A Music Journey: Raising the Next Yo-Yo Ma

My five-year-old son likes to ask questions.

Sometimes they drive me absolutely bonkers. But there are other times where I truly enjoy them. My favorites always relate to music whether it’s my favorite song, who the artist is, or even what instruments are playing. But the one question that has filled me with the greatest pride and joy is when he asked if he could play the cello.

In our family, playing an instrument was a given. I grew up playing the french horn and singing as a soprano. My father-in-law, a piano teacher and professional cello and accordion teacher, taught my husband to play piano. Music plays a large role in our backgrounds whether through my Mexican roots, my husband’s rich classical music knowledge, or even at church where we sing historically rich hymns.

Still, I never pushed my son to play any instrument. I never even asked if he wanted to play anything, at least, not until he got older. So how was I even considering raising the next Yo-Yo Ma at such a young age? Long before my son asked to play cello, I wanted to him to be like this world class musician.

But why?

There are many studies on how music exposure affects the minds of young children. I didn’t obsess over this when I was pregnant with him, but the second he was born, I sang and hummed all sorts of songs. From Tchaikovsky to Imagine Dragons to John Williams to Journey … our playlist had no end! While he may enjoy the usual kid fare like “Wheels on the Bus”, he definitely sang along to the newest Twenty-One Pilots hit or even hummed one of Dvorak’s many classical pieces.

Yo-Yo Ma is more than just a musician. He’s done more for the classical music world than any other musician we know. For example, his work with the Silk Road Ensemble shows just how much he wants the world to come together over music artistry. He’s gone above and beyond the stereotypical stuffy classical music musician and created something magical. He’s united cultures and generations with his music.

And this is exactly what I wanted to teach my young son:

I wanted him to appreciate and love music for its ability to bring people together.

And sometimes practice can happen on your back!

So now he plays cello. And sometimes it’s a little hard to get him to practice. Sometimes it’s a little boring. He may or may not continue playing cello. But for right now, this is a gift that I treasure. And I have Yo-Yo Ma’s influence to thank for that.

Neidy
Neidy (pronounced "nay-dee") is a native Georgia girl, but moved to Omaha in 2012 and hasn't looked back. She lives in East Council Bluffs with her husband Zach, her sons Charlie and Eddie, and her daughter Tegan. Neidy met her husband while in college and married him while he was still serving active duty in the Marine Corps. After a brief stint living in San Diego, they decided to move back to her husband's native home in Omaha. Neidy finished her degree at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, pursuing Film Studies, which has cemented her love of Omaha. She's now a homeschooling mom and works at her church as the children's ministry site manager. She also loves a great cup of coffee, exploring various locally-based restaurants, indie movies, experimenting with new recipes, finding new ways to teach her children, and cheering on the Huskers.

1 COMMENT

  1. What a great point about music. It transcends age, language, gender, culture, etc. It truly brings others together. I loved your post, Neidy!

Comments are closed.