Music and Art Education by Lyn Nanni

Music and the arts are of the very core of our civilization and have played an inestimable role in our evolution as human beings. Today, traditions and rituals have all but disappeared in our lives and people rarely take part in musical activities, such as informal group singing or folk dancing. In this age of computer technology, MTV and "super-star" performers, many of us have forgotten how to actually make music, dance or develop artistic skills simply for our own health and enjoyment.

There are widely held beliefs (however untrue they may be) that only certain individuals are "good enough" or "talented enough" to sing, make music, move in an aesthetically pleasing way or create some kind of art. To reverse the trend of people being disconnected from their creative selves is to educate children in all the arts and develop skills and appreciation from infancy through adulthood. Parents are a child's first teachers. They can sing to their children, dance with them, and pound spoons on kitchen pots with them. As you make music with your child, you'll likely find yourself becoming more comfortable with your own musical ability. Most of all you will both be enriched. It takes a huge commitment from many people to make quality arts accessible to every child in the community, but it can be done. A child's connection to artistic pursuits can be greatly increased if parents take the time to support music, drama, dance and art programs in the schools and in the community.