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Lessons, what
music lessons?
By Anna Pratt
Families play together in innovative
music program coming to SW
Little Liam Schaper, 2 1/2, is a music
lover. Liam has been attending Music Together classes with his mother,
Nora Schaper, of Kingfield, since he was six months old. Long after
class-time, he's still singing, running around the house clapping
"Hey, Diddle, Diddle," or playing his triangle -- correctly.
While Nora, who also brings her
four-month-old, Owen, to the classes, attributes much of Liam's ability
to grasp a triangle by the string and hit it just right with the silver
striker to the fact that she, of course, has "two genius
children," she also thinks the Music Together classes might have
something to do with his musical proclivities.
The Schapers attend the Music Together
class at Our Lady of Peace in Nokomis. This April, however, the program
will begin at a Southwest site, Temple Israel at 2324 Emerson Ave. S.
"Classes are geared toward having
fun, not so much on skills," says Jessica Lee, who teaches the South
Minneapolis classes. They sound more like jam sessions, combining traditional
tunes and nursery rhymes with instruments, finger exercises and lots of
movement. "It's really expressive," said Schaper. "They
use scarves for dances and pretend they're choo-choo trains."
Rather than the "sit and
sing" sessions of days of yore, Music Together classes are more like
a playgroup -- one that includes and focuses on other wee ones, babies
through kindergarteners, but is also open to the whole family. Older
siblings often hold babies in their laps. According to program director
Tom Lee, parent-child and community relationships are an important part
of the classes -- from rocking activities to circle dances where younger
ones sit in the middle.
During class the young and young at
heart play egg-shakers (mini-maracas), bang tambourines and drums, rub
rhythm sticks -- bright wooden rods with a bumpy and a smooth side -- on
the floor, or play tone blocks that mimic horse clops.
Underneath the symphony of bangs,
clicks and clangs, is a consistent structure. Schaper's sister lives in
California where she and her son, also 2 1/2, attend local classes of
this international program. When visiting, the families attend their
local Music Together class together. Since the programs use the same
music, Liam and his cousin can play songs together. Plus, adds Schaper,
there is no extra charge for bringing more family members.
Sessions run seven to 10 weeks and
focus on a broad range of music, from Broadway tunes to more traditional
themes, but the classes always begin with a hello song to welcome everyone
by name, include a jam session and end with the goodbye song.
Things don't end there. There's plenty
of take-home materials in the Schaper residence: CDs from each session,
homework assignments and plenty of rhythm sticks and, of course, a
triangle. There's also drums, which are more interesting, says Schaper,
since her boy geniuses like to hit each other with the drumsticks.
Monday classes, 9:30-10:30 a.m., begin
at Temple Israel April 7. Sessions run seven to 10 weeks and cost
approximately $130. Classes include six to 12 children and accompanying
adults. For more information call 612-227-6675 or go to
www.ensemblemusic.net.
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