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Kathryn UK
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Location: England
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| Posted: March 06 2005 at 4:40pm | IP Logged
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Since Christmas playing musical instruments has really taken off in our house  . I have played for as long as I can remember - piano, violin and viola as a child, since when I've added flute, guitar and organ. My almost 10yo has been playing piano for 3 years, making slow but steady progress, and has picked up recorder on her own. My 6yo has a violin, but we haven't made much use of it.
Just before Christmas I borrowed an oboe from my mother to experiment with myself, only to find that my 10yo picked it up instead and succeeded in getting tunes out of it. The instrument she has wanted to play above all others is the trumpet. Why trumpet I don't know, as she had not had any contact with trumpets or trumpet players, or even really listened to any trumpet music, but she has been consistent about this since she was seven. In what I can only see as providence a family who live nearby have started to homeschool - the mother is a brass teacher, and at the beginning of the year she offered to teach Rachel(free!) alongside her dd who wanted to start learning a brass instrument. Not only is she teaching Rachel trumpet, she is giving her the opportunity to experiment with other brass instruments. This week it was a euphonium; last week a French horn. It has become apparent that Rachel is a natural brass player, and she has taken off with the trumpet. In 6 weeks she has a range of almost 2 octaves, is playing in tune, and is beginning to get some tone (despite playing on a battered borrowed instrument). After Easter she wants to join the local Saturday music school, where she will be able to play in an orchestra and wind band.
My 6yo, inspired by her sister's sudden musical enthusiasm, now wants to get her violin out regularly, so I am giving her short lessons. She is beginning to pick out simple tunes on the piano, and is trying hard to get notes out of my flute. Today a friend offered to lend us a beginner flute with a bent head to make it smaller for younger children, and she is excited about learning to play that.
We have also been given a couple of unexpected opportunities to attend children's orchestral concerts, which has reinforced the musical enthusiasm. I am so enjoying this musical blossoming, I just wanted to share
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Kathryn
Dh Michael,  Rachel(3/95) Hannah(8/98) Naomi(6/06)  (11/07)
The Bookworm
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Kelly
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| Posted: March 10 2005 at 8:54pm | IP Logged
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It IS rewarding to experience that "musical flourishing" you talk about, Kathryn. I remember attending a Suzuki meeting years ago and all sorts of Suzuki parents were effervescing about how much their kids were doing at home, musically, while all I could think was "Gosh, my kids HATE to practice..." When it came my turn to "share", I'm afraid I was a real let down to all concerned with my unenthusiastic children. I was positively depressed when I left.
Years passed (or maybe it just felt like years) until finally, just last year, we experienced that wonderful breakthrough kind of experience you mention. All of a sudden they were playing their violins, and (gasp!) enjoying it!!! Not only that, my three struggling, hunt-and-peck pianists all, of a sudden, started playing with two hands. It's a real thrill. Now I have to BEG them to quick playing "Ode to Joy". A year ago I would never have imagined such a thing.
All I can say is that if there is anyone out there experiencing "musical dryness" with their kids, HANG IN THERE!!!! They may not become concert musicians, but maybe they will become like Captain Jack Aubrey (of "Master and Commander" fame) who played throughout his life because he loved it and it satisfied him... There's the gift that keeps on giving.
Kelly in FL
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Kathryn UK
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| Posted: March 11 2005 at 3:15am | IP Logged
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I'm wondering what it is that brings about that breakthrough experience. All I can think of is confidence - once a child feels confident that something at least recognisable, and maybe even pleasant, is going to come out of an instrument then they are going to feel much more enthusiastic about playing it. We have a lot of musical instruments knocking around this house - at the last count one piano, three violins in different sizes, a flute (soon to be two), an oboe, a trumpet, a cello (currently out on loan to someone), a full size guitar, a half size guitar, assorted recorders in four sizes, a glockenspiel and assorted percussion. Suddenly my 10yo is picking up everything and experimenting. It's as though instruments suddenly stopped looking scary and impossible. Now she picks things up expecting to be able to get some sort of tune out of them.
I made the new homeschooler's mistake of trying to do too much too soon with my eldest, but music was the one area I didn't do that. She had piano lessons and was expected to practice every day, but could practice for as little or as long as she liked. Often it would only be five minutes, but there have never been any complaints about having to practice and she chugged on, sometimes making slow progress, other times moving more quickly. Now it seems we are getting the pay off
Thinking a bit further ... I think the other aspect to the breakthrough experience is reaching a certain level in terms of reading music. Once they can read music easily, then musical notation becomes a common language between all types of musical experience. They can learn new instruments with that language already in place.
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Kathryn
Dh Michael, Rachel(3/95) Hannah(8/98) Naomi(6/06) (11/07)
The Bookworm
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Mary G
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| Posted: March 11 2005 at 6:35am | IP Logged
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On the music topic -- I'm in the midst of getting a piano (for the cost of moving it  ) and wondered what would be a good piano, at-home, introduction course for my children and me. I've never played the piano  , but have tinkered with them a bit -- my older two have taken piano over the years, and this also may encourage them to get back into it 
Anyway, any advice on a good starter course?
Blessings, y'all
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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4Real Forums : The Arts in the Everyday
Topic: Making Music
