Things my 12 year-old self approves of

While visiting my hometown, I got the chance to spend a lot of time with one of my best friends who has just become a first time mom.  She's already way more organized than I've ever been as a parent - with tons of materials on raising bilingual children, and a changing table, among other things :)  She played Suzuki piano as a kid and plans on introducing piano to her wee one in a few years.  In the meantime, she is playing through her old sheet music so her baby can have personal concerts.

We talked about her Suzuki days, and she asked me about what I grew up playing.  The things that popped into my head were all things I enjoyed so much then that I actually still play today.  I played fair amount of music I wasn't a fan of (I didn't learn to love Bartok until I played it on the violin :) and this was music that a grouchy school-aged me adored, which I think is probably the most ringing endorsement ever.  Check them out!

Go Tiger Go! by Daniel Carr Glover is officially the coolest song I know how to play.  It's easy enough that I can play it (that means it's super easy) but it still rocks like a tough piece!  It's jazzy.. awesome.... I don't think I can do it justice.  Here's a random stranger playing it for you on youtube.

Modes and Moods by Robert Vandall - Okay, I've played a few of Mr. Vandall's pieces - my brothers played his duet Jubilation which is required to be performed whenever the two are in the same state (it's AWESOME) - and I've loved every one.  Mr. Vandall has a way of making the piano and the pianist sound their absolute best.  Each piece in Modes and Moods is based on one of the 7 modes, and they are all lovely.  My favorite - and the one I can still play (and sound far better than I am when I play it) is the one based on the lydian mode.  Lydian Nocturne is also available on its own and I hiiiiighly recommend it.

Lead Lines and Chord Changes by Ann Collins.  This book taught me more practical technique than any other piano book I have ever used.  I don't enjoy technical jargon and etudes, but Ms. Collins teaches how to play chord changes and be able to improvise your own in a way that I actually liked to play.  And now, I depend on the skills I gained from this book to be able to fake my way through any accompaniment that has guitar chords/chord changes included weekly.  I'm a right brained, can't follow directions kind of person, so when I say this book is good, I mean it's GOOD!

What did you play as a kid that you still love to play now?

Living Room Dance Party #8

The Dude was up far too early, coughing and sniffling.  We had no concrete plans yesterday, but with a sick toddler, we decided to stay home.  This is NOT good for the WonderGirl.  From the time she was just a few weeks old, she would start screaming by 11am if she hadn't been taken out on a walk to mingle with the locals and see the sights.  This is no mere want - it is a definite need.  My solution?  This song:




Nil Na La is one of the greatest songs to ever grace my ears.  I cannot listen to it without dancing - absolutely impossible.  Solas is the supergroup of Irish music and every single member of the band is the best at their instrument.  The absolute BEST.  If you want to dive into a bit of the Celtic music, you can't go wrong with any album by Solas - and this 2006 release one is one of my absolute favorites... and this song - OH this song...  it made our day 6 kajillion times better.

I dare you to listen to it without dancing.  Double dare.

Living Room Dance Party #6

There are a few musicians I love so much that I absolutely gush about them - for example, every blasted time I teach a student about Beethoven, I have to choke back tears.  And every time I mention Bobby McFerrin or Yo-Yo Ma I either start proselytizing or grab my violin and try to make my own musical magic.  I respect and adore these two musicians for so many reason that if I started listing them we'd be here all day.  My personal opinion is that every parent needs to own a copy of their 1992 collaboration Hush.

McFerrin has developed his voice as an elastic, incredible instrument and matches the tone and beauty of one of Ma, one of the greatest cellists of all time (a child prodigy who got his degree in Humanities from Harvard because he wanted he wanted to truly understand the music he played... swoon!).  This album is soothing, exciting, amusing and wonderful.  You want to create a sweet atmosphere in your home?  Let this album be the soundtrack.  And if you want to dance, Hush Little Baby is something you (and your wee ones) will want to kick up their heels to.  Here's a live clip I found (joined by Mark O' Connor and Edgar Meyer - two musicians who I also adore who will also be appearing repeatedly as Living Room Dance Party artists) so you can watch the joy and genius in action.



Also on the album, is a whimsical and awesome version of a Bach Musette.  As a kid, my brother and would listen to it and take turns lip/bow syncing the parts of the pompus announcer/vocalist and rockin' cellist - now I've started WonderGirl in on the tradition and we pretend to be the performers together.  There are so many silly and dramatic sounds to imitate!  I'm sure your little ones will love acting it out too.

Living Room Dance Party #4

Day 3 of the Snowpocalypse is upon us, and Living Room Dance Parties are the only thing keeping us sane right now!  When preschooler and toddler boiling points were reaching their limit yesterday, I pulled this ace out and saved our morning.



Short answer:  The Ivy Leaf Set by The Border Collies.  Press play and go nuts!

Long answer:  The Border Collies are an Atlanta-based Celtic band who are supremely awesome.  I may be biased, since I've been lucky enough to be member twice (we keep moving, durn it!).  I got to collaborate and perform on their last album, Sticks and Stones, and The Ivy Leaf Set is one of my absolute favorite tunes on it.  It opens with a guitar line by the AMAZING Michael Robbins so exciting that the Dude can't help but start running in circles immediately.  Zac Leger is an emeritus member who came back to help record on a few tracks with the Aeolian pipes and whistles, and this showcases both.  Oh, and then there's a sweet fiddle that comes in near the end (yours truly:). You can get the album in hard copy or MP3 here on CD Baby.  The reason it's so great for a Living Room Dance Party is that it's a set of 3 tunes, so it changes things up right when a wee attention span starts to drift off.  LOVE IT.

Oh, and did I mention I'm playing a show with them February 25th in Duluth, Georgia??  I'll give y'all more details as they come!

Now a fun visual: - when I was in labor with WonderGirl and we were racing towards the hospital, we needed some racing music so we put this tune on - which was perfect!  To this day, I can't listen to it without hearing my husband shouting "Outta my way, my wife is havin' a baby!!"  just because he could.  Brings a smile to my face every time :)

Living Room Dance Party #3

Anna mentioned to me that finding the right kind of classical dance-around-like-mad music can be tricky.  I completely agree - and for my next installment for the Living Room Dance Party, I picked a rip-roarin' good time!

Who doesn't like Aaron Copland?  Is that even possible??  Everything he wrote - and I mean everything - makes my spirit sing.  Both of these ballet scores are must-haves.  Your kid won't recognize the Hoedown suite as the "Beef - it's what's for dinner" theme, they'll just love jumping around with the huge dynamic changes from super quiet to WOWEE LOUD.

One of my favorites is the Buckaroo Holiday from Rodeo.  I found a video on Youtube of the Indiana University's working and dress rehearsals of it, and it's pretty neat to see the actual ballet moves.  I personally think they could benefit from some of our living room choreography, but it's impressive nonetheless :)



I grew up listening to this recording from Leonard Slatkin and the St. Louis Symphony that gave me an early love and appreciation for Copland.  Another great recording is the Leonard Bernstein Copland collection - I heartily approve his tempi and style.

This recording comes in a downloadable MP3 version as well as a regular CD, PLUS it also has Appalachian Spring AND Fanfare For the Common Man, both of which regularly make me weep.  Of course I'm already a seriously weepy person, but they are still absolutely amazing.  I'm saving those tunes for other Living Room Dance Parties as they are their own kind of awesome dance possibilities.  Now go get your rompin' and stompin' on!

Howard's Screechy Violin

My heart skipped a beat when I saw this book in the store a few years ago.  I not-so-secretly would LOVE my kids to choose to play the violin, and not-so-secretly share my propaganda with them at every occasion, so a book about a kid playing violin (on sale, even)??  I bought this so fast my credit card was a-smokin'.

The story is so fantastic - a boy wants to play the violin and practices at home, but the screeching and squawking drove his family and neighbors crazy.  After a while, they had a family meeting, decided if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, and they all picked up an instrument of their own and started a family band.

How awesome is that??  Especially because I also not-so-secretly want to start a band with our whole family and all be rockstars together.  It's published by Fischer Price and is a Grade 3 level book (although WonderGirl does a pretty good job reading it herself, and she's reading around a 1st grade level).  You can find it here on Amazon for a$.01 and up.  Score!

I have LOADS of favorite music-y books to share with y'all (I'm kind of a junkie), but I'd also love to hear what you have.  What music type books do you love to share with your kids?

Living Room Dance Party #1

Hands down, my favorite Living Room Dance Party CD is the San Francisco Symphony & Chorus' recording of Orff's Carmina Burana.  Dramatic, loud, epic, it's fantastic.  If you don't regularly rock out to symphonic music, THIS is the one to try.  I've spent at least half of my life sitting in orchestras, and this is my all time favorite thing to play (and I'm a verra picky player).  There isn't a moment in the entire piece where I ever get bored, and it's perfect to play with kids around, since all 26 movements are around 2 minutes in length, and the longest is only about 4.

The version I adore is the San Fransisco Symphony & Chorus 1991 recording with Herbert Blomstedt.  They nailed it.  (and I've heard some disasters - beware!)

And people - it absolutely lends itself to interpretive dance.  This is the kind of thing that window blinds were made for - go nuts.  Take the first movement here (the first 2 and a half minutes) - it's like the choreography writes itself.



Press play and try some of my sweet moves here:

0 - :22  Clomp around like you are a dinosaur.
:22 -1:36  Pretend like you are sneaking about, searching for lost treasure.
1:37- 2:16: Run around like a maniac (you found the treasure, woohoo!)
2:17 - 2:26 Spin spin spin!
2:27 - 2:30 Try to stand up, fall down on top of each other because you are all crazy dizzy.

Seriously, try it!  When I turn this puppy on, the energy level in the house skyrockets and the kids get absolutely giddy.  Now, when I turn the music on and have to step out for a minute, I come back and both kids are doing all the same moves, every time.  Even the 17 month old!  He especially anticipates the spinning part, he knows exactly where it is, and even sings along with come of the the melodies, too!  These kid-things are like sponges!  WonderGirl, my 4 year old, plays choreographer with following movements and barks out orders ("Now you're frog, looking for flies!  HOP!!").

What are your favorite tunes for Living Room Dance parties??