Rebecca McLaughlin

Some of my earliest memories are of sitting on the couch beside the piano in our family home. I was the eighth of nine children, and by the time I was five years old, my older sister, Lynette, was attending college as a music major. Every evening she practiced the piano, and I would sit quietly beside her, captivated. While other children may have dreamed of becoming astronauts or athletes, I remember wishing I could skip straight to college and become a music major so I could study music all day long.

Music was part of our family’s everyday life. My mother loved music and encouraged each of us to develop our musical gifts. Looking back, I realize those experiences shaped far more than my musical abilities. They taught me that music has the power to strengthen families, create lasting memories, and become part of who we are.

Years later, discovering the Kodály approach gave words and structure to what I had always sensed. Music is learned most naturally through joyful experiences, beautiful literature, singing, and active music-making. More importantly, it affirmed something I now believe with all my heart: every person is born inherently musical, and that gift can be nurtured throughout a lifetime.

Those early experiences, combined with years of teaching, learning, and continued study, eventually grew into The Artful Musician—a place where children, families, and adults can discover not only musical skills, but a lifelong love of music that enriches every season of life.