Mr.
Justen interviews several BSR members and highlights some of the joys
and challenges of keeping kids singing in today's busy world. A directory-in-progress
of singing and music theater programs for children and youth in the
New England area may be found at http://www.bostonsingersresource.com/youthdirectory.asp.
Please email any information you would like to be added to the directory
to:
info@bostonsingersresource.com
Singing comes quite naturally to nine-year old
Mary. She is the daughter of Lisa Taylor, and has spent most of her
short life following her mother to concerts, rehearsals, lessons, and
other performing arts activities.
"I would always put a tape in to practice with when I was driving
around, or have a practice tape on at the house." Taylor says.
"Mary would sing along with the tapes as I practiced, mimicking
everything I did."
Daily exposure to music and watching her mother perform has motivated
young Mary into starting her own performance career. Two years ago she
appeared in a production of Jack and the Beanstalk, and this summer
is making the audition rounds. Additionally Mary starts soon with a
voice teacher, learns piano from her father, and displays a strong sense
of rhythm on drum set.
"I never really tried to guide her," she says. "The only
thing I forced her to do was to take dance, and that was therapy for
a physical problem."
EXPOSURE IS THE KEY, TEACHER SAYS
Not all children have the benefit of daily contact with music like young
Mary, but exposure to music plants the seed in young children to develop
an interest in singing in the first place, says Beth MacLeod*, a teacher
at the South Shore Conservatory and artistic director of Opera-by-the-Bay.
For example, a child's exposure to music is often as close as the nearest
VCR or DVD player.
"Disney songs are great or for 6-10 year olds as the kids are familiar
with them and consider them fun to sing," MacLeod says. "Little
girls love Disney tunes. Any song by The Little Mermaid's Arial, or
Beauty and the Beast's Belle is always good to pursue because girls
usually know it very well."
Other songs you can use include simple folk songs or tunes such as On
Top of Old Smokey, or Take Me Out to the Ballgame. The advantage is
that children learn these songs quickly. You can still work on some
basic skills during these stages; in her own classroom, MacLeod works
on techniques such as posture and breathing, but is careful not to dig
to deep into the technical aspects. The main goal is to keep the children
singing an actual song.
"Up to age 10, it's important that you keep the music session moving
when working with children. They are less apt to concentrate so you
have to spend more time singing than working on technique. Kids will
stop doing anything once it ceases to be fun."
TIME FOR A CLASS
Once children are singing regularly, classes or performing groups are
the next step in their musical development.
"Encourage their interests by signing them up for the things they
want to do," says Jill Hasslebacher*, who runs a six-week summer
program at theater arts program at the Amesbury Playhouse. She is fortunate
because most of the kids that sign-up for her program already have an
interest in signing theatre music.
"There are plenty of other options however. Scout programs and
churches often have singing opportunities that let children sing in
a group setting. Let's face it, any singing is better than no singing,
so it's best to steer them to the right classes and groups," she
says.
Better yet, find a class or singing group that teaches the child how
to read music. "Children who know how to read music, stay at it
longer," she says.
Editor's Note: The Boston and North Shore area offers many prospects
for young vocalists. See our Youth
Singing Directory for a list of singing programs and classes for
children
'CAN I TRY THAT, MOM?'
Some children enjoy listening to music or watching musical cartoon videos,
but still might be afraid to start singing themselves for a variety
of reasons. One solution to this problem is to let a child see other
children singing.
"If a child is shy about singing in the first place, take them
to a performance or show involving other children," says David
Bass, president and artistic director of the North Cambridge Family
Opera. He produces full-scale original children's operas involving both
children and adults.
"A child who sees a friend or sibling in a performance will often
want to do the same thing as the children in the show," Bass says.
"Parents who are involved musically can also draw the child in.
Kids like to work with their parents."
Bass puts this theory in practice with his own group. When putting together
an opera, he only casts children whose parents can also be in the show,
thereby creating a shared experience for the family members.
"Expose the child to a situation that is enjoyable and non-judgemental.
Once that is accomplished, tell the child he or she is involved in something
that is big and important. Once they understand that, you really don't
have to motivate them."
POP PRINCESSES
Getting your child to sing at a young age is a challenge, but as they
get older you face other trials such as steering them away from unrealistic
expectations. For example, pre-teen girls often want to sing a song
off the latest recording of a teenage superstar, or a song they just
heard on American Idol.
"I don't advocate children singing along with recordings, but you
can't just say 'no,' " MacLeod says. " I try to explain to
them that the song is too low for them as recorded. If they continue
to insist, I tell them we'll set the song as a goal for the future."
Sometimes MacLeod appeals to the girl's own vanity to help steer them
towards more singable pieces.
"If a girl comes to me and says she wants to sing like Jewel, I
respond with 'The world already has Jewel, why don't we work to find
your own voice.' "
And of course, some people would rather listen to a class of beginning
violinists than try to expose their children to opera.
"Opera is scary to a child," Bass says. Language barriers
and the length of a show are both big hurdles in exposing children to
the art form.
Bridge that gap by introducing songs from musicals that have classical
voices, such as The Sound of Music or The Fantastiks, MacLeod says.
"Use songs from these shows to ease them into operatic pieces."
GOING SOLO
So, you've exposed and encouraged these kids and now have them singing
in a group. How do you motivate them to sing solo?
Give children the option to sing the solo by themselves, but if they
hesitate, take a different approach, Hasselbacher says.
"If you feel the child has the potential to sing solo but he or
she is shy about it, teach the solo to a small group that includes the
intended child," she says.
This gives the child a little more confidence about singing away from
the group. You can eventually pare down the smaller group to just a
duo, and eventually let the child try solo alone.
ADVICE TO PARENTS
Regardless of the challenges involved, the overall goal is to keep children
singing enough so that it becomes an enjoyable part of their every day
lives.
"Don't make singing a negative experience," Bass says. "Find
the [class, program, or group] that meets their needs."
"Be very open and encouraging," MacLeod says. "Remember,
it's not necessarily the quality of singing that you are worried about
in the early years, but the quantity of singing."
To that end MacLeod recommends that parents set up a structure where
kids sing from 15 to 30 minutes everyday. "Provide a separate room
or a comfortable music corner in the child's bedroom. This also motivates
the child to spend time singing. Encourage children to sing as much
as possible. Make it a part of their everyday life."
ABOUT THE WRITER:
ED JUSTEN* (ejusten104@yahoo.com)
is a freelance musician and writer living in Haverhill, MA. He holds
a B.S. in Communications, with a minor in music from Salem State College.
OTHER CONTRIBUTERS:
Name: North Cambridge Family opera Company, Cambridge MA
Contact: David Bass davidbass@attbi.com 617.354.2797
Website: www.familyopera.com
Name: Amesbury Playhouse, Amesbury, MA
Contact: Jill Hasselbacher* amesburyplayhouse@yahoo.com
978.388.9444
Website: www.amesburyplayhouse.com
Other info: Offers children's after-school programs in
theatre, drama, and music.
Name: Beth MacLeod*
Contact: South Shore Conservatory/Opera by the Bay,
Duxbury, MA bethmacleod@southshoreconservatory.org
Website: www. southshoreconservatory.org
* denotes BSR subscriber
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Ed Justen interviews invesigates the joys and challenges of keeping
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