Vivaldi, King of Strings
This Week —
My parents are both visual artists, so we moved around a lot while my dad showcased his art in exhibits all over the world. At one point, we were living in NYC and I remember a neighbor suggesting to my mom that I should try my hand at the violin due to my musical ear and the fact it was easy to lug around. And so my love/hate relationship with the violin began—it can make one of the most beautiful sounds you’ve ever heard, but if you don’t show it love and practice, it’ll start acting like a jerk while letting everyone within earshot know that it’s pissed off.
Listen To —
Let’s get to know one of the most famous violin composers in history: the absolute King of Strings, Antonio Vivaldi. A violin virtuoso, he and his gorgeous mane of flaming red hair took Venice by storm in the 1700s while composing a staggering around of music—more than 800 pieces. He’s best known for The Four Seasons (not to be mistaken for that fancy hotel, hee hee!) but he composed far beyond that. So let’s get your kiddos ready for an uplifting, bubbly, and inspiring playlist!
Name it, Own it —
Here’s a very important tidbit that will carry throughout your child’s music-listening years: always remind your kiddos of the names of composers, instruments, or musicians while they are listening to them (choose whichever element is easiest to remember). Children want to have ownership and control—so instead of saying, “Let’s listen to Mommy’s music now,” try saying, “This is Vivaldi!” or “This is the violin!” With repetition, they’ll come to remember specific names, feel ownership in the music, and ask for it again. Win-win! You can apply this to any kind of music you listen to at home. Enjoy!
Happy Listening!
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