Giving classical music the ‘pink’ treatment

Myleene Klass joins forces with Mattel to help families make classical music ‘cool’ again. Suzi Dixon reports

TV presenter, DJ, pop princess, yummy mummy and reality TV runner-up – Myleene Klass has many strings to her bow.

	The classics: Myleene at the Island Princess launch

But she’s never forgotten her classical music roots. And with six generations of musicians on her father’s side, and qualifications from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the Royal Academy of Music, who better to advise parents about making classical music cool.

Now Myleene’s teamed up with Mattel to launch the latest Barbie DVD, Island Princess – a full-length musical strewn with original classical pieces.

“I think that it’s really important for children to get immersed in music at a very young age such as learning to play an instrument or eventually joining an orchestra,” she says. “Not only has research shown that it can be really beneficial to a child’s development, it’s also loads of fun and a good way to make friends. These Barbie initiatives are a great way to encourage more children and families to get involved!”

Check out our audio interview for a candid chat from Myleene about her musical background, how attending a musical school made her really feel at home, and how she hopes the Barbie initiative can help young children, such as her daughter, Ava.

MYLEENE’S TOP TIPS FOR BRINGING CLASSICAL MUSIC INTO THE HOME

Don’t push your child to listen to classical music – pushy parents are a nightmare! Instead, ensure all types of music are played around the home, from pop to country to classical. Make it part of everyday life

Classical music is all around us, your children just may not realise it. The Island Princess is an excellent DVD for getting kids to listen to classical without even realising it. Also, point out to theme that film soundtracks, such as Harry Potter, are often classical recordings

Take them to a live performance. Classical music really comes to life with a live orchestra, an animated conductor, and a theatre full of music lovers – it’s exciting

Remember many pop artists trained classically, even dance acts such as The Chemical Brothers