Can you give some examples of how kids reacted to your ocarinas when they heard or saw them for the first time?
Well, just like every pet is different, every kid is different, but the eyes of some kids just light up when they hear me play. I mean, they see this little pocket-sized thing that can make such a big sound and play exciting music. I mentioned that I go to homeschooling conventions around the US, and it varies at each convention. Sometimes kids are present, sometimes they aren't, but occasionally I'll get a bunch of kids who just hang around my booth for a good part of the convention.
| My observation has been that kids have a very positive reaction to the ocarina. Since few kids have seen an ocarina before, it is new, different, "cool". Being on the bashful side myself, I haven't played a whole bunch for kids. But every time that I can remember playing for a kid, the reaction was somewhere between warm and WOW. It may be that I've repressed any negative responses to my playing, but I guess I'll never know if that's happened unless it comes out some day on the psychologist's couch :-) |
I felt badly one time because there was a group of kids from a Summer camp visiting our home. I can't remember why but I played my ocarina for them. Then all the kids starting begging their parents to buy them an ocarina. I felt a little sheepish fearing that the parents would all suspect me of staging a manipulative marketing campaign directed at their innocent grade schoolers. Of course, I was just playing my ocarina. I wasn't trying to sell anything. Really, I wasn't. You've gotta believe me!
| A little while back my son played his ocarina for his martial arts class. The class (and teacher) were quite impressed. Some of the kids were triple impressed. One of the kids in the class has acquired an ocarina and was able to play several simple songs the day he got it. Apparently his trumpet skills transferred quite easily to the ocarina. |
Other Links: Karl's Ocarinas
General Ocarina Information
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