08/01/2026
Here's a story from the Childbloom archives: When we made the kids cry...
About 14 years ago we presented a big Childbloom concert. It was an extravaganza with student groups from St. Louis and Germany.
The program featured students - mainly teens - performing music they had spent months preparing. It was going to be a long concert, nearly two hours.
A parent who has two girls in the program but who were too young to perform in this concert asked me if they should bring their young daughters.
I said, "Sure. Bring 'em but bring pillows, just in case they gets bored." I was serious. After all, what eight-year-old wants to sit through a long concert?
A few days later her father stopped me. "You were wrong," he said.
"Oh?" I replied.
"You made our daughters cry."
I immediately felt terrible. "I'm so sorry," I said. "What happened?"
Then he smiled.
"They cried because we had to leave before the concert was over."
That little conversation has stayed with me for many years.
Adults sometimes underestimate children.
We assume they have short attention spans, that they only enjoy fast-paced entertainment, or that they aren't interested in watching other children perform serious music.
But children often surprise us. When they see older students doing something beautiful, something skillful, and something they themselves hope to accomplish one day, then they start to - imagine.
One of the wonderful things about Childbloom is that when younger students regularly hear older students perform. they begin to picture themselves on that stage someday. That's how dreams begin and motivation happens.
That has always been part of the vision of the Childbloom Guitar Program, not simply to teach children to play the guitar, but to surround them with examples of what patient, thoughtful learning can become.
As we prepare our fall schedule, we still have a few lesson times available for new students.
If you've been considering Childbloom for your child, this is a wonderful time to begin the conversation. You don't have to decide to enroll. You only have to decide to schedule a Discovery Lesson.
One of our teachers would be happy to meet with you and your child and help you decide whether our program is the right fit for your family.
You can schedule a Discovery Lesson at:
austin.childbloom.com/appointments
Or call us at 512-452-8765. We'd love to help,
Kevin Taylor, Director
The Childbloom Guitar Program of Central Texas
P.S. Here is a group that played at that concert many years ago. They are playing a Zydeco-style tune. Listen to it and imagine your kids playing. I just love the way they did this! One of my favorites. Maybe bcause of the chickens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foUePxDHtzg&list=RDfoUePxDHtzg&start_radio=1
This dance is from a collection of dances written for guitar ensemb...
