Life long sharing . . .

Ling has gone through her JMC FSS.  After sicking some advice and surfing around, I decided to let Ling continue with JXC. I asked myself, what I want to give the girls? I visualize on days they are sad, they are happy, they are down, they are lonely, they can just sit by the piano and play the song in their mind. Let the music calm them down…. if they like music.

(on and off, I will ask the girls if they like the classes they are attending, anyone that they don’t like or feel of stopping. I keep on telling them it’s ok if they don’t like it, just need to tell mummy.. (and mummy can save some pocket money 😛 ). … but so far none, and sometimes, they started to ask for going back classes like Tweedle Wink, ballet class…. sigh… really broke like that ..)

I read one of the WAHM’s blog, http://montessorimum.com/?p=4147, I am grateful that she shared her view, and ya, I want my children to be able to enjoy music.

p.s. Last night we went to eat at an open air hawker center, with big screen tv showing the astro drama. Half way eating, Ling stopped and listened, and announced happily that,

“Mummy, mummy, I can hear the notes from the song,.. you see, it’s ‘ti la …”

My husband was very impressed and praised her . “Oh, good girl.”

Then little sister “I am also good ma…”  hahaha..

“Ya ya, both daddy’s daughters are very good.”

This is another blog from a mother who finally found the right Piano teacher for her child. http://www.superparents.com.my/page/3/

My sister shared with me her bad experience learning piano last time. Similar experience, dull, strict, and being hit by ruler when not playing properly…

I am glad that my girls don’t have the same experience as their aunt. Watching them playing piano happily and humming cheerful tunes they learn from the class, at least make me feel not so bad after surrendering all the hard earned money  to Yamaha. You know, like my hubby said, those are our ‘blood-sweat-money’ …

Well, Ling is in her Primary 3 for Yamaha JMC. Every week she is still waiting eagerly for her class to come, and still hums the solfage in her Daddy’s car on the way home from the class. Though some times she told her Daddy it’s getting tougher now, that she needs to play like this and like this (switch her fingers when playing the F clef  ti-flat re, la do#), still whenever she is free, she will yell from 1st floor, “Mummy, do you want me to play you Little Bluebird? It’s very nice. I can play both hands now.”

Ya, now it’s the second year for her with JMC program, some of her classmates reach the age of seven and start their primary school. And then, teacher started to notice some of them not as energetic as before, looks tired in class, and can see their playing not as good; and some mothers shared that the children don’t have enough time to practise , rush for school work, not enough sleep, tired … And the teacher kept on begging in her sweet voice, “Daddy, Mummy, please don’t give up. They have come so far and done so well all this while, and it’s very sayang to stop now. Just try harder to adjust and make it work.. try first, don’t just give up.”

So… I have a thought then, Ya, luckily Ling and Ying started when they are close to 5 years old. The Yamaha JMC class is a 2-years course. At least, they are being given opportunity to learn and know about all this music related stuff (solfage singing, reading musical notes, playing …) when they are still free (still not yet enter the Primary school). They can complete the whole course before being caught up with the primary school homework, then only they decide what’s next. At least they have the exposure and the chance to try it out themselves.

So to conclude, 5 years old is just nice to start Yamaha JMC to me.

I found this wonderful site which provides Piano Music Theory lessons, with very clear explanation, and demo and example music are played as well. It’s easy to understand for a novice like me.

After going through the first 10 lessons, now I can read my girl’s Yamaha books and guide her properly during home practice.

http://www.8notes.com/school/theory/

Ling is at the end of her primary 2 for Yamaha JMC course, and she can play both hands very well now. And she can read the musical notes better than me. I still need to count the line. 😛

Very thankful that there is such a class that I am given a chance to learn piano, together with my daughter.

Only now I know what is the # stands for : a sharp; and what is ‘fa’ #; what is ‘so’ house or ‘do’ house; that ‘so’ house goes together with ‘fa#’ ‘re’.

It seems to me that music is a language with its own grammar and rules of usage. Very grateful that the girls have the opportunity to get the exposure and learn this ‘language’ in younger age, and the program is quite lively and not stressful.

…

And I am able to play the ‘Party in the Sky’ and ‘Sweet Dream’ , using both hands… I am playing piano, finally, at the age of 30 something…