Monkey Monkey Music comes to KCET

With a sincere commitment to putting the child back into children’s music, NYC-based musician/educator Meredith LeVande heads the dynamic project known as Monkey Monkey Music.


Monkey Monkey Music is now a presence on the West Coast! Sixteen Monkey Monkey Music videos are currently airing multiple times daily as interstitials on both the KCET children’s block and the KCET Kids & Family Channel. Meredith Levande could well be termed a "Renaissance woman of children's entertainment” as she draws from expertise in a variety of disciplines.


Having earned a bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies and English from the University of Rochester, a law degree from Brooklyn Law School, and a master’s degree in music from SUNY Purchase Music Conservatory, she brings to her work a strong academic background, yet to experience Meredith’s music videos is by no means an academic abstraction. Her videos are joy-filled expressions of pure, childlike fun.


And Meredith’s work is not only child-friendly, it’s truly child appropriate, created with the healthy growth of the young child in mind.Each of the Monkey Monkey Music videos broadcast on KCET has its own distinct character. Some are animated; some are a combination of animation and live action, while others are exclusively live action. What they all share is Meredith LeVande’s playful and heartfelt connection to children, whether exploring New York’s Chinatown in “Chinatown,” traveling across the country in “Let’s Fly,” searching for a musical note in “Where Is It?,” or learning about odd numbers in “What Are the Odds?” Several of the videos, such as “My Eyes, Your Eyes” make use of split screens and multiple images; however the production never detracts from the message or the musical experience. Some videos, like “Jump High” are geared toward getting kids up and and moving, while others, such as “Can You Paint a Rainbow?” are more reflective. Throughout, the “Meredith touch” is evident, encouraging kids to feel good about themselves and to have fun!


Notes Robert McDonnell, Director of KCET’s Education and Production Services, “KCET is thrilled to be adding Monkey Monkey Music Videos to our daily broadcast schedule. Meredith LeVande is extremely talented and really has a way of connecting with kids and involving them in the songs. We think viewers throughout Southern California will be charmed and entertained by her fresh voice and infectious spirit!"


Six years ago Meredith Levande’s debut album, Monkey Monkey Music with Meredith LeVande, became an instant hit with families nationwide, was a Parenting magazine “Pick,” and was in rotation on Sirius Satellite Radio, earning a grassroots reputation as a classic children's record. Meredith has, since 2005, devoted herself to performing for children in intimate settings, becoming a favorite among NYC area families and creating a repertoire that has grown organically due to her one-on-one interactions with children of virtually every culture imaginable.


In 2010 she released a second, tremendously acclaimed, album, What Are the Odds?, and a NAPPA award-winning DVD, Monkey Monkey Music: The Videos with Meredith LeVande.


Enthused Washington Parent, “LeVande’s new DVD collection of music videos is sure to win over parents and children unfamiliar with this songwriter and educator who has been working with preschool-aged children for nearly 10 years. This collection of music videos, a National Parenting Publication Awards’ 2010 Honors Winner, features 15 songs with appropriately engaging animation that doesn’t bombard the senses. I can attest after multiple viewings with my own children (almost 2- and 4-years-old) that the animation, though comparatively simple, is nonetheless as captivating to youngsters as is LeVande’s delicate, youthful voice.”


KCET continues its longtime commitment to quality children’s programming with the launch of a new children’s schedule, which premiered on New Years’ Day 2011. In addition KCET, now the largest independent public television station in the country, recently launched KCET Kids & Family Channel, a new 24/7 digital multicast channel dedicated to serving young viewers, their families and caregivers with a distinctive mix of quality programming in English and Spanish.Throughout its more than 40-year history, KCET has won hundreds of major awards for its local and regional news and public affairs programming, its national drama and documentary productions, its quality educational family and children’s programs, its outreach and community services and its website, kcet.org. KCET is a donor-supported community institution. More than half of the funds raised to support KCET’s operating budget come from individual support. For additional information about KCET productions, Web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community events, please visit www.kcet.org.