Music is an art form consisting of sound and silence, expressed through time Music is something the human heart and soul respond to on a visceral level, and the human mind responds to its mathematics better than it would to numbers written on a blackboard.
While not every child is a musical prodigy, every child responds well to music, either as a listener or as a performer.
This belief has spawned a niche in the music industry called “baby music” or “music for the unborn” and it probably grew out of the nursery rhymes and children’s songs that have been sung since before the dawn of written history.
We are all born with an instinctive affinity with music-we either sing (off-key or not) or dance to music. Children, being the sponges that they are, are already primed to love music and have some talent for it. The key is to harness that talent and that love for music.
Listen to music as a family and make it part of the home environment. The first step to learning how to make music is listening to it.
Choose what music your child will hear-classical music, jazz harmonies, rock classics, the earthly beat of tribal or world music, the theatrical and melodious tunes of Broadway. All these choices are good, so long as they are choices you like yourself.
The first musical instrument was the human voice, the first lessons were taught as chanted poems and songs, so, if you think your child may be a warble, encourage it by getting minus-one recordings she can sing to.
Be patient if your child has not yet gained the range or control to remain on-key at all times-it take a long time and much practice for the human voice to mature and stabilize into a truly soulful musical instrument.
If your child seems to be good at picking up melodies in the piano or guitar or rhythms on percussion on his own-ouido, as most Filipinos call it-then consider getting your child music lessons or teaching her how to play.
Again, be patient. The fine muscles of the hands need time to grow and develop the strength and flexibility needed for mastery of a musical instrument.
Should your child’s musical abilities grow beyond yours (and they often do), do not hesitate to enroll your child in more advanced music lessons or get involved in the church or school choir or local music workshops in your community.
Allow your child time to practice, because it is only through practice that mastery of any musical instrument (including the voice) can be achieved.
Remind your child to take care of the musical instruments he uses. Guitar and pianos must be tuned regularly and kept clean. If your child is a singer, cold beverages and late nights are a no-no and exercise is a must to strengthen the diaphragm and keep weight constant.
Make music a family affair. If you are all music lovers in the family, time should include jam sessions among you-it may be as simple as a karaoke session at home , a small recital involving a string instrument or flute and singing, or a full band jam session in the garage.
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