Watch above: The Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra’s ‘Time for Toddlers’ program has expanded to meet demand. As Joel Senick found out, just one concert could be the start of something much bigger.
SASKATOON – On a recent weekday morning, over a dozen toddlers move about on a green mat in a sun-filled room in Saskatoon’s Riversdale neighbourhood. Their actions vary between dancing, marching and even pretending to be an elephant. These children are not at a local daycare, but instead a concert.
“This is music for people, for young people,” said Jennifer McAllister, who conceived of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra’s (SSO) ‘Time for Toddlers’ program.
It caters to mini-maestros and explores music through movement, song and dance.
McAllister says she wanted children to experience the same “mind, body, spirit connection with music,” that she does when she hears a piece she enjoys.
“To hear live musicians play, to be in a space where you can see them breathing and you can hear the sound of the bow,” she said, in an interview days after the toddler performance.
Time for Toddlers is in its second season and has expanded. Three concerts were offered in its first year, with each one selling out.
The SSO decided to add another three performances this season to keep up with demand.
“It was a neat opportunity to see that there are lots of parents out there, looking to expose their kids at an early age to music,” said Mark Turner, SSO executive director.
“You just hear all the benefits from it and it’s definitely not doing any harm,” said Clinton Jacobi, who brought his daughter to one of the concerts.
McAllister said the show is intended to serve both children and the parents who accompany them to the concert.
“My hope was to give them some ideas for things that they might do at home to integrate music into their parenting,” said McAllister, who is a trained conductor and occasionally plays flute for the SSO.
“It could be as simple as having some classical music on your playlist at home, so that there’s some exposure,” she added.
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The concert could also be a precursor for the study of music, which many experts believe to be beneficial to brain development. Nicole Wilton is the program manager of an early childhood music program at the University of Saskatchewan and has studied the effects of classical music on young brains.
“You have increased language skills, literary skills, memory skills, concentration, social skills, emotional broadening,” said Wilton, on the benefits of studying music.
“These people are broader, have more brain capacity, larger knowledge base on many, many subjects, not just music.”
Wilton said classical music is ideal for kids, as most compositions contain an easy line of melody to follow and are calming.
“If we want to develop fine musicians and human beings and sensitive hearts and character development, we want to look towards more of that end of the spectrum,” said Wilton.
McAllister hopes to give more children and parents a chance to experience the SSO’s toddler program by further expanding the concert series next season.
“We could travel this show into public libraries in core neighbourhoods, into community day care settings,” said McAllister.
“There’s all kinds of potential for it.”
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