50 Ways to Lose Your Loved Ones
Or Gifts for Classical Music Lovers
Or Raising Children to Love Practicing
Gifts for Classical Music Lovers? 50 Ways to Lose your Loved Ones? The titles make me seem confused? I must satisfy web site blogging word requirements according to SEO gurus that I pay attention to. And some times it is so unnatural to do so, that we might as well make the difficulty blatant. But, I promise they are somewhat related to this blog.
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Gifts for Classical Music Lovers? Part of the beginnings of Violettes started when my mother told me to sew little violin purses, to help little girls to love their violins. This has great validity. I sewed the little violin purse to hold a pencil and rosin, but it is also used as a evening purse for young girls and adults, as the rosin pocket fits credit cards and a comb and lipstick.When my daughter was very young she carried her little lamby everywhere. She loved it. Why not love a little violin? This could be for pre - twinkle children. Or, when my daughter was young and had a clinic with a classical "music star", she told my daughter to love her violin in attempt to tell her to be musical. It's no secret that the female culture enjoys fashion. A little handmade violin purse (makes really special violin gifts - inquire if you don't see colors you want). These are designed and hand made by Becky (moi) in Tennessee, not in China! for made in the USA fans.
Please note a previous blog on raising musical children in interview with Annie Dupre from the fabulous Annie Moses Band ===>>Click here for Interview
As an entrepreneur at heart, I always thought that if I could "can" the way to make children want to practice their instruments, I could be the next millionaire.Jokingly, the title "50 Ways to Lose Your Loved Ones" is referring to getting your kids to turn on you by trying to get them to practice. I have plenty of stories from friends -one friend says her son actually tried to run away from home because of all the practice. The son is now a multi talented and fabulously creative adult. Let's see how he handles the deed with his children! (I think the brighter the children, the more we expect of them. But we do mellow out with each younger child.)I hear many folks chatting about so and so's kid doesn't even play anymore!!!... So and so's kid is concertmaster in the college orchestra. And I wonder how I could have done the music lessons and practice thing better so that my kids would still be playing. It is clear that my daughter will get back to her playing when life allows. Meanwhile, many of her dates actually involve trips to hear the symphony. I can be proud of that!! As for my son, sports got in the way, and may always be in the way, but that is such a healthy lifestyle. And when my musician brother comes to town, both my kids love to join him in whatever musical improv session he directs.To get to my ideas about canning ways to get children enthused: Well, I got it right with reading. I made a point to sit on the couch in front of the kids everyday and read. Guess what they did? YES! They climbed on the couch beside me with their own books. We read both together and separately. We did so many kinds of projects with book discussions ( a different blog).Following this model, and noting that my father got up at 6AM before going to work to practice piano (or rather to enjoy playing )... It was such a sweet alarm clock for us, and it was also ear training. When given a music tone ear test by the music instructor before being invited to choose a school instrument, old Mr. Figeroid told me I must play the violin because I had a perfect score. I have always been sorry that I didn't take violin, so I tortured my daughter instead. I say this because I just started her in lessons at age 3, and she took to it right away. But I should have taken her to symphony (and band) concerts and let her choose an instrument on her own to let her feel that it was her choice. Perhaps this was mistake number 1 (after not making her her own little violin purse to replace lamby)!!!! When my kids were small, we had just moved here, and I had no close friends for years, and no music groups to be part of. With young children, I also considered myself too busy to practice my own music. But loving my own music would have shown the kids just how much I love my own music. KIDS COPY PARENTS! (I did try to learn violin alongside my daughter until I got carpel tunnel syndrome on both wrists, and I did play duets with her on my flute for a few years).I wish my kids were involved in a singing group from a young age (before they got otherwise too busy). So many people do this thru church, but our young kids singing program fizzled when my kids were there. My kids always were and still are so very happy when they are singing!! A family tradition, started by my kids is to sing Xmas songs in the car during the whole 4 plus hour drive to Grandma's at Xmas time.I wish both my kids could have started on a small (portable) instrument first (or at the same time) for at least 2 years. I carried my flute everywhere, especially hiking and backpacking in my younger days. When my son started on clarinet, he marched around the house playing it having so much fun, but the sax and piano weren't the same thing as far as portability. I recommend starting young kids on ukuleles. Maybe if you could get serious harmonica lessons...!When the kids are proficient at playing, make sure they get taught the various music styles on their instrument. This can be hard to find in one teacher and even at all! Also, put on varying styles of music when everyone is around to hear. If they are interested enough, they should be able to pick up some music styles on their own. "Unfortunately", my kids were reading every spare minute, even in the car and in the pool! Yes, we put in a pool, and the first thing they did was lay on floaties reading in the pool!!!! A funny story is that everyone that visited with kids had to scream and yell and fight with their kids to get out of the pool. I would go outside by the pool and yell, "Let's go to McKay's" (the local used book store). My kids would scream hooray and come running out of the pool. My neighbor told me we are the crazy family. I don't think I could have yelled , let's go to the symphony or let's practice now. There's something to think about.This can be impossible if you don't play yourself, but play music with your kids. It is such special family time! Otherwise, organize an ensemble so they are playing with other kids. I really can't recommend starting orchestra at a young age. I thought that it would be cute and social, and it is. However if your young child is very bright and very capable, it can be a political nightmare (much more than a learning experience). Get several capable students together, and have the parents pitch in for a private group instructor/conductor.Teach kids that they can give music shows as gifts to parents and other family, and teach them that they can use their performances as fundraisers for causes. We had some grand times with fundraising opportunities.My newest thought, only recently renewing my own music enthusiasm - I mean real serious enthusiasm, is seeing if the kids can sit among symphony (or band members) during concerts with or without instruments. It is so thrilling to be among and surrounded by the sound of all the instruments. Many symphonies have intimate outreach performances with small performance groups in bookstores or libraries. Perhaps you can suggest kids sitting right next to the performers during performance!Please note a previous blog on raising musical children in interview with Annie Dupre from the fabulous Annie Moses Band ===>>Click here for Interview
