Cultural Competence A-Z: V is for Vocals

Sing Loud & Proud!

Confession: This post is not just about vocals.

​It's actually about all kinds of music, but hey, gotta stick with the letter theme. V is for music does not work.

​What is it about music that makes us feel all the feels? It really is so incredibly powerful. There are some things that can be communicated through song that simply cannot be communicated with mere words. Whether it's the lyrics, the rhythm, the instrumentals, the vocals, music is one of the greatest art forms.

​Music is one of my favorite ways to introduce diversity into my house. On a recent Just For Fun Friday, I reviewed the Putumayo CD collection - it's all about music from all over the world (have a watch here). It's one of our favorites and we've been playing it for the kids since they were babies. I highly recommend checking them out and adding one of the CDs to your collection.

​What music do you tend to gravitate towards? Can you branch out to learn more about other cultures? This can be done in a variety of ways. You can explore different genres, different languages, or different countries. There are so many options that you may not have considered. For instance, this past February I went with my kids to a free concert of Chinese pop music at the Kennedy Center here in DC. They absolutely LOVED it and so did I. Chinese hip hop (like for real rap music - these dudes could flow) that you can dance to at one of America's finest performance arts institutions? The clash of cultures was astounding, fabulous, and FUN!

​Below is a list of places where you can get started to expand your musical palate. If none of these options appeal to you or your kids, remember, YouTube and Pandora are your friends.

• ​Europeana Music Collections
• Far Side Music
• African Music Encyclopedia
• Latin American Music Styles
• Australian Music Centre

​Enjoy learning some new music! Let us know what you and your kids ended up loving by leaving a comment below. Be sure to check back next week for letter W and sign up for the newsletter for even more from Culturally Competent Kids!

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