We were very fortunate. When homeschooling Rebekah (our oldest), we took her each week to sing in a homeschool chorale. On the other hand, it's a real shame there's no homeschool equivalent to a school orchestra or marching band around here. As part of her weekly schedule, Rebekah also listened on the radio to Dr. Karl Haas' Adventures in Good Music. At the homeschool expo in Atlanta, I did meet Professor Carol Reynolds, who is one of the most enthusiastic and gifted music teachers I've come across. She's started up her own company and offers a homeschool course in classical music appreciation. I've listened to some of the podcasts available at her website and found them interesting. She really knows her stuff and communicates very well. I just wonder how many teens will respond to her passion for classical music.
All my kids take piano lessons through 8th grade as a part of their schooling. After 8th grade they can choose whether to continue or not. My oldest continued, my middle one did not. He's not a musical person. He did music theory and loved that, though! My dd is in 7th grade this year, so she is continuing her piano lessons. For 3 years we were in the local Homeschool Strings. It was really neat--they learned violin, middle ds learned cello, and played in the Homeschool Orchestra. They went to a little local competition, and won a spot in the honors program, which was a fun experience. This year for Fine Arts, dd is doing the Art & Music Appreciation from Harmony Fine Arts. Very cool! We've only just started this week, but we liked what we did! www.harmonyfinearts.com My oldest went to a great Christian Highschool and was in a traveling choir. My middle ds is going there this year and will be in the bells choir.
Dh plays guitar, so he's teaching dd to play (though she doesn't practice as much as she should) & is planning to teach ds when he gets older. He also covers Music Theory, with the help of a Music Theory comp prog. I've been singing forever (was in choir & chorus in school), so I'm working with them on singing, with the help of some 'teach yourself to sing' materials. My mom gave us her piano this year, so the kids will take piano, as soon as we have it fixed. Dh & I are very eclectic in our taste in music, so the kids are exposed to a large variety of music from birth. In the early years, they learn about the different instruments. We spend a few years studying Classical Music & composers. Then we cover many other genres of music & artists from each genre. Dd does a short bio on each artist & listens to music of the genre, especially music of the artists she's studying.
Mine are taking piano lessons. My 9yo is wanting to take voice lessons. Lucky for us the piano teacher does these too. She is in a trial run to see if she really wants to change. I am hoping she will do both.
Mine also take piano. I believe piano is the best way to get a basic, well-rounded knowledge of music in general. From it, you can go to just about any other instrument. Rachael is an excellent pianist; she's been playing about 8 years. Faythe has been playing for 6, and will never be much of a pianist. If she were to decide tomorrow she was done with the piano, I'd be OK with that. I think she has accomplished what I wanted...basic musical knowledge (as opposed to musical ability). Phillip has been playing two years now, and wants to switch to guitar. I'd like him to stick with piano a little longer.
We do music appreciation with some CD's called Music Masters. They've been around forever, are inexpensive, interesting, and can be found at Rainbow Resource, I think. We listen in the car when we're going places. Also my kids are required to take beginning piano lessons, They have to do the Primer book and the first two levels. It adds up to about three years. If they don't love it by the end of that, then they quit. So far, no music lovers.
My husband and I are both musicians, so we hope the boys will share our love of music. I'm not one to push them into something they don't like, but I do expect them to learn the basics of music simply so they can sing at church. That said, my oldest isn't ready for piano yet. He's mentally ready, but he has delayed motor skills, so he's not physically ready. We're doing the Hayes music theory books for K-2nd, and we're using the song book/CD Abeka offers. I'm introducing him to all of the instruments (my college emphasis was percussion & piano, but we own just about every instrument). He'll have a good understanding of music after going through the three Hayes books, so in 3rd grade, I'll start teaching him piano. Ideally, I'd like him to learn french horn, because he's got a great ear, but we don't own that one, and it's expensive. I met a woman not far from me whose children are grown, but she started a homeschool band when they were kids. She's inspired me to try to start one as well, but it'll be at least 5 years down the road.
I am using Music Ace for music theory and I'm giving them trumpet lessons this year wiht a help of a trumpet course. It has been awhile since I played.
I suppose this is also a good place to plug "Beethoven's Wig". It's a CD of classical music with words put to them. The words teach something about the piece in a humorous way, even if it's only the name of the composer. There are (at least) two of them out. The title piece is for Beethoven's Fifth, and goes: Beethoven's wig It's really big! Beethoven's wig is big and curly and it's white! Beethoven takes his wig off when he sleeps at night Because it's big It's really big Beethoven's wig...is...big! Rachael sang the Surprise Symphony one year for the co-op Recitation. Another favorite was Tchaikovsky William Tell Overature: The crowds were cheering at the concert hall The day Tchaikovsky shot his cannon ball..... My kids can also recognize some classical music because it's part of their piano repertoire, especially Rachael's. The other day, we were at a wedding, and they played the theme from Masterpiece Theatre (can't remember the REAL name!), and Phillip was saying, "WHY do I know that music...?"
It's taken from a book of fanfares written by Jean-Joseph Mouret in the early 18th century. I take my hat off to Sesame Street. They used to do a spoof with 'Alistair Cookie-Monster', the opening music to which was another fanfare by Mouret.
A lot of times, Rachael will be given a song to play and I will find it on-line for her to hear how it "reallly" sounds. So I went looking for Masterpiece one day. I read a very interesting commentary. They were trying to find "just the right music" for the show, and wanted something that was British. Then this person went on some kind of international retreat, and that was the music they would play in the AM to wake people up and usher them into breakfast. Decided it was perfect, but it was FRENCH!!! They went with it anyway. Years later, someone they knew went on one of those retreat in Jamaica (I think it was), and came back all excited. "Your show is SO POPULAR they use your music at the retreat center!!!" "Arthur" on PBS has a show that is a wonderful take-off on the beginning of MYSTERY. Carl and I were laughing so hard at it!
My son plays the guitar. He has interest in it. He doesn't see it as school. So I am going with. He is learning by tabs we have looked at cords. We have watched different documentaries on groups or guitar players he is interested in. I have bought books on different styles of guitars and how to take care of them and upgrade them and such. He would love to someday build a guitar. He has shown other interest in other string instruments. My husband also plays, they took an old guitar and made another instrument out of it ( can't recall the name of it, you pick and use a slide.) This one area my dh gets involved in. And its great dad and son building time. At 14 that one can be hard. But that's what we are doing for music right now.
