What Parents and The Press Are Saying

About Oran Etkin’s Timbalooloo:

www.oranetkin.com www.timbalooloo.com

Parents in Oran Etkin’s Timbaloloo Classes:

“I have been a fan of Oran's music since I heard him perform in 2008 and heard his first CD, Kelenia.  I found Oran's music to be truly spectacular and beautiful -- can't say I've heard anything quite like it before.  As a parent, I have seen my son's musicality and creativity flourish in Oran's Timbalooloo music classes, which I first enrolled him in at the age of 2.  Oran has a rare ability to immediately captivate both children and adults with his music and storytelling.  I think because of this unique combination of storytelling and music and his ability to immediately connect to a child's imagination, Oran's approach could translate very nicely to TV or book realms. I am looking forward to seeing my younger child grow to feel and love music in Oran's classes too, and to all the dancing and be-bopping with both kids in our house to his new CD!” -Edie Falco

“Oran Etkin makes music from all over the world accessible and fun for children to listen to and learn about. From the age of two, our son was talking about Herbie Hancock, Mozart, Samba, and African music - and he knew the difference.” -Harvey Keitel and Daphna Kastner Keitel

“After seeing the wonderful atmosphere in Oran's class we knew immediately we had to have him in our son's lives. His ability to teach children (2's and under!!!) about interesting music (rather than the litany of obvious choices) and keep them fully engaged and willing to learn was really really remarkable. he has touched both of our boys lives...”  -Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber

“We were very happy to see how Oran Etkin's Timbalooloo classes awakened an excitement about music in our daughter, enabling her to be creative and express herself through music.  Our daughter often came home showing us how many beats were in a waltz or telling us a story about Dizzy Gillespie. Oran is able to impart complex musical ideas in such a unique and fun way that the children learn without ever knowing they are learning. They get engrossed in the stories and music-making for 45 minutes and come out the other end feeling like Tito Puente is their lifelong friend and that they too can play the drums and make the xylophone 'talk'.”  -Ken Burns and Julie Burns

Oran Etkin's music classes have been a revelation. With the lightest of touches, Oran makes musical concepts that might sound intimidating [our son is now conversant, before the age of three, with the waltz, the samba, Japanese songs, the music of Sister Rosetta Tharp and Willie Nelson] seem like a natural part of anyone's development. And according to Oran's logic-and the evidence of our own eyes-they are. Its often said that children are able to acquire all types of knowledge at such an early age but Oran has a knack of making the cliche true. Watching one of his classes its easy to believe that it just takes the right teacher to tap the music inside us all. 

And its hugely refreshing to see musical education for such young kids that never becomes twee, self-conscious or condescending to such young minds and ears. Oran is a serious and seriously accomplished musician and it shows in his feeling for all instruments and musical forms. Its a feature of his teaching that the kids discover technical aspects of music through language they can relate to [ our son has traveled the world playing "the cow and the birdies" -the lowest and the highest notes-on every instrument he ever comes across] but the maturity of Oran's musical understanding is never put on hold in his teaching. Its a rare teacher that can combine a real reverence and seriousness for the subject he's teaching with the playfulness and sense of fun to release the kids own musical joy.

 We feel very lucky that our sons deep, instinctive love of music has met a guide as fun to follow and as well-travelled as Oran. -Jonathan Cake and Julianne Nicholson

Press Quotes About Oran Etkin:

“Pied Piper Oran Etkin Wakes Up Instruments And Audiences”

-Philadelphia Daily News

“Woodwind Maestro”

-PRI’s (Public Radio International) Afropop Worldwide

“He’s a great clarinet player… beautiful sound… excellent improviser”

-Ben Ratliff of The New York Times, Speaking on WBGO Radio

“Ebullient” “Hypnotic”

-New York Times -Boston Globe