Nursery Music available NOW on podcast!

Article spoiler: check out https://musicaliti.podbean.com/feed/.

The long version:

In recent weeks, I took the difficult decision to put my public children's sessions on hold while I regroup to rethink my business model. Knowing that it may cost me precious families who have built a real relationship with me, I am planning different ways to stay involved and engaged, even if it is at an online distance!

In 2006, Musicaliti started out as music sessions for babies (0-2), toddlers (2-3), preschoolers (3-4) and early primary (4-7) children in Bolton, and guess what: those children grew up! Babies who started with me at 6 months old are now 11, preschoolers are now 14, and primaries? My very first primary students who turned 7 in 2006 are now 18 years old. My genuine take-away is interestingly not, "how old am I", but, cheesily, "what a privilege to have been part of their development". Comments from parents that very first year included, "I can see her self-confidence improving weekly", and a few years ago, a quiet year 6 said, "uh, my mum said I should thank you for the music you taught me at nursery and primary, 'cause now I'm doing grade 6 trumpet." Grade 6 in year 6 (11 years old). And that hasn't changed, as comments from a nursery just last year included, "she's so much better at taking turns now!" and "he loves your session, you can see how relaxed he is!" (special needs child).

But did you know that Musicaliti is more than only children's music? As my primary instrument is guitar, it wasn't long before parents were asking if I could teach older siblings guitar, which took a few false starts before it became the 14-strong student list I now have (including a 15-year old metal-head who accompanies me and plans to be my apprentice!). And around the same time, I was asked at a local wildlife trust to start/direct a community choir, which may shortly be evolving into a junior and senior choir (repertoire preferences). Yet all this time, I have more often than not been involved in academic research, completing my psychology undergraduate degree in 2012, my education master's in 2015, and was asked to teach undergraduate and postgraduate trainee teachers in early childhood music at universities in north west England.

Now, while I wait for my chosen professor to become available to complete a doctorate in children's music education, I am completing the last of the corrections on my forthcoming textbook with Routledge, "Learning with Music: Games and activities for the early years", due out this August. Along with lyrics and descriptions of 90 songs, it features the education views and applications of over 40 theorists, philosophers and doctors, situating music education within the nine most referenced priorities in education including relationship, play and citizenship.

Today Musicaliti not only provides services for Bolton, UK, but also publishes teaching manuals, ukulele songs books, guitar exercise books, and produces CDs, all available on Amazon's print-on-demand service through Amazon.co.uk (books only) or Amazon.com (CDs and books). And with my public session relaunch planned for September 2017, I am actively developing my website (streamlining, optimising) with the aim of co-ordinating the different avenues of Musicaliti, and I am excited to announce the start of Musicaliti Podcasts! But, what are they about?

When I first started Musicaliti, one of the first questions I was asked, in fact am still asked, is, why music for babies? This question is the most frequent reason that independent music teachers don't get paid what they should, that people rely on free government programmes, and that musical literacy (reading music) is still seen as a mystical skill - like magic.

Musicaliti SPACE podcasts address this very relevant question by describing musical activities for each age group, starting with our newest family members, 0-1 year. If you have a child this age, in fact, if you know of someone with a child this age, please feel free to share this podcast link, https://musicaliti.podbean.com/feed/. Not only does it explain the way and make suggestions of instruments, it is packed with children's songs, no less than 10 in each episode (approx 30 min). Totally free.