Benefits of Kindermusik for Babies

EXCELLENT CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE.

We're pleased to announce that this year we have all new themes and curricula for babies featuring Cuddle & Bounce for our younger babies (non-walkers) and Sing & Play for all babies up to 24 months.  

RESOURCES FOR HOME.

PLUS, each registration receives digital home materials that include parent tips on play, development, sign language, and more.  You can even download the music, the book, and the lyrics.

BENEFITS FOR BABY.

Kindermusik Classes use music to make connections and jump start the cognitive/language/physical learning while introducing steady beat, timbre, and a variety of music from different cultures and genres.  

It’s bonding. It’s learning. It’s fun!

"Follow Me to Kindermusik....!"

Our Kindermusik classes start in just 2 weeks and classes are filling fast.   Follow me to Kindermusik for a year of music education, delightful memories, giggles & smiles!

Click HERE to learn more about the Kindermusik experience.

OR

Experience Kindermusik yourself with a preview class - there's no charge or obligation, just come and enjoy.  Reserve your space in a September preview class from THIS LINK.

Kindermusik - it's for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, big kids, and families.
Kindermusik - it's music for now with skills for life.
Kindermusik - it's the single best choice for your child.

Enroll now!

I Love Flute Choir!

by Pam Murchison, flute teacher with Kathy's Music, LLC

When I started middle school, I began taking flute lessons with Wendy Webb Kumer.  Wendy is a true force of nature, and one of the most generous and hilarious people I’ve ever met.  I am lucky to still count her as one of my closest friends.  She claims that “world peace will be achieved when every person joins a flute choir” so it makes perfect sense that I left my first lesson with a blue folder full of flute choir music and plans to attend my first rehearsal the following Saturday morning.

When I arrived, I was very nervous to see that there were about 40 flutists who were strangers to me, but seemed to know each other really well.  By the end of that first rehearsal, I was friends with 20 of them (it was only an hour rehearsal, after allJ)! That’s the magic of flute choir. While the music profession can be notoriously cutthroat, there are many opportunities for flutists to join together in their love of all things flute, and rejoice in that camaraderie. 

Here are some things that I learned from playing in flute choir:

• Valuable large ensemble and chamber music skills.
• Information about composers from every historical period, as well as living composers.
• How to play music in a variety of genres: from classical to folk to pop.
• Exposure to new instruments, like the piccolo, alto flute, and bass flute. One of my jobs today is playing piccolo in professional orchestras.  I can trace this directly back to flute choir!
• How to be a team player.
• How to meet new people.
• How to sight-read.
• How to create performance opportunities.
• How to enrich and engage with the community.
• If playing in a flute duo is a great, playing in a flute choir is SPECTACULAR!!!!

There are so many things I learned from playing in flute choir, but my favorite is the importance of friendship and community.  Today, I am friends with some of those people who I met at that first rehearsal, and many of us have continued a lifelong relationship with the art of music.  I am constantly amazed at the creativity, passion, and resourcefulness of my flute friends, and thankful that I have been part of the flute choir tradition for over 20 years!

A recent picture of Wendy Webb Kumer, Lianne Sheplar, me, and Dan Parasky after a flute choir celebration in 2012. We were all in attendance at my first flute choir rehearsal in 1992.

Buying vs. Renting a Flute

by Pam Murchison, flute teacher with Kathy's Music, LLC

Buying vs. Renting: What’s the best option for beginning flutists?

Private instruction is an investment in time and money.Acquiring a quality instrument is an essential part of flute study.  Here are my top five recommendations for entry-level flutes purchases (in no particular order).

•

Jupiter 511S (MSRP $895)

•

Yamaha YFL-221 (MSRP ($876)

•

DiZhao Mini-Di Beginning Flute ($459)

•

Viento FL 100 (MSRP $400)

•

Trevor James 10XC (MSPR $950)

Used instruments can often be an excellent solution, when purchased from a reputable dealer. Hollis and GermannMusic in Castle Shannon has an excellent selection of used, refurbished instruments starting as low as $295.

Although you can find great deals on these instruments from Flute World, Flute Pro Shop, and the Woodwind andBrasswind, you may not feel ready to invest in an instrument during the first few months of flute study.

Another great option is enrolling in a rental program. Local instrument dealers Volkwein’s and Johnstonbaugh’s Music Center have terrific rental programs. For about $20 a month, you receive an 

instrument in excellent working condition, and all of your rental payments are credited towards the purchase of a new instrument, from the brands that the stores carry. This is how I started, and it’s an excellent deal for newcomers to flute study!

How do I help my child prepare for flute lessons?

by Pam Murchison, teacher with Kathy's Music, LLC

How do I help my child prepare for flute lessons?

Whether you’ve decided that now is the time to begin private flute instruction, or you’re looking to start down the road, there are some great ways to help your child prepare for private flute instruction! Here are my top five tips!

Attend live music events and listen to recordings of flute music

There are many community events that are age appropriate for your child, such as the Pittsburgh Symphony’s Fiddlesticks programs.  These events often feature an Instrument Petting Zoo, where children can see and even play instruments of the orchestra.  What better way to get your child excited for flute lessons? Pittsburgh has a wealth of free parks concerts throughout the summer, another wonderful, family-friendly way of introducing yours to live music.  In between concerts, listen to recordings of flute music in the car, or look for videos of flutists on YouTube. Some of my favorites are Alexa Still, Jeanne Baxtresser, Emmanuel Pahud, and Mathieu Dufour.

Make your own instrument

Making a homemade flute is a fun project (click here for instructions). This project will provide your child with an inexpensive method of exploring the instrument and will help your child learn how the flute works. Or, you can purchase a recorder.  It’s easy to produce sound on a recorder, and their simple construction makes them very easy to hold.  These instruments are inexpensive (less than $20), and can be a great way for children to explore wind instruments.

Prepare an area for practicing!

Practicing is a huge part of learning a musical instrument, and designing a dedicated area in your home can be easy and fun!  Designating a specific practice area underscores the importance of practicing, and provides a distraction-free zone for your budding flutist.  All you need is a music stand, good lighting, and a chair.  A desk or dining room chair works best, and a small stool on the floor can be helpful to keep little legs from swinging. Add some pencils and a mirror, and the practice zone is ready!

Read books about flute

There are many age appropriate books about the flute for your budding performer. Some of my favorites are “The Magic Flute: An Opera by Mozart” and “Fiona the Flute Fairy.” Check out the website “Flute Monkey” for more suggestions!

Attend classes that teach the basics

For children ages 5-7, the Kindermusik’s® Young Child curriculum covers all of the basics of music literacy, and provides a foundation that will benefit the child throughout his/her life.  Note recognition, rhythm reading, and ensemble skills are all necessary for music study.  If your child is a graduate of a program like this, now is the time to review materials and re-familiarize him/her with concepts of music notation.  However, this is not a requirement for private flute instruction! It simply gives the child a bit more confidence and information going in.  If I have a student who is brand new to music study, I like to spend a couple of weeks going over music fundamentals before we introduce the flute in lessons.

Why take private flute lessons and school band?

by Pam Murchison, teacher with Kathy's Music, LLC

Deciding to take private flute lessons in addition to enrolling your child in band is a great investment in your child’s musical development.  Having a private flute instructor is like having a personal athletic trainer: the individualized attention helps the flutist to reach his/her absolute highest musical potential. 

Here are some specific benefits of pursuing private study in conjunction with school band classes:

Individualized attention

Lessons benefit your child whether she is more or less advanced than the rest of the group. Even in a small group setting of 2-3 students, the needs of the individual will necessarily be overlooked for the needs of the group.  If a student is struggling, it might take longer to receive the guidance needed to progress, leading to frustration.  If a student is more advanced, he might be held back by the level of the group. This also leads to boredom and frustration. Individual music instruction will give your child exactly what she needs when she needs it.

Engaging the student

Repertoire can be customized to suit your child’s particular interests and needs in a lesson.  This is difficult to tackle in a group lesson when the curricula is standardized.  Our goal is to engage and the choice of piece or genre can make all the difference.

 Learning to practice

Many of the hours spent learning to play the flute are spent in individual practice.  This is not a skill that always comes naturally, and private flute instruction can help your child devise systematic ways to overcome musical challenges. Learning how to practice is like developing any new skill and lessons provide the time to learn how.  Creating step-by-step plans for tackling obstacles is of course an excellent skill to have throughout life! 

A complete flute education

When a child enrolls in beginner band, the goal of the teacher is typically to help the student successfully perform in his/her first band concert. This is a great goal and we encourage group music making and community performing whole heartedly!  However, this goal is only one aspect of being a musician. The student might learn only a fraction of flute fundamentals in a beginning band program. It all depends on the program. Private lessons with a dedicated teacher will encompass all aspects of playing the flute, including solo & duet playing, music history, customized music theory, and the ability to hear, see and emulate an experienced flute performer week after week.  Modeling is one of the most successful ways students learn.

Other benefits include steady motivation, faster progress and increased musical opportunities.  My private flute instruction throughout elementary, middle, and high school allowed me to meet and perform for (and with!) Pittsburgh Symphony musicians, learn about all kinds of chamber music, and create relationships with other flutists who, like me, had a real passion for flute. 

With the right teacher, enrolling in private flute instruction can only add more value to your child’s musical studies.