My brother as a young cellist at a music camp

Have the radio on. Try listening to different stations and genres as opposed to Top 40 all the time.

Listen the soundtracks of your kids favourite movies (often there will be some orchestra involved). Talk about how the instruments create the mood of the piece.

Go see some live music: there are often free orchestra concerts (especially in the summer), see some chamber music or world music. Help your kid find their favourite performer on their instrument (a violin hero you always see when they’re in town)

Make some music friends:

–          Have a friend over who’s learning an instrument and muck around on your instruments together or learn a duet.

–          Get involved in a youth orchestra or string ensembles/concert band.

–          One of the most encouraging things for me growing up was going to music camps where I would meet a whole lot of people who were weird music kids just like me. The tutors were cool too and taught me from a different angle from what my violin teacher would.  Having friends who are into music will encourage your kid along like nothing else!

Music encouraging birthday or Christmas presents:

–          Sheet music (even better, make a trip to the music store and spend some time looking through the sheet music section),

–          CD’s,

–          Concert DVDs,

–          Tickets for concerts,

–          Music nerd t-shirts,

–          Fun instruments or instrument accessories.

Youtube the latest piece your child has been working on – look at a few different versions together and choose which one is your favourite!

Celebrate all sorts of music milestones:

–          Get a new dress to play for the recital,

–          Go out to the special bakery after a music exam,

–          Buy a small gift (like a CD) after doing an audition (those things are hard on the psyche!)

I remember my Mum gave me fifty dollars as a celebration of me learning ‘Meditation’ on the violin – it was my first “real” piece and I worked hard to memorise it. Learning an instrument can be tough work – create a culture where music is the thing that makes you feel special and your kid will never want to give up.

Go busking for charity (even more fun with friends and siblings)

Play at a nursing home (its ok, most of them are deaf)

Give money to buskers; ask them about how and why they learnt their instrument.

Mum/Dad’s/Grandparent’s birthday coming up? Get your kids to sneakily work out their favourite piece and learn it. Or write their own piece for them.

Fun bribes! My second cousins play violin and cello and when their grandfather said he’d give twenty dollars to whoever could learn how to play Amazing Grace first on their instrument it sparked a practice frenzy! Dare your kid to work out how to play their favourite song on their instrument.

Learn how to play the Brahms lullaby for a new baby brother/sister/cousin/neighbour

Learn how to play Happy Birthday – have everyone bring out the instruments as a family tradition to play celebrate birthdays (agree on a key first!)

If you go to church start getting involved in the music team – my husband had older musicians mentor him as he started out playing drums at his church. You won’t find a more forgiving environment!

Start a collection of all the songs they know so they have a go to book of “repertoire”. Scrapbook recital programmes, concert tickets. Make a music diary.

Learn some carols together to play for the family on Christmas (reminds me of the final scene of It’s a Wonderful Life’ where the little girl plays Harks the Herald Angels sing over and over and over and over)