Babies feel the beat from birth

Babies have got rhythm - and that could help pinpoint possible problems, according to academics.

Their brains can detect subtle changes in musical beats and the pitch of notes, according to the findings of a ground-breaking research project led by the University of Plymouth.

The three-year European-funded project included a study in Hungary of how babies perceive the world when they are born.

Researchers there discovered that, even at such a tender age, they have a real sense of beat.

Project co-ordinator Dr Susan Denham, of the University of Plymouth, said the findings could be adapted for use in a variety of screening programmes in the future.

"This is one of the first studies of its type and what is perhaps most significant is that, not only do babies' brains register changes in beat, pitch and simple melodic patterns, but they do so more or less automatically, as they are fast asleep during these experiments.

"The results of this study mean that it could be possible to screen children at a much earlier age to identify potential cognitive problems which might lead to poor development."

http://latestnews.virginmedia.com/news/tech/2008/09/22/babies_feel_the_beat_from_birth

Talented Mum

Sally brings Finlay to the Our Time class every thursday, and one day she brought me this CD that she wrote, arranged and performed herself! 

 

Zootopia is a unique album of original children’s songs, immaculately performed by enchanting animal characters. With educational lyrics and infectious melodies it will have the whole family singing along in no time! It’s a great way to introduce your kids to a wide range of musical styles as the songs encompass reggae, jazz, gospel, calypso, country, 80’s pop, ska and lullaby; everyone will have a favourite!

Sally is a professional singer/songwriter and she has masterfully pulled off a modern-day children’s classic with Zootopia.

It’s fantastic for car journeys, parties, sleep times and day to day fun! It also makes the perfect children’s gift.

You can purchase through her website, where you can also listen to some of the tracks! Check it out:

www.funkyfrogmusic.com

Are you a talented mum? Music, crafts, writing, painting, cooking... Anything that you have a passion for it and would like to spread the world about? Let me know as I would love to add your story to our blog!

Get kids more active!

From October, Kindermusik will proudly become an official accredited partner of ASDA Sporting Chance, offering free Kindermusik sessions for children across the UK. 

During the half term, ASDA will be offering free vouchers in their stores in exchange for free activities. 

The Kindermusik free sessions are available for new families only, but you can also find other sport activities to try with the kids and keep them more active! 

Visit their website for more information on Asda Sporting Chance sessions:

http://www.asda-sportingchance.co.uk/free-session-search.php

Suzuki Cello Lessons!

I am delighted to announced the start of my Suzuki Cello Programme here in Edinburgh! 

I now offer cello lessons for children by the Suzuki Method of Music Education. I will be teaching in after-school hours in my home studio in Trinity, and on saturday mornings at St. George's School, in Murrayfield. 

The weekly lesson envolves:

repertoire

singing

solfedge

ear training

ensemble activities

What is the Suzuki Method?

The Suzuki Method of music education is based on the philosophy and teaching methods developed by the Japanese violinist, pedagogue, educator and humanitarian, Dr. Shinichi Suzuki.
Dr. Suzuki believed in the great potential of music to enrich children’s lives. He developed a method of music education to enable children to play music to their highest possible level of ability.

Every Child Can Learn
Suzuki realized the implications of the fact that children the world over learn to speak their native language with ease. He began to apply the basic principles of language acquisition to the learning of music, and called his method the mother-tongue approach. The ideas of parent responsibility, loving encouragement, constant repetition, etc., are some of the special features of the Suzuki approach.

Parent Involvement
As when a child learns to talk, parents are involved in the musical learning of their child. They attend lessons with the child and serve as “home teachers” during the week. One parent often learns to play before the child, so that she/he understands what the child is expected to do. Parents work with the teacher to create an enjoyable learning environment.

Early Beginning
The early years are crucial for developing mental processes and muscle coordination. Listening to music should begin at birth; formal training may begin at age four or five, but it is never too late to begin.

Listening
Children learn words after hearing them spoken hundreds of times by others. Listening to music every day is important, especially listening to pieces in the Suzuki repertoire so the child knows them immediately.

Repetition
Constant repetition is essential in learning to play an instrument. Children do not learn a word or piece of music and then discard it. They add it to their vocabulary or repertoire, gradually using it in new and more sophisticated ways.

Encouragement
As with language, the child’s effort to learn an instrument should be met with sincere praise and encouragement. Each child learns at his/her own rate, building on small steps so that each one can be mastered. Children are also encouraged to support each other’s efforts, fostering an attitude of generosity and cooperation.

Learning with Other Children
In addition to private lessons, children participate in regular group lessons and performance at which they learn from an are motivated by each other.

Graded Repertoire
Children do not practice exercises to learn to talk, but use language for its natural purpose of communication and self-expression. Pieces in the Suzuki repertoire are designed to present technical problems to be learned in the context of the music rather than through dry technical exercises.

Delayed Reading
Children learn to read after their ability to talk has been well established. In the same way, children should develop basic technical competence on their instruments before being taught to read music.

You can find out more about the Suzuki Method in the British Suzuki Institute website: www.britishsuzuki.org.uk

Contact me to arrange your lesson! 

Call: 0131 551 10 42 / 07903 42 00 61

E-mail: monica@musicandgiggles.co.uk

The Brain on Music

Music is so powerful!
Check out this cool interactive brain and see just how music effects all parts of the brain:
http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/features/theNerve/brain.html

We are on Facebook!

We now have a page and a group for our music school on facebook! A place where you can connect with fellow Kindermusik families and share impressions and ideas. Have a look and add to your favorites! 

Music & Giggles facebook page

Music & Giggles facebook group

Feel free to add my personal facebook to your profile as well, it would be lovely to see you there! 

Why Early Music Education?

As we approach the start of the autumn term, I am sure we all ask ourselves what we could do to make this new term very special and to take the best of everything we do. 

If you are wondering why you should re-enroll in Kindermusik, read this article and be sure that you are giving your child the best possible start in life:  

"Listening to and making music can be great fun but there are other benefits besides improving your mood and having a good time.

For young children in particular, music can be extremely valuable in enhancing personal, social and educational development. It's important, therefore, for parents to encourage their children's budding interest in music.

Although research is going on all the time into the effects of music on children, including those still in the womb, active music making is thought to be linked with benefits such as better language and mathematical ability, improved results at school, better-adjusted social behaviour, and even improvements in spatial reasoning, which is the foundation of science and engineering science.

Although spatial reasoning may sound like a daunting concept if you are not familiar with the term, it's something that we all need to learn as children. In their early years children learn to understand spatial concepts such as left and right, or to recognise obstacles in their path and to know to avoid them. It's important for children to practice these skills and this can be done through everyday activities including action songs that link movement and space to ideas. If a child is able to develop strong basic spatial understandings early on, they will develop the more complex spatial reasoning skills that enable them to do more complex things such as reading and understanding maps and graphs.

Playing music to unborn babies can stimulate them in ways that can lead to creative and intellectual development, and to increased post-natal musical and speech development. And, in even in more practical terms for pregnant mothers, playing music to your baby can steady the fetal heart rate and reduce kicking in the womb!

There is evidence, too, of music aiding memory development and retrieval in preschool aged children. And, because kids love repetition, singing familiar songs and encouraging them to make music, even with simple percussion instruments, can also be greatly beneficial. Action songs, which require children to move their hands or bodies to the music or make particular sounds, are particularly good.

Music has similarly positive effects on young school children. As in preschool aged children, spatial-temporal reasoning is improved when school aged children learn to make music. And this growing interest and interaction with music can lead to strengthened maths, dance, reading, creative thinking and visual arts skills in children.

Parents and teachers of school aged students find that studying music can turn children into better students over all. This is because the skills learnt through the study of music can transfer into general study, communication and cognitive skills that are useful in other areas of study. Similarly, working in musical groups and ensembles can teach children to work more effectively together within their general school environment.

Introducing your child to music at an early age does more than foster a life long love of music as an art form. Encouraging them to not just listen to music, but to interact and become involved with the act of making music is a valuable step in your child's development.

By involving them in music you are helping to expand their positive problem-solving skills and develop their memory skills. And on a personal and social level, the benefits for the child are huge. By giving them a way of expressing themselves, you will be encouraging their creativity and improving their self-confidence and self-esteem. This can set them up in the future not just to take on the skills needed to master challenging tasks such as learning other languages, but also to believe in themselves so that they can achieve future life goals.

Remember that you don't need any special musical ability to start enjoying music with your child. In fact, learning together can become a great new way of interacting and bonding with your child. "

*From Bongo Club, Youth Music's online resources: Introduction To Early Years Music Making

Kindermusik Recommended in the Guardian!

Kindermusik classes were recommended in yesterday's Guardian Newspaper by columnist A. Barbieri!

Read the article here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/aug/30/family.dramaanddance

Music=Happiness!

Last weekend I had another concert with the orchestra and, one more time, it was amazing! Still now, after almost 20 years playing the cello, it amazes me how good I feel when I play. Of course I have my bad days when the last thing I want to do is sit and play the cello, but it’s just a matter of minutes and boooom! There it comes that amazing feeling again!

Every time it happens I remember my mum. She loves to tell anyone that, when I was a teenager, I told her I didn’t want to play the cello anymore. She knew how much I enjoyed playing but I just wanted to hang around with my friends and play the cello was the last think in my mind at that time.

Well, my lovely mummy “forced” me to continue playing until I was mature enough to make my choices (her words). She said that when I was 18 years old, I could make my choices. Of course, at 18 I had the passion for the cello back and the good feeling was so strong, so strong that I just wanted to play forever!

Today, I am so pleased of my mum’s attitude. Music is so important in my life that I just feel the need to share that “feel good” factor with more and more people. I try to do just that every week, with the classes that I teach. I truly believe this is my mission in this world and I just want children to be happy and have music in their hearts.

Mums and dads out there, get your kids to learn music, to sing, to play an instrument. I can’t explain how wonderful it is but I can say that it truly feels amazing. Your child will be grateful to you forever.

Here is a inspirational video. Have a good day!

Kindermusik Home Materials... priceless!

Unlike most other music programs for young children, Kindermusik is designed as an everyday musical experience. That is why Kindermusik puts so much energy into creating high quality "At Home" materials that are second to none. Thoughtfully crafted sets of materials are purposefully incorporated to provide the most complete and the best possible musical learning experience available for the entire family.

Kindermusik's uniqueness stems from the fact that it recognizes parents as the child's best teacher. Besides attending classes with their child, parents can help the child derive much more benefits from the activities experienced in class by playful engagement in these activities at home.


The Home Materials support this intention marvelously. The Home CD contains all the songs, chants and music taught in class. The Journal / Home Activity Book, besides containing the lyrics and notation for the songs and chants on the CD, also provides many great ideas for fun activities parents may share with their child at home.

These materials will last a long time. Satisfied parents have often told us how the entire family including other siblings have benefited from these activities at home. We have also observed keener participation, and enhanced ability to focus, with children who use their home materials regularly.

Following are some helpful and practical ideas for helping to make your child's life even more musical:

- Play your At Home CD. Children love repetition and the more you play the CD together, the more your child will be comfortable with the songs and activities.

- Use your At Home CD and literature book to add music to your nightly bedtime story ritual.

- Sing to or sing along with your child. Sing to a pet or even a stuffed animal.

- Swing and sway to music, or dance through the water droplets of a sprinkler.

- Record your own songs and listen to your own voices and music.

- Vary your movements and instrument playing. Maintain a steady beat, move to a faster beat, then a slower beat.

- Discuss the music you hear. What does it sound like? What types of instruments do you hear?

- Sing or chant favorite tunes to help pass the time while waiting in a kew or while sitting in the pediatrician's office.

- Explore musical sounds with home-made instruments, using boxes and other assorted containers, scrapers, shakers and jingles.

- Attend community concerts and other local musical events to give your child a taste of many types of music.

- Music at home is a great memory builder for your child. In years to come he will mention the things you did together at home when he was little! ...priceless!

Look what is coming!

Announcing the next Kindermusik term:





newborn to 18 months

Zoom Buggy!
(from 8th Sept to 10th Nov)

This course explores the many ways Baby and Parent can Zoom! Experience the vroom of a rocket ship and the swoosh of the canoe oars - all through a variety of instruments and songs. All those airplane sounds you make with a spoon during feeding time actually help your baby learn language. In this class, learn how sounds like this can develop physical, social, cognitive, and emotional skills as well.

Your At Home Materials pack includes:

- A CD with over 25 specially selected recordings heard in class. A rich musical environment that allows brain cells and neuropathways in your child's mind to strengthen, helping to develop memory skills.

- Playful Picture Book

- Zoom Buggy car

- Art Banners that strengthens vision and promote early literacy

- Baby's Home Journal, with songs, 'Development of the Brain' and 'Ways to Hold Baby' information cards.

18 months to 3 years old

Milk & Cookies
(from 8th Sept 2008 to 2nd Feb 2009)

This course empowers the parent to lead the child through familiar, everyday home activities such as cooking, dusting and washing clothes. Baking cookies, eating cupcakes, blowing hot cross buns, wiggling like a jelly, going grocery shopping and making tea are all represented in familiar songs and activities! Each lesson was carefully created to help your toddler build confidence, self-control, and social skills.

Your At Home Materials pack includes:

- Two Home CDs. At home, music can help your often emotional toddler refocus and regulate his emotions.

- Two Music and Movement Books. Reading together helps your child initialize language and literacy skills.

- Stir Xylophone.

-Home Activity Book. Lots of playful studies: taking turns, family circle dances, field trips, songs to use throughout the day.

- Child's Insulated Lunch Carry Bag

3 to 5 years old

Hello Weather, Let’s Play Together!
(from 8th Sept 2008 to 2nd Feb 2009)

With the weather as our learning theme, we'll explore musical styles that range from Opera to American Folk, and you'll watch as your preschooler becomes self-sufficient in a room full of friends knowing that you're close and nearby. We will learn about sunshine, rain, snow, thunderstorms and more imaginative and delightful weather-related musical adventures. Wether creating storm sounds on a drum or throwing pretend snowballs, children and their families are encouraged to get outdoors and enjoy the world around them.

Your At Home Materials pack includes:


- Two Home CDs. Singing songs helps your child develop a sense of inner hearing, a skill similar to thinking a story or making a plan without speaking out loud.

- Literature Books. Engaging your childs sense of adventure can help them establish sequence of events and predict what happens next.

- Play Set. Pretend play develops creative thinking strategies that develop language, sensory, motor and cognitive skills.

- Pair of Kindermusik Ankle Bells. Developing a sense of rhythm can help children understand patterns, a necessary skill for mathematics.

- Rain Shaker with Scraper. Another instrument to explore how sounds are made.

-Family Activity Book, with easy home-made activity instructions, sheet music, and cut-outs helps you bring the learning home.

- Imagine That! Backpack. (Optional)

See you in class! :-)

Hello all!

It's with great excitement that I start this post!
The idea of this blog is to have a space where I can connect with my enrolled families sharing information about classes, their child's development and the benefits of music to their lives.
And what a best way to start this blog than with this slideshow of our Kindermusik Family Celebration. What a wonderful day it was! 

Lot's of music, quality family time, yummy snacks and of course, lots of fun!
I am really looking forward to resume our classes next week, I've prepared lots of activities for our Kindermusik Adventures summer classes and I hope you all enjoy it. I still have spaces available for the summer course, so do let me know if you haven't enrolled yet.
Watch out this space for much more information to come!

Kindermusik Family Celebration (5th July 2008):