Music Appreciation

My mom recommended two classes on my freshman year at Smith College: Art History and Music Appreciation. I ended up buying her a t-shirt that read: I survived Art History 101(that became my most memorable class ever). However I didn't listen to her about Music Appreciation, and that remains an academic regret (I do have many others).

Music matters. I sensed that from the time I became a fan of Madonna, and after that when my youngest maternal uncle introduced me to Depeche Mode theCure and Pet Shop Boys. Today, at the helm of my "pinktaxi", my children sometimes catch me screaming in delight: "they are playing Example!" And none of us get out of the car, even after we have reached destination, in interruption of Eminem's latest. Music we all appreciate, but not necessarily in the technical terms.

Indeed, we can recognize the violins in Cold Play's Viva La Vida, and we hear the background tune in Eminem's Sky Full of Lanterns, but those are almost obvious. My youngest may have a musical ear, he can hear the Emirates Airlines ring before the advertisement starts (and we always fly Swiss). But he is just beginning violin lessons, so only time will tell.

When we need any musical advise or approval, when my son works on a music project, we call my eldest brother who, with a musical ear, with years of piano, and with the maternal recommendation of "take a music appreciation class" respected, can answer all our musical inquiries.

And thus school year upon school year, my children and I spend the majority of the time dedicated to "home schooling" on the music program, which is a quasi elective. Even sciences appear easy in comparison. My youngest is in the first grade, and the "home schooling" program from France (CNED) requires him to listen to the various sounds of water.

Indeed, listening to the sound of water, is the first lesson in Music Appreciation!