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Music to Their Tiny Ears
By Bobbie Bagel
May/June 2021
 A lively CHIMES class on the Marston House lawn, Spring 2021. Photo by Robert Veres |
There is singing and clapping and plenty of smiles on the Marston House lawn.
Blankets and strollers are carefully spaced apart under the shade of the giant California live oak tree.
The class for babies, toddlers, and young children has just begun. First there's a "good morning" song. Then they sing the "do re mi" scales accompanied by the chimes of a toy xylophone. First, they follow an average tempo, then go very, very fast, then very, very slow. Next comes the wooden rhythm sticks. Each child has a set and the beat goes on. The 45-minute class is fast-paced and diverse to keep the children interested. And you can tell by the expressions on their faces that they really enjoy it.
For six weekly sessions in April and May, on Wednesdays and Fridays, the San Diego Symphony sponsors their CHIMES Program. The Childhood Introduction for Music Education, with Smiles (CHIMES) is a wonderfully innovative approach specifically for infants, toddlers, and children 5 and younger. So popular, every session quickly sold out. The organizers added an extra set of classes to accommodate the demand.
The talented teachers use hands-on play with instruments, singing, movement, rhythm activities, and more. The children participate with a parent. This series has a theme: "Surf, Sun, and Fun." There are lots of songs and activities about being out of doors, perfect for the grounds of the Marston House.
It is a pleasure to have these events on site. SOHO is encouraging partnerships with Balboa Park organizations, like this one with the San Diego Youth Symphony. It brings people to the Marston House "Park within a Park." We think it is just what Mary Marston had in mind when she gifted the house and its five acres of lawns and gardens to the City of San Diego for use by its residents.
To instill the love of music in a child is a great gift. And who knows how many eager young musicians will have gotten their very first inspiration on the Marston House lawn under the tall Canary Island pine trees and that old giant oak.
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