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t % 4 thelit 11111s m; P- J. .k!U... lkM au, wiuu uu uiiuuicii in uic Columbia area have on such musical greats as Mozart and Beethoven? They too are starting their musical careers at an early age with guidance from the USC Children's Music Development Center. Hey, you never know who will be able to write the next "Moonlight Sonata." It could be a toddler. Imagine that. stay tyjesaea nash ]?oto?y robot \\altai 4 Pi Un SP Flc So Inc SIGN UP TQ XIVV The mere mention of "musical training" might conjure up memories of involuntary piano lessons. Yet, children younger than a year old are receiving early exposure to music now at USC, and learning it like a native language. The Children's Music Development Center, under the direction of Wendy Valerio, offers classes that guide children up to five years of age through musical development. Through exposure to songs, music and rhythm games, the program aims to give children a vocabulary of tonal and rhythm patterns. Its ultimate goal roudly Sp liversi i a ORTS: >or Hockey ftball Joor Soccer <3?.cea,io"8/ /V . IDAY | *cwxd f*" NIRSA Endorse ET u a to is not to develop prodigies, but to ensure children can enjoy music as they grow up. "Children are like sponges, and the best way for them to learn music is as if it's a native language," said Valerio, an early childhood music education specialist. "Music potential is developmental until age 9, and we need to tap it before then." Parents are encouraged to attend with their children. "We want to help parents understand music development, so that families can have music together," Valerio said. Parents can reinforce each child's lonsors li ty of! fTtitihh ENTRIES PL Thursday, Fi Thursday, F< Friday, Mar See Your Intramural Recreational Department id ;c. ... ^ > ^ . *. -* X x > . ^llpiPglK Wendy Valerio (above, left) chats Feelings (above, right) and daughl months) looks on. Elizabeth Kent ( personal pitch and tempo, just as they would with language, according to Valerio. They don't need to be musical, though. Their attendance is also necessary, as some of the participants are not even a year old. The center will hold classes once a week from Jan. 15 to March 29, and the nnnwin AAnin &QPZ Av\m UUUldC UUolo *pou. urnuicu icuignig uuin newborn to 5 years old can participate. A typical class for the youngest participants turns music into a toy. Instructors, including Valerio and graduate student Nancy Wells, chant rhythmical phrases over and over, letting the children absorb sounds. They facilitate ilvomniMi hi ainui ci South \ 1L PL eb 1 Su _ I o r eo o ou 1 Tu< Dial 1 and S JT more involved, vaieno goes rnrougn ner memory bank of songs in all tonalities and meters. About 30 different activities are covered in the 45 minutes of the class. No instruments are used, just voice and body. Valerio likes to call this exposure "music vitamins." When the instructors get a vocal response, they improvise around it. I Sports A Caroli AY BEGINS: inday, Feb 4 inday, Feb 11 esday, March 1 I-800-C0 ave Up to Tuesday, January 23, 1996 if mm m bout music, while Diane Johnsonto music with Malaika Wilson (14 a trampoline. "We like to play off the kids' responses?what they sing back to us," Valerio said. "As we improvise, we guide each child through a tonal and rhythmic vocabulary," she said. Parents learn any response to music from the children is a good one. The course is not designed to produce little Pachelbel's, but if the instructors detect some major talent, they let the parents know and recommend further instruction. "Basically, we're tapping a new population for musical guidance. We want children to develop a musical vocabulary so they can enjoy music later on in their lives," Valerio said. I 03 O CD 3 GO L_ QJ C "O Q> .2 u CD Ql O H o3 it i na 1 (A 75 o CD O c 03 GO '-a CB c o k. o LL 2 LLECT 44% ''j ^ ? MH i with Elizabeth Kent (19 months) a :er Niani Feelings (12 months) listen below, left) diligently crawls across i movement games between child and parent Parents might hold their children while dancing, for instance. It's good to let the child see the parent dance to music," Valerio said. Classes for the older children are