Something exciting in Music Education, Little Kids Rock.
I signed up to do a music workshop called Little Kids Rock. Anyway I went to the workshop today (on my day off) and I must say it was pretty cool. They had a bunch of materials, well thought out and sequenced, using almost exclusively popular music of different styles. They basically get kids playing from day one, 2 note chords and such. It sounds really good when played with a group, and it’s something I think kids will love immediately. It’s basically like a rock ensemble class.
I went through the whole school band thing, learning to read music etc., and I loved it, and I wouldn’t go back and change that. But there are kids that for whatever reason don’t want to do that. I played trombone, and that probably explains why I love bands with brass sections, but I really wanted to play bass guitar. I finally saved up enough money in high school to buy myself one, and there are probably other kids in the same boat. Anyway the whole thing was free to teachers and the school gets 30 free guitars. The cool thing is there are some non-music teachers in the group, they just had to agree to start a guitar program at their school. In addition, Elliott Rubinson the CEO of Dean Guitars dropped by and he’s giving an electric guitar and amp to each of the teachers that attended! Cool!Plus we got some shirts the Band In A Box Software. Anyway Dean guitars is really doing its part to support this program, and I have to give them credit for that, so good for them.
The coolest thing about the whole project I think, is that they get the kids composing really early, basically once the kid can play power chords. It’s not that sophisticated, granted, but just putting the idea in the kids head is cool. But it’s not like an “extra” thing, composition is an integrated part of the whole program, which is sadly lacking in traditional music education. Anyway if you catch wind of it coming to your city, and you work with kids (elementary to high school) in a school, rec center whatever look into it. It’s really worthwhile.
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