Parent Zone December 2010
Music & Classical Composers for Kids
Worldwide, music is important to many cultures. And here in our country, we’ll soon be hearing plenty of Christmas music as we prepare for the upcoming holiday season. As you listen this season, encourage your children to sing along, make up their own words, or learn a familiar song in another language. Singing Christmas carols together may be one of the most timeless of family traditions of all.
Classical music is also timeless because it can be enjoyed by old and young alike. Many children are exposed to Nursery Rhymes at a young age, so it’s easy to go from singing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” to listening to Mozart’s 12 Variations in C Major on “Ah vous dirai-je, Maman,” which uses the same tune. Some animated films like Mickey Mouse and Sylvester and Tweety feature musical classics to put more emphasis on the emotions of the characters. What fun would Looney Tunes be without Elmer Fudd singing ‘’Kill the Wabbit’’ in “What’s Opera, Doc?” featuring the music of Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries”?
If you’re interested in introducing your child to classical music, here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Read a musical story with your child like “Peter and the Wolf” while listening along with a CD of the music.
- Attend the symphony or local youth orchestra. Many groups do specific programs just for kids.
- Offer to pay for music lessons like piano or violin.
- Listen to classical music in the car occasionally while running errands.
- Allow family members to play music for each other and as a group.
- Make your own musical instruments.
- Learn about a specific composer or time period from music history.
- Enjoy your favorite nursery rhymes sung in the style of your favorite popular singers on the CD’s “Mother Goose Rocks”, available at the library.
Other Links to Explore
Why Classical Music is Important to Your Child
Guide to Classical Music for Children
Building Baby’s Brain: The Role of Music
Books
Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin by Floyd Moss
The Story of the Orchestra: Listen While You Learn About the Instruments
by Robert Levine
Lives of the Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (and What the Neighbors Thought)
by Kathleen Krull
What Charlie Heard by Mordicai Gerstein
The Heroic Symphony by Anna Harwell Celenza
Strange Mr. Satie by M.T. Anderson
Sebastian: A Book About Bach by Jeanette Winter
Ludwig Van Beethoven by Mike Venezia
The Magic Flute: An Opera by Mozart
adapted by Kyra Teis
Kids Can Listen, Kids Can Move! by Lynn Kleiner
Music
Beethoven’s Wig: Sing Along Symphonies
You can also find a wide array of classical music in the library’s music department!!!
Classical Music
Craft of the Month:
Gorgeous Gourds!
