Fiddle 'N' Fun brings music appreciation to summer reading program

On Monday, July 10 almost two-dozen elementary school aged children got to express the musicians inside of them.

Joel Beauchemin from Fiddle ‘N’ Fun brought along egg shakers, sound sticks, a giant parachute and homemade fiddlesticks to help encourage the musical interaction. Beauchemin is a former public school music instructor turned private teacher and performer.

Following along with the theme of “Building a Better World,” Beauchemin started off with the Louie Armstrong classic “What a Wonderful World.”

He then asked the children how they thought they could help build a better world. Responses were varied and interesting, including, recycling, planting apple trees and being kind.

Beauchemin did interactive songs, to get the children up and moving around. He gave the children instruments to play along with him. 

As the last portion of the program, Beauchemin passed out homemade “fiddlestix” to each child. They are colored wooden spoons made to resemble and be played like a violin.

Former music teacher Aurora Spadea Curran created and designed the original “fiddlestix” as a way to introduce violin to young students.

The children learned how to hold the instruments correctly, and some basic fingering positions and techniques.

For more information on Fiddle N Fun, visit their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/fiddlenfun. For a complete list of all library programs and events, go to the website cranstonlibrary.org.