Lakeshore Advance, 2013-06-05, Page 3.. •
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2 Lakeshore Advance • Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Celebrating music for two decades
Lynda HIllman-Rapley
Lakeshore Advance
Aimee Rau celebrates 20
years of teaching music with
pride and memories of they
past two decades. She says
there are so many fun, amaz-
ing, special, touching, pride -
filled moments in the past 20
years. "Once 1 start to think of
the children I have taught one
memory lends to another. l am
so fortunate to have been able
to work with the many chil-
dren 1 have over the years.
I luron County is rich rich rich
with music. 1 low awesome!"
she says
Rau grew up surrounded by
music, being a daughter of
Mozart Gelinas Jr. of the local
dance band Mozart's Melody
Makers. She started formal les-
sons at age 7. As a teen she per-
formed at weddings and local
functions as a soloist/pianist
and also in church choir as
well as in the family band.
When she was 18 she was
encouraged by a family friend
to take on a few students. "It
didn't take much convincing
as it combined my love of
music and working with chil-
dren. 1 taught at the Exeter
Music Studio and had a few
students come to my parent's
home. l kept that up all the way
through university (1.1WO) -
coming home to teach on
weekends.'
1 ler student roster gmew con-
tinually and realized after grad-
uating from university that she
was most passionate about
teaching music. "My grand-
parents offered their living
room to be used as a teaching
studio and I taught there even
after 1 married and had a home
of my own. It was the perfect
set up with a separate entrance
and waiting area, and 1 could
enjoy a visit with them each
evening as 1 finished with my
last student:'
Rau also taught in a few of
the local schools and volun-
teered as co-director of the St.
Boniface school choir and St.
Boniface children's church
choir. In 2000 she developed a
program for young children
Aimee Rau
"Music Around the World"
which she taught at various
local Early Year's Centres in
Huron County and Bean
Sprouts Nursery School in
Zurich.
Eventually she began teach-
ing in her own home and also
became Music For Young Chil-
dren (MCY) Certified.
MY(; is a Canadian born
music curriculum, which is
taught in small groups. Chil-
dren conte with a participating
parent to learn in a way unlike
other music teaching methods.
MYC classes are interactive.
Students can begin as young as
FREE80 percent of lifetime
UV exposure occurs by
SUNGLASSES* the age of 18.
FOR KIDS 5 AND UNDER Protect them for life.
Aimee Rau with her students
three years and learn to read and play music
through play, puppets, games, singing, move-
ment, crafts, etc.
he fun factor is high for children and teacher
alike, which is motivating, but the results are
amazing! I am thrilled at how quickly children in
this program learn. I was so inspired by the pro-
gram 1 wrote a song that was purchased by MYC
to he used as the program's official theme song
and can be found in all of their manuals. I have
also had over 20 songs published by MYC for
their Sunrise curriculum," she says.
Seven years ago she added the Music Pups
program to her schedule, offering classes to
babies and toddlers. In this class babies are
exposed to (many different genres of music and
encouraged to explore through rhythm instru-
ments, movements, finger plays, puppets, S('irIVt'S
and balls.
In 2009 she moved her teaching studio to it
commercial location in downtown Zurich and in
January of this year, she (moved across the road to
a larger location at 17 Goshen St. North.
"The new studio is large, can accommodate
families with young children easily and also
Int'ets the heeds of my older private students.
This year 1 taught 21 classes each week, along
with private students so the studio is a busy
place."
When asked how important (music is in the
lives of our kids? She answered back, "1 now
important is breathing?"
"Music is part of every facet Of human exist-
ence. I can think of few of life's big (moments that
don't involve music. Study after study proves
music's positive effects on the brain, academic
and emotional development. !.earning music is
learning a complex language. We learn to under-
stand it, to read it, to speak it. '!'his is why early
music education is so important. Young children
who are exposed to music at an early age are het
ter equipped to (master the language of music as
they grow. On a personal level, for me music has
been an amazing form of communication, crea-
tivity, ministry, an emotional outlet, and lucky
me, a career.
As for her own inspirations, Rau says she has
had many inspirations in my life, all encouraging
the growth of a different part of my teaching skill
set. "Parents, grandparents, Mr. Dress tip (he
knew how to engage an audience of children and
was the hest crafter ever!) my piano teacher, nny
grade 5/6 teacher (who is still an inspiration ),
Frances Balodis - founder of Music for Young
Children and the many wonderful clinicians and
music teachers I have had the pleasure to become
acquainted with thloeIghout my career. It was my
grade 11 biology teacher though who told me a
had a gift for teaching that shouldn't be wasted.1
had taught one of his grade 9 science classes as
part of an assignment for another subject. 11is
pointers on effective teaching stay with me still
today"
Changes
looking hack, some things an' easier, some are
more difficult, says !tau. In the 'easier' depar'
Inert, technology rocks.
CONTINUED > PAGE 6
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