We’ve been holding instrument petting zoos since my kids were
in middle school. First we introduce ourselves and our instruments, and then we
have a short, informal recital. We talk a bit about how different instruments
produce sound in different ways. Wind instruments, for example, have a column
of vibrating air inside their bodies when they’re played. Fingers covering
holes or playing stops change the length of the column, which changes the
pitch. With string instruments the strings themselves vibrate; the body is
there to amplify the sound. The last part of the petting zoo is the most
exciting; we let each child hold an instrument and even play it. The whole event
takes about an hour, but in that hour I’ve seen miracles happen. I love to
watch a child’s face when he’s touching an instrument he’s only ever seen on TV.
Those first tentative notes can begin a love affair that lasts a lifetime.
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