Creative Expression and Child Development

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At a recent get-together of parents, teachers, and community members interested in supporting the arts, we had a dynamic discussion about the importance of creativity in child development. Those of us from Church Street School for Music and Art stressed the three key reasons for the importance of creativity in our music and art classes – to introduce students to artistic process, to build their self-awareness and self-confidence, and to help them find their unique artistic voice.

All of those in attendance lamented the current state of education that emphasizes didactic approaches, memorization and test performance. We all agreed that such traditional approaches to education are more a source of anxiety for kids than of learning. We pondered together how to move the current culture of education forward, from the darkness of a system that focuses on performance and competition, into the light of a future where creativity and new ideas are prized. I think parents everywhere are pondering these same things. Read more →

How to Inspire Your Child’s Creative Genius

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Young children are creative dynamos. They surpass adults in their openness to possibility and their willingness to explore without fear. If you give toddlers a drum they immediately create rhythms on it; if you give them paint and a brush they instantaneously drip and rub and mix. In my experience, when most adults sit down in the same kind of open-ended situation, they worry about what they are supposed to do.

Toddlers and preschoolers do not share that worry. They are unmistakably ‘in the moment’. They don’t yet have a firm understanding of the past or the future. While this may present challenges for parenting, it uniquely situates the child for exploration of art and music. As Picasso said “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” Read more →

The Eight Best Ways for Children to Learn About Music

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Ever since researchers discovered that fetuses respond to sound in the sixth month of pregnancy, there have been those in the baby biz that have tried to capitalize on this information. New parents have been manipulated to feel that they need to engage in some sort of special stimulation of their unborn child to build a ‘better’ baby. Or once born, parents feel compelled to buy special CDs and music videos that purport to make their baby smarter. And through my experience as a music educator I know that many parents worry if their child doesn’t start playing an instrument at three years old they will somehow fail to develop to their full potential. Nothing could be further from the truth. Read more →

The Event 2015

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Tuesday, March 3
7 pm – 11 pm

Tribeca Rooftop
2 Desbrosses Street

Harvey Keitel and Daphna Kastner, Artist Chairs
Danielle Elder, Event Chair

Honoring
Michael Dorf, CEO and Founder, City Winery
Honorable Margaret Chin, New York City Council Member District 1

Special performance by KT Tunstall

cocktails . . . dinner . . . silent auction . . . musical performances . . . dancing . . . support the arts . . .

Click here to learn how you can purchase a table or become a sponsor of this event .

Click here to Donate an auction item to this event.

SuperStar Table $20,000
Listing & verbal mention, table for 10 w/ prime stage positioning.

Platinum Rock Star tabLe $10,000
Listing & verbal mention, table for 10 w/ prime seating.

Gold Rock Star tabLe $5,000
Listing & verbal mention, table for 10.

Silver rock star table $3,000
Listing & verbal mention, table for 10.

Rock Star duet $1000
Listing & verbal mention, 2 tickets to event.

Couple Admission $500

Single Admission $250

Please call 212.571.7290 to purchase tickets