Tonight we went to a local symphony orchestra's "pops" concert. I don't know the exact definition of "pops" but it seems like orchestra light: music from a Broadway musical, some Sousa marches, stuff like that. Not my favorite music, but OK. We went because our church had a small group going.
The auditorium was a sea of gray - hair, that is. There was a small handful of children, maybe 1 or 2 teens/young adults, some middle-agers, and the rest, senior citizens. The orchestra itself, a small-town outfit, was not quite as gray, but close.
Of course it is Friday night and young people have better things to do. But I wondered...
Who is going to be playing this music in 10 years? Who will be listening to it?
Personally, I don't care if the music from Les Miz disappears. But John Philip Sousa?
My girl says she will do it. She loved the evening - was watching wide-eyed the whole time. I loved the look on her face when, as part of a medley, they played one of the songs she's learning on piano.
But she can't do it alone.
Do your kids listen to music other than what's currently popular for their age group? Do you take them to performances?
4 comments:
What?! You don't care if Le Miz disappears? Well, I guess we will have to keep that one alive...Shayleen loves that one.
This really distresses me, the level of appreciation of music. It stresses me out, and we are not what I would think of as musically talented by any stretch. I am so, so thankful we are in a church where music is considered as something we work on to the glory of God and we are not regulated to regurgitating the same praise chorus 4 or 5 times.
My kids like a lot of the contemporary music-U2, Coldplay, Audio Adrenaline, and David Crowder Band (I like The David Crowder Band. Check out his version of "Come Thou Fount" Very cool.) but they also know hymns like "The Day is Past and Gone" and "Now Shall My Inward Joys Arise" and can sing it correctly-willingly-happily-yes, even proudly, as a part of their own Christian heritage. Christian kids need to be taught about their own history and taught to LOVE it. Argh. OK, there's my soap box.
Hey, by the way-Do you have facebook?
Kerri, good to hear from you. I've never been much into musicals and show tunes. And Les Miserables is one of my favorite books; I hated the play.
We do a mix of hymns and praise music at church. Not too many of the mindless, repetitive praise choruses.
But we listen to lots of different kinds of music at home and in the car: rock and roll, blues, celtic, Baroque, bagpipe (sparingly), pop, hymns.
I do like David Crowder and a few other CCM musicians. Not many!
I think my girl would like some of the old musicals, though, so I ought to introduce some.
And no, no facebook here yet.
My kids can't stand the music that's currently popular for their age group. They like the old stuff. Classical, jazz, celtic, hymns. Johnny Cash makes regular appearances, though I could do without him. And John Philip Sousa? He's a must at our house on July 4th. I think kids will like the music they are exposed to. I played classical in the background as my kids played when they were little, so to them it's normal. Now, don't ask me to match up names and compositions, because I can't. But, at least I gave them an interest, they can take it from there.
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