Annie Crawford is the winner of new iPod!

Of all of the many, many people who stopped by our booth at the Southeast Homeschooling Conference in Atlanta, GA last weekend and joined our raffle, ANNIE CRAWFORD was the WINNER. We have also sent her a signed copy of the final preview copy of The Tortoise and the Hare, our latest CD that is going to press TODAY... signed by the maestro himself.

Congratulations, Annie! Happy listening!

Glowing review from Mom

"My mother has been playing Peter and the Wolf all the way to North Carolina...and she says it's incredible!" - Atlanta Homeschool Mom

The Questions Begin

I would like to share some of the interesting questions that followed my talks at the Southeast Homeschool Conference in Atlanta last week.

QUESTION: Is it better for my child to study a little on a lot of different instruments or to focus on just one?

ANSWER: It may take more than one try on more than one instrument to find a good fit, namely one where the child likes to practice most of the time. (No one ever likes to practice all the time!). Once a child seems to have hit upon the right instrument, however, encourage him/herto stick with it. If you don't, you will deprive them of the satisfaction of becoming really good at something. The life lesson of working a little every day and gradually seeing the results as they pile up day after day, is a skill that will apply to everything in life from saving money to working on long college term papers. Encourage them when it is not going well, and cheer them on when it is.

NEXT: At what age should my child begin an instrument?

Many interesting people at the Southeast Homeschooling Conference. This woman's grandfather was the first conductor of the Atlanta Symphony. She loved the CDs.

This beautiful boy with his blue eyes was truly captivated as he listened to the orchestra and the piper. Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel is always as big hit as Stephen Simon's music draws you into the story from the first chord played by the Irish piper and the London Philharmonic.

Back from Atlanta Homeschool Conference

A beautiful morning greeted me as I finally opened my eyes. My 89-year-old mother appeared with rubber gloves in hand - they matched her green bathing suit - announcing that she was pulling out some poison ivy on our path on her way to the beach. The early morning family swim tradition continues and remains the best antidote for travel fatigue and the resetting of my mental gyroscope.

More conference lessons: read the entire list of speakers carefully, don't just check your own times and rooms. They scheduled me for a third lecture and never told me!

Everyone loves my Bose noise-canceling headphones. There is so much ambient noise in convention centers that you really cannot manage with anything else. And, after all, we are in the business of exquisite sound. The London Phil deserves a good headset!

Greetings from Southeastern Homeschooling Conference

It is a delight to be at a conference where so many parents are looking for creative, educational materials for their children. Perhaps because they are "going to school" with their children everyday, they are more critical in their choices, or at least more interested.

Every time I come to one of these shows/conferences/exhibits I learn something new. Yesterday's lesson was, "Don't count on music in the conference room unless you plan to sing!" While they had a projector to hook my computer into, the only sound came via the microphone. Fortunately, I always have lots to say, so we managed without music, and I simply invited everyone down to our booth to listen on my good Bose noise-canceling headphones. For today's lecture, I will bring my own speakers. :-)

Many people now saying, "I have heard about you," purchasing the entire series after listening, and eagerly awaiting The Tortoise and the Hare that comes out this month.

Pictures to follow. (Another lesson: bring the camera card reader!)