Music Is Education!!!

In the same way they learn language by being in its mere presence, children learn music. This is how and why children make up tunes and songs. We learn music as naturally and automatically as we learn language. We do so because, like with language, we have a musical instinct.

This is an important point to understand. A child not exposed to language during the critical period of language learning will never learn to speak. The same is true of music. More than that, the more vocabulary a child is exposed to early on, the more they can learn over their lifetimes. Again, the same is true of music. The language instinct and the music instinct are built the same way, with similar structures and similar windows of opportunity of learning. Please note that saying one has an instinct to do something does not mean that one can do it automatically. It just means it is able to be learned very quickly and automatically. Lions have an instinct to hunt, but must still learn how to hunt.

People have the mistaken belief that learning music means learning to play an instrument or learning to read music. However, nobody believes that learning language means learning to write or read. Writing is a technology we use once we have learned to speak in the same way musical notation and playing an instrument are technologies we use once we have learned music. Further, once a child has the basics of language down, we can teach that child more vocabulary. And, once a child has the basics of music down, we can teach that child its more complex vocabularies.
We do learn music automatically, the same as language, but we spend much more time teaching our children the technologies of reading and writing that now go along with speech than we do the similar technologies of reading and writing music. Thus, our children develop skills associated with language, including storytelling and understanding complex narratives such as those told by the sciences. However, in our neglect of music, our children often fail to develop the skills associated with music, including mathematics. It is well established that students who learn a musical instrument do much better in math. Thus, an early childhood education in music is preparing your child to do better in math.

This understanding is not new. It is as old as Medieval education, which emphasized the three language arts of grammar, logic, and rhetoric and the four musical arts of music, math, astronomy (what we would now simply call “science”), and geometry. Math was understood to be theory, music as practice. So music was the practical application of math. As with most things, we have to understand the practical application of something before we can learn the theory. We learn to speak before we learn grammar. We learn music before we learn math.
To have a fully developed child, one who is ready for any educational challenge, we have to not just expose our children to music, but give them a true musical education. Early childhood education in music is just as important as reading to your children who cannot read. Reading to your young child is the foundation on which reading is built. Early education in music is the foundation on which further learning of music is built. And on that is built a world of math and science, song and poetry.

A Great Music Together Moment

One of the most rewarding things about teaching Music Together is seeing a child make a real breakthrough in her growth.

I had a not quite 2-year-old in a class who was very shy about participating in any way. Bella (not her real name) clung to her grandmother most of the time, and didn’t interact much with the other children. Her grandmother wisely kept bringing her to class, realizing that Bella was, in fact, not really shy, but rather preoccupied with observing everything that was going on around her.

Sure enough, the quantum leap came on the last day of the semester. We had just finished “I Had a Little Frog,” when Bella got a very excited look on her face. I could tell something big had dawned on her. Suddenly, she stood up in front of the whole class and recited the chant, all by herself, in perfect rhythm, complete with hand motions! It didn’t seem to bother her in the least that everyone in the room was watching her! She was beaming! Thrilled, her grandmother gave her a big hug. I gave her a big smile, and exclaimed, “Right, Bella!” It was an inspiring moment for the whole class.

Of course, other children may respond differently, but this is one instance which bears witness to the fact that children process music in their minds, even though it may not be visible to us at the time. The longer children are exposed to quality early childhood music instruction, the more they’ll retain, and the more noticeable the end product.

Some things can ONLY happen in South Africa!

I suppose that is true of anywhere in the world but seeing as South Africa is my 'homeland' being back brings back emotional memories that I have developed over the years.

The first experience was still in Dallas before we even left. There were 'the others' on the flight from Dallas to Dulles that I suspected would be joining us on the next flight to SA. I was right on all counts and it turned out that those 'others' had us made too. Almost immediatly we all joined forces and had mutual complaints to compare. It's so hard being away, the kids cant play with thier cousins, the flight is so long, so expensive, so crampy. I haven't seen my family in *** years. The next experience at Dulles magnifies the first. All the questions and complaints are the same except you can add to them. Hello my doll, how long you goin for? will you be in Cape Town? The kosher food is so gross etc etc. American's ignore this tirad but I know my South African friends are all remembering their own experiences flying home.

Some things that don't happen in SA are: Short lines at passport contol, enough luggage carts and organized luggage carousels. Fortunately for us today was different.

Reunion was a blast and I figgured out how to push two carts and video Ariella's reunion at the same time. I told her to run ahead so I could catch it all on tape for posterity. We both love to watch the video's of our trips and this adds to our collection. how lucky. I funally made it out and got my own squeeze's - yum , I'm with my peeps now.

Leaving the airport, I am rather dizzy (that is my version of jet lag - i am dizzy for a week) but don't fail to notice the security. I keep my mouth shut because most South African's get very defensive if you 'notice' it aloud as 'there is crime in America too!" I do slip up every now and then and notice it aloud and am put in my place immediatly. Note to self "Locals take it personally if you comment on crime and security - keep mouth shut"

Next day was a dizzy blur but I thanked G-d for the sun that we were enjoying and the splashes from the pool as Ariella and her cousins swam. I am living on borrowed summer - gratitude.

Friday was massage, pedicure, lunch on the strip and other experiences that can 'only happen in SA" not that these are indiginous but simply not what i would see in Dallas.

Friday night was "we are family, I've got all my sista's with me, and aunts and uncles and cousins and parents" I changed the words. How mind blowingly unreal to have all these people together under one roof and for me to be present - in body and not just spirit.

At thie stage of the trip it is a tad hard to relax but I have found it in me to take a nap every single day. I hope that I will start to stop my work brain for a little??

Ariella has forgotten that i exist and is flitting around town being a social butterfly with play dates, sleep overs and enjoying being out of school. Fun for her

Music Together Dallas - Splash Video

Music Together Dallas Head Quaters Grand Opening

The NE corner of Hillcrest and McCallum was alive with the sound of music on Sunday May 23rd when more than 100 families braved the heat to celebrate the grand opening of Music Together's new North Dallas headquarters. Not just singing but violin experiments, drum banging, flute playing and guitar strumming were the happy result of inviting children ranging in age from 6 months to 96 years-old to engage with a "musical instrument petting zoo."
Some were timid at first as they approached the array of instruments available for poking, prodding, and playing but within moments even the least musical observer felt comfortable enough to pick one up and try it out. Invariably, people smiled as they test drove the instruments, delighting in the opportunity to experiment and see how different sounds are produced.
"The secret to good music is joy," said Music Together Dallas owner, Gila Vinokur. "Children don't care about perfect pitch, they just want to play and to sing. And it is indescribably beautiful to watch a child's face as their beloved adults focus all their attention on them and share a happy song. Experiences like that are money in the bank of a healthy parent-child relationship."
The grand opening festivities were capped by the ceremony of affixing a mezuzah to the door of the studio. Vinokur said "No move is possible without divine assistance, thank G-d we are able to enjoy this beautiful day and have the privilege to dedicate a new venue for families to come together." Attendees spontaneously broke out in a round of "Siman Tov u'Mazel Tov" as Vinokur kissed the mezuzah and welcomed everyone inside.
Music Together offers FREE demo classes. Please call the studio at (972) 267-4452 or visit the website http://www.musictogetherdallas.com/ to schedule a complimentary class.

Louis Armstrong - Danny Kaye

Music Together Dallas - Zumba in the house