When 4th grader Alex Schwartz first met his cello, his eyes lit up with wonder and a smile appeared on his face as bright as the potential his new cello teacher saw within him. The cello positively impacted all aspects of his development including focus, fine motor and gross motor skills.
Through the transformative power of music, Alex’s voice sings through his cello in songs of joy, determination and strength. Up Bow Down Bow A Child with Down Syndrome and His Journey to Master the Cello shares the beauty of his ongoing musical journey and tells of the vital teamwork between a young music teacher with an endless belief in the abilities of her students, and a mother with ceaseless love, support and hope for her son who has Down syndrome, epilepsy and hypotonia.
“Children with varying abilities have much to offer us all. This book speaks to how parents, families and communities can support children with diverse capabilities and the joy we can receive in return” -Barbara Bowman, Irving B. Harris Professor, Erikson Institute
“This is a tale of the triumph of the human spirit: the triumph managed through a parent’s love and persistence, a teacher’s dedication, a young boy’s desire to learn and music’s power to transform.” -Russ Walsh, Rider University, author of A Parent’s Guide to Public Education in the 21st Century
“This collaboration offers a promising and powerful blueprint for educators, parents and caregivers everywhere to collaborate, teach and love all children within the space of strength-based perspectives.” -Kass Minor, Co-Founding Educator and Executive Director, The Minor Collective
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