I had zealously pursued my degree in journalism, and didn’t want to be bothered with such a trivial course. But the day in that class that they played Smetana’s The Moldau, I was spellbound, replete with chills that coursed up and down my skin in time with the trills of the violins. A door opened for me that day, one that I had not realized existed, even though I’d taken violin and piano lessons for years. It was a door that opened up onto the power of creativity and the beauty and meaning of music.

Now, as a parent, I know that I have a great responsibility to help my children find that door too. At the very least, I have a deep-seated hope that they’ll have that epiphanic moment, the true awakening their creative juices. I, like other parents, teach them piano, expose them to good music in a variety of genres, and try creative tips like these offered by other moms who are successfully teaching their kids about music. A few more helpful tips were provided at a MomItForward Twitter Girls’ Night Out, sponsored by Quaker, a few months ago.

6 Tips for Strengthening a Kid’s Music Education

1. Plug into free online homeschool music teaching resources, some of which you can find just by googling.
2. Find out about the lives of the people that compose, write, or play the music you want your kids to learn. Gretta Johns of @TheJohnsFamily plays the piano and has 10-year-old and 7-year-old girls that play violin, a six year-old son that plays drum, and a husband that plays the guitar and mandolin. She says her kids learning about the artists has brought the music to life for them. AllMusic.com can be a good resource for this, says @Creep4Ward.
3. Know or make up stories to go with the music, if there are no vocals, says our own @jylmomIF. For instance, the Moldau portrays the course of a river.
4. Check out Quaver Music or Pfeiffer House Music, music curriculums for parents, both of which Gretta highly recommends.
5. Show examples of how “practice makes perfect,” says @jylmomIF, who adds: “Offer incentives. Validate a ton!”
6. Be consistent in your practice expectations, but provide your kids’ opportunities for choice, whether in song selection or reward.

 What is your favorite type of music? What are you doing to expose your children to good music?

5 Tips for Incorporating Music Learning Into Home Life

1. Play “Family Idol.” Staci Salazar, aka popular MomItForward tweeter @7onashoestring, says when they do this, they have one kid perform at a time, the others act as a judge, and the only rule is that only positive feedback can be offered. She should know how “Idol” works; she recently took a friend to “American Idol” to try out. This was their experience:
   
2. Make a big deal of their home performances by having tickets, making popcorn, putting up “red carpet” and other simple props bought at the party store, etc. @cafesmom recommends this.
3. Expose your kids to Zydeco music. It is easy enough for us to expose our children to many different types of music, and encourage them to gain their own taste (within the boundaries you set), but Zydeco is a type of uniquely American folk music that can broaden their horizons even more. It’s suggested by @cedarhillmom.
4. Check out Pandora free internet kids’ radio, recommended by @m_mduncan, to discover new bands. Also, consider using sites like Grooveshark.com (recommended by @thetattoedtype) and Playlist.com for free access to specific songs and customizable playlists.
5. Encourage them to put together a performance. If you are comfortable with it, and your kids possess enough skill and are old enough, consider letting them put together an actual performance, taping it, and putting it up on YouTube or your own blog.

What are your children’s natural talents? What ideas do you have for helping them develop their natural abilities? How can you introduce them to new opportunities that will best bring out their talents?

Children can use the included matching ring and bracelet to magically unlock effects: kids hit those soaring high notes with ease, hear their voices echo across the stadium and transform into a rocking robot as the crowd cheers in amazement! Use the built-in MP3 input jack to connect to an MP3 player and sing along to your child’s favorite tracks, or unplug and go solo- everyone is a star!

The following are some key features of the Mic:

• Echo-Tastic Voice Effect
• Hi-Note Voice Effect
• Robot-Riffic Voice Effect
• Drum Roll Sound Effect
• Crowd Cheering Sound Effect

The Voice Rockrz Mic allows kids to tap into the magic and have fun with the music they love!

Party Topic

Join Voice Rockrz and our panel of parents as we discuss music education. The party will be held on Monday, September 19 from 9-11 p.m. ET (8CT, 7MT, 6PT). Click here to see details about the giveaway and enter for a chance to win.

Party Details

• What: Girls’ Night Out (#gno) Twitter party (Click here to learn about #gno!)
• When: Monday, September 19 from 9-11 p.m. EST (8 CT, 7 MT, & 6 PT)
• Where: Party with us on our very own Custom Tweetgrid! (Use hashtags #gno and #VoiceRockrz)
• Topic: Music Education
• Who: Brand Panelist: @VoiceRockrz, Community Panelists: @c2cmom @jenrab @scrappinmichele @littletechgirl @7onashoestring @cafesmom, Moderators: @jylmomIF @Dadventurous @troypattee @MomItForward
• Party Favors: Click here to enter the giveaway.
• RSVP: Use Mr. Linky below (enter the twitter URL and your twitter ID (e.g., http://twitter.com/jylmomIF).

RT @MomItForward Join the @VoiceRockrz #gno Twitter party 9/19 (9-11 ET) about music education http://bit.ly/q2UVJ0 #VoiceRockrz PLS RT

Note: Mom It Forward accepts paid sponsorships for most #gno Twitter parties. During the parties, brand sponsors provide tips, techniques, expert advice, and information on party topics. Mom It Forward is grateful for the giveaway prizes, coupons, and discounts that sponsors also provide to the Mom It Forward community in conjunction with #gno Twitter parties.

I am the mom. And during the holidays this means I orchestrate the chaos, the Christmas concerts, and the holiday recitals. I bring home the gingerbread men and frost them too! I make giant lists of the must haves for each kid from video game gadgets to the latest teen girl boots. I make sure the stockings are hung, strung and filled will the trinkets kids lack. And like a mind reader I materialize the exact item my husband most wants under the tree.

I spend extra time thoughtfully shopping for teacher gifts and volunteering my time at local charities and events. What’s that? You need me to bake 2 dozen cookies for the neighborhood cookie exchange? Of course! I’m your girl! I donate cash to group office parties and I buy the obligatory secretary gifts (for my husband). Wait, almost forgot the boss’s annual white elephant gift exchange. What to buy for that? One more trip to the store.

I buy eggnog and research the best recipe for make-ahead Christmas breakfast ideas. And after tucking in sugarplums on Christmas eve I dash off to wrap mountains of gifts and goodies, eat 1/3 of the Santa cookies  (not a morsel more) and then lie down in my kerchief for a long winter’s snore.

Here’s what I’d like to know?

After all this running, wrapping, and preparing, why am I always the last to get the good stuff?

Two years ago my oldest kid got a small speaker box for her iPod. It lives in her room. Last year my husband was surprised by a very nice sound system wrapped with care. And that resides at his office. Where else?

Shhhh! I’ll share a secret. This year I’m going to sit on fat old Santa’s lap and just once request: a rockin’ tunes speaker system for my kitchen! That’s right. For me—mom! I’m dying to dance along to my favorite Brandi Carlile song while chopping broccoli. I’d like to have John Schmidt’s piano music on soft while paying the bills in my home office. I want an alarm clock that wakes me up to my own chosen 80s playlist.

I want my music, my way!

And I have good news.
My Stocking will NOT be empty this year.

Altec Lansing has agreed to let me test drive the Octiv Duo. I barely had to whine. Apparently, I’m not on the Naughty list!

X

Share a groove! The Octiv™ Duo’s dual docks let two devices charge and rock together via their FREE Music Mix app.

Finally, I can have the family iTouch playing our Christmas playlist and I can switch over to my Android based cell phone and blast Pandora with my favorite musician de jour!

I’ll be in the kitchen making my famous pumpkin roll and dancing a little jig if you need me…

Stock images via ShutterStock.com.

Entry Requirements

To enter, you are required to do two things:

1. Leave a comment, including your e-mail address.
2. Post these messages on Facebook and on Twitter:
   

   Going 2 @BlogHer in Chicago? RSVP 4 @BowlHer ’09 party—Sat 7/25, 8 pm @ http://bowlher.com. PLS RT

   Enter to Win @lifetimetv’s Summer GIVEAWAY Sweepstakes @ http://bit.ly/LcXKd PLS RT

Extra Entries

Take advantage of all the many fun ways to earn extra entries this week. Leave an additional comment for each.

• Join the BowlHer ’09 Facebook Fan Page!
• Subscribe to the Mom It Forward Newsletter.
• Join the Mom It Forward Friend Connect (in right sidebar).
• Join the Mom It Forward Flickr Group.
• Join the Mom It Forward Facebook Group!
• Click here to join the Mom It Forward Facebook Page. (This is different than the group!)
• Request an Invite to the Mom It Forward Linkedin Group.
• Take the Summer of Service Challenge this week and comment on that post.

The Fine Print

I spent part of my childhood in Zimbabwe and feel a great affinity for the country, its culture and its people.  SOS Children’s Villages is a remarkable charity that supports children who have been abandoned or orphaned (often through AIDS) and integrates them into a loving family environment.  They are nurtured and supported by an SOS ‘Mother’ and other children in their SOS home, who become their SOS brothers and sisters.  SOS Children’s Villages has expanded to almost 500 villages in 132 countries. It’s now the world’s largest orphan and abandoned children’s charity; in Zimbabwe alone, there are three villages that are helping children to build their own future.

When it came time to release my album I wanted to try and involve this wonderful charity somehow in our plans. By allowing people to host a widget on their own page or blog, every time someone buys the album, $1 is donated by my record label, S-Curve, in the host’s name to SOS (or one of the other charities on my website).  I feel very privileged to have my songs released, but most importantly it has allowed me an opportunity to try and support children in a country that holds so many wonderful childhood memories for me and has served as inspiration for some of my music. I cannot thank you enough for your time and support. Oh, and I hope you enjoy the album too!

(If you’d like to support the Discover & Donate program, click “share” on the widget below, and click to publicize it to your online friends.)

Lots of people dream of writing the Great American Novel. When I first heard demos of Diane Birch’s songs, I realized she had the potential to record the Great American Album—and I signed her immediately. There was something simultaneously intimate and epic about Diane’s songs; something completely fresh and contemporary, yet utterly timeless. These songs mined so many of the richest veins of America’s popular musical heritage: from New Orleans R&B to Brooklyn doowop; from the Brill Building to 70’s Southern California singer-songwriters; from southern gospel to Philly soul; from the Velvet Underground to the Carpenters.

And so we set out to construct an album that would be worthy of such ambitious architecture, that would bring these songs to life in the manner they so richly deserved. Diane, co-producer Mike Mangini and I headed down to New Orleans and did some sessions with the great George Porter Jr. of the Meters on bass and the mind-blowing Stanton Moore on drums and percussion. That clanky rhythmic sound you hear on “Valentino”? That’s Stanton banging his drumsticks against a metal police barrier we dragged in from Piety Street. Back in New York, we enlisted the Patti Smith Group’s legendary guitarist Lenny Kaye, whose playing skills are rivaled only by his encyclopedic knowledge of  all things pop, and  bassist Adam Blackstone of the Roots, who brought on the funk. Miami soul queen Betty Wright was enlisted to produce Diane’s vocals, reuniting Mike, Betty and I as producers on our first album together since the first two Joss Stone albums.

Having laid down the foundation, we added glorious touches, such as the great tenor background vocals of Eugene Pitt, of the long-ago doowop group the Jive Five, and falsetto master Michael Longoria, who played the Frankie Valli role in Jersey Boys. We recorded a string quartet led by former Klezmatics violinist Alicia Svigals; and for horns, we brought in our old friend Tom “Bones” Malone, who showed up with Lenny Pickett and several other great players, alternately channeling the grit of southern soul and the sophistication of Bacharach-esque pop. For good measure, we even threw in a 30-piece orchestra on a couple of songs. And—why not?—a gospel choir.

But at the heart of it all were Diane’s brilliant songs, her incredible lead and background vocals and her virtuouso keyboard skills. She played everything from piano to Rhodes to Farfisa, and even played guitar on a song called “Forgiveness.” Among such esteemed company as her storied sidemen, it’s Diane who commands your attention for every moment of “Bible Belt”—an album title that reflects the intellectual struggles and theological evolution experienced by this daughter of a traveling preacher.

The “Bible Belt” album to me also functions on another level: As a love letter to the very idea of the record album itself—a form that has become, in recent years, an endangered species. And yet, that’s how Bible Belt is intended to be heard: Straight through, as an album with a beginning, middle and end. We hope that’s how we hope you’ll listen to it.

Regarding the Discover & Donate campaign, we put this together for several reasons.  We wanted to offer something special to the people who committed to discover Diane’s music early on.  But rather than doing something typical, we thought it would be nice to make a widget to help people easily spread the word about Diane’s music via their blogs or social network pages and have an added incentive to give a little something back.  That’s why for anyone who makes purchase through the Discover & Donate widget, we’ll donate $1 to that charity.

Diane spent part of her life growing up in Zimbabwe and was drawn to support SOS Children’s charity.  With so many issues in our world today, we thought that adding other additional charity involvement would allow those who want to spread the word, be able to promote a cause they also feel strongly about, too.  We know that it’s just a small sampling of all the many great causes but hopefully, there’s something relatable to most people in the charitable choices.

Just $6.99 for 13 spectacular songs, and an opportunity to help a good cause while you’re at it. I’d call that a win-win.

Steve Greenberg is Founder and CEO of NY-based S-Curve Records as well as Chairman of social media platform Nabbr.  Having held many posts throughout his music career, including President of Columbia Records, Steve’s achievements include producing Joss Stone’s first two platinum albums, discovering teen sensation Hanson and wing a Grammy Award in 2001 for “Best Dance Recording” for the mega-hit “Who Let The Dogs Out”

Steve is currently promoting his latest musical talent, soul-stirring songstress Diane Birch whose debut album Bible Belt he produced.

• Commit to do one act of kindness each week based on the week’s challenge.
• Leave a comment with ideas relating to the week’s challenge as well as your experience(s) performing it.
• Grab the SOS button at the bottom of this post and put it on your blog or social networking site.
• Enter to win each week’s giveaway. Check out this week’s music-related giveaway by clicking here.
• Join #gno to connect with other Mom It Forward moms about the challenge.

10 Ways to Make a Difference This Week

Here are 10 music-related ideas that will make a meaningful difference this week!

1. Teach your children your three favorite childhood songs. Perform them for others.
2. Play an instrument with your child or sign your child up for music lessons.
3. Share your musical talent(s) with others—to friends or family, over the phone or skype to loved ones that live far away, to strangers: at a nursing home or to a homeless person.
4. Dedicate a song on the radio, on Twitter, on Facebook, or on your blog to someone you care about.
5. Share the gift of music with someone by sending them an iTunes gift card, a CD, etc.
6. Find out your dad’s 10 favorite songs, download, and burn them onto a CD for him for Father’s day.
7. Send a loved one a letter/message with the words to a song that sums up your feelings for him/her.
8. Set a great tone in your home by playing music in the background.
9. Make up stories about classical music (or other wordless songs) and tell them to your children as the music is playing.
10. Dance with your children!

This week’s SOS Challenge is sponsored by Diane Birch and S-Curve Records. What else can you do to Make Some Music? How has Making Some Music for others made a meaningful difference this week?

<br /><center><a href=”http://momitforward.com/” mce_href=”http://momitforward.com/” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv43/momitforward/sos-125.png” mce_src=”http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv43/momitforward/sos-125.png” alt=”Service,Giving,Mom It Forward” border=”0″ /></a></center>

• What: Girl’s Night Out (What’s GNO? Click here to find out!)
• When: Tuesday, June 2, 9-11 p.m. EDT
• Where: Tweet Grid (use #gno hashtag)
  
• Topic: Music
• Who: @dianebirch , @steviegpro
  
• RSVP: Enter your twitter URL/ID in the list below (e.g., http://twitter.com/jyl_momIF). If you would like to include your blog, please enter it next to your name. Make sure to include your twitter URL in the URL line. Please do not enter your blog URL there.

Remember to enter to win this week’s giveaway—an iPhone 8GB, a $50 iTunes gift card, and an autographed Diane Birch CD. Click here for details. Check out the widget here.

Giveaway Prizes

Three winners will be randomly selected to win one of these prizes:

• Grand Prize: iPhone 8GB, 2 Diane Birch concert tickets, an autographed Diane Birch CD
• First Place Prize: $50 iTunes gift card and autographed Diane Birch CD
• Second Place Prize: Autographed Diane Birch CD

Entry Requirements

To enter to win, you are required to do the following two things and leave a comment on this post by Monday, June 8 at midnight EDT, including a link to your blog or social networking site, your e-mail address, and information about your extra entries, if applicable:

1. Write a post on your blog or social networking site about the concept behind the Discover and Donate widget.
2. Post the Discover and Donate widget on your blog or social networking site.

To receive extra entries (for a total of three extra entries):

• Tweet about this giveaway, including this link: http://www.dianebirch.com/charity/index.php.
• Click here to join the Mom It Forward Facebook group.
• Post about this giveaway on your Facebook wall, including this link: http://www.dianebirch.com/charity/index.php.

The Fine Print

No purchase necessary to enter this giveaway. Winners will be selected randomly through http://random.org. Family members of Diane Birch, S-Curve Records employees, One2One Network, and the Mom It Forward team are ineligible to participate. All entries received after Monday, June 8 at midnight EDT will not be considered. Entries that do not follow all of the entry requirements will not be considered.