5 Best Places to Expose Your Kids to Music by Dan Wilcox
Dan Wilcox, KCRW DJ.
For as long as I can remember, music has been a paramount force in my life… it has been said that I learned how to use my parents turntable before I could tie my shoes. This reflection of my own life in music has taken on a new meaning this year, as my wife Maggie and I are expecting our first child in the coming months. We want to be sure to instill the importance of music with this child.
Although my wife and I are both very musical people, it is possible we could end up in a ‘Family Ties’-type situation where we have an Alex P. Keaton-ish offspring that is completely opposite from us, preferring chemistry sets and multiplication tables and not giving music a second thought. Which is fine… I’m sure we will encourage our child to be his/her own individual.
We will, however, fight it all the way. Hard. Sorry Future Kid… you will be Free To Be You and Me and all that stuff, but as long as we are feeding you, you will be feasting on music as well. Lucky for us, Los Angeles is a veritable smorgasbord when it comes to musical options for your child. Here is a list of five places to expose your child to music, but feel free to e-mail me at dan.wilcox@kcrw.com with any additional ideas. As I said, we may need to fight it. Hard.
KIDROCKERS
Absolutely genius… get real indie artists (previous have included Ra Ra Riot, Los Campesinos!, Vivian Girls, Rogue Wave) and have them perform live afternoon concerts for an audience of children. Complete with comedian emcees, cocktails for the adults (depending on the venue, it varies) and audience participation, these events are fun for parents and kids alike. Just watch out for when the kids storm the stage… it can get ugly.
http://www.kidrockersusa.com/
REMO KIDS PERCUSSION CLASSES & DRUM CIRCLES
Just about every Saturday the Remo Recreational Music Center in North Hollywood conducts percussion classes and drum circles for children, providing percussive instruments of all shapes and sizes for the tots (as well as parents) to jam out on.
http://remo.com/portal/events/index.html
THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL
The Hollywood Bowl is such a musical and visual spectacle, it can bring out the kid in anyone. However, throughout the summer they hold many events perfect for the whole family, including the Toyota Symphonies For Youth and the Summer Sounds music festivals for kids. I would even consider taking my kid to Reggae Night at the Bowl… I would just explain that the funny smell coming from five rows back is… um… incense.
www.hollywoodbowl.com
SILVERLAKE CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC
Co-founded by Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2001, The Silverlake Conservatory of Music is a non-profit organization created to facilitate music education, offering private and group lessons, recitals & concerts and even scholarships.
www.silverlakeconservatory.com/
YOUR LIVING ROOM
Or your garage, backyard, kitchen floor or even foyer. I believe all musical interest starts in the home, so keep the radio on (preferably a certain local station around 89.9 on your dial), invest in a mini-drum set, a Fisher-Price piano, some maracas, a ukelele, bust out the pots & pans, put on an impromptu musical, whatever. Who knows… you may be planting the seeds for the next generation Partridge Family, where you will become rich and famous and travel around in a bus, delighting audiences all across the land. If not, the audience in your own house will do just fine.
