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Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, standing right, rehearses with the Youtube Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, April 15, 2009. AP Photo /Stefan Cohen Photography, Stefan Cohen
By: Paula Slade
With all the the budget cuts occurring in national as well as local economies, it is no wonder schools are suffering during this recession. Art and music curriculums are being cut left and right. They generally are the first programs to be eliminated.
Whether you ascribe to studies done on the importance of right brain development in the visual arts or the "Mozart Effect," which has been associated with music, it is imperative that children be provided a solid education in both.
Music and art studies are essential in developing an understanding and appreciation of not only who we are, but where we have come from as humans. Studies in both domains will determine the entertainment choices that are carried throughout one's life.
Specifically, regarding music, what can a parent to do when music appreciation (the very basis of musical education) isn't offered in a school setting?
Get free on-line help from the world-famous San Francisco Symphony and their entertaining (as well as educational) web site: SFS Kids Fun With Music - it's interactive, well organized, colorful and great fun.
If you need to upgrade your media player in order to participate, not to worry, as you will automatically be prompted and provided a free download that takes a moment to install.
Once you're good-to-go, you and your child will explore the instruments that make up an orchestra; hear actual sound samples, and visit a virtual music lab where you'll learn about everything including basic music symbols and notation, plus concepts such as: tempo; rhythm; pitch; harmony; symbols, and instrumentation.
You'll also be able to play a tune or two on their "performalator" and create your own musical masterpiece in "composerizer."
Older children can easily surf this site depending on their reading and technology skills.
On a separate page, there is a click-on radio (with six different music channels), which will introduce your young Beethoven to some of the world's most famous concert pieces along with short stories about each of the compositions.
As a child's musical interest and abilities strengthen, there's a "First Timer's Guide" (on the symphony's main site) with helpful facts that will provide for a good discussion before venturing out and taking children to an actual performance.
Many major orchestras such as: Boston Symphony; New York Philharmonic; Baltimore Symphony and the San Francisco Symphony offer children's concerts, which are geared towards specific age levels and are shorter in duration, plus they carry the added benefit of a lower ticket price.
Also, in the summer, many communities around the country have "Pops" (broader more mass-appeal music) concerts in a family-friendly outdoor setting that are free of charge, which is a good second step in introducing your youngster to the appreciation and joy of classical music.
After all, since the Youtube Symphony Orchestra made it's debut at Carnegie Hall on April 15, the world of classical music has not been the same - it's taken a giant step in becoming very popular.
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