Caiden loves music. He whistles CONSTANTLY, bangs on the piano whenever he can get the chance (we're working on getting him lessons asap), and is always clapping/slapping on his knees some sort of crazy rhythm that is going through his head. None of it never makes a terrible amount of sense, but it's the thought that counts.
When I first came home from Rochester and Caiden and I were driving in the car, I had Sirius Radio's Classical Pops station on (as usual). I tried engaging Caiden in the music by pointing out certain highlights of whatever was playing (themes, different instruments, etc.), but eventually he just asked if I would turn it down and then started talking to my car (he's convinced my car is optimus prime in Jeep version).
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This did not discourage me. I continued to play classical music around him every opportunity I got. Then one day, while we were playing legos with Rhapsody in Blue in the background, Caiden suddenly asked if I could put on the music from Iron Man 3. Thanks to YouTube, I was able to find the soundtrack and started playing it for him. By the end of the day, he was whistling the theme all over the house - in tune, in the correct rhythms. This was the first time I'd heard him ever do that.
Thank you Iron Man lego playtime!!!!
Now I was really on a mission. I continued playing classical music in the car, but now I was trying to choose symphonies that sounded similar to the movie music Caiden loved so much. Thus, I turned to one of my all-time favorites. Bruckner's 5th Symphony. There are parts in the first movement that I am fully convinced inspired some of the musical themes in the original Batman movies, so I figured Caiden would like that.
I started out by just playing it quietly in the background every time Caiden and I were in the car together. Then eventually every so often I would point something out to him in the music and he'd say "Oh, cool" or something like that and then go back to talking to the car.
But then, it happened.
We were driving along, this time with Bruckner Symphony No 4 playing, when all of a sudden Caiden started singing along with one of the themes. Then he said, "Hey Aunt Baba*, they repeat that part a lot!" I froze. Part of me wanted to go into an in-depth conversation with my 7 1/2 year old nephew about the construction of symphonies, but I pulled myself together and in the best way I could, explained to Caiden what a theme was in 7 year old terms, to which he responded, "Oh! Just like the Iron Man 3 music!" and proceeded to sing the reoccurring theme from that sound track. I thought I was going to explode with pride.
Restraining myself from pulling over the car to throw a miniature party in celebration of my nephew's intelligence, I decided instead to try Bruckner 5 with him again, this time pointing out the parts that I thought sounded like Batman. He LOVED it. He was trying to sing along, but having some trouble singing in tune with it, which he can't be blamed for because the pitches he was trying to sing/whistle were wayyyy too low for him. But he was getting the rhythms right, and recognizing the different themes.
Thursday was the last time Caiden and I hung out last week. We were sitting downstairs in the basement doing arts & crafts, when suddenly, he began humming what we've dubbed "the batman theme" (click link to hear it - it is what the trumpets are playing in the beginning of the clip) from Bruckner 5. In perfect rhythm. In tune. I could've cried. I could've dropped everything and given him a big bear hug right then and there. But instead I just looked over at him and said with a smile, "You like that piece don't you?" To which he responded, "Yea! It's really cool!"
Sweet, sweet victory.
Can't wait to see this (hopefully) happen with some of my students as I start student teaching in the fall. There are few things more rewarding to me than seeing children fall in love with music.
- Erin
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* - Caiden has called me Aunt Baba since he could talk. We thought he would grow out of it as his babble turned into full sentences, but he never did. We don't know why he calls me "baba", nor does he. What he does know though is that he can't call me Aunt Erin because I'm Aunt Baba. That's what he tells me.
