Gustav Mahler was born on July 7, 1860, in Kaliště, Bohemia. His parents (Bernhard and
Marie) were Jewish and Bernhard was a shopkeeper. Gustav was the second of fourteen children, 5 of whom died as infants, one as a teenager and one at twenty-five. The family soon moved to Iglau in Moravia.

Gustav began to compose by age four. At age ten he made his debut as a pianist at the Iglau Municipal Theater. He went to Prague to pursue his studies but returned in 1872. At age 15, he attended the Conservatory in Vienna to study piano with Julius Epstein who also encouraged his composing. Mahler also admired Anton Bruckner who was a faculty member at the Conservatory at the time. He achieved his diploma in 1878.

In 1880, a financially struggling Mahler finished the cantata Das klagende Lied. In 1881, he was hired to conduct at the opera house in Laibach. He later held conducting positions at Prague, Leipzig, Budapest, and Hamburg. It was at Hamburg that Tchaikovsky was so impressed with Mahler that he requested that Mahler conduct Eugene Onegin for him (the composer himself had been planning to conduct). While his conducting was considered to be among the best in the world, reactions to his music (he continued to compose and completed a number of important works during this time), were considerably more negative.

In 1897, he took the position of Kapellmeister at the Vienna Court Opera, converting to Catholicism to do so. He had complete control over all aspects of production. In 1902, he married Alma Schindler, with whom he had two daughters. His eldest daughter died in 1907, an event that he blamed on his Kindertotenlieder (Songs of Dead Children) which he completed in 1904. Also in 1907, the Mahlers moved to New York where Gustav took
a position with the Metropolitan Opera. In 1911, Mahler collapsed with a streptococcus infection and left for Paris to get treated. Told it was untreatable, he returned to Vienna where he died on May 18, 1911.

1911: Gian Carlo Menotti, composer, librettist and conductor, born.

1945: Premiere of Peter Grimes, opera by Britten.

1963: Roberto Alagna, tenor, born.

1840: John Stainer, composer and organist, born.

1915: Vincent Persichetti, composer, born.

1924: Premiere of Erwartung, monodrama by Arnold Schoenberg.

There are many reasons to introduce your child to the world of classical music. You may want them to enjoy the intellectual, physical or emotional benefits. It may be that they have already shown an interest or aptitude in classical music and you wish to encourage them. Whatever your reasons, there are a multitude of ways to accomplish this goal.

Private lessons
An old and cherished tradition, private lessons are a great way to learn music, especially with the right teacher. If your child is very young, has a short attention span, or if money is an issue, look into group lessons.

Children’s Sheet Music

Choirs and Bands
Choirs and bands offer children a chance to learn music in a social environment. In addition to school groups, many communities have excellent youth ensembles.

Concerts
Concerts by professionals are a great place to inspire kids. If your child is not able to sit quietly through a performance (keep in mind that it could be up to 2 hours before an
intermission), look for “child friendly” performances. Many performing organizations (symphonies etc.) program concerts especially for kids. If you have any doubts, ask the box office for recommendations ahead of time. If money is an issue (or even if it isn’t) and you have a college or university with a music program nearby, find out about attending
performances by students and faculty (which are usually inexpensive, and often free).

Summer programs
There is a large selection of summer/ vacation experiences in music for children. Daycamps or overnight camps with an arts focus will often include music classes. Music camps are often available as well. There are even camps for beginners in specific instruments. Check out your local parks department, area churches and school systems to find out what they offer. For more advanced children, there are many “masterclass” type programs with intensive music study (and often well-known instructors). Check with local colleges, universities, and with your child’s teacher to find out about these opportunties. Also, summer is the season when many musicians take their art outdoors: watch for open air concerts and summer festivals.

Multimedia
There are many products that are specifically geared towards children. For instance, the Classical Kids series (with such titles as Beethoven Lives Upstairs) includes acclaimed books, videos, and tapes incorporating the music of the composer with a fictional story. Some children’s software has begun to include classical music, and the internet is full of interactive sites to teach the basics of classical music.

So, you’re going to a concert. Would you like to annoy the performer? Follow these simple steps, and I guarantee you will frustrate the audience too!

Difficulty Level: easy

Time Required: 5 minutes (preparation time)

1. Arrive late. Don’t wait until the current piece is over: enter the hall in the middle of the piece being played when you arrive. Choose a seat at the front, in the middle.
2. Take along your cell phone. Set the ringer to as loud as it will go. Arrange to have someone call during the performance. Let it ring several times, then pick it up and talk.
3. Buy individually wrapped candies. Put them in the bottom of your purse. Wait until a quiet part of the music, then take out the candy (find it first), and open it.
4. Wear an electronic watch with an alarm, and set it to go off every 15 minutes.
5. Rather than hold your program, place it somewhere where it can be easily blown/ knocked to the floor.
   
   
6. Cough. Cough often. Cough during quiet parts. Finally, have a candy (see #3).
7. Sing along.
8. Talk to your neighbour, preferably about something unrelated to music.
9. Bring along several children (get them from neighbours), and encourage them to cry, run up and down the aisles, and climb up on the stage.
10. Leave early. Make sure you leave during the middle of a piece. Especially effective when combined with #1.
    

Tips:

1. When buying tickets, you might want to consider using an assumed name.
   
2. Be prepared with a comeback, should the performer stop the performance and confront you publicly.

Music humour books: