Experiencing live music can provide invaluable benefits to your child's musical development and can make formative memories that inspire a child for months or even years to come. In this blog, we’ll explore how exposure to live music, active listening, and diverse musical experiences can inspire and motivate your budding musician.
The Importance of Experiencing Live Music
Experiencing live music offers a unique and irreplaceable component to musical education. Unlike recordings, live performances allow kiddos and “children of all ages” to engage with music in a dynamic, interactive environment, creating lasting memories and a deeper connection to the art form. All forms of art can inspire the observer, but live music also has a social component, and experiencing music with family and friends can create memories that last a lifetime!
Another benefit of experiencing live music includes the visual part of a performance. In the same way that dancers and some athletes are able to express themselves through movement, the choreography or “stage presence” of an artist or band can be just as inspiring as the music itself, and when combined, it can be unforgettable.
Active Listening: A Crucial Skill for Musicians
Seeing a live performance can provide a kiddo with the opportunity to practice “Active Listening.” But what is active listening?
Active listening can be summarized as the practice of fully concentrating, understanding, and responding to music. It’s about immersing oneself in the music, noticing the nuances, and understanding the structure and emotions conveyed by the performers. Active listening helps young musicians develop a deeper understanding of music, improving their ability to interpret and perform pieces with greater expression and accuracy.
Listening For Parts (Instrument Differentiation)
The first and easiest way to practice active listening is to listen for and correctly label the different sounds that you hear. And you would be surprised at how early in a child's development, they are able to do this! Though it is easier to hear these parts when they are soloed out, it is still a great exercise to practice listening to a song and trying to:
Label what instruments are present and
Focus on a single instrument's part to hear how simple or complex it is.
An additional benefit of seeing a live performance is the ability to associate a sound with the visual aspect of the instrument. Specifically, when an instrument takes a “solo,” you can watch this performance and easily associate it with a sound.
Listening for Nuance and Texture (Production)
Sometimes, music sounds “dark” or “bright.” Sometimes, it is fast or slow or loud and soft. These are areas of music production that are another part of active listening that can help the listener understand and interpret the “mood” or feeling of a song. Sometimes, these production elements are intentionally crafted to assist with the “text painting” of the lyric. For example, singing the word “stop” as the music cuts out.
Listening to Melody and Harmony (Music Theory and Ear Training)
This might be one of the more difficult aspects of active listening as it can require practice and ear training, but for the listener, it can also be the most valuable. When practicing active listening in this way, you can listen for the following:
The Form or Structure of the Song: When is the verse? Or does the Chorus happen two times in a row after the bridge?
The Melody: picking out the melody either by recreating it with your voice or instrument and then being able to transcribe it to sheet music can be a great exercise to not just be able to recreate the melody one's self but also after multiple songs can help you start to find the common patterns found in melodies
The Harmony or Chords: This can require the most practice as it usually includes ear training and being able to associate the notes in a chord with chord values that are already known to the listener. A musician who has practiced this skill can transcribe the music of a song with surprising speed and accuracy. Imagine being able to see your favorite band or artist live and also, while enjoying the performance, being able to transcribe in your head what the structure, melody, and chords are for that song! With practice, it is surprisingly easy, to which we a Music U can attest!
Benefits of Exposure to Live Music
So, what are the key benefits that experiencing live music can bring your child's musical journey?
Inspiration and Motivation
Witnessing professional musicians perform can be incredibly inspiring for a kiddo. The energy, skill, and passion displayed on stage can ignite a young musician's desire to practice and improve their own skills. Additionally, stories of renowned musicians often include their own moments of inspiration from live performances. This demonstrates the powerful impact these experiences can have and how every musician, no matter how talented they are, always starts somewhere. They are often motivated by the examples that their generation of musicians brought to them, and the same can be true for your young musician.
Who was my main inspiration to learn and improve on the guitar? John Mayer. Who was his inspiration? Stevie Ray Vaughn. And his? Jimi Hendrix and Albert King. The list goes on and on.
Expanding Musical Horizons
Being exposed to different genres and styles of music is crucial for a well-rounded musical education. Attending a variety of live performances helps young musicians appreciate the diversity of musical expression. Whether it's classical, jazz, rock, or folk, each genre offers unique lessons and influences that can enrich a child's own musical style. Sometimes, as a young musician is also forming their identity as a person, their preferred musical genre even changes, so it’s always good to experience as many different genres as possible, learning how to appreciate the nuances of each one along the way.
Country and folk music can be a great vehicle for storytelling.
Classical music can provide historical perspectives and show how composing has evolved over the years.
Jazz and Blues are amazing vehicles for creative expression and melody creation.
Rock, Pop, and Church Music are exciting and usually very “singable,” which is great for early learners.
Enhanced Understanding of Musical Dynamics
Live performances also provide an excellent opportunity to observe musical dynamics in action. Seeing how musicians use volume, tempo, and expression to convey emotion and tell a story can deepen a young musician's understanding of these concepts. This, in turn, can enhance their own performances and interpretations of music. Like it or hate it, the genre of Musical Theater can be an amazing example of storytelling through musical dynamics and expression. Don’t sleep on local musical theater performances, as they can also expose a young musician to examples of more in-depth storytelling and acting!
Family-Friendly Live Music Opportunities in Nashville, TN
Nashville, known as Music City, offers a plethora of opportunities to experience live music. Here are some top picks:
Festivals and Local Events
Tomato Art Fest: The “Tomato Festival” is an annual festival in East Nashville that is family-friendly and has Live Musical performances along with vendors, food, and art exhibits! This event typically occurs in early August each year.
Musicians Corner: This event occurs around the time that school begins and is hosted in Centennial Park. It’s free, family-friendly, and features live music, food trucks, and activities for children. It even has its own area for kids called Kidsville!
Live on the Green: Held at Public Square Park, this free music festival showcases a mix of local and national artists. It's a fantastic opportunity to experience a variety of music styles in a vibrant setting. Be sure to double-check on who the artists are for each performance to ensure they are age-appropriate for your kiddos.
Music Venues and The Nashville Symphony
Ryman Auditorium: Known as the "Mother Church of Country Music," the Ryman offers a historic and acoustically superb venue for live performances across genres. As one of the best medium-sized venues in the country, this is a great place to take the family to see some of the greatest musicians to have graced the stage! Check their calendar for upcoming performances that are suitable for your family!
The Bluebird Cafe: Famous for its intimate setting and singer-songwriter performances, the Bluebird Cafe is a must-visit for young music enthusiasts! Check their calendar for upcoming performances that are suitable for your family!
Nashville Symphony: The Nashville Symphony offers a variety of concerts throughout the year, perfect for introducing children to classical music. Outdoor performances at the Ascend Amphitheater also provide a relaxed and enjoyable environment for families. Check their calendar for upcoming performances that are suitable for your family!
Integrating live music experiences into your kiddos' activities can enhance their musical journey, and at Music U, we believe in the power of live music to inspire, motivate, and expand musical horizons. We encourage you to explore the rich music scene in Nashville and take advantage of the numerous opportunities to experience live performances! We at Music U are excited to support your child's musical growth and look forward to hearing about your own musical adventures!
Interested in Private Music Lessons for your kiddo? Contact us and get started today!
