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On Mother's Day 10 years ago, I was pregnant with my daughter. I had no idea what was coming next...would I have an easy birth? Will my baby be OK? Will I be a good mother? It was an exciting (and a little bit scary!) time. I knew there would be lots of learning along the way, and I hoped that I would make more good decisions than bad ones. I figured I had a good base of knowledge already, since I had been teaching Kindermusik infant music classes for 2-3 years at that time. Recently, I was asked by a colleague what would be the top advice that I would give to new parents and it got me thinking...here are the top 3 things that I did with my daughter that I think had the biggest impact on bonding and my parenting journey, and her learning and development.
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The Hello Song is such an important part of our Kindermusik classes. We are often told by parents and caregivers that it is a child’s favorite song, and here’s why: it signals to your child that you are about to spend time together, 100% focused on each other. Quality one-on-one time of learning and exploring, singing, dancing, playing instruments and making connections together. We see this same excitement in virtual classes and in-person classes, because the adult-child connection is still present and the most important part of class. Recently I’ve been observing how the hello song can help build social emotional skills such as empathy, respect, and self-confidence. According to Zero to Three: "Starting from birth, babies are learning who they are by how they are treated. Through everyday interactions, parents, relatives and caregivers send babies messages like: You’re clever. You’re good at figuring things out. You’re loved. You make me laugh. I enjoy being with you. These messages shape a baby’s self-esteem. Toddlers are starting to develop a sense of self-awareness—that they are separate and independent from others. This new knowledge helps them understand that other people have thoughts and feelings that may be different from their own." What does this mean for your child?
What’s in a name? In the baby and toddler classes, including the child’s name is an important part of the hello song. As Dale Carnegie once said: “Remember that a person's name is to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” Babies learn to recognize their own names during the hello song, and we see their face light up when they hear their name inserted into the song. It’s magical! Toddlers look forward to their turn each week, both to hear their name and to share their greeting idea. Older preschool-aged children are trying to blend in and be part of the group, so in that class, each child chooses a motion for the hello song, but their name is not sung. Everything in a Kindermusik class is intentionally done to support your child at each stage of their development.  Set your child up for success: With a baby, observe what he or she is doing, even if it is unintentional. Does he look like he’s trying to wave? Is she trying to clap? Does he always laugh when we lift arms and say “so big!”? Choose one of those as their hello motion. Give toddlers TWO choices, instead of “what do you want to do?” Open-ended questions are difficult for a toddler and you may get an answer of “go to the park.” Instead, try “would you like to clap, or jump for your hello motion?” It often helps to talk about it and choose one before class, so your child is ready and confident when their turn comes. Preschoolers will often choose a complicated motion, such as a compound movement (spin-jump) or something related to pretend play (fly and swoop like glittery dinosaurs)...just go with it! Remember that the idea is to try something new and respect all ideas. Also, if you’ve never flown and swooped like a glittery dinosaur, you are in for a treat ;) If you’d like to learn more about how you can support your child’s social-emotional learning, check out this article. Kindermusik classes, whether virtual or in-person, are a great way to start building your child’s emotional intelligence, self-esteem, and empathy.
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6. Practice will make perfect, but practice does not always have to be perfect! In other words, enjoy the process, and most importantly, be kind to yourself! -Mary
7. Each moment spent practicing, problem solving, solidifying, is a chance to build your confidence. Never be afraid to go really slow and answer all your questions as they pop up in your mind. -Andrea
8. Start your day with stretches and warmups! When your body is relaxed and you start your day on a good note, getting to real practice always feels MUCH easier! -Matthew
9. Start small, and have fun. If there is still more work needed, my next favorite phrase is “slow down” -Ariel
10. Practice every day; even if just for a little bit! -Cole
7. Each moment spent practicing, problem solving, solidifying, is a chance to build your confidence. Never be afraid to go really slow and answer all your questions as they pop up in your mind. -Andrea
8. Start your day with stretches and warmups! When your body is relaxed and you start your day on a good note, getting to real practice always feels MUCH easier! -Matthew
9. Start small, and have fun. If there is still more work needed, my next favorite phrase is “slow down” -Ariel
10. Practice every day; even if just for a little bit! -Cole
2020 has been quite the year! So many hard things going on in our lives, and music shouldn't be one of them!
Here at Bucktown Music, we are just finishing up our winter virtual recitals, and of course there was so much work and effort put into practicing and perfecting the performance pieces. Now what?!? Use this time to reflect, play old songs that you've already mastered, and just enjoy making music. Even better if you can get the whole family involved!
KISS (Keep It Simple, Silly...)
Find EASY pieces that will give you that instant gratification and a sense of accomplishment, so you can feel like you had a "win." We all need a success right now. Choose an easy piece, play it, rock it, enjoy it, repeat it! Take out music books that you've already finished and brush up on your old favorites. Buy a book (or ebook) of holiday songs that are 1 level easier than what you are currently playing, so you can just play and enjoy without a ton of effort. It's all about having fun right now!
Here at Bucktown Music, we are just finishing up our winter virtual recitals, and of course there was so much work and effort put into practicing and perfecting the performance pieces. Now what?!? Use this time to reflect, play old songs that you've already mastered, and just enjoy making music. Even better if you can get the whole family involved!
KISS (Keep It Simple, Silly...)
Find EASY pieces that will give you that instant gratification and a sense of accomplishment, so you can feel like you had a "win." We all need a success right now. Choose an easy piece, play it, rock it, enjoy it, repeat it! Take out music books that you've already finished and brush up on your old favorites. Buy a book (or ebook) of holiday songs that are 1 level easier than what you are currently playing, so you can just play and enjoy without a ton of effort. It's all about having fun right now!
| Google "3 Chord Songs" (you're welcome!) You may be amazed at the number of songs that you can play if you only know a few chords on piano, guitar or ukulele. Find a few favorites and have a family jam session or singalong. |  |
Have a Music Listening Session
Music listening doesn't need to be limited to the background, it can be the main event! Have each family member choose an album (or just one song if you have impatient little ones!) and put all of your other devices away while you really listen to the music. Talk about what instruments you hear, a certain lyric or melody or harmonic change that seems interesting, or something that happened in your life. Does this song remind you of another song? Why? You can make it extra special by lighting a candle or a fire and making hot cocoa or something cozy. If you or your child learned a classical piece such as Ode to Joy, put on the symphony version and point out all the times that the theme is played in the different instrument families. Look for different arrangements or versions of familiar tunes and compare them. Try a new genre or music from a different country or in a different language, you might find a new favorite!
Music listening doesn't need to be limited to the background, it can be the main event! Have each family member choose an album (or just one song if you have impatient little ones!) and put all of your other devices away while you really listen to the music. Talk about what instruments you hear, a certain lyric or melody or harmonic change that seems interesting, or something that happened in your life. Does this song remind you of another song? Why? You can make it extra special by lighting a candle or a fire and making hot cocoa or something cozy. If you or your child learned a classical piece such as Ode to Joy, put on the symphony version and point out all the times that the theme is played in the different instrument families. Look for different arrangements or versions of familiar tunes and compare them. Try a new genre or music from a different country or in a different language, you might find a new favorite!
If you are currently motivated to take your playing to the next level, by all means do it! But if what you are needing right now is something a little more laid back, music is here for you too. Music is healing, whether you are listening or playing, and it's a great way to share screen-free time with your family and loved ones. We wish you a safe, healthy and peaceful end to 2020 and hope you let music bring you some JOY this season.
How are YOU sharing music? What are you currently listening to? Let us know in the comments!
by Jessica Solares, AFA, BM
I've been teaching music lessons for 20 years. I've taught voice, violin, piano and Kindermusik (early childhood music), and have been running our studio along with my husband Luis since 2008. When COVID-19 turned everything upside down this year, needless to say I was not at all excited about the prospect of moving our entire studio to an online format. I was concerned about distractions in the home, internet connectivity issues, out of tune instruments, lack of attention and focus, and concerns about one more thing to do on-screen. Then, something very interesting happened. I noticed my 8 year old daughter thriving in her virtual piano lessons in a way that she hadn't been when we were doing in-person lessons. Here is what I am absolutely loving about virtual lessons from a parent perspective:
I've been teaching music lessons for 20 years. I've taught voice, violin, piano and Kindermusik (early childhood music), and have been running our studio along with my husband Luis since 2008. When COVID-19 turned everything upside down this year, needless to say I was not at all excited about the prospect of moving our entire studio to an online format. I was concerned about distractions in the home, internet connectivity issues, out of tune instruments, lack of attention and focus, and concerns about one more thing to do on-screen. Then, something very interesting happened. I noticed my 8 year old daughter thriving in her virtual piano lessons in a way that she hadn't been when we were doing in-person lessons. Here is what I am absolutely loving about virtual lessons from a parent perspective:
1. No more driving to and from lessons means we get hours back in our day. This was a game changer!
Before, on piano day, my husband or I would have to leave work early to go pick her up from school and then drive to the studio for her lesson, then drive home and prep dinner and the other evening things we have to do. The 30-minute lesson was more like 90+ minutes of running around when you factor in all of the driving. Now we just log on from home, so easy!
2. My daughter has taken more ownership of her practicing.
She knows not to even ask about watching TV or other screen time unless she has practiced piano. This has helped her be more responsible about finding time in the day to practice. Sometimes it's first thing in the morning, and sometimes it's during virtual school break. Either way, my nagging has been cut way back! I've also noticed her creativity budding even more when practicing is not a chore, but just something she does as part of her day. She's been making up her own songs and trying to figure out songs she likes from the radio or TV.
3. I can keep an "ear" on the lessons and know what she needs to be working on.
It's helpful to be in more communication with her teacher, and also half listen in from the other room to hear how the teacher explains things to her in the lesson, so that if she does get stuck on something, I'm better able to help her in the same teaching style that her teacher is using.
Before, on piano day, my husband or I would have to leave work early to go pick her up from school and then drive to the studio for her lesson, then drive home and prep dinner and the other evening things we have to do. The 30-minute lesson was more like 90+ minutes of running around when you factor in all of the driving. Now we just log on from home, so easy!
2. My daughter has taken more ownership of her practicing.
She knows not to even ask about watching TV or other screen time unless she has practiced piano. This has helped her be more responsible about finding time in the day to practice. Sometimes it's first thing in the morning, and sometimes it's during virtual school break. Either way, my nagging has been cut way back! I've also noticed her creativity budding even more when practicing is not a chore, but just something she does as part of her day. She's been making up her own songs and trying to figure out songs she likes from the radio or TV.
3. I can keep an "ear" on the lessons and know what she needs to be working on.
It's helpful to be in more communication with her teacher, and also half listen in from the other room to hear how the teacher explains things to her in the lesson, so that if she does get stuck on something, I'm better able to help her in the same teaching style that her teacher is using.
 | 30 minutes of a Zoom lesson results in hours of creative off-screen entertainment throughout the week |
4. She is occupied for a half hour so I can do something else!
It's usually something very exciting like clean the kitchen after dinner, but still. Enough said.
5. Out of town friends & family can tune in to virtual recitals and see her perform.
We normally hold our recitals at the beautiful Fine Arts Building in downtown Chicago. I do really miss the grand piano and views of Lake Michigan and Buckingham Fountain, there is something magical about performing there. However, the silver lining of hosting virtual recitals is that we don't have to limit capacity and people can join in from anywhere in the world! We have had grandparents tune in from other states and even other countries.
It's usually something very exciting like clean the kitchen after dinner, but still. Enough said.
5. Out of town friends & family can tune in to virtual recitals and see her perform.
We normally hold our recitals at the beautiful Fine Arts Building in downtown Chicago. I do really miss the grand piano and views of Lake Michigan and Buckingham Fountain, there is something magical about performing there. However, the silver lining of hosting virtual recitals is that we don't have to limit capacity and people can join in from anywhere in the world! We have had grandparents tune in from other states and even other countries.
| Proud mama moment...here's what she chose for her recital piece: | |
I was so hesitant about virtual lessons but they have really been a great option for our busy family. In fact, we like the virtual lessons so much that they are something that we will keep as an offering at Bucktown Music even when things are back to in-person. We offer lessons on most instruments and voice, for kids and adults, we hope you can join us! Music lessons also make a wonderful gift as we enter into the holiday season. We hope you have a healthy, safe and musical day!
by Rosie Hays, MA, MT-BC |  |
Resilience, or our ability to cope and move through difficult times, is incredibly important to focus on as we continue getting through 2020. Building resilience is like building a muscle: it takes time and intention. I began to ponder the relationship between music and resilience. More specifically, I began thinking about how the Bucktown Music Kindermusik classes that I have been teaching and engaging in with my daughter are helping families build resilience during this year filled with loss, anger, and anxiety.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), the components of resilience include connection, wellness, and meaning. We can build these skills through intentional engagement with music, both for ourselves and for our children. Here are some examples of how we can work with music for ourselves and how the activities in our Kindermusik classes support fostering resilience in our children.
Connection
Though we are socially distant, we can still build connection through music. through shared experiences, or more specifically, engaging with each other within a musical experience. You can do this at home with your family by exploring new instruments, discovering new songs, or moving together to music we love. With virtual classes right now, we are finding new ways to connect even though we can’t be together in the same room. For example, in our classes, the children get to connect with each other by showing each other the instruments they own or have made at home and then play together to the same piece of music. Children also connect to each other by sharing unique movements during a greeting ritual and seeing classmates join them in the movement they’ve shared. It’s such a joy to have even 1 year olds recognize their “friends” on-screen and learn each other’s names!
Wellness
One of the ways that the APA suggests fostering wellness is practicing mindfulness, or working to ground ourselves in the present moment. An important part of every Kindermusik class is intentional music listening. This is one of my favorite parts of class, as it encourages our kids to just be in the moment with the music, by relaxing our bodies with our breaths and sitting with the music. When it comes to music and mindfulness, I also think of the steady beat as a way to ground, not only into the music, but into the moment. Each Kindermusik class involves building steady beat awareness through sound and movement.
TRY THIS: Here is a grounding exercise that you can do at home for yourself or with your family that focuses on the music of our bodies: Find a comfortable place to sit. Once you are settled, take three deep breaths, allowing the sensation and sound of your breath to help you relax. Once you are in this quiet space, put your hand on your heart and pay attention to your heartbeat. Spend some time feeling your heartbeat. Allow the rhythm of your heartbeat to ground you into the present moment. Spend as much time here as you need, and when you are ready, play this steady beat on a drum or instrument of choice.
Learn more about mindfulness & music
TRY THIS: Here is a grounding exercise that you can do at home for yourself or with your family that focuses on the music of our bodies: Find a comfortable place to sit. Once you are settled, take three deep breaths, allowing the sensation and sound of your breath to help you relax. Once you are in this quiet space, put your hand on your heart and pay attention to your heartbeat. Spend some time feeling your heartbeat. Allow the rhythm of your heartbeat to ground you into the present moment. Spend as much time here as you need, and when you are ready, play this steady beat on a drum or instrument of choice.
Learn more about mindfulness & music
Meaning
According to Dr. Brene Brown, "We are a meaning-making species-we need to make meaning out of experiences. Music is a creative medium that can satisfy our human need to make meaning." Nurturing creativity feeds this part of ourselves that can help us get through hard times. Both at home and in a Kindermusik class, you can encourage creativity by entering the music experience with your kids through scaffolding, co-creating imaginative play within a music experience, and supporting vocal and instrumental exploration. It doesn't need to be musically perfect to be meaningful. Additionally, music making is one of the first ways infants can engage in meaning making. With even the littlest babies, you can observe signs of musical engagement, such as tracking an instrument with their eyes, reaching out to touch or explore it, or vocal play by exploring new sounds with their voice. We may not all be musicians, but we are all musical beings. Cultivating our intrinsic relationship to music engages us in a meaning making experience, which builds resilience.
Reference: https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience
Reference: https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience
Join us for some joyful virtual music-making!
| You're probably asking yourself: What on earth does playing with a ball have to do with music???? Everything, for little ones! All kids love playing with balls, and it's a great activity to do with baby to boost early learning. Kindermusik chime balls are brightly colored and have a little bell inside, so they make a fun jingly sound when tapped or shaken. With babies, you can tap the ball on their body so they can feel the steady beat, or you can move the ball across their field of vision so that they can track it with their eyes (an important pre-reading skill, whether they are reading words or music notes!) Moving the ball along to the music gives children a visual representation of a steady beat, which helps them learn with multiple senses: hear it, feel it, see it. The more senses that are involved in learning an activity, the more likely it is to "stick" in a child's brain. |  Using a ball with toddlers teaches turn-taking and hand-eye coordination, an important skill for playing in an ensemble later in life. Preschoolers learn to pass the ball around the circle to the steady beat, and we may even make it more difficult by adding extra balls or changing the tempo (speed) of the song so that they have to coordinate their movements and ball-passing to the beat of the music! Live in Chicago? Join us for a class at Bucktown Music! Not in Chicago? We've got Kindermusik friends all over the world, find a class near you! |
One of the most common questions we hear is “when should my child start music lessons”? The best music classes will consider your child, your family, your goals, and the amount of time you have to commit. There are a lot of music lessons in Chicago, I hope this post helps you find the right one!
Yes, it's true! Music makes you smarter and it's good for reading and math...BUT...
| Many parents feel that getting their child started in private lessons as early as possible is the best choice. One of the most common questions we hear at our studio is “when should my child start playing an instrument?” I’ve had many (yes, MANY) people who insist that their 1, 2, or 3 year old child be enrolled in private music lessons. |  |
What we’ve found is that young children thrive in a research-based group class (such as our Kindermusik program), and the LATER the child starts private lessons, the more likely they are to enjoy lessons and want to continue.
Anyhow, these inquiries made me start to wonder when all of my musician friends and our studio teachers started “officially” studying their instruments, so I turned to the professionals. I wanted to try to find the sweet spot, that magic age of when it seems to “stick.” So I interviewed all of the musicians I know to see when they started, and here's the result:
 | Adult Students: The first step is to have a heart-to-heart with your teacher about your goals, expectations, and time. Do you want to learn to read music and play Beethoven? Or are you looking to learn some easy chords so you can play a few songs for your friends at your next party? Would you like to join a community orchestra or form a band, or are you looking for a creative outlet to relax after work? |
Make sure you and your teacher are on the same page, and that your teacher is comfortable teaching the kind of music that you want to learn. You'll probably need a beginner book so that you can learn the notes and some basic theory behind what you are playing. After a few weeks of learning the fundamentals, you will probably be able to play a few simple songs. On guitar, for example, if you learn 3-5 chords, you can play a TON of different pop songs (of course, it does take a lot of practice to change between the chords!) Piano students will be able to play simple melodies and have their teacher (or guitar playing friends) accompany them. Voice students will work on pitch matching, breath control, placement, vowel shapes, and contour. Your teacher will be able to help find music that matches your voice and range. Ultimately your progress depends on: natural ability (a little), determination and perseverance (a lot), and how much time you have to practice. You should see a definite improvement within a few months, and like anything, the more you do it, the better it gets!
| Nobody has ever said "I wish I hadn't learned to play the piano"! |  |
Young Students: Parents should be actively involved in young children's lessons. Children who can't read yet will need help going over their assignments and understanding what is expected. It helps to bring in a notebook and your teacher can write down what you should be working on and any helpful tips (rhythm, posture, hand position). The most important thing with music lessons is that it is not only a mental skill, but a physical one as well, that needs to be practiced over and over to master the muscle memory needed to be successful. At the beginning, your child should probably be practicing 10-15 minutes most days. Don't leave practicing until the day before your lesson, you really can't "cram" it in. You'll definitely want to practice the day after your lesson, when your teacher's tips are fresh in your mind. Piano students will generally use a series of 4 books (Lesson, Theory, Technique, and Performance) which work together, and gives your child several different ways to practice one skill, which keeps it more interesting. Guitar, violin, voice, and other instruments will usually have 1 or 2 books to work with. Another tip for practicing is to have your child play each song the number of times of their age (7 year olds will play each song 7 times.) Be sure to listen in and make sure they aren't just rushing through! The goal is to improve at least one thing each time you play.
Author
Jessica Solares is one of the founders of Bucktown Music, along with her husband Luis. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Elmhurst College, and is a licensed Kindermusik educator with Top Program distinction.
Jessica was hired as Manager of Business Development, Studio Division for Kindermusik International. She is thrilled to have this new role to train educators around the world to open stellar music studios!
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