Children & Music | Monique Heidema

With culture, the Netherlands is struggling a lot right now.
I can easily outline my ideas about this (read about my concern below) , but I prefer to use my energy to take action.
Children must have more and more intensive contact with music and music-making. Also, the opportunities to stimulate and inspire children must and can be much more significant.

Therefore:

I like to give concerts for children
I like to give master classes and workshops to students of music schools and private teachers.

For anyone who is interested, I am happy to create a customized program together. Please contact me by mail (info@moniqueheidema.net) or by phone (0642185870)

I was very honoured to have been invited to give master classes to the Netherlands' leading young talents in Noordwijk

throughout last week.
Next June 2, I will give a master class and workshop to amateur cellists who have lessons in Leiden from Ruud Meester.

The pictures below are from master classes in Rhenen (NL), Taiwan, Czech Republic and Breda and Amsterdam(NL)

Last week, I had the privilege of accompanying and teaching young talented up-and-coming musicians.

By invitation, I, along with wonderful colleagues, was a guest for a whole week at the hotel huis ter duin in Noordwijk. A rather busy schedule was made in which the children (ages ranged from 8-18) received individual lessons, but also chamber music lessons.

The atmosphere was casual and convivial. There was a lot of laughter, and so by the beach there was fortunately also plenty of room for relaxation.

But how hard those children could work! And what talent we have in the Netherlands!

I regularly worry about the level of music-making among children. Indeed, generally speaking, this level is not very high anymore.Circumstances such as far too short lesson times, for example, and far too few opportunities cannot stimulate children enough to make a really good effort. And that's a shame, because with a higher individual level, much more can be got out of music.

The children who were in Noordwijk last week did have those wonderful opportunities.So it is not at all the case that the level has to plummet.On the contrary; children seem to learn, be able to and do more easily. And I think we should help them do just that!

The cuts and thus the choices music schools (sometimes have to) make, simply do not give children the opportunity to develop and challenge themselves in making music.

I know that this often seems to be a struggle and that many of my colleagues have lost their courage. Quite understandable! But of course this does not help for the much-needed stimulation the children need.

And, as everyone probably knows, this is not only necessary for making music. Social aspects, intelligence, way of thinking are just a few elements that are experienced more positively through music.

So let us keep trying to keep the directors of these institutions awake.

Let us therefore continue to fight for longer teaching periods without making them more expensive.

Let us therefore continue to be creative and thus offer challenges in many areas to children who want to learn to make music.

I look forward to hearing any great ideas.