Kindermusik International

Educator Spotlight: Jessica Solares

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]TC: How long have you been teaching Kindermusik?

JS: Since 2008

TC: What year did you first open your business?

JS: Also in 2008. My husband Luis and I had been teaching music lessons at other studios for about 8 years when we decided to open our own place. Besides Kindermusik, I teach voice, piano, and violin. Luis is a guitar teacher.

TC: What’s your favorite Kindermusik song to sing?

JS: Sail Away – it has such a beautiful chorus and I love “flying” all the babies to the middle of the circle! My daughter loves Skinnamarink and Drifting (I was teaching that unit while pregnant with her and she has always loved that song, so I’ve sang it to her every night and at every nap since she was still in the hospital!)

TC: What’s your favorite Kindermusik dance to lead?

JS: Tants Tants Yiddelech for sure – it’s so grand! Love Somebody is another favorite, I love all the adults scooping up their children to say, “Love somebody and it’s you, you, you!”

TC: What’s your favorite part of teaching Kindermusik?

JS: Teaching new parents how music affects their child’s development, and giving them tons of musical parenting tips to use with their children!

TC: If you had to name just one secret to success in the Kindermusik classroom, what would it be?

JS: Creating a warm and welcoming environment where all children and grownups feel relaxed enough to let loose, be silly, and step back to observe the children.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]TC: What’s the funniest OR most touching thing that’s ever happened to you as a Kindermusik teacher?

JS: One of my favorite moments was in a baby class when I looked around and every adult was holding someone else’s baby! Not on purpose; they were just such a great group that everyone felt comfortable.

TC: Describe a teaching experience or favorite Kindermusik family that has impacted you as a teacher.

JS: I love seeing how well our Kindermusik graduates do in music lessons. They can sing in tune, have great rhythm, and can keep a steady beat (tempo), and play so musically by incorporating phrasing & dynamics. It’s truly amazing.

TC: If you could share one tip with a new Kindermusik educator, what would it be?

JS: It’s not about you, it’s about the customer. Think about what they would like and how you can make them have an OUTSTANDING experience at your studio, from their first phone or email contact, to your website, to a trial class, to their Kindermusik graduation years later.

TC: What do you feel has made your studio business a success?

JS: Being an excellent teacher (and training excellent teachers to be on our staff!), prepared and flexible in class, making every person feel important, and offering fair pricing, makeups, and perks to our clients. Most new families come to us via word of mouth from our raving fans!

TC: What makes Bucktown Music such a special place?

JS: The sense of community. When you walk in the door, we know your name. We often know both parents, the nanny, the grandparents, and everyone else who takes care of the child. We love having families who start as babies and then we get to see them move on to private lessons, and have recitals on the big grand piano in the Fine Arts Building in downtown Chicago. It’s really neat!

TC: What are some of the goals you have for your business?

JS: We would like to expand into more schools and daycares, so that we can reach children who aren’t able to attend our studio classes.

TC: What’s something new and exciting that’s happening with your business?

JS: We are hoping to add a second classroom and a second private lesson room to our studio in the next year! I am also loving my new position with Kindermusik International and am thrilled and honored to be part of refreshing the training for new Kindermusik business owners. I’m especially excited about traveling to Australia this fall to train new educators down under!

TC: What are some of your hobbies?

JS: I love to cook, and then I decided to take it to the next level and started gardening. I have an “oversize” city lot (30ft haha), which my husband and I dug up about half the grass to create a little urban farm where we grow most of our vegetables in summer. We are also avid bicycle riders and ride all over the city and go on bike trips on the Wisconsin trails. We have a 4 year old daughter who LOVES Kindermusik so we do a lot of singing, dancing, and instrument playing at home.

TC: Do you have a favorite inspirational quote?

JS: It’s simple, but my dad always told me, “Do the right thing.” It hasn’t failed me yet![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Music from Birth: In It for the Long Haul

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Today is the longest day of the year! To mark this in a musical way, Theresa Case brings us a post about keeping music in our lives from the very beginning so we might enjoy its benefits for as long as possible! – Dr. B[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]“What if there was one activity that could improve our cognitive function, help our memory systems to work, help us to learn language, help us to moderate our emotions, help us to solve complex problems, and help our brains to be healthier later in life?”

This is the question famously posed by Anita Collins in her TEDTalk given in October of 2014. Her answer? Music.

There’s no disputing the power of music. The research findings are powerfully conclusive and the evidence is overwhelmingly affirmative. Music is THE one activity that improves and enriches every area of a child’s development and indeed, every area of a child’s life – for now and for later. And the earlier and more consistently a child is involved in the experience and process of learning music, the better.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]With Kindermusik, the musical journey actually begins with infants – and grown-ups get to sing, dance, and play along, too – no prior musical skill required, by the way! As your child’s first and best teacher, cheerleader, and most enthusiastic supporter, you play an active and very vital role in your child’s musical development right from the very beginning.

Some of our favorite benefits of consistent group music instruction in the early years include:

Fostering a love of music before a young child can even speak or sing
Instilling a love of learning that will later increase academic performance and success
Layering a consistent foundation of musical concepts upon which later formal music instruction will build
Focusing on every area of a child’s development
Contributing to the development of character traits such as patience, perseverance, empathy, cooperation, independence, commitment, and self-control
Improving the brain’s ability to process sound and identify patterns
Increasing self-confidence, social skills, imagination, and creative thinking
Enhancing the executive function skills that are so necessary for success in school, in work, and in life
Deepening the enjoyment all humans are pre-wired to experience only through music

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The early years are the most formative; on that we can all agree. There is also increasing consensus that choosing to make music a part of those early years (and beyond) can help put your child on a path toward being a happier, well-rounded, and successful adult.

By the way, have we mentioned how much you’ll enjoy and benefit from being a part of these music classes with your child? We hear from parents that Kindermusik classes are one of best parts of THEIR week – try it and you’ll see what we’re talking about![/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_column_text]Contributed by Theresa Case whose award-winning Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in upstate South Carolina has been making a difference for children and families for over 20 years.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

New Father Jitters: A Father’s Day Story

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hello friends! The summer months roll onward and this Sunday is Father’s Day. We’re going to give you a list of fun activities for the day, but first, a story. I wear lots of hats – blog editor, professor, conductor – but the one I am most proud of is father. I remember being scared during my wife’s pregnancy; my mind filled with all kinds of scenarios – parenting tests that I would obviously fail. What if I fed the baby too much? What if I couldn’t calm the baby down? What if I DROPPED the baby? That last one haunted me. For a while, as silly as this sounds, it kept me up at night.

And then, our first son came into the world. Instant love for this tiny human filled me from bottom to top. After examining him, the doctor picked him up from the scale and headed my way – intent on placing him in my arms. I felt petrified. Was he serious? He couldn’t be serious…

I AM GOING TO DROP THAT KID.

That instant love had actually intensified the fear.

Father's Day — *Nathan and his little brother, Patrick…long ago and far away*

The doctor wasn’t stopping; he continued his approach with a wide smile on his face. Couldn’t he tell I was absolutely panicked? Why, oh why, wasn’t he stopping? It seemed as if this powerful love I was feeling brought high-def focus to the image of dropping that swaddled bundle on the faux-wood floor of the delivery room. I could feel myself shaking.

This was it. He was going to make the hand-off, and I was going to immediately drop my son. My brain was screaming, “GIVE HIM BACK TO HIS MOTHER! SHE’S ON A BED! SHE WON’T DROP HIM!”

I managed a little smirk, trying so hard to mask my terror. I imagined a newspaper floating through the air (like in cheesy movies) with this headline: LOCAL FATHER DROPS BRAND NEW SON IN FRONT OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.

But…that didn’t happen. In one of the most magical moments of my life, the instant my son was in my arms, a switch flipped in my brain – or maybe it was my heart. I distinctly recall hearing my own voice say these words in my head:

“I will never let anything happen to this child.”

The fear was no longer front and center, instantly replaced with a protective instinct ten times as powerful – and that’s when I truly felt like a dad.

Our first son is 13 and ready to start high school this fall. I know I can’t be with him at all times – even though that protective instinct tells me I need to be. I love seeing him laugh with his friends and play trombone in the school band. I love watching him at track meets and hear him still goof around with his 10 year old brother (even though he’s sometimes “too cool” for that). I have found my balance of letting him find his own failure and success. He learns from both.

Sometimes, I look at this nearly six-feet-tall young adult and, in a flash, I am back in that delivery room, holding him for the first time, instantly confident in my new role. For the first two weeks of his life, I couldn’t look into his eyes without weeping tears of complete joy. I wrote him a lullaby, which I would sing to him when he woke up in the middle of those first nights back home. My wife has always insisted I wrote it to stem my own blissful crying. I’ve never told her this – but she was right.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_column_text]

Father’s Day Activities and Ideas

Kindermusik Educator Cathy Portele provides a list of fun-filled Father’s Day ideas. Check our her blog post here.

Reader’s Digest gives us a great collection of activities for just about every type of dad – Amusement Park Dad, Golf Dad, Camping Dad – the list goes on!

The Memory Box

This is one of the most special crafts I’ve ever seen. I have done this for my mother and my wife – and when it was done for me, I got that big lump in my throat when you have “all the feels.” It’s simple and highly personal.

You’ll need:
1. A small, wooden box – like this one, found at Michaels:

2. A sheet of paper

On the sheet of paper, write (or print out using a computer) a list of special memories or thoughts…”Remember I love you, Dad!…”Remember that day at the park with the puppies”…”Remember our trip to the zoo when the giraffe ate your hat!”…anything that has meaning for Dad.

Cut the memories into individual slips, roll them around a pencil to curl them up, and place them in the box.

You can paint the box if you like – maybe even label it “Memory Box.” As time passes, you can add new memories. Sometimes if I’ve had a stressful day, I open up my Memory Box – instant smiles!

The Father’s Day Neck Tie

The classic gift in customizable paper form! The folks over at Kid’s Craft Room provide instructions to create a special, one-of-a-kind tie for Dad. Check it out here.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]To all those dad’s out there – Happy Father’s Day from all of us at Kindermusik! We hope to see you and your kids at one of our classes soon. Enjoy your day![/vc_column_text][class_finder_form css=”.vc_custom_1466044991172{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The Surprising Connections Between Social-Emotional Skills and Cognitive Development

We all want our children to be smarter, to excel academically to the best of their abilities, and to have every possible advantage. Thus, researchers continue to probe what it is that improves cognitive development, especially in young children. Most recently, a study at the OECD’s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation found a direct link between socio-emotional skills and cognitive skills. This study demonstrated that children who have opportunity to improve their abilities to stay focused and on task, work cooperatively with others, and manage their emotions. They gain greater benefits in learning situations which enhances and drives their cognitive development.

Knowing that social and emotional skills can be influenced and shaped, especially during early childhood and the teen years, parents and educators should deliberately seek to develop the socio-emotional skills that so effectively and permanently impact cognitive development (and by the way, it is interesting to note that while socio-emotional skills do drive cognitive development, cognitive skills do not drive social and emotional learning).

For infants to children age 7, music experiences like those in our Kindermusik classes can be a big part of providing those rich socio-emotional experiences that impact cognitive development, in addition to laying a vital foundation for musical development. A lifetime of success starts in the early years with developing not just cognitive skills, but also strong social-emotional skills.

Here are just a few of the many ways in which music classes can foster the connections between social-emotional skills and cognitive development:

Cooperation: Taking turns sharing instruments and sharing ideas
Social interaction: Participating in circle songs and dances
Perseverance: Exploring a variety ways to play with one instrument
Focus and concentration: Listening during Story Time and short musical excerpts or sounds
Adaptability: Contributing to a musical ensemble
Self-confidence: Finding success in age and developmentally appropriate musical experiences
Inhibitory control: Learning to stop on cue in stop-and-go games and activities
Self-esteem: Enjoying group activities that provide bonding experiences with loved ones, teachers, and/or peers

Want more tips on using music to support social-emotional development in young children? Here’s a free e-book!

Shared by Theresa Case whose award-winning Kindermusik program is located at Piano Central Studios in the beautiful upstate of South Carolina.

Baby Brains: Music and Speech

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Music is full of patterns. It’s why educators and researchers have pointed out for a long time now that music helps kids with math. And now, thanks to technological advances that help us “see” inside the brain, we’re starting to understand more and more of how music shapes and impacts cognitive development, therefore significantly impacting other areas of development such as language acquisition.

In the earliest years, a child’s ongoing cognitive development and experiences are a big part of his or her language development. The cognitive aspects of learning to speak and communicate have a great deal to do with memory, focus, and understanding patterns.

This is where early childhood music classes come in. Recent research has found that music and movement classes literally changed how the brain processed “both music and new speech sounds.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

NEW RESEARCH

The findings of this study were incredibly exciting to those of us who are so passionate about providing early childhood music enrichment experiences through our weekly Kindermusik classes.

“Our study is the first in young babies to suggest that experiencing a rhythmic pattern in music can also improve the ability to detect and make predictions about rhythmic patterns in speech,” said lead author Christina Zhao, a post-doctoral researcher at University of Washington’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences.

“This means that early, engaging musical experiences can have a more global effect on cognitive skills.”

“In both the music and control groups, we gave babies experiences that were social, required their active involvement and included body movements – these are all characteristics that we know help people learn. The key difference between the play groups was whether the babies were moving to learn a musical rhythm.”

Music and movement classes like Kindermusik baby and toddler classes check all of these boxes and more – a rich social experience, delightfully engaging parent-child play and interaction, rhythmic experiences through instrument play and movement activities, an immersive language environment, and a beautiful, sequential curriculum. These curricula are thoughtfully and carefully designed, not only to be joyful and playful, but also meaningful and impactful on a child’s long term learning and development.

“This research reminds us that the effects of engaging in music go beyond music itself. Music experience has the potential to boost broader cognitive skills that enhance children’s abilities to detect, expect and react quickly to patterns in the world, which is highly relevant in today’s complex world.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Now more than ever, we’re proud to confidently assure parents that one of the very best learning experiences you can give your little one are the delightful and developmentally rich experiences you will both have in a weekly music and movement class like Kindermusik.

And we promise, you’ll get the extra bonus of being a part of putting that adorable smile on her little face and that sweet song in his little heart…to stay.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_column_text]Contributed by Theresa Case whose award-winning Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in upstate South Carolina has been making a difference for children and families for over 20 years now.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

FLAG DAY FUN!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I remember a certain Flag Day just a few years ago; it sticks in my memory as a parent. My sons and I were taking in the sights at Independence Mall in Philadelphia. This area is packed full will history – amazing buildings, incredible statues and, of course, the Liberty Bell. This day, as we looked up to see a skydiver floating down toward the Mall with a giant American Flag flowing behind him, my oldest (10 at the time) turned to me and said, “I think I’m done calling you Daddy. I’m going to call you Dad from now on.” His seven year old brother dutifully followed suit. This is what I always remember on Flag Day – that our little ones grow up, seemingly instantaneous, and in this moment, literally with a big leap all at once!

What might you do to celebrate Ol’ Glory? Check out this collection of fun and facts![/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” border_width=”3″ accent_color=”#dd3333″][vc_separator color=”blue” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]

FLAG MAKER

Long-time education company, Scholastic, has a fun flag online flag maker. Pick colors, shapes, and various other features. When you have the flag of your dreams, print it out! Remember, Betsy Ross didn’t have an inkjet printer. She had to sew hers![/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” border_width=”3″ accent_color=”#dd3333″][vc_separator color=”blue” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]

FLAG COLORING

Speaking of Betsy Ross, we created a template of her original 1776 flag perfect for coloring. You can download and print it here. Take some pictures and send them to Dr. Boyle. We’ll post some of our favorites on the blog![/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” border_width=”3″ accent_color=”#dd3333″][vc_separator color=”blue” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]

MUSIC ON THE PLAY.KINDERMUSIK.COM SITE

We have two entire albums of patriotic songs for your kiddos! Check them out over at play.kindermusik.com:

America The Musical: Vol. 1
America The Musical: Vol. 2

The music is organized by time period. Volume 1 covers the founding to 1899, and Volume 2 covers 1900 to 2000. Take a listen to some samples![/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” border_width=”3″ accent_color=”#dd3333″][vc_separator color=”blue” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]

YANKEE DOODLE HISTORY!

Speaking of music, have you ever thought about the lyrics to Yankee Doodle and what they actually mean? You could spend some time with your little ones learning about these comical words. As it turns out, they reflect a great deal more about the American spirit than you might think. The story dates back to the before Revolution and the tune was sung by the British and Colonists alike.

The British sang the song to mock the colonists and their rag-tag appearance. So what did we do? We made the song our own! In fact, it’s the official state song of Connecticut.

Yankee Doodle went to town – a “doodle” was a fool
A-ridin’ on a pony – considered lower than riding an actual horse
Stuck a feather in his hat
And called it macaroni – teasing the Yanks for a lack of style…

This last line of the verse implies that the Yanks had no sense of culture and that by simply placing a feather in his hat, he had a fancy “macaroni” style wig – which was an outrageous hair piece normally seen in 18th century England – worn by men who, according to one contemporary source, “exceeded the ordinary bounds of fashion” in dress, manner, and speech.

Macaroni Wig — *A British gentleman wearing a macaroni wig*

So what’s the lesson here? I think it’s something we often teach our children…when someone teases you, try not to let it get under your skin. That’s what the colonists did with Yankee Doodle – and now it’s one of our most precious national songs. More on Yankee Doodle from NPR…[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” border_width=”3″ accent_color=”#dd3333″][vc_separator color=”blue” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]

PATRIOTIC POM POMS!

Check out these simple patriotic crepe paper pom poms over at 100Directions.com. Easy to make, they’re a fun way to dress up a room for the holiday, and it’s a craft activity that you can share with the whole family!

Don’t forget to sing our National Anthem, a love song to Old Glory. Enjoy the day – and remember – like another classic song says:

Ev’ry heart beats true
‘neath the Red, White and Blue,
Where there’s never a boast or brag.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Keep your eye on the grand old flag![/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_column_text]Want to learn about the battle that inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the words to our National Anthem? The Smithsonian Channel has a couple of wonderful, short videos that tell the tale.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Why Songs Stick in our Heads

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Ever wake up with a song running around in your head? Or how about the song that you sing or hear one time…then stays in your head the rest of the day? (Disclaimer: Yes, this can happen after attending a Kindermusik class with your child, but it’s probably because he’s singing the same song out loud!)[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Why is it that songs stick in our heads? Well, as annoying as it can be when it happens, there are actually some very positive reasons why those songs stick and you might be happy – in some ways! – that they stay stuck.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

A Foundational Skill

For those who claim not to have a musical bone in your body, you should feel musically accomplished when such a thing occurs. On a very basic level, the ability to hear a song in your head is called audiation (the aural equivalent of imagination), a foundational musical skill. One author refers to the songs that get stuck as “ear-worms.” An apt description, but somehow thinking of it as audiating sounds more musically sophisticated.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We as humans come hard-wired to enjoy and respond to music.

We see it in Kindermusik class all the time – a little baby’s eyes widen with delight when she hears her mama singing her a lullaby, or that toddler immediately stops wandering around the room and starts bouncing when the music comes on. Or your preschooler asks for his favorite song every time you get in the car to go somewhere.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Repetition is a Sign of Enjoyment

We repeat songs multiple times in a single Kindermusik class and again for several weeks in a row because repetition is such an important tool for learning and strengthening the brain. But outside of class, repeating a song over and over – even when it pops into one’s head uninvited or when your child sings the same song for the one-hundredth time – signals that a particular song brings much joy.

Your brain is using those songs.

Researchers continue to uncover the power of music and how it impacts cognitive development in the early years and cognitive retention in our later years. So tucking all of those songs into your memory now could have benefit later on if indeed some of the theories about music and memory prove correct.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]So the next time that song in your head won’t go away, maybe you won’t feel quite as annoyed when you remember some of the good reasons why it happens.

And by the way, if you regularly attend Kindermusik classes, we promise to make sure that we’re always teaching you and your child lots of lots of new songs that yes, might get stuck in your head, but will also wind their way into your heart.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_column_text]Shared by Theresa Case, who as director of Piano Central Studios in Greenville, South Carolina, since 1995, has had a lot of songs get stuck in her head over the years![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Anchors Aweigh and Rolling Caissons: Music of the Military

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Here in the United States it’s Memorial Day, a time to remember those that have served and sacrificed for freedom. Music has always been an important part of the military, from herald trumpets announcing an army’s approach, to regimental drummers aiding in keeping soldiers in step. The US has a proud tradition of military music ensembles, stationed all over the world. Each of the five uniformed branches of the US military has an official song, loved and cherished by its members. Let’s learn a bit about each.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

THE UNITED STATES NAVY

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]As it happens, your editor is a Navy veteran, so that’s where we’ll start! Most of us are familiar with the US Navy’s march, Anchors Aweigh. It was written in 1907 by Charles Zimmerman and dedicated to that year’s Naval Academy class. It speaks of bidding farewell to foreign shores and returning home to American waters. Not a stranger to change, the lyrics have shifted over the years. One notable adjustment was replacing the line “Farewell to college joys” with “Farewell to foreign shores.” This line is, perhaps, a bit more inclusive. “Aweigh” means that the anchor is to be brought on board in preparation for departure. It’s often confused for “away.”[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SucjKAt608″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

THE UNITED STATES ARMY

US Army — Flag of the United States Army

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]What is a caisson? Well…it must have wheels as it rolls over hill and dale. The Army Goes Rolling Along, which uses John Philip Sousa’s tune, the U.S. Field Artillery March, doesn’t mention caissons (a device designed to carry – you guessed it – field artillery ammunition) as the original lyric was a bit too specific to represent the entire Army. The current official lyrics were approved in 1956. The tune has been used a great deal in popular culture – GI Joe, The Jetsons, and the big purple dinosaur, Barney all used Sousa’s music.

Enjoy the West Point Cadet Glee Club, conducted by Constance Chase, performing The Army Goes Rolling Along.[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtafPMq3lFg&feature=youtu.be&t=57s”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The youngest of the military services obviously has the newest official song. When the USAF separated from the US Army in 1947, becoming its own branch, the song Army Air Corps was retitled the Air Force Song. I know I said I was a Navy vet, but I’ve always loved the imagery found in this song’s lyrics:

Off we go into the wild blue yonder,
Climbing high into the sun
Here they come zooming to meet our thunder
At ’em boys, Give ‘er the gun!
Down we dive, spouting our flame from under
Off with one helluva roar!
We live in fame or go down in flame. Hey!
Nothing can stop the U.S. Air Force!

These words are a slightly altered version of Robert Crawford’s original 1939 lyrics. The final word of each chorus was “Corps.” When this was changed to “Force,” an attempt was made to change the rhyming words. The changes were never popular and sometime after 1972, the USAF reverted back to Crawford’s initial lyrics, save that all important last word shift. Sometimes change just doesn’t stick!

Here’s a surprise flash performance by the Washington, DC USAF Band and Singing Sergeants.[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYwj7BmJk8I&feature=youtu.be&t=52s”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The USMC’s official song, the Marine’s Hymn (aka From the Halls of Montezuma) holds a unique place in this collection of American military songs. Jacques Offenbach, a French composer who was born in Germany, composed the tune used for the Marine’s music. It’s also the oldest of the military songs. The text, legend tells us, was penned by a Marine on duty in Mexico after storming Chapultepec Castle.

Good natured, interservice ribbing has occurred consistently over the years. A jab at the Army and Navy is found right in the Marine’s official song:

If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven’s scenes,
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.

It’s all in good fun. When it counts, we all stand side by side.

Here’s none other than The President’s Own – United States Marine Band performing this stirring march.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

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THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD

USCG — Flag of the United States Coast Guard

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The Coast Guard has a tremendously important mission – patrolling our shores and performing search and rescue operations are just part of it. Founded by Alexander Hamilton, its official march, Semper Paratus (Latin for always ready) is probably the least known of the five official marches. The music and lyrics, much like the Marine’s Hymn, were written at different times and in different places, but in this case by the same person – Captain Francis Saltus Van Boskerck. As time passed, the words changed slightly, but have retained the idea that the Coast Guard is ever ready to perform its mission.

Here’s a recording of the US Coast Guard Band playing Semper Paratus.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Memorial Day finds its roots in communities gathering to place flowers on the graves of the Civil War fallen. It brought people together when flowers were in full bloom. They spent time together as an extended family, honoring those that paid the ultimate price for freedom. It’s partially why we still come together for cookouts and good springtime fun on this holiday – but don’t forget to remember what the day stands for – this powerful music certainly reminds us.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Science Spotlight: How Music Impacts our Mood

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Music is magic. I bet we can all share stories…coming home after a stressful day, putting on that Bruce Springsteen tune, and immediately feeling better. We sink into that favorite chair and let out a sigh. Music can change our mood or reinforce a current one. But how? What is going on inside the brain? How does something that hits us through the air as invisible sound waves have such a tremendous impact on our mental and emotional states? Let’s check it out…[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

SCIENCE WARNING!

The complexity of what’s going on inside our heads when music hits our ears is staggering. Amazingly, we really didn’t have a fleshed out picture of this intricate process until the early 1990s. Sound waves are converted to electrical impulses in the inner ear and sent to the auditory cortex via the auditory nerve. Basically, our ears are microphones; the function is identical – changing sound waves to electrical impulses – a nerve and the auditory cortex – a wire and an amplifier. That’s just the initial doings. The interesting stuff happens in the amygdalae – partially responsible for emotional learning and response, as well as aspects of memory formation.

I love science-types and how they name things. This part of the brain consists of two almond-shaped groupings of tightly packed cells – so naturally scientists chose the Greek word for almond as the name. These little almonds connect to many other parts of the brain; no wonder we are so often moved by music! It can cause the pulse to speed up, the face to flush, and the pupils to dilate. If the amygdalae are damaged, our ability to read emotional cues in the faces of others becomes compromised. But why does music make us feel?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

DOPAMINE

That’s a big part of the answer: dopamine. Basically, dopamine is a chemical messenger that allows nerve cells in the brain to send messages to other nerve cells. Music stimulates the release of this chemical in the striatum, another part of the brain associated with reward, reinforcement, and even motor control. Because of this dopamine release, you may form new and recall old memories, and it’s been known for a while that musicians tend to perform better on standardized tests. This may be due to what’s happening here.

Recently, I attended one of my wife’s elementary school choral concerts. While the chorus sang, the gentleman seated next to me was completely engrossed in his smart phone – but – his foot was tapping to the music. Sometimes music makes us move and we don’t even realize it. This was dopamine in action. His mind responded to the music and he became involved.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

TENSION AND RELEASE | HOME AND AWAY

There are concepts in music that seem highly complex but are actually rather straightforward that impact how we perceive music, particularly tuneful music. The contrast between crunchy (or dissonant) sounding musical moments and sweet (or consonant) counterparts causes us to feel some degree of tension and then release. Think of Nadia’s Theme, the title music from The Young and the Restless. The lower notes constantly shift from crunchy to sweet and that contrast can cause an emotional response. This contrast, and in most cases the resolution of tension causes our brains to respond physically by releasing chemicals. This, in turn, impacts our emotions. Dissonance can make us feel uneasy; the resolution to consonance can relieve that state.

We have been conditioned to anticipate that resolution of crunchy to sweet sounds. We expect it to occur. The dopamine release can actually happen before that peak moment, heightening the sensation of anticipation and increasing the impact of the resolution.[/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1_xDytEB1Q”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Here’s another musical concept – home and away. Do you remember Do Re Mi? Do is home. It’s where most music starts and almost all music ends. Contrast also occurs when the music moves away from home (Do), goes somewhere else, and then returns. Home is stable…away is often uneasy in comparison. When the music returns home, one can feel a sense of ease or comfort. It’s rewarding when the music returns home. Here’s a really simple example – Frère Jacques.

Home and Away — The French folk tune, Freré Jacques

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]At its most basic, this is a song that goes away from Do (F – the note on the first syllable of the the first word) and then returns. It is this going away and coming back that speaks to us emotionally – we relate to the feeling of coming home.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_column_text]The arts and emotion – they are intrinsically linked. Composers write with an intent to affect how we feel. It doesn’t matter what the genre is – good music will stir us up inside. So…the next time your little one is feeling a little down, play that favorite song. Better yet, sing it with her. Better still…sing it with the whole family and dance around the den. Remember friends, music is magic![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][class_finder_form css=”.vc_custom_1464230496234{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Music Can do THAT? – Learning Languages Through Music

Music enriches our lives in so many ways, but for young children, music is also a very powerful tool for learning. Kindermusik’s English language learning program for young children, Kindermusik English & Me, has been an outstandingly successful and beautifully delightful of teaching children a second language through music, music, stories, rhymes, and more.

Here are just a few of the amazing ways that music and a music class help children learn another language:

Music and movement literally wake up the brain, making it easy to take in, absorb, and remember even more new information.
A music class is an immersive environment like no other. The entire class time is filled with English vocabulary, phrases, and patterns of speaking.
Music activates more parts of the brain than just speaking can. In fact, music activates both the left and right sides of the brain and gets those neurons firing!
Songs and rhymes “stick” in the memory longer than anything else. Kindermusik classes are filled with repetition in class, and the @Home Materials allow parents to review, reinforce, and enjoy those same songs and rhymes at home throughout the week for an even more powerful learning experience.
Music acts like a glue that causes all the pieces of learning another language to not just stick, but also stay, together.
A music class like Kindermusik gives rich and varied opportunities for children to listen, listen, listen – which sets them up for greater success when they begin speaking the new language.
The combination of listening, speaking, and singing in the Kindermusik classroom increases fluency.
The joy and delight of an interactive children’s music class fosters a happy motivation to learn, therefore making learning the English language so much easier and more natural.

So whether your little one is just learning to speak or you have a young child who is an English language learner, one of the very best and most effective tools for learning is music. And here’s a little secret… YOU as the parent will love your Kindermusik too!

Yes, music – and especially Kindermusik! – can do all that!