La Cañada Unified elementary students took a trip Saturday to a petting zoo, but instead of handling ponies, rabbits and goats, participants took turns trying out woodwinds, brass and percussion instruments in an effort to inspire the musician within.
The concept of an “instrument petting zoo” — a space where kids can experiment with multiple instruments before registering for music classes starting in fourth grade — is not entirely new, but Saturday’s zoo at Lanterman Auditorium was a first for the Assistance League of Flintridge, which has for the past 31 years organized an instrumental music program for the district’s three elementary schools.
Through the program, students receive one hour of extracurricular music instruction at their school sites each week and participate in off-campus sectionals and perform in winter and spring concerts.
To help familiarize young children to the variety of instruments made available by the program, music instructors and their assistants perform demonstration concerts on campus. The petting zoo takes that introduction one step further, says ALF President Donna Shepherd.
“A lot of times kids come in and they don’t know what they might want to play,” Shepherd said. “This gives them a chance to see what fits.”
Those who came to Lanterman Auditorium on Saturday learned the basics of each instrument, how they’re held, or blown or beaten, with a little guidance from instructors and musicians.
Nancy Gunther, ALF chair of the music program, said some of the music instructors had conducted instrument petting zoos before and recommended them to the group.
“We’re really targeting fourth-graders,” Gunther said. “If they’re interested, this is their first chance to take an instrument (in school).”
The Assistance League of Flintridge’s Instrumental Music Program is open to La Cañada Unified School District students in grades 4 through 6. Registration is open through Sept. 8. Classes are held before or after school, except beginning percussion, which is held Saturdays at ALF’s Chapter House.
Available rental instruments will be assigned to pre-registered students on a first-come, first-served basis on Saturday, Sept. 10 at Lanterman Auditorium, 4491 Cornishon Ave. in La Cañada. Registration and rental is available online at ALFlintridge.org. For more information, call (818) 790-2211.
