What Playing for Children Taught Me About Music

I spent years training to play music correctly.

Right notes. Right timing. Right interpretation. I learned discipline, precision, and control.

Then I started playing for children — and none of that mattered.

Children didn’t care about complexity. They didn’t care about technique. They responded to honesty, simplicity, and presence. When I played too much, they drifted away. When I slowed down, they leaned in.

Children taught me something no conservatory ever did: Music isn’t something you deliver. It’s something you share.

They showed me that silence is as important as sound. That repetition is not boring — it’s reassuring. And that music works best when it invites participation instead of admiration.

That realization changed everything. It shifted my focus from performing to listening, from leading to facilitating. And it eventually became one of the foundations of Little Beats.

One simple takeaway: The most powerful music isn’t impressive — it’s relational.

👉 Little Beats grew directly from these experiences with children and families. If you’re curious to experience this approach in practice, check our weekly sessions happening in different locations.

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