Music for Aardvarks

How does 45 minutes a week of goofing off and singing songs with your child sound?  How about if those songs were about things kids are curious about – unusual animals (like pigs) flying, driving in the car, waiting, trying new foods, pets, and anything else they can imagine.  Once we even sang a song about pooping on the potty – no joke!

The kids try to wake up Mr. Joe, for some reason he always falls asleep at the end of the class.

A Music for Aardvarks class is a really fun mix of music education, movement, and even acting.  The instructors are Mr. Joe (owner Joe Murphy) and Mr. Adam.  Joe is a New Yorker who acted professionally…then married a Memphian and settled down here.  Joe and Virginia have two boys.  They both participate in a local improv group and it really shows.  When Joe asks the kids to name an animal as part of a song he’s singing he hardly flinches when one picks dinosaur.  Next thing you know he’s flapping his long arms and doing his best imitation of a pterodactyl, with the kids joining him.

Mr. Adam is a former youth minister who served as Music Director of Memphis’s Episcopal Day Camp a.k.a. ‘Mud Camp’ for nine years.  Besides singing and acting silly for your kids he performs at church retreats, conferences, and the occasional open mic.

Classes are all ages – so you’ll find toddlers to four or five year olds participating, plus the occasion baby passed out or wide-eyed at all the big kids having fun.  As a participant in a class (don’t sign up thinking you’re going to just watch – you need to join in on the fun) you’ll sing along, sway, clap, march, dance, bang on instruments, run, skip and even hop.  If your child can’t sit still don’t worry, no one expects them to!  Kids are welcome to dance, and some are just mesmerized by Joe or Adam as they plays their guitars.

East Memphis classes are held at Shady Grove Presbyterian Church and Christ the King Lutheran School.  Other locations are First Congregational Church in Midtown, E3 Dance Studio in Hernando, MS and Singleton Community Center in Bartlett.

The 2014 Fall semester begins Monday, September 8th and runs for 11 or 13 weeks (depending on the location).  New families are welcome to attend a class for free to “try it before you buy it” – you can schedule that here.  Check out their website for more info and their Facebook page for reviews and more fun.