Parents

I got to go back to middle school tonight.  You know, the meet the teacher, 10 minutes per class open house.  I started thinking about how crazy it is that my child spends all day with these people I don't know and I'm not there.  Of course, she is in middle school - this is when it's supposed to happen.  I started having flashbacks to our special time together when she was 4 years old and I took her to Yamaha class - JMC Book 1 - Saturdays at 8:30AM!!!

I feel so lucky to not only teach young children, but help cultivate the special relationship of parent and child.  It seems that many other activities the parent is simply an observer, but in Yamaha classes, they are a vital part of our program.  Because our students are so young, the parent must attend class so they can help reinforce the class activities at home.  Parents do every activity with the child in class - sing, play, create, dance, and have fun.  (ok - sometimes they complain a little about the dancing. . . )

The parent-child relationship is the core of a young child's world - and making music together strengthens it.  I can't tell you how many times a parent has brought their child to music class because it's something they have always wanted to do themselves - and they get to share it with their child.

I can't think of a better way to spend an hour a week :-)

All About Keyboards

It was in 1887 when Torakusu Yamaha made his first reed organ.  (Click for more info!) When I took Yamaha as a child in the 70s, we actually played on reed organs like this one!

Times have changed!  Once a student is enrolled in the Junior Music Course or Young Musicians Course, they must have a keyboard or a piano to practice on at home.  Portable keyboards are fine for the first year or two of classes, but you will need to upgrade for your child to progress to their full potential.  The portable keyboards we use in class are not available for purchase, but here are some tips for finding the best instrument for your child.

1.  Keys must be full sized with a minimum of 49 keys.
Notice how the keys on the organ above seem small - they are!  If a child practices on a keyboard with smaller keys, they will learn an incorrect hand position.  

2.  Piano/keyboard must play the correct pitches.
This is one benefit to using electronic instruments.  They never need tuning and are set to the correct pitch.  Pianos should ideally be tuned every 6 months-1 year.  In order for your child to confirm and solidify their ear training, the pitch must be A440.  Basically, if they play middle Do (C) along with the CD, it should match!  

3.  The piano or keyboard should be YAMAHA!
This is not a requirement, but a very high recommendation!  We have compared other brands and there's no comparison.  Yamaha produces high quality instruments that are innovative and beautiful - to listen to and look at!  

4.  The instrument must be at a proper height.
Students should be able to sit comfortably at the instrument.  They should not be reaching up to the keys, nor should they be hovering over them.  A sturdy keyboard stand and bench are recommended.  Typically, portable keyboards do not come with a stand or a bench.  

Some higher priced digital pianos come with their own stand.

4.  I have a piano - will that be ok?
Yes - assuming that it is in tune and all the keys work. Sometimes, however, it is very difficult for a small child (ages 4-6) to physically push the piano keys.  This sometimes can create an undesirable finger and hand position.  If you do choose a portable keyboard to start on, you will need to upgrade sometime during the 2nd or 3rd year of curriculum.

Still have questions?  We are having a special Instrument Petting Zoo at our Family Fun Fest on Friday, September 14th from 6-8pm.  Our friends at Alamo Music Center will be there to answer any questions you might have and give you a chance to compare the different types of keyboards available (weighted keys. touch sensitivity, etc.)

If anyone wants to buy me an instrument - this is the one I would like :-)

Homework

It's Sunday night.

We had a fun day at a swimming party for my brother's birthday.

Now. . . . it's homework time.

Didn't I already pass 4th and 6th grade?

          Yes.  Yes I did - and I did very well, thank you very much.

I am a teacher, and yes, I give homework.  But, I only spend one hour a week with them - so it seems completely reasonable that they would need to practice something before their next class.  I only expect a student to spend maybe 10-15 minutes every other day.  Of course, as their songs become longer and more difficult, they will need to practice longer.

What I don't understand is the amount of homework children get from schools and teachers that spend over 7 hours with them Monday - Friday.

I know that many people may argue that homework teaches discipline and responsibility, but I think that a child's time after school would be better spent outside playing with friends and family.

I encourage you to go visit this website:
http://www.thecaseagainsthomework.com/
or this one too :
http://www.alfiekohn.org/books/hm.htm

Take it a step further - talk to the teachers, talk to the administrators, talk to the school district.

That's all I have to say about that. (sorry. . . I watched Forrest Gump with my kids last night :-) on VHS!)

Just One Week!

I am thoroughly enjoying my new Music Wonderland classes (for 3 year-olds).  I have to tell you, thought, that the first week is really rough.  I have to work so very hard to try to keep these adorable little kids interested for 45 minutes.  The first class always seems so long and they get really tired, mainly because of how hard their little brains and ears are listening.   You see, at this first class, absolutely everything they hear in class is brand new and they are trying to absorb every tiny sound they hear.

So after this first class, not only am I exhausted, but I'm also a bit worried -
         will they be able to do it?
            will they remember?

The parents and children go home and they listen to their CD and the next week in class - it's like a whole different class.  You would think I wouldn't be surprised since I have seen this happen in many classes before, but every time, I'm completely amazed.  They remember so much and are so focused in class.  Usually a parent comments about what parts the child talked about during the week - remembering details from a particular song.

When my daughter was three, the US did not have the Music Wonderland course yet.  My son was lucky - he was in the very first Music Wonderland class in the US.  Both of my children are excellent musicians, but sometimes I see something in my son - almost a sparkle of knowledge - like he knows what he hears is special.   He has started to notice that some of his friends don't hear music the same way he does.  He was telling me about singing with other kids and he said :

"I can sing on pitch and know when the notes are right.  You know, how the music gets in my head and then it's stuck there and I know all the notes?"

That's Music Wonderland at work! (7 years later!!!)

Boring recitals

We saw the movie The Strange Life of Timothy Green this afternoon.  There was one funny scene where the main characters have to attend an annual musical concert put on by her sister and her family. They are set up in their living room :
      the perfect mom at the piano
            the three children playing the cello, bassoon, and flute
                   and my favorite - the dad playing. . . handbells!

Sitting cramped on the other side of the room are the family and friends who obviously don't want to be there.  Of course, I thought this was funny and I know everyone identifies with this situation.  But then I was wondered - is this what people feel when they are at one of my recitals or concerts?

What makes a recital boring? Hmm.....
You don't know anyone on stage performing
        It's so much more fun to see someone you know - and it means a lot to the performer too!

You don't know any of the songs

        This is especially true for popular music.  Usually when someone goes on tour, they have just released a new album.  I always hate if I don't know any of the new songs!

It's really long

      Any concert, no matter how wonderful it is, can get boring when it goes on forever!

The music is really slow

       Maybe I'm thinking sleepy - for me, I'm thinking about those slow movements of some orchestral piece.....and it's dark. . . . .

They're singing in another language

       It's so hard to enjoy something you don't understand.  I always felt operas were boring until I saw the Austin Lyric Opera with supertitles!!!   Supertitles are carefully choreographed translations that are displayed on a screen above the stage.  What a wonderful invention!

You were forced to go and really don't want to be there.

I want to know - what makes recitals really special to you?  Are there certain types of concerts that you always enjoy?  Never enjoy?  How often do you attend recitals?  Do you seek them out?  Do you make your kids go to concerts?  Did your parents make you??

Monkey/Ape Child

My son has an artisan type personality (monkey!).  I always joke that it would be pretty boring around our house if he wasn't around.  I can still see him as a toddler, standing on tip toe, reaching for the front door handle - all he wanted to do was go outside, because it's an adventure!  Artisans want to enjoy every moment of their life!

Wouldn't you know it, tonight as I was talking on the phone about what I was going to write on this very blog post, Steven was demanding my attention.  I'm sure you've experienced this.  You are in a completely separate room doing something by yourself.  Last check, your artisan child was busy doing something somewhere else.  Somehow they have this sixth sense that tells them that you are not paying attention to them.  He comes and stands right next to me - of course arms and shoulders touching me - holding his science notebook and pencil, and of course talking non-stop about who knows what, but it's so important that he has to tell me right now while I'm on the phone.

I try to ignore him - he'll get the hint, right?
No, then, somehow there happens to be a bicycle bell within his reach and, you guessed it, he starts to ring it......and ring it.....until I hang up the phone and take it away.

He won.

I have to thank him, though.  He managed to demonstrate so many of the artisan/monkey misbehaviors wrapped in one little two minute package.

So often, the mistaken goal of these artisans is they are seeking revenge.  This of course can bring out the impatient and critical parent that will just make matters worse.  There are many other ways to deal with these busy artisans.

The most important thing is to accept that they need independence.  That truly motivates them and they will always decide what they want to do and stop at nothing to get it.

I'm sure you guardian/bear type parents are thinking "But they just have to do what I tell them."  But remember, they are not motivated the same way you are. They don't just follow the rules because they are supposed to - they're different!

The choice is yours.  You have to think differently about how to approach the situation. Maybe you have something very important to do and your child wants to do something else.  Instead of getting more and more irritated with them since they won't leave you alone, you might say something like : "OK.  I know you really want ______ right now, so how about we do that, but after we're done, you owe me 30 minutes of quiet so I can get this finished."
I can't tell you how many times this has worked with my child and many of my students.  Rewards and gifts also motivate the artisan child.

More tomorrow!!!

Bears and Monkeys

I'm not really talking about bears and monkeys - well, not the bears and monkeys you know.

Actually, many of you are bears (45% of the population)
And many of you have monkey children (35-40% of the population).

OK, let me explain.

Bears are the guardian type personality.  See if you identify with these characteristics:

• Practical
• Traditional
• A good citizen, follows the rules
• Follows directions
• Cautious
• Economical
• Seeks security
• Worries about things
• Values authority
• Compliant

I hope you know me well enough to know that I am not a bear.  Bookkeeping would be so much easier if I was!!!

Monkeys are the artisan type personality.  See if this sounds like your child (this is Steven!!!)

Steven at his Bike Rodeo in 1st Grade
He of course thought he was going to win!!!

• Likes to have fun
• Excitable
• Non-conventional
• Seeks independence
• Wants to do what s/he wants
• Lives in the moment
• Stimulus hunger
• Uninhibited
• Changeable
• Risk taker
• Easily wound up
• Easily bored
• Bold and daring

Sound familiar???  If you happen to be this special parent child relationship of bear to monkey, I know you have had many, many frustrating moments together.  

Make sure to read tomorrow's blog when I'll explain the different misbehaviors of each type and how to motivate your child!  (I have all the secrets!)

Characteristics and animal types from :
      Golay, Keith Ph.D. The Relationship of Temperament & Learning Styles to YMES Class Management, 2005 YMES  
                   Jamboree.

Who is that?

So last night we ate dinner at Grimaldi's in San Antonio.  You know, the famous Brooklyn Bridge pizza place (it's on the Brooklyn side of the bridge).

There are many photos of the NY city skyline, the Brooklyn Bridge, and a whole bunch of "famous" people.  I used quotation marks because during the course of the meal, I discovered that my almost 12 year old didn't know who any of the people were.

After being a bit horrified at her not knowing, it quickly turned into shame - my own shame.  For who should have educated her about these icons of the 50s and 60s.

Ok, well maybe I'm feeling a bit more shame because the "famous" people weren't any great historians, presidents, or movement leaders - no, they were...entertainers.

Yes, there were the pictures of the famous "Rat Pack", plus Marilyn Monroe and Debbie Reynolds.  As a musician, I couldn't believe that she didn't know Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin or Sammy Davis, Jr.

So guess what we're going to do?
Listen to "Sway" (she actually knows this song from a Michael Buble album) and "I've Got You Under My Skin"....

I have a feeling there might be other movies and songs I need to share!

3s Physical Development

Yamaha had the daunting task of figuring out how to teach keyboard and music to three-year-olds.  Here's where 3s are physically:

• The children are growing.  You might have noticed their upper body is stretching, along with their legs and arms.  Sometimes, they grow at such a fast rate that they don't realize how much bigger they really are and bump into things.
• Physical development and coordination develops from the top down and from the midline out.  Guess what's the last thing to develop?  The tiny fingers!
• They learn "hand to head"- if I can't touch it, I can't learn it.  
• They can walk and run, but still have difficulty jumping, hopping, and balancing
• Fine motor skills are not there.
• The wrist joint is not hardened yet.  This limits their ability to rotate their wrist joint (making keyboard playing very tricky!).
• Visually, they are far-sighted.  It is difficult for them to shift focus from far to near.
• The keyboard appears 1.5 times bigger than it does to adults.
• Their hearing is well developed.  They can listen and concentrate.  This is the point of encounter with the child of Music Wonderland.

Music Wonderland is designed to create an ideal environment where the child can express their own ideas through singing and rhythmic response (movement).  During class, the children can really concentrate and focus on listening to music, and we help them develop this skill fully.  It is through imaginative play in music that we can motivate the children to use the keyboard concretely. 

The first keyboard activities use gross motor skills (whole fist playing 3 black-keys) where the keyboard represents a car's horn.  Gradually, more fine motor skills are introduced as the child develops more muscle control.  By the end of Music Wonderland, they will be able to move their fingers individually and will be ready for the next stage - Junior Music Course!

Throughout the course, the child will have many experiences playing the keyboard together.  Even though they are not moving their fingers individually at this stage, they still are acquiring important skills of ensemble playing (playing together) and keyboard geography.  This gives these children a distinct advantage over the average 4 year old.

All about 3 year-olds :)

Oh, the three-year-old - what a delightful age.  It's no accident that Yamaha's course for 3s is called "Music Wonderland" -  for being with these little children is like visiting another magical land :-)

Recently, I had the pleasure of teaching a very enthusiastic child, who, upon entering the room, announced that "I am three!  I get to go to music class!" (jumping the whole time!).

I am still surprised at how deeply and passionately a three-year-old experiences music.  The three-year-olds senses are so acute that they really can't do anything else but listen when music is playing.  I think many parents look see that blank stare as disinterest, but in fact, it's extreme concentration.

Something I struggle with is how to convince parents of a 3 year-old how vital it is that they start music now.  Yamaha Music Foundation has always known that the 3 year-old's aural abilities surpass that of a 4-5 year old, but they had to find a developmentally appropriate way to teach them to their full potential.  We have only had this course in the US since 2005, yet Junior Music Course (for 4-5 year olds) has been around since 1965!

Music Wonderland is a joy to teach - but it's not easy!  You wouldn't believe the amount of time I have spent listening and thinking about these pieces.  Every piece has a specific purpose  --- all presented in a fanciful and imaginative way that is irresistible to any three-year old!

I'm just getting started with these amazing little musicians - watch for more posts about their developmental characteristics.

Please stop singing

After hearing yet another awful rendition of "Happy Birthday" in a local restaurant, I realized a few things :

1. The majority of the population does not sing well.
2. #1 doesn't stop all those people from singing in public.

Think about it.  Most people don't consider themselves singers, yet will always join in on "Happy Birthday" at the restaurant or "Don't Stop Believing" at the karaoke bar.  People love to sing!

First, let me just say that the two songs that are sung in public often - "Happy Birthday" and "The National Anthem"  - are both difficult songs to sing well.  They both have wide ranges, that is, there is a large distance between the lowest and the highest notes in the song.  

Actually, most people do ok on the first part of "Happy Birthday":

      (please listen along in your head :)  )

       "Happy Birthday to you, (green GO)

       Happy Birthday to you, (caution)

       Happy BIRTH (argh! STOP!) day dear whosie whatsit, 

       Happy Birthday to you!" (Congrats!  The song is in a new key - not a good thing :(  )

Did you hear it?  Next time you're in a restaurant, pay special attention to the third "Happy Birthday".  That's where the melody jumps up an octave.  Ok...no more music theory in this post...just know that's where it all goes downhill!

So, I know you're concerned about this.  You're probably wondering

• Am I one of those people who sings badly in public?
• How can I protect my child against these embarrassing experiences?

Fear not! If your child receives music training before the age of 7, they can develop their musical ear - that is the ability to tell if something is in tune, on key, or in other words - it sounds good.

But beware.....they might tell you to stop singing!

Live, Laugh, & Love

I'm sure that you can take these three words and apply them towards anything, but I think the connection to music is strongest! It's hard to imagine any part of our lives where there isn't music.

Teaching children is such an eye-opening experience, and I realized that I have so many a-ha moments during my teaching that I would like to share them with you - my students' parents. I hope this becomes a place where you too can share your own insights and wow moments that you observe. Children have such an amazing ability to bring us back to right now - for that's all that matters.

So here's what I think about those three words:

Live - I want my students to be musicians for life. I help nurture this gift that stays with them forever. It may be as simple as humming along with a song on the radio, playing the piano that they thought they forgot how to play, supporting arts in their community, or just enjoying listening to someone else play music.

Laugh - Music is fun, especially with friends. I know that they get that feeling in class and hope that they keep having fun with music - being in a band, singing in a choir, playing a song with a sibling, writing songs.

Love - These early experiences in Yamaha will help nurture a livelong love of music. Sometimes children may not realize what that feeling is until later - when their own choices in life show that love of music. There comes a point where they realize that their friends don't understand music the same way. They have learned a second language that only few can truly hear and express - and that is truly a gift.