JOAN KOENIG is the founder of L'Ecole Koenig Conservatory, Preschool, and Kindergarten in Paris. Established in 1986 with ten students, it now has five hundred. A graduate of the Juilliard School and former soloist, she lives in Paris.
‘The Musical Child is full of sensible ideas to try out on newborn and young…My feeling is that you will probably want Koenig to move in with you to help with those games-exercises, from clapping to squatting to waggling legs in the air, activities you may already be attempting with Joe Wicks. Her informative book is the next best thing.’ THE GUARDIAN ‘We need music in our lives now more than ever, so that healthy minds and bodies can develop humane and compassionate values—just what music-making instills. There were statements in this wonderful work that brought tears to my eyes. I hope the decision-makers of the future will heed the message of The Musical Child.’— Herbie Hancock ‘Joan Koenig’s The Musical Child blends observation, empathy, experience and detailed research to present the invaluable benefits of bringing up children in music. The natural joy that children have in music, the importance of creativity and the vital role music plays in developing curious, confident and happy young people is beautifully illustrated in a book that abounds with love and fundamentally believes in the deep potential of children. As a family for whom music was there from the beginning, we are happy to recommend this book to all families and to anyone interested in childhood and education.’ – The Kanneh-Mason Family ‘Music provides one of the most profound experiences that a child can have from the moment they are born. By matching Joan Koenig’s personal observations as a gifted teacher of young children with the scientific findings of some of the most brilliant minds in the field of music cognition, this wonderful book makes crystal clear how music can be used to develop the minds and enrich the lives of all children. The Musical Child shows us that music holds the key to developing a healthy life full of humanity.’ – Charles J. Limb, music cognition neuroscientist, University of California San Francisco Medical Center