Southeast Homeschool Expo in Atlanta, July 28-29

I am looking forward to my two talks at the Southeast Homeschool Expo. It is always great to see old friends. If you are going to be there, I am speaking on Friday at 12:30 PM on "Beautiful Music, Great Stories - Discovering Maestro Classics CDs" and on Saturday at 11:15 AM on "Maestro Classics' Free Homeschool Curriculums." We have been working with Journey Through Learning to create lapbooks as well this year. There is more info on this at our Maestro Classics website Hope to see you there!

What Age is the Best to Start Studying Music?

The easy answer is that it is never too soon to begin introducing your child to music. You begin by singing to them and then with them. You listen to music when you are playing together. You put on music when you are making dinner. I love the story of the great American opera star, Beverly Sills, who said that every morning before her mother put on the coffee, she put on the opera records. When she went for her first voice lesson at the age of 7 she knew 40 arias!

If you are wondering what the right age is to start studying an instrument, like so many things, it depends. If you yourself are interested in studying the violin with your child and your child is interested, you can begin Suzuki violin lessons when they are as young as 3 years old. However, you must be willing to go to the lessons and practice with your child. This can be a lot of fun, but it is a commitment. Three is young, and four is often a better age to begin Suzuki. The six-year-old may be ready for piano lessons. The fourth grader may be ready to study a band instrument. Two things are vital: (1) your child needs to see and hear other children playing instruments, and (2) you have to find a teacher who is truly child-friendly.

If you decide that the time is right - meaning your child wants to do this - remember that the first instrument may not be the right fit (Rent the instrument!) and take some time looking for the right teacher. Remember, if you don't like the teacher, your child probably will not either.

All studies show that studying music helps brain development and improves many other learning skills, and it is fun as well.

My grandchild is coming to visit...

"My five-year-old grandson will be visiting us next week and we'd love to take to some educational and fun music events - what types of events would you suggest and where might I find them?"

As it is summer time, my first suggestion is to see if there are any outdoor concerts in your area. This time of year is a perfect time to introduce your child or grandchild to classical music or band music or really any kind of live music because there are outdoor concerts. Whether you are fortunate enough to be in the Berkshires in Massachusetts with Tanglewood nearby or Ravinia outside of Chicago or a small town in Maine that has a band shell, you have the wonderful opportunity to enjoy music in an informal setting where a bit of squirming is acceptable. It is very difficult for many children to sit still, but out on a lawn where they can lie on a blanket and look at the stars or even play scrabble as they listen, will give them memories that will last for a lifetime.

Our summer community has had folksinging for children of all ages Tuesday evening for 40 years. Many parents who remember coming as children are now bringing their children. You do not need to know the songs to come; you just come and sing along and suddenly children know all the words. Ask around to see if one of these exists in your community.

Make it a project to teach your grandchildren at least one song that you learned as a child. My father taught my sons the Irish song "Nobody knows the trouble that was there, nobody know I do declare." It was a song that his grandfather taught him and I am certain that it is the song that they will teach their children - that will be a 5th generation song.

Be sure to ask your grandchildren to teach you a song they have learned in school this year.

Finally, put music on that you like as you are baking cookies or finger-painting. Part of getting to know you better is learning what music you as a grandparent likes.

LONDON

Hampton Court

Tonight we have been invited to a private dinner party at Hampton Court where Handel's Water Music will be performed on period instruments by musicians of the English Concert. Having just released My Name is Handel: The Story of Water Music on Maestro Classics label, this should be quite exciting. For those of you who have not heard this new CD, Handel composed his Water Music for King George I's river cruise from London to Hampton Court, where the king had dinner and then returned to London with Handel's musical barge continuing to play.

More details tomorrow...

Salzburg

Exciting discoveries.

As I am thinking about creating the Composers series for Maestro Classics CDs for kids, Mozart who is sitting in our files, comes to mind as the logical next CD after My Name is Handel.

Salzburg was, of course, the city of Mozart's birth. I visited the house where he was born and lived the first years of his life and also the house the family moved to as Leopold Mozart became more prosperous. I was delighted to discover, by chance, the grave of both Mozart's father's and his wife's graves in a cemetery on the other side of the river.

One surprising was that Leopold Mozart was the Suzuki of his time, in that he wrote a major new approach to violin teaching and music teaching in general. You can purchase it online.

Record Shops Still Exist in Europe!

People are still buying CDs in Europe, big time! I also have just begun to see articles that talk about the difference in sound quality between a CD and even an MP4. There is a HUGE difference in the amount of sonic information that is on a CD. If you like to listen to good music on your stereo, you should probably purchase the CD, even if you download it to your iPod for travel.

Greetings from Vienna, the City of Music

Maestro Classics in Wien

Vienna Street Musicians & Why to Wait to Take Your Kids to Some Concerts - perhaps just enjoy the street musicians (see video at bottom)

We went to a glorious performance of a Bruckner Mass with the Vienna Boychoir (Wiener Sängerknaben) at the Hofburg Imperial Palace chapel with members of the Vienna State Opera orchestra and chorus. The music raining down from the top rear balcony where none of the choristers or musicians could be seen truly gave the feeling that the music was coming from heaven. At a time when video cams are being used everywhere, it was a delicious experience to just take it all in with your ears.

I had to feel a little sorry for the group of Japanese school children who sat through and hour and a half of music in a language they did not understand accompanied by a mass spoken and sung totally in German. Once again I wondered if they would be turned off for life, having had an experience that was age-inappropriate.

TAKE AWAY. Be careful not to expect your children to enjoy everything that you do. There is a right time for everything and a performance where there is no escape if you discover that it is too long for your child will not engender a love of music.