The next meeting for Musical Parenting will be on wednesday 19th August at 7.45pm.   See you there!

Canterbury Musical Parenting Association Inc.

Newsletter July 2009

NEXT MONTHLY MEETING

Wednesday 15^th July in the Trinity Room at the Christchurch School of Music on Barbados St.

7.30-7.45pm Library time -Kathy & Sarah will help you with your hire needs.

7.45- 9.00pm This week’s meeting is intended to follow on from the superb presentation about the use of stories and children’s books in group music sessions presented by Melanie Koster last month. This month we will have a theme of puppets to bring songs and stories alive. Julie Gaudin will share ideas about using puppets to introduce musical terms such as staccato and legato. Bring your favourite puppets and ideas to the meeting. We look forward to seeing you.

Julie Wylie’s Corner

The Music ‘09 Modulations conference was a great success with Colwyn Trevarthen giving the strong message that babies are born musical with the ability to track 30 second melodic contours especially in relation to the musical qualities of their mother’s voice.  He showed moving footage of a blind infant conducting her mother’s song with the precision of a trained conductor. At the end of every phrase her fingers were extended showing her anticipation and innate understanding of melodic contour, phrasing and pattern.

 He showed how important it is for us to provide opportunities for mother/child face to face music interaction in our babies’ music classes. He suggested that babies can take the lead. He showed many examples of musical conversations between parent and baby. The most moving for me was a prematurely born baby girl kangarooed inside her father’s shirt in the neo natal unit. The coos of the baby and father’s little cooing responses became very regular, equalling that of jazz music performers. When the father became distracted, the precision of the baby’s calling was as regulated as that of a trained musician!!

Jody Keehan and Julie Gaudin deserved a much bigger audience for their captivating music sessions. Those who were there gained an insight into musical parenting and were captivated by the musical responses of babies making music and children responding with such enthusiasm.  All the children were moving and playing rhythmically and with great pride in their own musical accomplishments.  Julie’s father played beautiful accompaniments on the guitar. I couldn’t help thinking what a sense of community was reflected in both groups. Well done Jody and Julie.

Linda Hanchard and Lynda Skinner ably conducted the “Sing and Play this Holiday” Kidsfest music groups at Chisnallwood Intermediate School for “one baby” and classes for older children. Numbers were down on previous years but people valued the Musical Parenting contribution for younger children in the Kidsfest programme.

Louise Shand and I conducted “Blues for Juniors” and “Swing me a Song” the latter with the wonderful band Baroque with Judith, Tim, son Michael and other highly musical players. Instruments included woodwind, brass including the tuba, saxophone, lead and bass guitars and drum kit. The concerts were part of Kidsfest and the music conference. The children were all totally involved from the moment we started. The highlight for me was having two little girls holding onto the sashes of my top saying they were helping me drive the “Blues Train”. The whole audience became involved, including the reviewers.   Louise was a star!!

Dates to Note

TV2 KidsFest The Breeze Mix Mash Music Bash, Thursday 16th July 2009. A free event from 11.30 - 1.30pm in the Art Gallery. Play on creations made from recycled materials, and enjoy a samba band and sausage sizzle while the TV2 KidsFest SkyArt banner fly’s overhead

The 8th Biennial Christchurch Arts Festival and Winter Garden hits Christchurch Thursday 23rd July to Sunday 9th August. Highlights will include ‘The Kreutzer’, and the TVOne Ice Dome, complete with skating rink in the middle of Cathedral Square. For info go to www.artsfestival.co.nz

Under 5’s Series at the Christchurch Music Centre

Mondays at 10.00am: $3 per child - carers/parents free

3rd Aug                             Celia Stewart - folk dancing

7th Sept                            Chisnallwood Intermediate Orchestra

5th Oct                             Louise Shand & Sarah Cannon

2nd Nov                            Pandemonium - Percussion

14th Dec                           Julie Wylie - Christmas programme

New CMPA email address for enquiries / contributions to the newsletter:

musicalparenting@gmail.com