Betsy Stern Kids' Music: Blog

I work with and perform concerts for kids starting at around age 3 months. People often ask how a 3-month old can appreciate music, let alone learn it. I wish I could share with everyone the experience of seeing these babies respond with such animation to rhythm. They rock back and forth in perfect time. They shake shakers in perfect time. It's really amazing to observe how tuned in they are to sound and rhythm. They often start to sing before they talk. (I've had parents comment to me about this, wondering where their child learned a song that they've never played at home.)

Sometimes the babies crawl up to me while I'm playing the guitar and put their hand over mine as I strum and pick. Their eyes light up and I let them explore the guitar as I play. This is how I learned. Our instruments were out all over the house. There was music playing all the time, whether live or recorded. I heard music from the time I was born. Because both my parents were musicians, music was the most fundamental part of our education and environment at home. I still thank my mom for her and my dad giving me so much from such a young age, and I continue to pass it on because it's such an amazing gift to give to a child.

I often bring in instruments to show the kids. This week I brought my African water drum, which they loved. I also showed them how a decrease or increase in the volume of water in a bottle controls the pitch they'll hear if they blow into the bottle. They loved that too. They love listening to my tuning fork and learning how I use it to tune my guitar and bass. I bring in odd instruments, traditional instruments, and (unless there is a mouthpiece), I let the kids play the instrument, just as my parents let us play everything in the house.

Parents often ask about which instrument a child should learn first and at what age. There are many opinions about this for many reasons. What I observe and have experienced is that some children are so inherently musical from such an early age that they will automatically gravitate towards a particular instrument. If they don't have the actual instrument available (such as a drum), they'll drum on anything they can find. If they don't have a guitar, they'll use a maraca held sideways or anything that they can pretend to strum. They often choose on their own the instrument that most attracts and pleases them. We just have to give them the opportunity to try out a variety of instruments, which is an activity fundamental to what I do.

I am a huge proponent of early literacy and of public libraries, where I often perform and am also a regular patron. I always read to the kids with whom I work and for whom I give concerts. Kids love literature. They love good illustrations and being presented with concepts that make them pause for a moment and wonder. I remember as a young child how the book, "Harold and the Purple Crayon" made me ponder space and how we create our surroundings.

I want to thank once again all of the grown-ups who make my work possible, who support it and support and nurture the kids.