Music lessons for children!

WWhat's so great about music is that it's for young and old! I always find it special to see how newborn babies respond to songs that are sung to them or that sound from a music box. When they are a few months older, babies discover that they can produce all kinds of sounds themselves and that people around them respond to them. How fun are the action-reaction games based on songs or sounds. As children grow older and learn to talk, they also develop the ability to sing songs and dance.

Toy musical instruments for toddlers and preschoolers come in all shapes and sizes. So much that entire children's orchestras can be formed with it. From the age of about 7, task attitude and ability to concentrate improve and children are generally old enough to learn to play a musical instrument themselves and to continue a music lesson. This can be done in a traditional way by learning to read notes and play them. What is also possible is to train children in what they hear and link that to what a note sounds like as a tone or stroke on an instrument. The latter appeals to me most in teaching!

I am amazed by the talent of children to listen and to explore together musically how we can play what we are listening to. In addition, I think it is important that music lessons are a party every time and to this end I try to connect as closely as possible to the experience of each child. In concrete terms, I mean that I like to hear from children what music and songs they find fun to play and I try to use that as a starting point to teach them the technique of drumming. The goal then becomes that they themselves the drummer or the guitarist or the become the keyboardist of that song. I teach them this by letting them listen to the song and then let them play along themselves. Once mastered, we make a recording of it for a DVD. That's the idea! As icing on the cake, the recording will be placed on a private Facebook page of my music school and shared with all other students. They provide each other with feedback and inspiration. It is also fun for the children themselves to share their recordings with family and friends.

If, after a few years of lessons, they know the intricacies of the keyboard, guitar or drum kit, they will be given the opportunity to form bands. Not only do they experience what it is like to be part of a pop/rock band, but they also learn to listen to other instruments and to tune in musically to the other(s). How cool, you're 10 years old and you're already playing in your own band! And so music is also something together and contributes to the social development of children.

In 2009 I discovered how much fun it is to work with children and adults in this way. It turned out to be a success in Rotterdam! In 2011 I founded the Sound Community and, in addition to drumming, it also became possible to learn guitar and keyboards. Last summer I took the plunge and built a second teaching location in Amsterdam. If you would also like to learn to rock and eventually have your own band, then you are welcome in my studio at Eerste Passeerdersdwarsstraat 70 (in the Jordaan, near Leidseplein). It is currently possible to take drum, guitar and bass guitar lessons.

Rock on!

Alexander Bergmann

www.soundcommunity.nl