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Debbie Surowicz, left, holds a session of her Mozart for Children
class at Inwood’s Bread & Yoga. PHOTO:Mike Fitelson
Do you think only adults can appreciate Mozart? Think again.
Debbie Surowicz has been playing Mozart’s music for children for 20 years. And this winter, she is bringing her program to Northern Manhattan for the first time.
Her program Mozart for Children started because of something Surowicz discovered about her own children.
When her two boys were very young, she noticed that they responded to classical music with spontaneous movements. When Surowicz, a classically trained opera singer, would bring her boys to concerts they always had big smiles on their faces. As she cooked in the kitchen her sons would use kitchen utensils to play along with the music.
Surowicz took a chance and started Mozart for Children so other children could benefit from what she discovered with her own children.
“The idea is to introduce children of all ages and backgrounds to classical music in a fun and creative way,” she said. “My philosophy is it’s never too young to start with this exposure.”
Some research indicates that classical music can help the development of the brain; children who are exposed to classical music at a young age may also do better academically than peers who were not.
According to Surowicz, music puts kids in a world of imagination and inspires them.
Surowicz holds her classes for children who are just beginning to crawl, all the way up to age seven. At first, she said she was reluctant to mix ages and have such a range. But later, she found that the younger children seemed to love watching the older children, who in turn liked helping the smaller children.
Surowicz uses hand puppets to sing and dance with the music. Following suit, the kids sing and dance along with the puppets. Surowicz said when she sings, she doesn’t use her full operatic voice because it can scare the kids. The sessions employ a mix of storytelling, games, movement, and song to get the lessons across. Musicians who are friends of hers also perform, introducing kids to the different instruments. According to Mozart for Children’s Web site, kids learn about pitch and rhythm, along with the more complex ideas of solfege, instrumental timbre, solo, and ensemble.
Over the past 20 years, Surowicz has offered her Mozart for Children at many venues. She said she first got attention for the program because it was promoted by the Parent’s League, based on the Upper East Side. She has taught it in private schools and held workshops for private clients. She holds birthday parties. She offered the program in Paris and taught it in French for three years when she lived there with her husband. Former clients include Uma Thurman, Patricia Duff, Dianne West, Carole Bouquet, and Kate Spade.
In New York City, Surowicz has always held her sessions downtown. However, after living in Inwood for the past 15 years, she decided it was time to do it here.
Classes are at Bread & Yoga (4951 Broadway at W. 207th Street) and Our Saviour’s Atonement Lutheran Church (178 Bennett Ave. at W. 189th Street). Six sessions cost $190 and 12 sessions cost $340. Class schedule is still being decided based on interest.
For more information, visit www.mozartforchildren.com, email
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or call 212-942-2743.
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