Many Music Together graduates easily transition to Suzuki violin, viola, cello or piano lessons.  I recently met a music teacher who does not believe in the Suzuki method.  There are two sides to the coin regarding this method of teaching and I am strongly for it!  I have seen first hand how the Suzuki method can help kids easily develop musical skills.  ”Easy” is the key word there.

Music Together kids learn their music by listening to the music at home all week and then during class, they see and hear the music making live.  The activities in class are meant to serve as visual and audio memories the kids will take home with them and recall as they hear the CD being played at home.  Who knows what goes on in those little brains of theirs?  Constant processing of the melodies, rhythms and memories we have created is what happens.  They are in essence, ear training.  For instance, “Maria Isabel”, our current Spanish song is great to move to and clap and make up verses!  Kids will learn the Spanish words by ear easily.  At this age, they are not reading yet.  They will pronounce the Spanish pretty close to the way it is heard on the CD. Many adults, meanwhile, will need to read the words in order to sing along.  Ear training is so important!  

The Suzuki method uses this same philosophy as Music Together.  There are CD’s that are played for the children, the music is easily internalized by the kids and when they have the skills to put the bow on the strings or play the keyboard, they can easily play songs they have already heard many many times.  The Suzuki method, at a young age develops kids’ ears.  All three of my kids can play many instruments by ear.  I have seen first hand how this is invaluable. I can give them the first note of any song they have heard and they will be able to play the whole song. That’s pretty cool!

I, on the other hand, have no ear training.  I began flute lessons in 4th grade and excelled quickly.  However, I never had any ear training and am now limited to music-reading.  I cannot play my flute without music in front of me.  Some people believe that Suzuki kids cannot read music.  However, most Suzuki teachers demand kids learn to read music when they start to read (around age 6) so this is not an issue.  My 3 kids are excellent music-readers. They are still young and their sight-reading skills are not fully developed but they have both skills of playing by ear and music reading and thus can pretty much learn to play anything.

I have a cellist, a violinist (who also plays viola) and a pianist.  Feel free to ask me any questions about Suzuki lessons!

The video above is my daughter, Izzy playing a Suzuki book 4 piece when she was 11.  She easily memorized this by ear.

Longmont Suzuki Strings has violin, viola and cello lessons. Take your kids to a recital or concert to expose them to other kids playing. You may meet some Music Together graduates while you’re there! http://www.longmontsuzukistrings.org/

The chant like, “10 Little Fingers” is catchy without the melody.  You find yourself tapping along to the beat easily.  By removing the music, kids can concentrate on the rhythm and the beat deepening their understanding and rhythmic feel of the chant.  Many children’s books also use this chant-like feel, becoming catchy.  Like, “Moo, Baa, La La La” which I can never forget!  What chants can you think of and do you play with at home.  Patty Cake?  Remember that one?

As you know, singing songs with young children help them develop many things like languages and speech and here is an article about how chants and songs for children can also help with literacy.  Using the Music Together book with your child while listening to the music will also help their reading skills down the line.

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleId=478

We create audio and visual stimuli in the clas and continueing to “practice” these activities in the comfort and privacy of your home or your car, will help build the musical foundation called BMC, Basic Music Competency or the ability to keep a beat and sing in tune.

What changes have you noticed in your child since we have started singing “Trot Old Joe” or any of the Music Together songs?  I’ve been hearing some great stories!  So cute!

Here’s my story:  one weekend, long ago and before I was a teacher, we rented a cabin and invited some friends.  We had a total of 5 kids under 4.  While some of the adults cooked dinner, I got the music together book and cassette (back then) out and started the music from the beginning.  The kids were enthralled, busy and actively making music – it didn’t matter what we did.  They were entertained, happy and kept out of trouble.  I quickly read the activities under each song in the book and came up with something to do for each song.  So fun and educational!  TV not needed!

This mom has a fun idea for Trot Old Joe:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_AZLrbrmU4&feature=related

My three kids are now musicians and started in Music Together.  It is easy to transition from Music Together classes, right into Suzuki violin, cello or piano.  I have one of each in my house so I have a wealth of information regarding the Suzuki method.  Just as we listen to the Music Together music at home, Suzuki CD’s are available for all the instruments.  Play a Suzuki Violin CD in the background anytime and your child will internalize the music easily.  Music Together students are the easiest kids to teach and can start as young as 3 years old.  It’s also ok to wait until they are 4.  I recommend starting Suzuki lessons at the age of 3 or 4 because first of all, they are so darn cute!!!  That’s the main reason.  But secondly, the method teaches them at a young age to respect instruments and to hold them correctly.  With a parent as the partner (you have to be their partner at that age, right?), you will learn to patiently teach your child patience, discipline and respect while learning to play an instrument that is not easy!  And, when they succeed it is a huge ego booster!  ”Look what I can do, Daddy!”  What could be better?  Third reason to start them young is that they have time.  At age 5 or 6, they may be beginning longer days at school which can be stressful for some kids.  If you add private instruction for an instrument to that then, children could be overloaded with work all at once.  If they have the skill before they turn 5, it will already be a part of their daily lives that they can easily continue instead of starting everything at once.

Well, “Mr. Rabbit” is pretty awesome, I must say.   If you ever want to do something different in class – like dance or play to Bach or perhaps the “Chihuahua Song” bring in your requests (and your ipods)!  We can do anything together in Music Together.

-Xan

To celebrate Sing With Your Child Month 2012, we’d like to find out what songs have been most meaningful to you. Is there a particular lullaby or folksong you will always associate with your grandmother? Growing up, did you dance along to the “West Side Story” soundtrack or sing silly songs around the campfire? Have you shared this music with your own son or daughter?

Create a video sharing your musical memory—and, in the spirit of Music Together and Sing With Your Child Month, include your family, too. Sing that lullaby with your son or daughter or put on the musical soundtrack and have a dance party!

Every family who submits a video will be entered into a drawing to win musical prizes, including the grand prize: a free semester of Music Together classes!

Visit the contest page for more details, to upload your video, and for filming tips from our A/V Department. Videos will be accepted through March 31—so start working on yours today! All clips will be shared on the Music Together YouTube Channel, so keep an eye out for them throughout the month of March. Contest Page

And, don’t forget to visit the Sing With Your Child Month web page, where you’ll find music-making ideas and weekly giveaways in March. Remember, too, the simplest—and most important—way to celebrate Sing With Your Child Month is to simply gather your family together and share a favorite song. We hope you enjoy creating more musical memories with your family!

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/arnica-000222.htm

In a Music Together classroom, there is so much stimuli for infants. If you have a baby in a music class, you will notice how quickly they develop musically. Babies are in constant download mode and therefore just being in the room is enough. The music, the motions (like hand clapping, egg shaking, etc.), the getting up and dancing with baby, bouncing to the beat and so much music making activity will constantly help develop the infants as their neurons are connecting. These are connections they will never lose and some babies, by the time they are almost 2 can keep a steady beat already!

Here’s my infant story. Feel free to share yours too! My twins were 2.5 when my youngest was born so I took all 3 kids to Music Together classes. The twins kept me plenty busy so I pretty much had to ignore my 2 month old. He, however, would be sitting in the car seat with eyes and ears wide open. Without me even knowing it, he was getting more out of the class than the twins did. By the time he was 2, he could keep a steady beat to any song. His big brother was already taking Suzuki violin lessons at Longmont Suzuki Strings where the teacher encouraged the younger siblings to start even earlier. At age 2, he started violin lessons. When he turned 3 years old, I switched him to cello. He is now 13 and does not remember a time he did not play the cello. He and his brother just performed today at Macke Auditorium with the Greater Boulder Youth Orchestra. The performance was fantastic! You would not know it was kids performing if you heard them.

If you are ever interested in attending a concert, let me know. The next one will be the first Sunday in May. Also, you can enjoy this video of my cellist performing in 2010, when he was 12. It’s great to share videos with your little ones so they see people playing live instruments. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLIaoTYEZJ4

Lullabies are important and powerful traditions. Sing a lullaby to your child when they are going to sleep for naps or night time. Stroking your infants and toddlers while singing is also important. It’s a calming feeling to be touched softly while singing these beautiful pieces. Rocking is also nice. If you create the tradition of the lullaby at a young age, you may be surprised….when they are 15, they could ask you to sing them a lullaby. It’s happened to me with my kids!

Cherish these moments and don’t worry if your voice might not be perfect. The closeness created by the song, the melody which is repeated and the touch of a parent or grandparent means so much to your children.

Any song can be a lullaby. You are not restricted to the 2 lullabies on a CD. Slowing down any song is all it takes to make it a calming piece. Sing lullabies through at least 4 times. It sometimes takes children several times through a lullaby before they begin to calm down. So keep it going.

So far in class, we have sung “By n’ By”. In your book, there are pictures of stars you can point to while singing for a visual and audible affect. Once you’ve modeled this for your child, you may see your child do the same for other kids or even to their favorite stuffed animal, as they put it to sleep.

Our next lullaby will be “Brahms Lullaby”. Here’s a cute video of lots of calm babies….zzzzz…..with lyrics if you like. http://youtu.be/LLsCdoa0Z2s

What lullaby traditions do you remember from your childhood? Pass those on as well. It will create long-lasting, powerful memories for your children they will cherish forever.

What’s your favorite lullaby?

Here is more research on the power of music and lullabies.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/187941-effect-of-lullabies-on-the-human-brain/