
The perfect window of opportunity for kids to start music lessons is between the ages of 3 and 10. I’m not sure if the neuroscience research holds up for composing songs during this age too, but there is definitely some anecdotal evidence of it – elementary school students Menea Vladi Kefalov and Ande Celeste Siegel of Reed Elementary School in Ladue recently won first place in the elementary song with words division of the COMP (Creating Original Music Project) contest put on by the University of Missouri-Columbia for their piece titled "War."
You can hear the repeat winners’ performance on "Show Me St. Louis" here.
The COMP contest – which SmartParenting’s Sharon Linde posted about last November – had several local winners among older students as well. They included:
The 22 statewide winners for 2012 performed their works live in Columbia last month and received cash prizes for themselves and their schools. If your musically inclined student didn’t make the final cut this year, no worries – the eighth edition of the annual contest will be accepting entries in the fall.
By Amy De La Hunt, Health Blogger for SmartParenting
Amy De La Hunt is a journalist and editor who lives in the St. Louis metro area and works across the country as a writer, copy editor, project manager and editorial consultant on everything from fiction books to monthly magazines to blog posts. When she's not chauffeuring her teenage sons to activities, Amy is an enthusiastic amateur cook, landscaper, Latin dancer and traveler. Follow Amy on Instagram @amy_in_words
The Saint Louis Art Fair is a free, three-day celebration of the visual and performing arts that includes a Creative Castle for kids on Saturday and Sunday.
Schlafly Art Outside is a three-day invitational art fair featuring affordable art from more than 60 artists based in the St. Louis region. Enjoy quality art, tasty food, local brews and live music. There will also be hands-on art activities at this family-friendly festival.
Wagon rides, live entertainment, great festival foods, a petting zoo and much more make this an apple pickin' good time for the whole family. There will be pony rides, a children's carnival, opportunities to feed goats and other farm animals, caramel apples, funnel cakes and more.
Enjoy carnival rides, a parade, kids' entertainment, live music and more at this three-day festival in Schroeder Park.
Families are invited to the Saint Louis Art Museum on Sunday afternoon to participate in free hands-on art activities with fun themes and to explore the galleries. Each Family Sunday focuses on a different family-friendly theme.