Electrify Your Strings - A Family Event on 3/29

Plug in to a great concert-going experience with Electrify Your Strings - a fun and entertaining event the entire family can enjoy right in our own neighborhood at Bethel Park High School!

Thursday, March 29th at 7pm the Bethel Park High School string orchestra under the direction of Mrs. Stephanie Glover, a string instructor at Kathy's Music, will perform a rockin' concert of memorable pop tunes complete with a custom light show and a featured performance by celebrity electric violinist Bridgid Bibbins. Adults and students alike will enjoy the show and children of all ages are invited to attend.

String players note: an electric violin will be raffled off at the event so make sure you drop your name in the running for a chance at the big prize!

Tickets are $5 per adult and $3 per student and are available at the McMurray and Mt. Lebanon studios, at the door the evening of the performance, or by contacting Stephanie Glover at glover.stephanie@bpsd.org. See this link for the official Bethel Park School District announcement.

Take advantage of this great opportunity to rock and roll with your family!

Local Opera Features one of our Kindermusik Teachers!

Jealousy. Conspiracy. Loyalty. And the masterful music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart propelling a story of intrigue, remorse, and fragile redemption. Vitellia, the daughter of the former emperor, uses her admirer Sesto, played by Kindermusik teacher Jenifer Weber, in a plot to remove the beloved Emperor Tito, who does not return her affections. She sets off a tragic and unpredictable chain of events. A fire, confusion and revelation move Mozart’s work towards a heart-breaking and surprising conclusion. This fascinating opera was first performed in 1791, but its timeless themes transport audiences to the dangerous days of 80 A.D. Rome where power struggles and betrayal characterize the landscape of politics and love. Sung in Italian with surtitles. Fully staged, directed by Patrick Brannan. Accompanied by the Undercroft Orchestra, conducted by Walter Morales.

Jenifer appears on Saturday, February 25th only at 7:30pm at the Seton Center at 1900 Pioneer Ave. in Brookline.

Tickets range in price from $20-$35 and children under 12 are half price. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door.

There is no violence or sexual content in this opera.

https://www.undercroftopera.org/tito.php

Support Your School's Music Program!

by Stephanie Glover, Violin instructor for Kathy's Music, LLC

If you are reading this article, then you probably agree that the study of music and the arts is vital to providing a well-rounded and enriching education for children. In 1977 the Arts, Education, and American Panel was able to articulate the importance in the statement"...The arts are a function of life itself, and the process of making art -- both creative and recreative -- can give insight to all other areas of learning. The arts help people understand themselves in historical, cultural, and aesthetic terms; they provide people with broader choices about their environment and influence the way they do their work and live their lives. Since artist expression is also truly basic to the individual's intellectual development, it must be included as a component of all education."

We are so very fortunate that many schools in the Pittsburgh area, both public and private, share these same values and present music education at the core of their curriculums. Many schools offer general music classes, a variety of performing ensembles, and music electives such as music theory or music technology. I would encourage all students, especially those currently enrolled in private lessons, to take advantage of these opportunities by actively participating and supporting your school’s music program. Participation in a musical activity in a group setting along side their peers teaches students much more than you might first assume. Music ensembles teach students communication and leadership skills as well as how to work together as a team to achieve long and short term goals. School music programs give students the opportunity to give back to their communities and are a great way for students to meet other students with common interests that can lead to fun and lasting friendships. All of these skills are critical for success inside as well as outside the classroom.

The music classroom is very different today than it was years ago, mostly due to the positive evolution of teacher training and access to technology. It is dynamic and diversified, encouraging self-expression and creativity. Music educators have access to technology that allows students to explore various cultures, traditions, and styles of music. Take advantage of the opportunity to participate in your school music program and support the arts in your local community.

Jazz Music from Megadolon - Concert 12/20!

Megadolon is relatively new group on the Pittsburgh scene featuring our own guitar teacher, Scott Kruser. These guys are excellent musicians, well-trained, and many are seeking advanced degrees in the Pittsburgh area. You'll love the smooth sounds of jazz, whether listening to one of their CD's or enjoying a live performance.

This week they will be performing at the Shadow Lounge downtown (5972 Baum Boulevard 126 S. Highland Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206) on Tuesday, Dec 20th from 6-9pm with a $5 cover. All ages are welcome.

Parents - enjoy a night out and enjoy Jazz Music! If you stop by, be sure to say hello to Scott.

Kindermusik: Parenting Through Music - Music Makes Traveling Easier!

Image: Family Fun.

Childbirth and parenting classes should include a section called "Packing for the littlest traveler." Parents who travel with a young child often look like a mobile baby super store. Pack-n-play, stroller, nursing pillow, sippy cups, bottles, binkies, blankie (and backup blankie), case of diapers, case of wipes, baby food, toys, car seat, two or three outfits for each day, oh, and yes, the child! Are we there yet?!

At Kindermusik, we know a thing or two about traveling with the under 7 crowd. After all, we play Virtual Travel Agent each week in class. This semester in Village we booked excursions to go bird watching in Australia and Africa, learned infant massage in South Africa, sang songs in France, and even went dancing in Virginia and Charleston. In Our Time, we visited Clapping and Stomping Land, watched frogs in Sweden, hopped on Lukey's Boat, and took a donkey ride in the West Indies. No packing required!

(Next semester in Village, we are headed to the farm! Reserve your spot now for the hayride! Ready for Our Time? Then buckle up for traveling by planes, trains, and automobiles. Our preschoolers will be making toys in “Toys I Make~Trips I Take” and then going on pretend trips by boat and train.)

Everyday connection: Kindermusik for the Kindertraveler. Few children enjoy being strapped in their car seats for long periods of time. Music makes it easier. Create a playlist of your child's favorite Kindermusik songs for the trip or download these parent-child favorites: http://mindsonmusic.kindermusik.com/bringing-music-home/kindermusiks-favorite-road-trip-playlist/.
Happy Holidays! Thank you for choosing to spend each week in Kindermusik. Please enjoy this free "Winter Wonderland" song download. Click on the link and then the orange download button to download for free. http://play.kindermusik.com/en/tracks/3008-winter-wonderland/.

For free printable travel games to entertain your kids, click here.

Practice Makes Perfect....Or Does It?

by Rebecca Closson, Director of our music school, Pulling Strings Academy.

I often ask my students the question, “Why do we practice?” Without hesitation, the overwhelming response is “Because I want to get better!” I appreciate the desire in each of my students to achieve bigger and better things through their private lessons and hard work, but I want to challenge the idea about what purpose practice is actually meant to serve.

Violinist, Suzuki teacher trainer, author, and psychotherapist Edmund Sprunger once shared with my Suzuki training class that practice does not make perfect, but rather “practice makes EASY!” It was a revelation not only in my teaching, but in my own study of the violin. I was often discouraged when my time spent practicing only seemed to yield more frustration than resolution. My fingers could fly through difficult passages one day only to stumble in frustration the next. I couldn’t see past all of the things that I was unable to do and perfection seemed to be a dangling carrot that kept me running toward a goal that I was sure I would never reach.

Once I refocused my practice on one challenge at a time, problem-solving what I needed to do to make that challenge easier, and repeating the solution until I was able to perform the task successfully more times than I had performed it unsuccessfully, I had discovered a formula for success. Figuring out how to break down your practice into small, attainable challenges instead of tackling one large overwhelming expectation of perfection is a huge advantage for any student. Practicing then becomes centered on positive activities like creative thinking, linking together ideas, and application of previously attained skills.

A young student may rely more heavily on the teacher, parent or practice helper to guide them through the process of successful problem-solving practice, but beware helpers – there are challenges for you too! When practicing, make a special effort to focus on just one task at a time and let the others wait. If a student is working on a difficult passage for the left hand, allow the student to finish successfully before bringing to his or her attention the need to address an issue with the right hand. Also, finding a solution to a practice challenge may be the first step to success, but repetition and time spent is a necessary second, third and fourth step! Long term positive results can only be achieved through consistent time practicing the instrument more so than the sheer amount of time spent practicing the instrument. You cannot cram for a lesson like you would for a test. The skills that you are working on outside of the lesson each week are building blocks that need to have the strength to support new skills.

Most importantly, teachers do not expect practice helpers and parents to be perfect either! Weekly lessons are really special practice opportunities that give you and your student a chance to hone your problem solving skills with an expert advisor. You are working with the student an overwhelming proportion of the time each week and your instructor relies on you to present concerns or frustrations from the student perspective. The only true way to disappoint your teacher is to not have tried at all. Music works best in community and there is no better way to encourage success than to do the heavy lifting together!

Teaching Your Child to Sing

by Kathy Morrison, Director of Kathy's Music, LLC

Singing is for fun and much more! Research indicates that focusing on singing can be beneficial in both cognitive development (abstract conceptual thinking, verbal abilities, originality) and motor development (particularly coordination). Singing, which may be present from the earliest stages of life, evolves through several development stages: babbling, repeating words and fragments, and finally adding rhythmic features and pitch components.

“Singing ability is related to the ability to control speech fluctuations, and speech activities appear to help develop tuneful singing skills.” (McDonald, Dorothy and Gene M. Simons.)

The ability to sing and the ability to converse with expressive speech are closely related. Early Childhood music classes will nurture your child’s speaking and singing voice by playing with rhythmic speech (poems and rhymes) as well as introducing and modeling simple tonal melodies with a limited range. While your child is happily singing, she is stimulating all developmental domains: physical, emotional, language, and cognitive. Particularly significant is the reinforcement singing provides in abilities relating to sequences, patterns, memory, and language.

However, timing is important. Evidence suggest that children ages 1.5 to 3 years are at a critical stage for learning to sing accurately (matching pitch). In “Teaching the Elementary School Chorus” by Linda Swears, we learn that many children are not singing accurately:

“Of primary importance in this developmental scheme [learning to sing] is the approximation of singing stage usually occurring between the ages of about eighteen months and three years. At this time a repertoire of tonal patterns is being developed and tonal memory is being shaped. Unfortunately, the heavy emphasis on language development at this time may result in inattention to the development of the child’s singing voice. For whatever reason, if singing is neglected at this stage, the result may be children and even adults who fail to achieve singing accuracy without remedial help.”

There are many things you can do at home (or in the car) to nurture your child’s developing singing voice.

- Encourage your child to sing by singing to and with her! You can be a marvelous example. Love and enjoyment of singing is contagious and contributes to the development of the child.

- Introduce songs from your childhood, such as folk songs and nursery rhymes. These childhood classics are comprised of rhyming words, repetitive phrases, and simple melodic patterns making them easy to learn and remember. Children want to sing them!

- Because children learn to sing best without accompaniment, try singing without a CD after you’ve learned the songs together.

- To encourage your child to sing in a light voice, which is easier for matching pitch, play with siren sounds, downward and upward “whoo” types of sounds, using a “sliding” voice. These glissando or sliding sounds will also help increase the child’s vocal range for both his speaking and singing voice.

- Sing in the ideal range for your child’s voice. For those parents with a musical background, we recommend from around “d” to “g” above middle C for children ages 3-5 years of age. Here’s the good news: One expert says that with many singing experiences, some children will be able to sing accurately from middle C to an octave above middle C by the age of four or five.

- Play with “humming” a favorite song from class, such as “Row, Row, Row your boat”. Humming will increase the strength of your voice.

The ability to sing is based on many factors, including environment, opportunities for vocal play, a child’s physical/emotional development, and natural ability. However, encouragement and guidance from adults who value singing can have an immense impact on a child’s ability to sing. So, sing, sing together, merrily, merrily sing!