聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Music is all around us and provides positivity in life. Music is considered academic, physical, and, emotional.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Academically, children who take music lessons become stronger in core classes like math; learning and instrument and how to keep rhythm is quite physical; while, music is also an art, which allows people to express themselves and their emotions.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It fosters the development of creativity in youth and creative minds are important to assist in making discoveries in the world.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Locally, Brittany Aalbers of Manor (originally from Carlyle), a music teacher, recently spoke to the importance of ensuring music programs are available for youth.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎t 2 or 3-years-old music became a big part of me; I have a super musical family background, on both sides,鈥� she explains. 鈥淢y mom said that they would put music on and I would be singing, dancing, or humming along.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 then began lessons at 4 or 5-years-old.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Aalbers鈥� love of music has led her to learn to sing, play the piano, obo, guitar (electric, acoustic, and bass), as well as the drums, and she is looking to pick up violin this fall.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 like to expand my knowledge as much as I can,鈥� Aalbers says. 鈥淚f I can get my hands on lessons, I鈥檓 game.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Last year Aalbers taught lessons in Lampman where she taught approximately 40 youth in either piano or voice lessons, although she did teach one ukulele and another guitar.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚鈥檓 on maternity leave right now, so I only took six students this year,鈥� she explains. 鈥淏ut this fall I鈥檓 looking at going to five different towns once each week: Redvers, Manor, Carlyle, Arcola, and Lampman.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Aalbers commends the work of Michele Amy and her Kitchen Party pointing to the popularity of fiddling in the southeast as proof of success in music.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淢usic has been scientifically proven to help kids learn and develop coping strategies,鈥� Aalbers states. 鈥淚t also connects everyone. We might listen to different styles of music, which attract people in different ways, but enjoying music is something everyone has in common.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 know first hand that music makes a different because it has helped my boys immensely. My first son was developmentally delayed due to a heart problem; so, I started music therapy with him and now he learns very fast and he even sits and tries to play the piano.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淢usic is for everyone; from 0 to 150 鈥� or however old the longest lifespan is 鈥� because its beneficial for everyone. There鈥檚 work being done in homes of elderly people with Alzheimer鈥檚 who 鈥搇istening to music from when they were younger 鈥� can begin remembering bits of their past. Music helps with how we process things.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淢usic is my passion; it鈥檚 what gets me through the day.鈥�
