Kindermusik Classes Help Families Find Even Temperament

The New Year is now upon us as we collectively pull ourselves out of the wrapping paper piles, put forth our best resolutions, and get back to the daily grind. As I make my way back to my Kindermusik classroom I find myself full of resolve to make things clean and orderly. Why do we feel like we have to start over at the start of each new year? I believe this act of renewal through setting resolutions is necessary and helpful in maintaining a sense of what I will call the ABC’s of Even Temperament: Action, Belief, and Consistency. Having grown up studying classical piano music, one of the most important lessons young musicians, particularly pianists, learn is the idea of equal (or even) temperament. Many thanks, hundreds of years later, now to the great composer J.S.Bach. It was he who tackled the problem surrounding keyboard instruments in the Baroque Period….a master at the art of composition. For those of you who are non-musicians, J.S.Bach was the key composer who developed the idea of even temperament. Simply put, that’s what makes a C sound the same at any register, high or low, on the keyboard and sound “in tune” with the same other pitches (or C’s). This was achieved by making sense and order out of the entire tonal system. He remarkably composed a Prelude & Fugue starting on each pitch of the chromatic scale, totaling twelve and then further by modality divisions. He then artfully shaped melodies through contrapuntal techniques into what is often referred to as the pianist’s reference manual for studying each key, The Well-Tempered Clavier, Volumes I & II. This compilation was, in fact, a new beginning for piano music, which brings me back to the topic of resolutions. Maintaining an even temperament can also be applied to the many facets of daily living. This essentially is what takes place when a piano is tuned. Thankfully, we don’t have to tune a piano daily….however the tuning I am referring to is more of a practical sense on how we fine tune our lives through the things we do to “get us through the day”. This can often be a daunting task, particularly when you throw young children, work & school, all surrounded by a hectic schedule into the mix.

The act of setting New Year’s resolutions is one that can and should be shared as a family, particularly if there are very young children in the house. There is no replacement for teaching young children behavior patterns than through example. Expecting children under the age of 5 to do things simply “by being told to do so” simply does not fit their scope of understanding. Young children thrive on interaction. There’s my A-word: ACTION! A child cannot simply learn the alphabet and then be expected to read. A child must be read to again and again. Children learn the alphabet by singing the ABC song, not by reciting it through speech. Learning how to say please and thank you are phrases we must practice with our children for many years. Babies learn how to speak by mimicking the sounds they hear at home, particularly the sound of the mother’s voice. With all this in mind, it is not realistic to expect a child to come home from kindergarten with a firm grasp on what a resolution is, or how to go about achieving it. One of the best gifts you can give to your child is the gift of your time. Take time from your busy day, even for just a few minutes, and intentionally set goals together that will strengthen your home life and lead you to a place that is more manageable, realistic, and above all tangible in your daily life’s routine. Incorporating music and song into your daily routine is a wonderful way to accomplish this. Whether it’s taking time to relax at the end of a long day, singing a favorite lullaby together at bedtime, or making up a silly traveling song you can sing together in the car.

Setting a New Year’s Resolution is only the first step towards attaining our goals. This is where my B-word comes in….BELIEF! We have all heard the saying “You can do anything you put your mind to…” but has anyone ever stopped to think about what that
really means or explain that phrase to a child? A young child who is still formulating new ideas about the world surrounding them has a more concrete grasp on the physical involvement with something rather than abstract ideas. If you ask a child “do you think you can balance on one leg?” he may be apprehensive or show fear. However, if you said to that same child “I think you might be able to balance on one leg. Let’s see if I can do it, too” the child will most likely show excitement and gain confidence prior to the task. This one of the reasons why participating in music and movement programs for young children (such as Kindermusik) is so effective. It speaks directly to the child in a language and format they can understand, exhibit, and remember.

As a pianist, the idea of fine-tuning one’s life has many applications in music and the world that surrounds us in sound. Music has always been the tool I have used to try to achieve this even temperament in the same world we all live in, despite our diversities. However, this even temperament is not something that happens overnight. Learning to play a musical instrument teaches children my C-word: CONSISTENCY! Goals cannot be reached without constant dedication and commitment. Starting a regular music-time pattern at home with young children will ensure future success in every facet of life because they will have gone through the process of regularity through repetition and reaction to a constructive process. It is my personal belief as a music educator that this constructive process can help anyone fine-tune their life to a happier, more fulfilling and gratifying way of life…and that’s worth singing about! For more information about Kindermusik classes that can help you achieve these goals with young children please visit http://www.kindermusik.com to find an educator near you.