Tunes for Tots

NORWALK — On Monday, April 20, Jody Chaffee from the Firelands Symphony Orchestra, presented a musical program called "Tunes for Tots" which is fully funded by The Sam S. and Rose Stein Foundation. This program introduces preschoolers to music education and fosters a desire to learn more about music as they grow. Jody began the program by introducing a book to the students called "This Jazz Man" by Karen Ehrhardt. During the reading of this book, the children got to perform a series of hand motions to go along with the story. This book introduces the preschoolers to the idea of jazz music at the most basic level. The story concluded with the students performing their own jazz scat rhythm. A live concert for the children was performed by Jody using the following instruments: piccolo, flute, oboe, clarinet and saxophone. She explained the difference and sounds each instrument made. Before the concert began, Jody taught the principles of audience conduct and the preschoolers were a perfect audience. Next, the students got to perform on wooden frogs and rubbed a wooden stick up their backs to make a croaking sound on the frogs. Jody had eight frogs of various sizes for the children to play. The preschoolers were so excited to hear all of the frogs crocking at one time, they thought they were near a pond. At the very last activity, the preschoolers all had the chance to go around a table and play 17 different types of music makers. Some of these music makers were: a rain stick, goat's toenails, a steel drum, a xylophone, spoons, a tambourine, a maraca and nut shells, to name a few. A special performance was given by the students to Jody Chaffee by them playing their xylophones for her. They played "Mary had a Little Lamb" and she recognized the song!