NEW YORK – Legendary children’s musician Laurie Berkner knows that all the parents, teachers, caregivers, librarians and therapists out there could use a little help right now. That’s why she’s offering Music in the “Classroom,” a one-hour, live-streamed seminar of top tips for using her songs in educational play or structured learning at home.
Music in the “Classroom” will take place LIVE on Wednesday, May 13 at 6:30 pm Eastern Time on Laurie’s Facebook page: HERE. This event is free of charge.
“The country may or may not start opening up soon, but most kids and teachers are not going back to school,” says Laurie Berkner. “I want them all to know that we have not forgotten about them and that I am still here to provide support. I’m excited to share the way I think about using music for kids with all the teachers and parents who are having to provide at-home learning.”
Laurie will address both virtual teachers and in-person caregivers, devoting 40 to 50 minutes to her presentation, to be followed by an interactive Q & A session.
Using six of her original songs, Laurie Berkner will present tips for actively engaging kids with melody and rhythm by using their voices, bodies, percussion instruments and other props. Laurie will also share ideas for developing gross and fine motor skills through movement and finger play. She will devote time to lullabies and “special use” or holiday songs. Crucially, Laurie will explain what she wants to accomplish with each specific song, based on her experiences as performer and early childhood music teacher in a career spanning more than two decades.
“My music originated directly out of my work with kids in a classroom setting at Rockefeller University’s Child & Family Center, the West Side YMCA, and other preschools in NYC, so it’s literally tailor-made for in-home learning, story-times, classes, and therapy sessions,” explains Laurie Berkner. “One of my primary goals has always been to capture the natural musicality in every child and to help others inspire children to sing, move, and express their feelings.”
One of the most popular children’s entertainers in the U.S., Laurie Berkner has filled countless venues nationwide with adoring fans. With an average of more than ten million monthly streams and millions of albums, songs, and DVDs sold, Laurie’s songs have become beloved classics for children worldwide. The first artist to ever appear in music videos on Nick Jr., Laurie Berkner was featured in nearly all the episodes of the channel’s Jack’s Big Music Show. Laurie recently created her own Audible Original Series titled Laurie Berkner’s Song and Story Kitchen. She has released thirteen bestselling, award-winning albums and is a familiar radio presence on SiriusXM’s Kids Place Live. Laurie has authored a number of picture books based on her songs, the most recent of which were published by Simon & Schuster. She has also written the music and lyrics for three Off-Broadway children’s musicals produced by New York City Children’s Theater. Laurie has performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and the White House, among many other prestigious venues.
Laurie Berkner has received tremendous critical acclaim. USA Today named Laurie “the undisputed queen of kindie rock.” The New York Times dubbed her “the Adele of the preschool crowd.” Time Magazine lauded Laurie as “a kind of sippy-cup Sheryl Crow … Berkner inhabits a kid’s curious perspective in her lyrics and pens folk-pop melodies that bear repeated — very repeated — listenings.” The Wall Street Journal called Laurie “one of the most popular children’s performers in America … her music is distinctive because it speaks to kids without talking down to them, charming youngsters without boring grown-ups.” NPR’s All Things Considered declared, “Laurie Berkner is like a goddess to these children.”
