Tami Mulcahy
...imagine a world where we all did that,
take what we need and Give Some Back
About the same age as the kids I work with now, I started playing guitar. At 15, I wrote my first song, a tribute to Judy Collins. I took my guitar everywhere as my prize possession. It was my best friend through college and physical therapy school.
After graduation, I was off to California where I hooked up with the Northern California Songwriters Association (now West Coast Songwriters). Through WCS, I met many great musicians and writers and worked to perfect my craft. WCS was my university for song writing.
I had a great 18 year career in physical therapy. But after two kids, my music began to suffer. So, I retired to become mom and songwriter. I released my first CD, White Wall in 1999 and began sharing my music. In one year I went from house concerts to school events to Farmers Markets to the Cannery in San Francisco and finally, the big kahuna, opening act at the Mountain Winery, a premiere performance venue in Saratoga, California. Wow, what a journey!!!
And, at the same time, I started volunteering at the local grade school to see what would happen when grade school kids got the chance to write a song. Kids Rock was the first song we wrote followed shortly thereafter with Give Some Back. The rest is history. Kids Rock was born!!
Pop music for Kids! Worry free for Parents!!
PARENTS AND TEACHERS:
Communication is a life skill...
To express yourself accurately, thoughtfully.
Songwriting is creative writing through music, asking the writer to emote- effectively, efficiently...get the message across quick and concise.
A songwriting session with kids is an exercise in teamwork, acceptance, paradigm shifts (seeing things from a different perspective), social studies and yes, values.
But the kids will tell you, it’s just fun!!!
When kids are part of the process, they identify with that music. It gives them a sense of ownership, whether they created an original work or recreated a song through a song writing exercise.
Childrens music has a huge hole between music for the toddlers and the teen pop market. Let’s fill that hole for these kids with music for them, by them.
Teenagers are the bulk of sales for the music industry. Let’s teach them when they are kids how to be active listeners, active participants in the music of their culture. Let’s teach them to separate the true art from the hype.
For information on a visit to your school, email ttkcm@aol.com - hint: I live in Northern California
ALL KIDS ARE CREATIVE! TAP THAT CREATIVITY!!