My five-year-old son likes to ask questions.
Sometimes they drive me absolutely bonkers. But there are other times where I truly enjoy them. My favorites always relate to music whether it’s my favorite song, who the artist is, or even what instruments are playing. But the one question that has filled me with the greatest pride and joy is when he asked if he could play the cello.
In our family, playing an instrument was a given. I grew up playing the french horn and singing as a soprano. My father-in-law, a piano teacher and professional cello and accordion teacher, taught my husband to play piano. Music plays a large role in our backgrounds whether through my Mexican roots, my husband’s rich classical music knowledge, or even at church where we sing historically rich hymns.
Still, I never pushed my son to play any instrument. I never even asked if he wanted to play anything, at least, not until he got older. So how was I even considering raising the next Yo-Yo Ma at such a young age? Long before my son asked to play cello, I wanted to him to be like this world class musician.
But why?
There are many studies on how music exposure affects the minds of young children. I didn’t obsess over this when I was pregnant with him, but the second he was born, I sang and hummed all sorts of songs. From Tchaikovsky to Imagine Dragons to John Williams to Journey … our playlist had no end! While he may enjoy the usual kid fare like “Wheels on the Bus”, he definitely sang along to the newest Twenty-One Pilots hit or even hummed one of Dvorak’s many classical pieces.
Yo-Yo Ma is more than just a musician. He’s done more for the classical music world than any other musician we know. For example, his work with the Silk Road Ensemble shows just how much he wants the world to come together over music artistry. He’s gone above and beyond the stereotypical stuffy classical music musician and created something magical. He’s united cultures and generations with his music.
And this is exactly what I wanted to teach my young son:
I wanted him to appreciate and love music for its ability to bring people together.
So now he plays cello. And sometimes it’s a little hard to get him to practice. Sometimes it’s a little boring. He may or may not continue playing cello. But for right now, this is a gift that I treasure. And I have Yo-Yo Ma’s influence to thank for that.
What a great point about music. It transcends age, language, gender, culture, etc. It truly brings others together. I loved your post, Neidy!