How to Get (and Keep) Your Kids Excited About Classical Music (continued)

Dig In

Stories, facts and anecdotes make music more fun. Have you heard the one about Brahms falling asleep while he was listening to Franz Liszt perform in his own home. And on that same subject, Joseph Hadyn wrote a symphony that kept people awake at the concert hall – it’s his famous “Surprise.” Dig even deeper into the lives and music of the composers, and things surface that provide more insight into their work. Once your children know that Dvorak was a big fan of African American spirituals and Native American songs, they can start to hear these influences in his music. And when they can identify the childlike qualities that pervade so much of Mozart’s music they can understand why a great pianist once remarked that, “Mozart’s music is easy for children to play, but much too hard for adults.”

Take Music Lessons

Learning to play an instrument can be a great way to heighten the enjoyment of classical (and all kinds) of music. Many great composers including Tchaikovsky, Bartok, and Bach wrote music for children and students. And there are many great classics that can be played by beginners and intermediates. Both you and your child will become more familiar with music theory and performance practices when you play an instrument. And remember - many of the great composers were also teachers, and all of them started out as students.

Listen With Them

Whether it’s in the car, at home, or in a concert hall, listening with your children and then talking about music is a great way to engage both of you in the classical experience. After you hear a piece, try to hum one or more of the themes, or pick out the instruments you hear. You’ll be surprised how fast your children will build a repertoire of pieces you both know and like when you listen together.

Make Up Songs

Once you start to learn the melodies of the great classical masterpieces, it’s really fun to try to make up words that go together with them. Any words are ok – singing along with the melodies of classical music about anything at all will involve you more in the music. And you’ll probably start to hear things you weren’t aware of at first.

Do It Again (Repetition, Repetition, Repetition)

Many pop songs become popular simply because people hear them over and over. Same goes with the classics. The more you play them, the more familiar they become. Chances are your kids will not only like the repeated pieces more, but will begin to appreciate them in different ways as they continue to listen. When the great cellist Pablo Casals was in his nineties, he reported that for eighty years he had played the same piece by Bach every morning, and he said, “The music is never the same for me, never. Each day it is something new, fantastic and unbelievable.”

About the Author

Richard Perlmutter is the creator of the Beethoven’s Wig music series, which has won 30 awards including two Grammy Award nominations. Beethoven’s Wig’szany lyrics set to the greatest hits of classical music provide a fun foundation for classical music. Beethoven’s Wig is appearing with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra on May 20. www.beethovenswig.com

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