Re: Giving kids musical pleasure

[Douglas Tate <douglas.tate@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 03:09 16/06/2004, Pierre wrote:
>It does not matter what you do, kids will do what they like and there's
>little you can do. Even if you get them to play music or sports or arts, one
>day they will most likely stop and take up something else (hopefully it
>won't be drugs or nose rings).  We did this all our lives and we are still
>picking, choosing and eventually moving on. For me it was hockey, squash,
>aerobics,  cycling, gardening,  mountain biking, music, harmonica, downhill
>biking and one day perhaps golf. Once you get to a plateau, you often move
>on because you can't get better without devoting your hole life to something
>and if you don't improve, you lose your motivation and eventually you move
>on to something new and exciting. Its just a normal cycle.
>Such is life, if you forget this you will be disappointed and your kids will
>feel it. Be happy with whatever constructive things your kids do.

When teaching kids general music in class, well over 3000 of them (this is 
mainly about 13 year olds, mixed ability, class size 30-35... not the 
easiest age or situation!) I came to the conclusion that...
It is a very rare child who is tone deaf. I came across two, the rest just 
hadn't known how to sing other notes, a little help and they were away.
It was possible to get those anti formality kids to DEMAND to learn theory!
It was possible to get whole classes crying or laughing (with enjoyment or 
sadness)in response to Classical or pop music.
It was possible to get MOST improvising, playing, ( I won't go as far as 
saying singing!)  and wanting to stay in at the end of lessons to continue.
It is not possible to force a child willingly into a mould... resentment 
ensues. It is frequently possible to encourage (by example, enthusiasm and 
attractive presentation and choice of options) marginally musical kids to 
go forward.
You don't have to worry about the keen and enthusiastic musical kid... but 
you do still have to do all of the encouragng, supporting, example things.
You don't have to ignore the kid who is poor at music through innate lack 
of ability in that direction... some are slow developers, keep the 
opportunities pen.
You do need to get to know what each one is thinking... the lovely noise 
the class is making can hide some seriously disenchanted kids. (Sometimes, 
however careful you are, you only learn this years later when they are 
adult and less reticent about being honest with you :))
You don't know WHAT THE HECK you have done to a kid... one of the nicest 
things... and to me the most rewarding... is to find that the middle of the 
road person who never reached the heights has gone on to have children... 
and because you instilled a broad love of music in them  has encouraged and 
devoted musical time and effort to their children.

Back to Pierre... He is right, you can lead a child to music but you can't 
make it perform (to your liking)
Back to Iceman... He is right, the wider the exposure (as long as it is not 
dragging screaming and kicking) the more likely the child will develop 
musically.

However... try not to let your musical prejudices overinfluence your kids, 
look at the wider picture.

Douglas t