The Recorder, a Great Early Instrument

The recorder is not only a great instrument for playing early music, it is also a terrific development tool for music education in early childhood. The recorder is a woodwind instrument invented centuries ago and used predominantly in baroque music. For a comprehensive guide to the recorder, see the Recorder Homepage at http://classicalmus.hispeed.com/nickl/re...

Recorders come in many sizes and keys. The basic instrument is the soprano recorder in the key of C. It's helpful for a parent to learn the alto recorder (which requires different fingerings), to play parent-child duets.

Kindergarteners, and sometimes younger children, can learn to play. Older children may be able to teach themselves with a good resource (like The Usborne First Book of the Recorder). Of course enlisting the help of a teacher can dramatically improve technique.

The famous Suzuki method, used to train many a young violinist or pianist, also includes a recorder course. For more information see http://www.suzukiassociation.org/. A teacher referral service is planned but not yet available. To order Suzuki instruments see http://www.suzukimusic.com/, which offers inexpensive recorders and prerecorders for younger children (prerecorders have raised holes for easier fingering). The Recorder Homepage, listed above, has a directory of instrument makers.

For inspiration, check out the following albums: The Ultimate Recorder Collection - Antonio Vivaldi, et al Handel: The Complete Sonatas For Recorder Georg Philipp Telemann: Recorder Sonatas And Fantasias Available from Amazon

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