I moved to Massachusetts in 1984.  Since then, I have faithfully watched the Boston Pops perform every Fourth of July.  Back then, John Williams was the conductor.  He was the man who wrote the music for my favorite movies, “ET”, “Indiana Jones” and “Jaws”.  I couldn’t believe he was conducting the orchestra I was watching.  This was seeing all that I had been listening to for many years.  I was hooked on ‘Pops Goes the Fourth’.

Here’s what matters: their music is universal, from opera to pop to country, and everything in between.  Exposure!  Children need to hear music and see music performed.  They need to listen to different sounds; not just high and low, but sounds that make them feel and wonder.  They need to see a variety of instruments, looking and listening to the sounds they make.  They need to watch musicians play the instruments so they can…