Getting to Know the Music Room

The TRUMPET was my husband's in junior high school-- all the way back to 1980. It's old, the valves stick, lots of dings and the tone can be a bit sharp. Nevertheless, it's irreplaceable. He plays it every Christmas-- even down at Giant when we do our family bell ringing. To me, his trumpet represents the core of what I would like to accomplish with each of my students-- that the instrument of their childhood follows them into adulthood. Even if they only play it every once in awhile (as my husband does), music study brings lifelong enjoyment to not only the player but those who listen.

The ACCORDION and the XYLOPHONE are used to help the kids see that they aren't just learning the piano. Everything they learn can be applied in some way to lots of other instruments. The xylophone, a percussion instrument, has the same key patterns as the piano. The accordion, a wind instrument, is also a keyed instrument-- one hand presses buttons that create block chords while the other plays the melody on the keys.

The DIDGERIDOO and the FEADOG are instruments we've acquired in our travels. The feadog is a traditional Irish tin whistle that we purchased in Ireland 13 years ago. The didgeridoo (which Jackson and Mr. Tallamy can play!) was purchased in Australia as a reminder of our time there. What do these instruments say to us-- even though we can barely make a decent sound with them? Well, sometimes music and music making (even in it's most beginner ways) is about memories. The tinny sound of the whistle and the low rumble of the didge will make me smile everytime. Someday, I hope, the piano will do the same for our students.