Recently, our student counselor Kathleen V. had the opportunity to speak with Kristi Huddleston, the founder and president of the non-profit organization Music 4 Miracles. Based in Florida, this inspiring organization is powered by Kristi’s passion to raise awareness and financial support for families of children diagnosed with cancer. The funds raised help provide education through the gift of music lessons.
Kristi’s journey began when she came into contact with a 9 year old battling cancer, and her heart was immediately inspired to do everything in her power to help that child’s family. Since then, Kristi has helped over 15 families and brought smiles to each of their faces through the gift of music. A musician and songwriter herself, Kristi wrote the song “Already an Angel,” which was inspired by the children she helps on a daily basis and brings about a message of hope through tumultuous times. The song can be purchased through the Music 4 Miracles website, and all proceeds are used toward helping more families and bringing music to children’s lives.
TakeLessons is happy to be able to help set up piano lessons for Bella, one of the Music 4 Miracles children, with our rock star teacher Karen J. This coming July, we will also help set up another Music 4 Miracles child named Shiloh with in-home guitar lessons! Our thanks goes out to Kristi and the sponsors who make in-home music lessons possible for these children, while also offering hope and the gift of music education that can last a lifetime. To learn more about Music 4 Miracles and how you can become a sponsor, please visit www.music4miracles.org.
As a music educator and performer, I’m always interested in learning about new products and tools that can help students succeed. When I discovered the Loog Guitar, a 3-string interchangeable guitar designed with children in mind, I immediately took notice.
I was excited to find out more about the Loog because I took guitar lessons when I was 8 years old, and it proved to be easier said than done. The guitar was added to the list of instruments that were uncomfortable for my tiny hands (which I thought would grow eventually, but never did – to this day, I still struggle to reach the octave on the piano!).
I became discouraged and quit after about 6 months, and eventually took up the ukulele many years later – which has been much easier for me to maneuver but even now, the ¾ size guitar is problematic for me.
Many of our TakeLessons instructors prefer not to teach guitar to young children for this very reason. Now, with the Loog Guitar in the picture, instead of teachers having to focus on finding alternate fingerings and keeping a frustrated student focused on the difficult task of mastering an adult-sized instrument, they can focus on teaching the child to make music! And isn’t that really what it’s all about?
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to interview Rafael Atijas, the creator of the Loog Guitar, who provided insight into how his concept came about and what the benefits will be for children who want to learn the guitar.
When did you realize that there was a need for a guitar made especially for kids?
I saw my 6 year old niece trying to make music with one of those $30 guitars when I thought “There has to be a better way.” It was then that I realized that kids’ guitars are usually just cheap, scaled-downed replicas of classical guitars. They are not really designed with kids’ needs, comfort or even safety in mind.
Where does your knowledge of guitars come from?
I studied guitar and was in different bands during high school and college (as was almost every other kid I knew). I was very much into rock music and at some point I just fell in love with guitars – especially vintage electric guitars.
What age group do you feel would benefit the most from the Loog Guitar?
Time will tell, but I think kids ages 6 to 9 will be the ones that will get the most out of the Loog Guitar, since this is the guitar that allows them to build chords without the need to form complicated shapes with their little hands.
Where did you get the idea to call it the “Loog?”
It is my subtle but very meaningful homage to Andrew Loog Oldham, the first manager and producer of The Rolling Stones. I always found him to be a fascinating character (I’m a rock nerd, as you can see) and back when I had a band, I had a chance to meet him and he was super kind to us.
What types of learning materials are you planning on coming out with to assist with the learning process?
We plan to include a manual on how to play with three strings, and we will also offer video tutorials on our website.
What does this product mean for kids who have an interest in learning guitar?
Kids will have a friendlier instrument that will stimulate them to make music and get creative with it. What I like about the Loog Guitar is that it works whether you already know how to play guitar or not. And that’s what I hope it means to kids who have an interest in learning guitar: a fun and easy way to play music.
Anything else you wish to add?
I am truly humbled by the response the Loog Guitar project got on Kickstarter (the website that helped raise the money to launch the product), and one of the things I like the most is that so many people from the education field have reached out to me and had very positive things to say about the Loog Guitar. I know TakeLessons.com reaches a lot of music teachers, so I want to use this opportunity to extend my thanks to all of them.
There you have it, folks. I’m personally thrilled that there is now a product out there that will make learning guitar simpler for young children. For teachers, what have you experienced in teaching guitar to young children? Parents and students, what are some of the challenges that you’ve faced learning guitar yourself or watching your child learn guitar? I’d love to hear your feedback, so please leave comments below if you feel so inclined! Now if only I could travel back in time and learn to play guitar on the Loog, maybe I would have stuck with it! To learn more, visit www.loogguitar.com or check out the Loog Guitar in action below:
Monet Payne is the Community Manager for TakeLessons.com. She is dedicated to providing the latest on music education and technology to those who seek it. By night, Monet is a professional singing actress, starring in musicals, operas, and everything in between. Monet has her Bachelors in Music, with a concentration in Vocal Performance, and enjoys teaching voice, involving herself as Vocal Director in several productions. She proudly co-founded a non-profit organization for Voice Education and her next venture will be to start her own theater production company.
During the week of May 2-8, musicians, schools, and other organizations across the country will come together to celebrate National Wanna Play Music Week, an annual event sponsored by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM). This week-long celebration highlights the importance of music education programs in schools and promotes the benefits of playing music for people of all ages and skill levels. NAMM is also a TakeLessons organizational partner, which is why we are proud to support this event and power the lesson locator tool on the official Wanna Play Music website.
Ahead of this year’s Wanna Play Music week, NAMM has introduced a new initiative called “Pledge to Play” where interested participants can take a pledge and make their commitment to learning an instrument. There’s still time to sign up on the Pledge to Play Facebook page – you’ll even have the chance to win some cool prizes!
The week will officially kick off on Monday, May 2 with the seventh annual “Music Monday,” an event in which schools, community and professional organizations will perform one piece of music simultaneously at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, 11 a.m. Mountain Time, 12 p.m. Central Time, and 1 p.m. Eastern Time. NAMM hopes that by having everyone sing the same song at the same time, music will transcend all genres and unite people through the melody and the act of performing the piece together. You can register your school or organization as a participant in Music Monday online or by emailing musicmonday@namm.org. If you aren’t able to play at the designated time, NAMM also encourages participants to pick up an instrument and play at any time throughout the day.
Other events will take place throughout the week, including an announcement of the “Best Communities for Music Education” on Wednesday, May 4 and a day featuring “unexpected celebrity musicians” on Thursday, May 5. The week concludes with National Music Store Weekend from May 6-8, when musicians and non-musicians alike are encouraged to visit and support local music stores in their neighborhoods. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved during this year’s Wanna Play Music week, so mark your calendar and get ready to play!
Did you know that more than 85% of Americans have never played a musical instrument – but say they wish they did? In an unprecedented effort to encourage more Americans to start playing musical instruments, the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) is introducing a new initiative called “Pledge to Play” ahead of its annual “National Wanna Play Music Week” which takes place May 2-8, 2011.
NAMM has created a dedicated Facebook page where interested participants can take the pledge and make their commitment to learning an instrument. Upon signing up, each person will receive a special “21-Day Guide To Playing Music” from NAMM, which aims to help them stay focused and motivated as they begin their musical journey. The guide will also serve as a helpful resource for finding local music stores, music lessons and places to play live.
Every participant who makes the Pledge to Play via NAMM’s Facebook page will be entered in a drawing for the chance to win prizes ranging from NAMM tumblers and messenger bags to tickets to music festivals such as the Vans Warped Tour. Prize winners and a final tally of those who have taken the pledge will be announced on May 6th.
Our Los Angeles teacher Joy A. has several years of experience working with young music students, and recently sent us this article to share some of her favorite tips. Enjoy!
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Let’s face it – learning to play music is hard, and we all have days when we want to quit. I’ll admit that when I was a kid, I quit my music lessons more than once. As music teachers, it’s our job to help our students continue to love music, even when they feel discouraged and want to give up. Here are some tips I’ve learned over the years to help students stay encouraged with music.
1.Ditch the Lesson Book. Some kids love the structure lesson books provide, while other kids loathe the dreaded books. As educators, it is our job to figure out what works best for each student. I’ve always had the philosophy that if a lesson book is making a student dread music class, it’s time to find a different approach. Some kids love to play Disney songs, others love Taylor Swift, and some of my students even play Miles Davis. As a teacher, I am constantly working to find the best possible material for each student so they can grow as musicians.
2.Play Pots and Pans not Piano! Yes, you heard me – pots and pans and other household items make great instruments! Ever tried to play a bunch of syncopated beats on a frying pan? It’s hard, but it’s also incredibly fun! One of my most promising students came in saying she was having a “pain-o” day. Instead of forcing her to drag her way through the prepared lesson, we collected pots and pans from my kitchen, and played percussion ensemble for the entire lesson. Sure my neighbors were less than thrilled, but it was just what she needed to feel like music was fun again. She later even used some of the rhythms we played around with to compose a piece on the piano!
3. Encourage Students to Write Music. Some students are great at reading notes off the page, others are great improvisers, and some love to compose and write their own songs. Encouraging creativity and individuality is a great way to keep a student loving music! I like to help students record their songs and create CD’s to give out as gifts. They love it!
4. Put on a Show. Everyone needs a goal! Even though recitals can be a little nerve racking, I’ve always been amazed at how happy and motivated students are when they come in the week after the performance! Many of my students ask when they get to do the next recital. Last year, several students came in incredibly excited and inspired to learn pieces they had heard other students perform.
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Recently, our student counselor Kathleen V. had the opportunity to speak with Kristi Huddleston, the founder and president of the non-profit organization Music 4 Miracles. Based in Florida, this inspiring organization is powered by Kristi’s passion to raise awareness and financial support for families of children diagnosed with cancer. The funds raised help provide education through the gift of music lessons.
As a music educator and performer, I’m always interested in learning about new products and tools that can help students succeed. When I discovered the 
During the week of May 2-8, musicians, schools, and other organizations across the country will come together to celebrate 
Our 
