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This Week —

Have you ever emerged from a bedtime battle with the kiddos then had the urge to belt out: “Hallelujah!! Hallelujah!!” (followed by “Where’s the Chardonnay”)? Then you’re acquainted with our man Handel! Handel’s music is all around us, in the most unexpected places: movies, TV shows, commercials, even in the Champions soccer league!

Listen To —

The great stars of Handel's day were neither sopranos nor the tenors, but men called castrati (men that could sing in a falsetto voice due to being castrated). These men made big bucks and had hordes of adoring fans, and were placed on stage in women’s roles because at that time, women weren’t allowed on stage. Handel created several operas around the castrati’s crowd appeal. Take a listen to one of my most favorite arias ever, “Ombra Mai Fu” sung by my absolute fav countertenor Phillippe Jaroussky (Countertenors are men who sing in their high falsetto register).

Draw Them In —

One of the best ways to get your kiddos excited about listening to Classical and Jazz music is to introduce them to the wonderful and fascinating instruments that make it all happen. Just like we introduce our kids to princesses, dinosaurs, trains, and mermaids, we can captivate our children’s imaginations by expanding their knowledge of how this music is made. My Elf leaps out of his seat with excitement when he hears and recognizes instruments in songs. It makes my heart sing when he says: “I hear the trombone! Mama, that’s the violin!”. Grab any one of these books about the orchestra and draw your kids into the music-making magic.

Happy playing!