Robert playing at his studio in Wilton, Moving To The Beat.

info@movingtothebeat.net

Please see photos below:

Robert The Guitar Guy (Robert Markowitz) is a children's educator, singer, guitarist, songwriter, and recording artist. 

His latest CD, DON’T SNEEZE CHOO-CHOO TRAIN won the 2004 iParenting Media Award.  School Library Journal called it “fun, varied, and upbeat.”

He has done over 200 performances for the international children’s retailer Pottery Barn Kids at their stores in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

Robert has developed a method of musical play with kindergarten and pre-school children incorporating puppets, music, rhythm, movement, humor, role-playing, and instruments.  

For grade school children, Robert plays narrator and musician for an instant drama acted and danced by children.  

Children younger than 3

Cost: (45 minute unamplified performance with puppets, props, and an assortment of rhythm instruments)

$250 - Wilton, Weston, Norwalk, Westport, Redding, Ridgefield, New Canaan. (Robert requests permission to bring cards or brochures for Moving To The Beat.)

$275 – Southport, Fairfield, Danbury, Bethel, Stamford, Darien, South Salem & Vista, NY.

$300 - Anywhere else in Westchester County or Southern Fairfield County up to the Trumbull, Monroe, Stratford area.

$325 - Weekday Manhattan shows.  Northern Fairfield County like Shelton and neighboring towns, weekends or weekdays.

$350 -  Bronx, NY, Queens, NY

$400 - New York City, most of Long Island and New Jersey down to Princeton. (Weekday Manhattan shows are only $325!)

(If you have more than 25 or 30 children, you might consider having Robert bring his excellent sound system.  $75 extra.)

Note: Generally, I will take a $100 deposit on the phone through Mastercard or Visa and then collect the balance after the performance.  Cash is always great but checks are also accepted.

If, in addition to the show, you'd like me to bring a piñata and run a piñata game, I'd be happy to do it. The piñata game lasts somewhere between 15 and 25 minutes, and I charge $85 for  the stuffed piñata and my facilitation of the game. The game must be done just after the show with no interruption in between. I bring a rope, a plastic bat, bags for the piñata candy, along with the stuffed piñata.  A draw string piñata  is also available.

How I approach a performance at your home:

A birthday performance is unique in that  I am especially interested in enchanting one member of the audience, the birthday child.  Some birthday children crave my attention and the attention of their friends, and others don't.  Before I begin to perform, I've already received an intuitive sense of how extroverted the birthday child feels on this particular day, and also what mood of performance might fit this group of children.

 Unless the birthday child has given me clear signals that she/he is shy or emotionally overwhelmed, I will call the child by name often and make frequent eye contact.  Obviously, if I get signs that this is uncomfortable for the child, I back off and treat him/her as just another member of the group.  

 I am often asked when to schedule the 45 minute performance in the course of a 2 hr. party (or more if it is an adult/child party).  My preference is to schedule my performance near the beginning.  However, I've done performances after children have been hanging out at a party for four hours and still gotten wonderful results.  (That's my job.)  If you are inviting children at noon or 12:30, it's a good idea to feed them first.  I recommend scheduling the performance early because children are less likely to run roughshod through your house if it is clear to them from the beginning what fun is in store.  Also, I get them wide-eyed and fresh.  Anywhere from 20 minutes to a half-hour after the starting time of your party is ideal.  Earlier can be problematic because some children are bound to arrive late.

I do not mind starting a show up to fifteen minutes after we agreed I would start.  But if you want the show to begin any time after the 15 minute grace period, I charge $50, and if you want the show more than half an hour later than we agreed, $100.  I do this because my schedule of parties in a given day can be tight.  Please be assured that I will have enough time to give a full performance at your party as long as we begin on time or up to 15 minutes late.

For children turning 4 and older, parental participation in the show is unimportant.  However,  if a party is made up of mostly 1's, 2's, and children just turning 3, the participation of the birthday child's parent(s) really contributes to a great experience.  The invited parents look to the host parents to assess what level of  participation is encouraged.  If you are making a toddler party, but know you will be too pressed to participate, don't worry, I am there to give a great performance.  But I encourage you to see what it feels like for adults and toddlers alike to be singing and moving together under your roof.  It's a good idea to have someone present to sit with each very young child.

My original songs combine creative play and movement: often marching, jumping or dancing. One song mixes a bedtime lullaby with a rock and roll jumping song. In another, the ants go marching into a spider and then must duck and hide.  I have many such action song routines and they have been tested by hundreds of parties and shows. Children from three to five adore the puppets, role-playing and musical creative play.

 My performance for ones and twos has a good deal in common with a toddler music class, but includes more humor and silliness.  My repertoire is vast because I teach and perform for babies and toddlers practically every day.   Typically I'll begin with puppets, then lead some rhythmic lap riding with parent and child.  After that, it's time to get the children's hands clapping or rubbing to a comic chant usually involving body parts:  nose, cheeks, ears, knees, etc.  Now, I'll say "Hello" in song and greet everyone.  I've developed an ability to remember their names, but name tags are always nice.  By this time, I can usually feel that the kids want to get up and move, but if the children are mellow or space is very tight, I'll do some dramatic pieces based around songs.  "Itsy Bitsy Spider" is the catalyst for one of these.  On our feet, we march, jump, dance, shimmy, or sometimes walk, all to catchy songs specially tailored to these movements.  Then there's instrument time and fun with other props, not to mention simple magic tricks that even a two year old enjoys.  I'll also bring some rhythm instruments for the children to play.  There's an idea of what goes on, but  it's not so much "the what" but "the how."

Note:  I may bring drums, shakers, woodblocks, rhythm sticks, sleigh bells, tonal bells, scarves, stuffed animals (bunnies, fish), a buddy band, puppets, magical props, more.

home