My twin babies got tiny violins for Christmas 😍🎄
My 16 month old children Louise and Victor got their first violins! Look how they get to know the instrument and how I guide the process:
This Christmas my 16 month old babies Louise and Victor got tiny violins! They are a 1/64 and 1/32 size. The smaller one is more of a gimmick, but the 1/32 violin is actually a decent student violin.
They are now in a phase that they start to imitate me in everything I do, so I thought I’d give them at least a good habit before they copy all my bad ones.
I’m getting a lot of questions about how my kids respond to music and how I’m guiding them, so I’ll share a bit of that in this video.
I introduced my babies to simple percussion instruments like egg shakers, little drums and maracas as soon as they could sit.
At 10 months old they got their toy piano, which is since then their favorite toy. They love how they can make different sounds with it.
Share this video on Twitter for everyone who is in need of some cuteness this Christmas:
Join my FREE beginner violin course
I take you from scratch step by step to your first violin concerto including 40 videos, sheet music and violin tabs.
For very young children it’s most important to absorb music and learn to respond to it by moving, babbling and sort of singing in a social context.
In our house every night we have a dance night, where they swing to jazz music.
But they just as easily swing to very slow organ pieces or me tuning my violin before practice.
Does music education start this early? No, it starts even earlier.
A 16 week old fetus in the womb already responds to music with facial expressions and changes in heart rate. They clearly have musical preferences and become either restless, annoyed or peaceful with certain music.
For example my babies started kicking hard every time they heard organ music in Church on Sunday. Violin music on the other hand made them peaceful and it still does. When I try to work behind my computer, they ask my attention. When I play violin, they dance, listen or peacefully play on their own.
Zoltán Kodály, composer and music pedagogue Music education should begin nine months before the birth of the child.
Musical experience, just as life, starts at conception. Whether it’s the pure vibrations or the happy hormones of mommy when she plays music.
Hi! I'm Zlata
Classical violinist helping you overcome technical struggles and play with feeling by improving your bow technique.
Music is not an artificial skill that we made up in the last centuries. It developed alongside language and is deeply integrated in our humanity. Closest to our Creator, we humans are the only species on earth that can experience beauty and so can make music.
If you ever doubt if you have enough talent, struggle with a technical thing or are frustrated you’re not on the level you want… imagine like you’re a child being enchanted by the magic of music itself that’s available for all of us in every moment.
Thanks for watching and let me know in the comments if you want to see a progress video in some months.
Beautiful and uplifting video for Christmas Eve.
Merry Christmas, Zlata
Brought happy memories of my own child being exposed to the beauty of music. I know that music ( listening, singing and piano lessons) definitely helped my son excel linguistically and academically.
For me music is my best friend and therapist during these challenging times.
For me too, Elena, music keeps me sane!
Thank you, Nancy!
Near the end of the video, you can easily see that Victor thinks the violin is a percussion instrument! Thank you so much for posting this–it is a real joy and blessing, and your kids are so cute!
He discovers already other interesting sounds, while slapping softly with the stick on the violin….
Haha, exactly!
Haha, yes, perhaps he’s more of a drummer.
Loved your video! and I totally agree, music is part of life so the earlier the better. By the way, you may have a drummer in the mix Merry Christmas
Hahaha, I think so too! He did this 45 minutes straight with his toy violin… I mean, at 16 months I didn’t have such a concentration span.
Beautiful. It makes me smile, thank you.
Great, Mathilde 🙂
Wonderful and fun video. Victor is already a master at the art of “col legno”. Love and best wishes to you and your family. Dixon and Dee
Hahaha, definitely!
Your children are gorgeous.
Just a thought ..you might lije to play your children the Suzuki violin cd to them as background music while they play with toys … so they can internalize the music before they play it …knowing the tunes ..and the rhythm..
I think the new one is played by HIlary Hahn ..your kids are so wonderful Thank you for all you do and a very happy Christmas to you and your family .
Awesome! I’m going to introduce them to Music Play method and for violin I might choose Colourstrings and not Suzuki.
Yes, I’d love to share in your joy as they learn to express themselves with music. Keep us updated, please!
I will, Sue!
Beautiful!
Merry Christmas to you Zlata and to your family.
Thank you for sharing these precious moments.
Thank you, Nicole!
This is such a precious video! Thank you for sharing this precious moment with us.
Thanks, Suzanne!
Lovely! Thank you for sharing your music and your babies!
Thanks for watching! 🙂
Wonderful. How you introduce your babies to music. Music is so fundamental, in all aspects of life!
Exactly, Chris!