Lisa Petrie
Lisa Petrie is a writer and specialist in marketing and public relations for arts and education organizations. She earned a DMA in flute performance from SUNY, Stony Brook, and is the mother of two musical kids. Lisa is the Content Manager for the Kids and Families section of San Francisco Classical Voice.
Articles by this Author
An energetic cross between gymnastics and drumming, TAO is a taiko drumming tour de force. Its performers live and train in the mountains of Japan, honing their skills and assimilating a wide range of disciplines and styles — ranging from rock music, gymnastics, and martial arts to original choreography, African djembe drumming, and more. This is a theatrical spectacle of rhythm and movement, setting centuries-old traditions in a current context for modern kids.
This is the second of three in the orchestra’s free Family Concerts for 2011/2012. Benjamin Simon and the S.F. Chamber Orchestra delight in collaborating with youth ensembles such as the gifted Piedmont Choir. The orchestra’s short, one-hour shows are great for really young children, and are performed in three locations: Oakland, San Mateo, and San Francisco.
San Francisc
The news that your child needs braces can be a big, well, adjustment for both parents and the child. And if they play a wind instrument, questions arise about how a mouth full of metal will affect tone, articulation, and comfort while playing and practicing.
Children between the ages of 3 and 10 should have a parent present at both lessons and practice sessions. Parents will therefore have a powerful influence over making those sessions joyful learning experiences. Praise is your most powerful tool in this process. Always break down the challenges into small increments, and then praise each success.
You may wonder, when researching music teachers, whether your child needs classical training if she or he is more interested in rock, jazz, folk or world music, for example.
Before you choose a teacher for your child, you have to know what you want from them. For example, what kind of music would you like your child to learn? Since different musical practices emphasize different things, you might want a teacher who is comfortable with more than one style of music.
Playing-related injuries are more common than you’d think, and differ among instrument groups.
Celebrate Chanukah with Ben Brussell’s high-energy klezmer band. Klezmer is a style of folk music from the Ashkenazic Jews in Eastern Europe. With rollicking dance tunes, and expressive “wails” like that of the human voice, it has always been celebratory music. When klezmer met American jazz, things really became fun.
The Golden Bough trio has been performing Celtic music for 30 years, has made 20 albums (two of which are Christmas collections), and has performed their Christmas show to the delight of audiences, for many years. The beautiful Old First Church, Northern California’s oldest Presbyterian church is a glorious setting. With their infectious reels of pipes, fiddles, harp, accordion, and guitar, just try to keep your toes from tapping.
A musical for the youngest set, based on the beloved story by Dr. Seuss and set to the music of Mel Marvin and Albert Hague. The characters look like they could live in your toy box. Add whimsical staging and sets, and it’s really a great opportunity to introduce the kids to live Broadway entertainment. Most know the story from the book or the cartoon, and live singing and dancing create that “Wow” factor.
Breaking news from University of Louisville declares Esa-Pekka Salonen, the 2012 winner of the $100,000 Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition for his Violin Concerto, written for Leila Josefowicz. Many in this part of the world know Salonen as conductor laureate of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the orchestra’s longest-serving music director.
