Music

We really liked Seattle-based songwriter, performer, and music educator Brian Vogan's CD Little Songs. Filled with well-crafted songs for both children, it had a great indie-rock/folk vibe that appealed to parents as well.

We recently received a review copy of Brian's latest effort, Sing a Little Song, in which he performs with his band, his Good Buddies (who just happen to be a number of noteworthy Seattle-area musicians). A worthy successor to Little Songs, Sing a Little Song features a dozen cheerful tracks that share the previous album's nods to indie rock, world music, folk, jazz, and, well, just about any musical style you can think of. The CD's themes of course deal with subjects that children care about—including frogs, dinosaurs, vehicles, and space travel—but the catchy songs definitely appeal to music lovers of all ages.

Now that summer break is almost over, it’s once again time to sign up the kids for fall classes. One thing my kids really enjoy are music programs. They love to sing and dance to the music and play the different instruments offered. We’ve tried a few different classes around Marin and the North Bay, and really like the Kindermusik programs offered here in Novato by Music with Melissa and the Mary Ann Hall's Music for Children. Regardless of which program you choose, there is a music class for every child from newborn to grade school.

If you’re thinking of getting your child involved in a music class, then now’s the time to sign up. Many classes have begun or resume their sessions in the next few weeks. Here’s an updated list we’ve put together of a variety of local music programs and classes. If we’ve left out your favorite class then please let us know, or, better yet, leave a comment and tell everyone why you and your kids love it!

Kindermusik

• Classes in Novato
  Ages: infant to 4 years
  Piano lessons for ages 5 to 9
  www.musicwithmelissa.com
• Classes in Mill Valley
  Ages: newborn to 3 years
  www.babybirdsmusic.com

Little Music Makers

• Classes in San Rafael, at the Parent's Center (inside Heller's for Children)
  Ages: infant to 2 years
  www.theparentscenter.com

Mary Ann Hall’s Music For Children

• Classes in Mill Valley, Novato, Ross, San Rafael
  For ages toddler to 7 years
  www.musicforchildrenca.com/

This summer we made time to plant a vegetable garden in the backyard. It's something the children immediately wanted to help with, perhaps due to the eternal mystique of playing in the dirt, and we were happy to accomodate them. We haven't seen any veggies yet—we got a bit of a late start since we moved at the end of June—but the tomatoes, radishes, sunflowers, herbs, etc. are growing like crazy, even with the cool weather we've been having.

It’s time again for the Marin County Fair at the Marin County Fairgrounds in San Rafael, near the Marin Civic Center. This theme for this 64th fair is "Going Global—Connecting Cultures". Highlights include a Global Stage with entertainment from around the world, a Global Village in the Exhibition Hall, a Global Kitchen where you can experience local and international foods, and more.

Of course there are also the more traditional fair offerings like farm animals and Hambone Express pig racing in the barnyard, 28 free (with fair admission) carnival rides, the 21st annual Creatures and Models exhibit (with appearances by the ever-popular Imperial Storm Troopers of the Golden Gate Garrison), concerts, fine arts, bonsai, and of course the nightly fireworks display.

This year's Marin County Fair runs from Thursday, July 1 through Monday, July 5, 11 am to 11 pm daily.

This summer the Osher Marin Jewish Community Center presents its Summer Nights series of outdoor concerts, movies, and entertainment at its campus in San Rafael. Bring a picnic, your blanket, low-backed lawn chairs, and dancing shoes—there's fun for the whole family! Beer, wine, non-alcoholic drinks, and snacks will be available for purchase, and there's a playground available for supervised play and the art room will be open for coloring fun.

This summer's outdoor concert lineup features Steve Lucky & The Rhumba Bums (this Saturday, June 19), Nigerian Brothers West African Highlife Band (July 10), Sambaguru featuring Katia Morales (July 17), Los Pinguos (July 31), and Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie (Auguest 7). All concerts start at 7 pm; doors open at 6:15 pm, and there's a dance lesson at 6:40 pm.

Concert tickets are $20 for JCC members, and $25 for the general public. Kids 6–17 are $5, and children 5 and under are free.

Also offered as part of Summer Nights is "So Much More than a Movie," a film series featuring a family-friendly movie, a live performance, and fun on the playground. On June 26, take in a performance by 'Til Dawn, Marin's teen a capella sensation, and a screening of the classic Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. June 24 features Shrek II and a performance by family entertainer, comedian, and juggler Unique Derique. The series closes on August 14 with a screening of the animated feature An American Tail with a performance by Marin's favorite family musician, Tim Cain.

Get ready to dance in the aisles at the Marin Symphony Family Concert, taking place on Saturday, May 8 at 3 pm in the Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium at Marin Center in San Rafael. The theme of this family-friendly concert is “Once Upon a Symphony”. The great poems, tales, and stories of childhood come to musical life in this one-hour concert introducing children to the sights and sounds of orchestral music. KDFC radio host Hoyt Smith narrates a program featuring Ravel’s Ma Mere L’Oie (Mother Goose), Dukas’ setting of Goethe’s poem The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, excepts from the Harry Potter film scores by John Williams, plus much more. The symphony's traditional "instrument petting zoo" follows.

If you haven’t been to one of the Marin Symphony’s Family Concerts yet, you really owe it to yourself to check one out. We've attended them and had a great time. As an added bonus, they were able to try out orchestra instruments at the "instrument petting zoo" in the Marin Center’s Redwood Foyer after the concert, which was really neat.
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The Marin Music Chest has launched its annual scholarship audition program in its ongoing effort to provide financial support to Marin County students studying classical music. Students studying wind and string instruments, piano and voice are encouraged to appl, and all scholarship applicants must be residents of Marin County for a minimum of two years and have at least two years of music study prior to the audition.

Junior Division instrumentalists must be between 10 and 13 years old and vocalists between 14 and 16. The Junior Division application deadline is February 12, 2010, and auditions will be held March 13, 2010. Senior Division instrumentalists must be between 14 and 19 years of age and vocalists between 17 and 24. The Senior Division application deadline is February 26, 2010 and auditions will be held on March 27, 2010.

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It seems that there's a new hip and cool kids' music act born every minute. This is actually a good thing, since it means that there's plenty of quality music out there that not only appeals to the little ones but to their parents as well. At the forefront of this movement is former '80s rocker Dan Zanes. Once a member of the Del Fuegos, Zanes has since turned his sights on realm of music for children and their parents. He's been successful at it, too, winning a Grammy in 2007 for his album Catch That Train! You've probably seen his videos in rotation on the Disney Channel's Playhouse Disney between shows (if not, you can check them out here).

Anyhow, Dan Zanes and Friends are currently on tour and plan on making not one, not two, but three appreances at UC Berkeley's Zellerbach Hall, as part of the Cal Performances Family Fare series. Special pricing for these shows means that children ages 16 and under are half-price for all performances; normal ticket prices are $16 or $26. Dan Zanes and Friends performs two shows on Saturday, March 6, at 11 am and 4 pm, and another show on Sunday, March 7, at 3 pm. Order tickets online at www.calperfs.berkeley.edu or call (510) 642-9988.