PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — For the third year in a row, a Philadelphia program is helping parents and caregivers connect with their children in new and unique ways.
In 2020, The World Cafe Live partnered with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute to start The Philadelphia Lullaby Project.
Josh Campbell, artistic director of education and engagement at World Cafe, says the project helps families better bond and connect through the art of music.
“...Think about the ways in which caregivers can feel supported, especially during times of which we know that mothers and fathers still deal with some level of postpartum.”
The Lullaby project was fully remote for the last two years because of the pandemic but, come next week, they will be having a free, in-person concert featuring various lullabies and a complete orchestra on Dec. 20 at 6:00 p.m. in the Esperanza Arts Center.
“This concert is the first time that many of the teaching artists and the families have been together in the room in the same air and creating,” Campbell said.
The project is funded by the William Penn Foundation and has served 128 families.
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They pair new parents, like Nazjah Lloyd of Philadelphia, with musicians to craft personal and heartfelt lullabies for their little ones.
Musician Meghan Cary of Erdenheim worked with Lloyd to convey the perfect musical message to her twin baby girls, Ava and Adayah.
Cary helped Lloyd compose the song, “Two Perfect Beans,” to express that, while they are twins, they are two different individuals, Lloyd said.
“...I just wanted to make sure I catered to both of their personalities.”
Llyod channeled her musical background to write the lyrics, “My tiny human, so curious and smart. My love at first sight, you stole my heart.”
Creating the song was easy for her and Cary, as the process came almost naturally.
“We were in our musical flow,” Lloyd said. “It was just so easy we just bounced off of each other. Her energy, her positivity, it just was an amazing experience writing the song.”
No matter who Cary is working with, she does whatever she can to help them make the perfect song for their children.
“No matter what parent I'm working with, this love shines through and my goal is to put them in touch with the feeling that they want to share with their child.”
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Cary said when it comes to the creative process, she typically has the parent or caregiver speak the lines they came up with in a rhythm so she can “get a sense of the cadence.” From there, they bring the sound together.
Cary feels the whole experience is powerful.
“Working with these caregivers, we get to witness, firsthand, the power of writing our stories into song,” she said.
“When we share our story, we own it; and we own our story, we get to write our own ending. I’ve witnessed parents, grandparents, caregivers, discovering things about themselves and their relationship with their child – or children – that they never really knew, or at least never acknowledged before.”