands, the ukulele has an appearance similar to that of a miniature acoustic guitar. It features four nylon strings and is usually made out of wood, though plastic models are also available. The ukulele comes in four sizes, with the 30-inch baritone being the largest and the traditional soprano being the smallest at just 20 inches long. The instrument is notable for being fun, inexpensive, and relatively easy to learn how to play. Hand drumsThere are many options for the percussionist who wants to take an instrument on the go. While they do not produce the same sound as the standard drum kit, hand drums like the West African djembe are a practical option for travel. Although traditional djembes are made from a goatskin stretched over a wooden body, a hardier, more functional option for the traveling drummer is a djembe made from fiberglass and equipped with a metal tuning key. Another ideal hand drum for the traveling musician is the mini cajon (Spanish for “box”), like those designed by the instrument company Meinl. While standard cajons are large enough for a drummer to sit on when playing, the miniature version from Meinl is just under 9 inches tall and almost 6 inches wide. These birch wood instruments have a warm tone and produce a crisp sound that make them ideal for accompanying other musicians on the road. Traveler guitarGuitarists of all ages can bring their craft with them wherever they go thanks to a modified version of the instrument designed specifically with the traveler in mind. One of the best acoustic options is the Backpacker guitar, made by C.F. Martin & Co. Available in both classical and steel string form, the instrument has a slimmed-down body design that makes it perfect for storing in a packed car or in the overhead compartment of a plane. Although the skinny body of the wooden guitar prevents it from producing the louder, fuller sound of a standard size acoustic, it has the benefit of weighing only two pounds, making it extremely portable and the perfect option to bring along on outdoor excursions. Alternatively, electric guitarists may be interested in the Ultra-Light Electric made by the company aptly named Traveler Guitar. At 3 pounds and just 28 inches long, the compact Ultra-Light produces a sound identical to a full-scale electric guitar and comes with a removable leg rest frame for functional lap playing. Musicians can pair the Ultra-Light with a mini amplifier and have the freedom to shred on the guitar anytime, anywhere. HarmonicaFor its size, the harmonica has a lot to offer the traveling musician as it spans three octaves and can play both single notes and chords. The typical beginner’s harmonica is the 10-hole diatonic type in the key of C—the version most often played in music genres like folk, blues, and pop. Though a harmonica needs to be in the right key in order to most effectively accompany other instruments during a song, these metal mouth organs are small enough to stuff in your pocket, making it easy to fit a set of them with a wide range of keys into a travel bag. OcarinaWhile many standard wind instruments like the flute and clarinet are already small enough to take on trips, they can be expensive to replace or repair if they are lost or damaged. For this reason, the ocarina is an excellent, economical option for a wind instrument player who wants to make music while traveling. Ocarinas are small, rounded vessel flutes with a total of 10 holes—two for the thumbs and eight for the fingers. They are made from plastic, terracotta, or even metal, and produce pure notes in a limited range. Some versions are highly decorative, and musicians may choose to wear them around the neck on a string for convenient carry. Your VoiceArguably the simplest and most often-forgotten instrument that musicians can take wherever they go is their voice. Through singing lessons and practice, musicians can learn to develop a controlled, melodic vocal tone welcome in any musical setting. Singing can also lead to a variety of emotional, social, and health benefits for the singer. Studies show that singing can strengthen the immune system, improve the body’s blood circulation, reduce stress, and even boost self-confidence. Additionally, singing in a group is a great way to make friends and enjoy the wonderful social aspect of music while on the road.
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Photo used under Creative Commons from Marina K Caprara