99: Meryl Danziger | Unlocking Musical Potential: Following Joy, Not Rules

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12/18/24 • 94 min

Meryl Danziger, founder of Music House and author of Sing It! A Biography of Pete Seeger, has redefined music education through curiosity-driven exploration. With a Master’s in Music from Goddard College and a career as a professional violinist, she focuses on helping children connect with music in personal and meaningful ways. Her unique approach emphasizes freedom, creativity, and the intrinsic joy of musical discovery.
Together, we explore the deep connections between self-directed learning, unschooling, and Meryl Danziger’s approach to music education. We discuss how allowing children to explore music on their terms fosters genuine passion, curiosity, and lifelong creativity.

Meryl shares how she built Music House based on a belief that music is best learned through personal engagement rather than rigid lessons. Her stories of students finding their musical voices through play and experimentation mirror the core values of self-directed learning: trust, curiosity, and intrinsic motivation.

Together, we reflect on how art, love, beauty, and personal expression intersect in learning—music and life. We also discuss how parents can create supportive musical environments at home, embracing exploration without formal training.

This conversation is for anyone passionate about fostering creativity, questioning traditional education, and seeking new ways to learn through joy, freedom, and personal connection.
▬ Episode links ▬
http://www.nycmusichouse.org/site/
https://www.meryldanziger.com/

🗓️ Recorded December 15th, 2024. 📍 The Addisons, Withyham, United Kingdom

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🗓️ Recorded December 15th, 2024. 📍 The Addisons, Withyham, United Kingdom

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98: Rebecca Jean-Charles | It Takes a Village: Community Building and Unschooling

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Traditional schooling isn't the only path to socialization for children. In this conversation with Rebecca, we explore how homeschooling and unschooling empower families to build communities that align with their values.

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Rebecca shares her perspective on how flexibility in diverse communities allows families to adapt their lifestyles without rigid constraints.

We also discuss the unique experiences of unschooled children and the importance of fostering inclusivity in creating supportive environments.

🗓️ Recorded December 4th, 2024. 📍 The Addisons, Withyham, United Kingdom

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100: Amrit Sandhu | The Power of Consistency, Meaningful Conversations, and Gratitude.

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🔗 Connect with Amrit Sandhu
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🗓️ Recorded November 26th, 2024. 📍 Krakow, Poland

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Self Directed - 99: Meryl Danziger | Unlocking Musical Potential: Following Joy, Not Rules

Transcript

0:00:00 - Jesper Conrad
So today we are together with Meryl Danziger, and first of all, welcome.
0:00:07 - Cecilie Conrad
Thank you so much for having me here.
0:00:09 - Jesper Conrad
Yeah, and then how did this podcast come about? There's a little story to that. So, as many of the people who are listening knows, then, we are full-time travelers and have been traveling since, I think, 2018 full and many years a lot before that and one of the places we ended up was near barcelo