Advancing Skills

The last couple of posts have been about the younger crowd in Kindermusik.  But Kindermusik is more than just for the very youngest.  Some families start Kindermusik when the children are babies - and then keep coming throughout the full 7 year curriculum.   The benefits of this are many, including being able to participate in music in an unself-conscious way.   They become as familiar with music making as they are with breathing.  Very young children typically approach the arts with abandon, but they become self-conscious about it as they age from lack of reinforcing encouragement.  When not used, they lose their natural music making self.

Yesterday, we had a beautiful example of musical advancement in our Kindermusik classroom.  In Family Time classes we have multiple ages represented, all the way from Village age to Young Child.  In this past class we were exploring some singing concepts and I quickly explained to the parents that we were going to try some "call and response".  In vernacular terms it is "echoing".  First I would sing a few notes and then the families would sing back whatever I sang.

So I sang my 4 notes to an easy lyric (ie. "tap, tap, tap your toes"), and without missing a beat, one of my "Young Child" students who had come to his sister's Family Time class, sang out "tap, tap, tap your toes." He sang in perfect pitch matching, he sang out confidently, and led the other adults in boldly making music.  It kind of took us all by surprise.  Even the parents efforts paled in comparison.

In my heart I was beaming!  Here was living proof that Kindermusik makes a difference.  Not only has this boy developed musical confidence, he was leading the way for others!  Awesome!!