Crease, a music journalist (Gil Evans: Out of the Cool
), gently guides parents through the potentially overwhelming process of choosing a musical instrument for their child, and nurturing musical development throughout childhood. Noting that public schools have lost the beat when it comes to music education, Crease urges parents to take matters into their own hands, beginning early on to shape their child's musical world. Not intended to help parents raise professional musicians, the book is a primer on how to encourage music education and enjoyment. Crease explores preschool programs like Music Together and Kindermusik, then delves into the Suzuki method, Kodaly, Dalcroze and Orff, explaining the philosophy of each approach. Included are such topics as musical readiness, picking an instrument and finding the right teacher. For parents who are not musically trained, Crease explains the families of instruments, pointing out which are best suited to various ages. Though Crease doesn't gloss over how playing a musical instrument benefits the brain (better attention span, sharper focus, increased memory retention and higher test scores), her focus is the hands-on process of helping children choose and practice an instrument. This clear-cut guide will help parents find the right musical fit for their child—and introduce them to what might be a fun and engaging hobby. (Aug.)
