Some entrepreneurs might say they took the name for their business right out of the air. When Carol Bryant says this, she really means it.
Bryant was taking her dog for a walk near her home on Meadow Lane in Elbridge, pondering what to call her business, when a bluebird, “not a Blue Jay, either,” flew right in front of her.
And so, because Songbird Music Together was already taken, Bluebird Music Together was born.
Bryant brings a lifetime of music to her chapter of Music Together, theinternationally recognized research-based program meant to encourage adults to make music with their young children. A graduate of Crane School of Music, Bryant taught music at Jordan-Elbridge and Westhill for 13 years combined before holding arts and non-profit management positions with the Syracuse Symphony, Syracuse Children’s Chorus, Skaneateles Festival and, most recently, the Jowonio School.
While Bryant’s experience in business prepared her to start one of her own, she never considered herself an entrepreneur.
“But when I learned about this particular program, Music Together, I was so excited about it and I knew this was what I wanted to do,” she said.
Bryant was introduced to the program by one of her co-workers at the Jowonio School, Emily Barrett, who instructs classes at Green Lakes Music Together.
“I went and observed some of her classes and was just blown away,” she said. “I thought it was an amazing program for young kids in music.”
The program is designed for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners and their parents.
Bryant shared some surprising figures from a study done by Music Together around 10 years ago. She said the study found that “most American parents today literally knew no more than five songs they could actively sing with their children.”
First on the list was “Happy Birthday.” Another song was “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer.”
Music Together encourages parents to go against that trend and make music with their young children, during a time when the alternative, recorded music, is incredibly easy to access online.
The program runs on the philosophy that everyone is musical.
“Children are born musical, adults are musical too, whether they know it or not,” Bryant said. Bryant feels that when adults shy away from performing music, it’s often out of self-consciousness rather than a lack of talent or potential.
“We really help kids and adults alike feel very comfortable being part of the music making process,” Bryant said.
As a resident of Elbridge, Bryant felt extra inclined to start up her own Music Together business. The program has multiple chapters in the Central New York area, but none in the western suburbs of Syracuse. Bryant will teach classes Wednesdays at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 17 William St., Auburn and Thursdays and Saturdays at Immanuel United Methodist Church, 303 Kasson Road, Camillus.
Her first semester of classes begins Sept. 15, but first she is offering free demonstrations at both locations. Demo classes at Immanuel UMC are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Aug. 29 and 10 a.m. Sept. 2. Classes at Westminster will start at 9 a.m. Sept. 1 and 10 a.m. Sept. 8. Pre-registration is required; call 440-2547 or visit bluebirdmusictogether.com.
