Blog
Are people born with perfect pitch?
Last week I volunteered at our school district's high school choral festival. It was a cushy job. I got to chat it up with a friend and fellow parent of a high school choir kid, She's also a musician, in her own right. As we talked, she mentioned a particular...
Music and the art of listening.
When I was young, probably not older than five, I learned to sing harmony. My teacher at church gave little consideration to our age when she invited us to learn the harmony to a song entitled Jesus Once Was a Little Child. The harmony line was simple - just a third...
Why kids quit piano lessons.
I wish my parents had let me quit piano lessons. Said no one ever. Rather, most adults say the opposite - lamenting the fact that their parents pulled the plug for one reason or another. Chances are, they were responding to what they perceived as a lack of interest...
Emotional benefits of music.
The first few months of my son Jack's life were rough. For him and me. For everyone in our home, really. As if breaking his femur at 4 weeks of age wasn't enough, he neither tolerated my breastmilk nor the myriad of formulas we offered him in those early months. ...
Benefits of group music lessons.
Let's Play Music classes capitalize on the benefits of group lessons for kids. It's tempting to believe that one-on-one instruction provides the ideal setting for music instruction. To the contrary, young children thrive in small groups. In fact, the group instruction...
Academic benefits of early music education.
Earlier this year, I attended an awards ceremony for my high school senior and noticed a pattern. Most of the very same kids who received academic awards participated in one or more high school performing groups. I made this observation easily because those performing...
Carving out one-on-one time with your child through music.
Parents know that one-on-one time with each child is essential. In young children, it contributes to healthy brain development. One-on-one time helps with emotional regulation, minimizes sibling rivalry, and results in a happy confident child. Trouble is, the busyness...
Why early music education? When should my child begin piano lessons?
Early music education yields tremendous benefits for children. Many parents recognize the strong correlation between studying music and academic success. Others want their children to develop discipline. Perhaps they remember fondly their own experience in a choir...