February 15, 2007
In our home we delight in the wonderful gift of music that God has given to us. Throughout the Psalms we are instructed to sing praises to the Lord and to play skillfully on instruments. (Psalm 33:3) In the New Testament we are exhorted to make melody in our hearts to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:19) These are the scriptural goals of music and it has been a joy over the years to do many musical things throughout our day. In our home, there have been three areas we have applied music … a well-trained mind, a well-trained heart and well-trained hands.
In training the mind we have found that the most important activity in our home is establishing family worship on a daily basis. We read the Bible cover to cover, again and again, realizing that it is the final authority on all things and it is through knowing the scriptures that we can impart godly principles of music to our children. We sing from the hymnal daily and teach the good heritage of music that has been passed down from the saints of previous generations. Our hymnals are close at hand on our living room bookshelves ready for use. A well-trained mind will identify moral, principled music and approach musical choices with the Lordship of Christ in mind.
A well-trained heart flows forth from establishing strong family bonds and eliminating competing influences from the world. Over the years we have learned how to choose good, melodic music with the intent to train the appetite of each family member. As we have learned to eliminate music that is not godly and mature, as a mother I have found that all forms of art in the home either support a godly appetite or work contrary to this. Picture books can be beautifully and realistically illustrated or they can be abstract, silly, or even worldly. Videos and DVDs can be lovely to watch and listen to or they can be foolish and immature and time wasters. Books can nourish our minds and increase our love for beautiful language or they can detract from these things. Even in evaluating school curriculum, I review materials by not only considering the content and methodology, but in evaluating the beauty of the language and pictures.
In order to train the appetite musically, we have invested in a good musical listening library (music from the Baroque and Neo-classic periods, also traditional sacred music) along with eliminating extra noise, disturbing sounds, and dissonance in the home such as those found in computer games. Sometimes we are asked if this is too limiting, but as trained musicians and composers, my husband and I see great value in narrowing the listening field to music that is high in content and rich in theoretical techniques and devices. We also consider the effect of outside influences on our children when choosing restaurants, stores, and public activities as we are aware of both the passive and active effects music has on us. I have also found it extremely important to use music appreciatively or in praise to God and not as an energy source or as a dependent crutch to stimulate emotions which are unbiblical uses.
Well-trained hands are the actual physical skills needed to produce music. As a home schooling mother, I consider our home to be the major vehicle for musical training (not any type of classroom training) and it begins with having singing as a non-negotiable daily activity in our home. We sing each morning from the hymnal along with other family favorites such as old folk tunes and part singing …even before we eat breakfast! Because we believe that singing is the foundation for all musical training, we incorporate singing into many parts of our day, family worship, and bedtime lullabies. I have found it helpful to keep a hymnal by the baby’s changing table and use our frequent trips there to sing hymns to my infant. We sing at bath time. With the younger children we also use rhythm instruments and sing songs with hand motions. Sometimes I will even read hymn texts to toddlers. They enjoy the meter of the rhyme and the beautiful, expressive words more than typical nursery rhymes.
With older children I have found it important to be alert to competing influences and to continue to train the appetite of my children toward melodic music. During the 6-10 year bracket, I teach the beginnings of the history of sacred music to my children (using the “Mr. Pipes” series and hymn story books) along with the study of the orchestra (The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra by Ganeri). I have found it helpful to first teach my children to fluently read aloud the text of a hymn followed by just humming the tune. When these two parts are well learned independently of each other, the hymn comes together naturally. It is soon after these skills are grasped that singing rounds and simple part singing are enjoyed by our family. Folk instruments are fun to learn at this age, especially the recorder which is inexpensive and can be self-taught with the Sweet Pipes Series. When reading and singing are fluent, this is the time to begin more formal training on classical instruments. I advise parents to be careful in the selection of private music teachers and to carefully choose a teacher that works from a godly framework instead of one that works contrary to the goals that parents have set from scripture. Another consideration is whether the musical skills that are learned will be directed only to performance and the concert stage, or if those skills are directed toward the glory of God and enabling the church to better worship our great God.
Later on our young adults have pursued music theory, music history, and more advanced instrument study but we still return each day to vocal song. We keep singing, and singing, and singing! God gave us an instrument that we carry with us at all times!
Many, many times my husband and I have been asked, “Isn’t this just for musical people? I don’t have a music degree like you. In fact, I may be tone deaf!” Our answer has been: sing anyway. If you enjoy singing, your children will too. If you are not musical, your children will benefit from a cheerful spirit and preparation to sing corporately in church. If they are musical then they will sing in pitch and help you along! If you are not musical, then put a plan in place to purchase a good musical audio library. Good recordings for hymn singing are 20 A Cappella Hymns Vol. 1 & 2 produced by Provident Music Distribution. The harmonies have been altered from standard arrangements but they are good for melody singing. Do not be discouraged if hymn singing seems too high in pitch. Singing takes consistent practice and in time the voice becomes stronger. Elementary children have a range from Middle C to upper C, but it expands as they grow older.
We have found in our home that the goal is not to stoop down to our children, but to lift them up to godly adult living. What a great opportunity we have to raise our children with purity of heart and spirit and with well-trained minds, hearts, and hands. May all of us use music to the glory of our wonderful Lord!
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:19-20.
