Fiddling For Friendship

Through music education, children can discover humanity's richness, according to Laura Yeh, director of the St. Louis School of Music. For just about all the kids Yeh teaches, learning musical styles from other nationalities is a great addition to their classical training.

Music helps them begin to understand the history, culture and customs of people from around the world, Yeh believes. It can even become a great motivator for students to stick with the classical lessons.

"In teaching kids to play classical music, I am sometimes asked by parents why their children aren't practicing as much as they would like them to," Yeh explains. "Sometimes I find it is because for certain students, classical music is just not their first love. They need variety in their musical diet."

Exposing kids to various musical styles helps them appreciate our differences as well as the things we all have in common, according to Yeh. "Their eyes light up and their ears perk up when they hear the variety of styles that can be played on instruments common to folk traditions, such as the violin and ocarina," she adds.

At the St. Louis School of Music, Yeh teaches not only classical violin but also fiddle using the Mark O'Conner method. "This provides a great way for kids, especially our many students from Asian and Indian backgrounds, to get introduced to American music and culture," Yeh says. "By fiddling jazz, blues and even rock, they are exposed to the richness of our music and heritage."

Many students seem most excited when they are learning music of other cultures. This may be because they are used to classical music while folk music from around the world is new to them.

"So we play a little jazz, some blues and a lot of Celtic music, along with Jewish folk music, tango and mariachi," Yeh adds. "Our fiddle group gives kids a chance to really mix it up as they play styles from around the world, often with kids from different cultures. Youngsters who have mastered the precision of a classical minuet love cutting loose with the rhythmic bowing in Irish and Scottish jigs and reels."

By teaching kids music in its many varieties, we open doors for them to build new friendships and to begin to experience the richness of our shared humanity, she adds.

Yeh has written several articles on benefits of a music education for kids and can provide the following guest articles:

• Fiddling for Friendship: Discovering Humanity's Richness Through Music
• Life Skills from Music Education
• Tuning Up Muscles and Mind: Health Benefits of Music Education
• Nine Benefits of Music Education for Kids

In addition to teaching violin at the St. Louis School of Music, Laura Yeh and her husband Dennis design ocarinas, a pocket-sized, easy-to-play wind instrument that kids on the go can take with them, for STL Ocarina. To learn more, visit the online press kit: http://www.stlocarina.presskit247.com

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions. 

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