Creating a Musical Culture Through Appropriate Follow-Up
The Da-di teaching method could be marketed to teachers wherever the initial "Lullabies" recording has been sold to parents a few years before. The marketing plan could be progressive, targeting older children after a period of several years:
Year 1, etc. Ads to parents of newborns- CD-1 "Lullabies"; toy keyboard; DVD "Up and Down"
Year 2, etc. Musical mothers become consultants, selling materials to other mothers, organizing parties, CD2 "Teaching Your Child" begins to take off more, a second printing is done of it.
Year 3, etc. Parents of toddlers and preschoolers, daycare centers- CDs 2 and 3; DVD "Up and Down"
Year 4, etc. Homeschoolers, pre-school teachers- CDs 2, 3, and 4; parent-books; home-books; various videos
Year 5, etc. Music teachers, both private studios as well as school teachers; choir directors-
teacher-books; class-books
We might find audio-visual demonstrations on television to be the most effective way to advertise the materials at the outset. After that, supporting the word of mouth advertising, the 'networking' of parents and teachers, seems to be the best plan. Both 'micro' and 'macro' marketing need to be considered with a view toward 'localizing' and 'culturizing' the method with parent-teacher networks. Homeshoolers already have networks to tap into now, but other networks will also form around this as well.
This might take off in a big way fairly quickly, if packaged and marketed well. Those who support the effort, however, should be ready for slow growth. This is not a quick money business venture. It is an investment in the actual development of a musical child-rearing culture. This is an effort to prepare children for vocal music reading classes and to educate parents in how to prepare their children, so as to create a future market for printed vocal music, encouraging publishers and composers, and broadening the base of support and appreciation for quality musical institutions, not just as museums or enclaves of musical tradition, but as lively and relevant expressions of a living, participatory musical culture.
With the recordings might come a list of complimentary recordings of folk music, church songs and classical music. Well tuned recordings of early music should be especially recommended. Early music is better for the 'singing ear' (amatuer involvment)than the music of later periods, which evolved toward a greater sophistication of 'the listening ear'(concert music by professional musicians). In a very broad way, the history of Western Music represents a kind of pitch development like that of the development of the child to the adult.
I hope that my stylized songs will be used for teaching both in churches and in public schools. The songs are excellent preparation for reading Rennaisance music, typically written in half note pulse. Rennaisance music is excellent training for children's choirs and youth choirs. In certain respects the Rennaisance style is more friendly to the singer than the music of later periods.
What are some of the possible fruits of a musical child-rearing and amatuer vocal music reading culture? Musical sensitivity, resulting in a greater sensitivity to the cultural-structural ideals that nobler musical structures evoke. People drawn together in families, people drawn together in churches, people drawn together in communities; people more culturally aware, alive, sensitive, compassionate, and intellectually competent; people able to coordinate and balance right brain feminine "intuition" with left brain masculine "rationality". Better understanding between the sexes. Men who understand and honor feminine insights. Women who understand and honor male responsibilities. People able to analyze their feelings. People able to relate their belief system to more than just a few issues. People less judgmental and more practically helpful in correcting others. People more aware of subtle matters of discernment for decision-making and law-making. People more aware of their neighbor and of the interrelatedness of economic and community life. A more noble minded people, visionary and active in practical good works. A more empowered and blessed people. A people with 'ears to hear.'
Scott McClain received his BM in Church Music and MM in Composition from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. He served for thirteen years playing piano and directing choirs for churches. He has studied with Helen Kemp, Sue Ellen Page, James Litton, and John Bertalot. He is currently living in Mesilla, New Mexico.
Not a business plan
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Christian Concert Music and...
Why such simple material?
Kodaly is cool
Bertalot is cool
Progressive listening and later teaching
Why Da-di songs will work
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Email: smc.94@hotmail.com
