or the past few weeks we’ve been talking about the value of seeing and hearing live musical performance for inspiring and motivating your tiny musicians.  But what happens when your child gets to participate in the live musical performance??  Is there a way to make it fun and educational instead of  traumatizing?

We all know about diva parents who push their kids into performing in ways that can hurt them.

Expectations of perfection, lipstick and high heels and tuxedos on 3-year-olds, silky dresses that make them slide off of the piano bench, everyone staring at them, hearts thumping, palms sweating, and kids growing up never wanting to do that again. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Live musical performance can actually help kids cope with fear, and studies show that early performance experiences help musicians to avoid the common problem of performance anxiety.  Ideally, it should include play, improvisation, and the freedom to express yourself without worrying about mistakes.  This doesn’t mean your kids are going to grow up happy about making mistakes. It means they won’t be paralyzed by the fear of them.  What it turns into instead, is a love of practicing, trying again, enjoying the process of becoming more competent, more expressive, and more confident – and of sharing all of the joy with other people.  When your kids get to see you participate fearlessly (and sometimes you just have to pretend) they see that singing, playing the piano, and dancing in front of friends is a happy, normal thing to do, and they’re more likely to enjoy it too!

For these reasons, I’ve reserved a spot on the stage at the Sammamish Farmers Market on Wednesday, June 26, 2024 from 6:30 to 7:45.  It will be a very informal performance opportunity for you and your kids, whether or not you’re currently enrolled in Little Bird Piano Academy® classes!  Some of my current students are excited to perform for you! I’ll play and sing a bit, and new and curious parents and their littles will be invited to participate in some of our favorite group activities!

If you’d prefer to participate in some group activities AWAY from the stage, you’re welcome to come to the nearby booth where we’ll be singing The Bee Song, Falling Falling Leaves, the Pumpkin Patch, and other Baby-Led Piano® favorites, from 4 to 6pm.

The booth will still be available to purchase Bee Gloves, Baby-Led Piano® Songbooks, and Piano Mats if you like, during the open mic session, but of course, I’ll be over at the stage from about 6 to 8.