Re: Giving kids musical pleasure was Re: Standardizing...Going to Spah etc

[Ballou Family <ballou.family@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

- --Apple-Mail-2--588528310

I believe the most important point in choosing an instrument for a=20
child is to let the child choose the instrument based on what the=20
instrument sounds like to them.

Far too many kids start out in music with great enthusiasm, only to=20
loose interest in just a short time.  Some parents will extend the time=20=

the kids play the instrument with encouraging statements like: "We got=20=

you that horn and you're going to play it." or "Do you know how much=20
those piano lessons cost?!  Now you get in there and practice, or else!"

This isn't a new idea, I remember hearing it long ago, but it is an=20
idea that too many parents don't bother to take into account.  In many=20=

cases considerations such as, you can use my old guitar, or, the=20
neighbor will give us free lessons, or, I like the sound of a tuba, far=20=

outweigh the child's ear.

My story:
When I was in school I wanted to play the English horn.  I got a=20
clarinet.  I played it for 2 years.  In Jr. High I tried for piano and=20=

ended up playing double bass.  Growing up, I had many friends in=20
similar situations that lost all interest in music.  It was another 28=20=

years before I picked up my next instrument.  That was 2 months ago, a=20=

Hohner Special 20 in A and Jerry Portnoy's Master Class.

When my daughter was 3 and my son 1, I bought a Yamaha keyboard and set=20=

it up in their play area.  I figured, =93What kid doesn't like to bang =
on=20
a piano?  My grandmother couldn't keep us away from hers!  Eventually,=20=

if I go in and play nursery songs with them, they'll want to learn to=20
play it.  -- Neither of them ever touched it.

When my daughter was 9 we were listening to a Christmas CD and she=20
asked what the lead instrument was.  I told her it was a harp (concert,=20=

47 string).  She said, =93I want to play that.=94  Cecilia started =
lessons=20
2 years later, graduated high school last Friday, and will be majoring=20=

in music next year in college with her harp.

My son saw the attention Cecilia was getting with her harp and=20
announced that he too wanted to play an instrument.  I asked him if he=20=

wanted to start harp lessons.  NO!  He wanted to play the saxophone. =20
(He had 2 friends who played sax.)  I put him in the car and he was=20
quite puzzled when we pulled up to a CD store and went home with 2 CDs=20=

of saxophone music.  He couldn't sit through the first one.  I told=20
him; =93No Saxophone.  If you don't like the way a professional sounds =
on=20
the instrument, you sure won't like the sounds you make, and won't have=20=

a desirable goal to work towards.=94  I won't go through the whole list,=20=

but only say that we have solo CDs of nearly an entire concert=20
orchestra.  About a year later we got 2 CDs that perked his interest:=20
=93Peter and the Wolf=94 and =93Fantasia.=94  Mark started bassoon =
lessons in=20
6th grade, played in the All-State Jr. High Band in 8th grade, and, as=20=

a sophomore, placed first out of 29 bassoonists who tried out for the=20
All-State High School Music Festival this year.  He plays in the local=20=

town band and in a local youth orchestra.

MB


On Monday, June 14, 2004, at 01:16  PM, IcemanLE@xxxxxxx wrote:

> In a message dated 6/14/04 11:30:29 AM Eastern Daylight Time,=20
> jwdixon_sbis@xxxxxxxxx writes:
>
>
> How do you make sure this doesn't happen?=A0 I want to
> give my kids the pleasure of the musical moments that aren't
> planned and everyone can get their groove going and magical things
> happen.=A0 I also want them to have a good theory foundataion, but if
> giving them that foundation takes away the best application of
> theory and the most pleasure from music, is it worth it?=A0 Maybe
> "band" isn't the way.=A0 Private piano lessons?=A0 Private guitar
> lessons?=A0 We all know how hard it is to find a good local harp
> instructor.=A0 Any input would be appreciated.
>
>
>
> Take them to hear live music - cocktail pianist, folk singer, jazz=20
> combo, outdoor local blues show. Find out what turns them on. Have=20
> them talk w/the artist. Make music approachable to them.
>
> Then, audition teachers - don't just take the first one that comes=20
> along. Try to match temperament w/your children. If they like pop=20
> music, don't hook them up with an old lady that insists on scales and=20=

> classical music. There is a whole market out there of instructors. The=20=

> extra effort it takes for a good match is worth it.
>
> The Iceman
>
 =20=

- --Apple-Mail-2--588528310

I believe the most important point in choosing an instrument for a
child is to let the child choose the instrument based on what the
instrument sounds like to them.


Far too many kids start out in music with great enthusiasm, only to
loose interest in just a short time.  Some parents will extend the
time the kids play the instrument with encouraging statements like:
"We got you that horn and you're going to play it." or "Do you know
how much those piano lessons cost?!  Now you get in there and
practice, or else!"


This isn't a new idea, I remember hearing it long ago, but it is an
idea that too many parents don't bother to take into account.  In many
cases considerations such as, you can use my old guitar, or, the
neighbor will give us free lessons, or, I like the sound of a tuba,
far outweigh the child's ear.


My story:

When I was in school I wanted to play the English horn.  I got a
clarinet.  I played it for 2 years.  In Jr. High I tried for piano and
ended up playing double bass.  Growing up, I had many friends in
similar situations that lost all interest in music.  It was another 28
years before I picked up my next instrument.  That was 2 months ago, a
Hohner Special 20 in A and Jerry Portnoy's Master Class.


When my daughter was 3 and my son 1, I bought a Yamaha keyboard and
set it up in their play area.  I figured, =93What kid doesn't like to
bang on a piano?  My grandmother couldn't keep us away from hers!=20
Eventually, if I go in and play nursery songs with them, they'll want
to learn to play it.  -- Neither of them ever touched it.


When my daughter was 9 we were listening to a Christmas CD and she
asked what the lead instrument was.  I told her it was a harp
(concert, 47 string).  She said, =93I want to play that.=94  Cecilia
started lessons 2 years later, graduated high school last Friday, and
will be majoring in music next year in college with her harp.


My son saw the attention Cecilia was getting with her harp and
announced that he too wanted to play an instrument.  I asked him if he
wanted to start harp lessons.  NO!  He wanted to play the saxophone.=20
(He had 2 friends who played sax.)  I put him in the car and he was
quite puzzled when we pulled up to a CD store and went home with 2 CDs
of saxophone music.  He couldn't sit through the first one.  I told
him; =93No Saxophone.  If you don't like the way a professional sounds
on the instrument, you sure won't like the sounds you make, and won't
have a desirable goal to work towards.=94  I won't go through the whole
list, but only say that we have solo CDs of nearly an entire concert
orchestra.  About a year later we got 2 CDs that perked his interest:
=93Peter and the Wolf=94 and =93Fantasia.=94  Mark started bassoon =
lessons in
6th grade, played in the All-State Jr. High Band in 8th grade, and, as
a sophomore, placed first out of 29 bassoonists who tried out for the
All-State High School Music Festival this year.  He plays in the local
town band and in a local youth orchestra.


MB



On Monday, June 14, 2004, at 01:16  PM, IcemanLE@xxxxxxx wrote:


<excerpt><fontfamily><param>Arial</param><smaller>In a message dated
6/14/04 11:30:29 AM Eastern Daylight Time, jwdixon_sbis@xxxxxxxxx
writes:



</smaller>How do you make sure this doesn't happen?=A0 I want to

give my kids the pleasure of the musical moments that aren't

planned and everyone can get their groove going and magical things

happen.=A0 I also want them to have a good theory foundataion, but if

giving them that foundation takes away the best application of

theory and the most pleasure from music, is it worth it?=A0 Maybe

"band" isn't the way.=A0 Private piano lessons?=A0 Private guitar

lessons?=A0 We all know how hard it is to find a good local harp

instructor.=A0 Any input would be appreciated.




Take them to hear live music - cocktail pianist, folk singer, jazz
combo, outdoor local blues show. Find out what turns them on. Have
them talk w/the artist. Make music approachable to them.


Then, audition teachers - don't just take the first one that comes
along. Try to match temperament w/your children. If they like pop
music, don't hook them up with an old lady that insists on scales and
classical music. There is a whole market out there of instructors. The
extra effort it takes for a good match is worth it.


The Iceman


</fontfamily></excerpt>=20=

- --Apple-Mail-2--588528310--