Summer Music Camps are without a doubt an amazing opportunity for kids
to improve a skill and pursue a passion but their benefit goes way
beyond that! Research has clearly linked the study of music to
superior academic performance, increased confidence and psychological
well being. That's because, according to board-certified neurologist
Lara V. Marcuse, MD, the co-director of the Mount Sinai Epilepsy
Program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai "Playing an
instrument, in particular, engages every facet of your brain. If
you’ve ever looked at a sheet of music, it’s basically like reading a
different language. Your brain goes through a bunch of hoops to figure
it out... When you sit down to play the keys or strum a guitar, your
brain is hard at work trying to tell your hands what to do. Musical
activities trigger the auditory cortex (a.k.a. the part of your brain
that helps you hear)." Of course you probably knew the gist of how
music is categorically good for our brains but why else would we want
to get our kids enrolled in a week or two of camp? Music by itself is
enlightening but with friends it is life changing — I know it was for
me!
So what about this "Absolutely No Wrong Notes this Summer" teaser?
That can't be right? Well, I truly believe it on three different
levels... there truly are "no wrong notes" and at our music camps we
find it's a great way to lower the kids' stress, increase the fun
factor and ironically make more beautiful music in a week than most
people think is possible. So here are three perspectives on "no wrong
notes."
1) Most generally speaking, music is about creative expression and
while there are patterns and scales musicians and audiences have found
over time to be very appealing, history has taught us that art in
general and music specifically refuse to be limited by convention...
and the "right notes" are only determined by the player and the
listeners. So let loose!! Have fun with your instrument and define the
notes and tones you want to hear... No judgement!
2) Even if you don't like the sound you're making or don't feel you're
playing the "right notes" at any given moment, the pursuit of tone and
creative expression in and of itself is the path to self discovery
with all the intellectual, physiological, psychological and social
benefits that accompany that journey. Is that unusual note really so
"wrong" then?
3) Finally, I will quote two famous musicians who agree with this
statement. Thelonius Monk: "There are no wrong notes; some are just
more right than others" and Miles Davis “Do not fear mistakes. There
are none." Or as a former teacher of mine quipped to me paraphrasing
yet another musical legend... "You didn't play a wrong note, you just
played it at the wrong time."
This summer get your kids enrolled in a music camp with a program that
emphasizes positive teaching centered around inspiration, motivation
and fundamentals. Let them experience the magic of making music while
making friends. Would you believe we've watched dozens and dozens of
kids over the years make more progress in one week of summer camp
mornings than in an entire semester?! Nothing is more conducive to
creative, social endeavors than a week of summer!
Check out the four different types of summer music camps and click on the flyer thumbnails to read about each one. We have limited space for each one, so we encourage you to sign up soon.