We were lucky to catch up with Sukey Molloy recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sukey, appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

It took a lot of courage and faith in myself to embark on a musical performing arts career. The teaching came more naturally and developed on its own, but bringing my own choreography, voice, lyrics, and melodies created a tremendous personal and financial risk. Without my teaching, and my husband’s help, along with my gifted co-producer, Larry Alexander, I wouldn’t have been able to sustain it. I was older, with children still at home, and wasn’t sure I could capture and keep the interest of a much younger parenting generation as well as survive the digital listening and viewing changes that took over the market. To add, in the early childhood market, for me meaning birth to five, the audience turns over completely every three years or so which creates an incredible demand in terms of sales and relevance. The greatest risk has been to keep listening to myself even when others have had a different opinion or point of view about my work. And now I’m signing with a book publisher to publish and release my Adventures of Little Stubby stories and felt art illustrations. Who knew? One just has to keep taking risks, along with having the blessing of a supportive environment.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I grew up in the Northeast. My mother was a performing artist and manager of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. My father attended the Naval Academy in Annapolis and was a commanding officer in the U.S. Navy before I was born. I had the great fortune of being exposed to classical music, voice and dance at a very young age, as well as many opportunities to be in the great outdoors. A love of music and the natural world have both had a great influence on me in my life and have given me a deep respect and love for all wildlife and the performing arts all over the world.

When I was little, I would pretend to be onstage and sing into a cucumber, pretending it was a microphone! I also loved ballet, took classes, and aspired one day to be a dancer. I studied piano and although loving it, had a hard time making myself practice. I didn’t realize until much later that I had a singing voice, and once my dance career in NYC with the Solomon’s Company Dance ended due to an injury, I began my work with young children in music and movement. I also returned to the piano.

I knew I wanted to work with children ages birth to five and studied developmental movement with Dr. Garland O’Quinn, becoming certified to teach developmental movement programs. And I studied Infant Development with Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen at the School for Body Mind Centering. This training, combined with my music and movement background gave me the tools I needed set out on my own.

Without too much planning and a lot of heart, I started teaching my own Circle Time classes for children, parents and teachers in nursery schools, libraries, day care centers and after schools, and in the process began writing songs, creating puppets, felt animations, and picture books, and eventually recorded nine award winning CDs and DVDs! I also launched my company, PlayMove&Sing Inc. and formed my band, Sukey Molloy & Friends. It all happened in such a whirlwind and was an incredible path of discovery.

As my career developed, I was introduced to Grammy winner Larry Alexander, a legendary recording engineer who has worked with Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan and David Bowie to name a few(!) Larry and I have become lifelong friends and enjoy an amazing creative process together. Without Larry’s expertise and unique listening skills, my music and video would never have developed the way they did.

My creative interest has always been dictated by my intention to share meaningful, educational, and entertaining songs, activities and images that correspond to the very young child. I learned that the developing brain needs certain types of experiences to learn and process the flood of sensations and impressions coming into the body. The first three years of life are critical in this regard, and I make sure to offer developmentally appropriate, engaging, skill-based songs and activities. I decide ahead of time what the focus of a song, story or animation is to be, whether it’s interactive movement, sing-along, imaginative play, silly, or quiet and meditative, and whether I’m using a traditional melody or writing my own tune. The most important aspect is that the song or activity invites the child to enter at his/her own pace and participate in a safe and trusting way. I bring my idea or melody or lyrics to Larry and we see what direction the project wants to take us!

Each of the albums and DVDs has its own unique flavor and promotes a joy of learning through listening, viewing and active participation.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I have always advocated for a child’s right to a true, protected and extended early childhood – time to experience nature, interact with the animal kingdom, play in the sand and water, watch the clouds in the sky, see the stars at night. Watch the trees gently blowing in the breeze, play next to a stream and look for frogs and fish, roll in the grass and have picnics outdoors. Even when growing up in the city there are lots of ways for children to have the chance to interact with the natural world. And, to allow children lots of time for physical play, to follow their sensory inclinations, to create with crafts and stories and clay, to run and jump and spin around. Electronic viewing is criminal to the developing brain and should be held away until age five if possible. Children need to experience the natural world around them through their five senses and not be exposed to any form of electronic viewing if possible. It inhibits the growth of synapses in the developing brain and has far reaching effects. We need to remember how to allow a child to be a child before filling them with grown up ideas, habits and demands.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I believe in a sincere and developmentally based way of interacting with children and families whether in front of a small audience, in the recording studio, on stage, or in the classroom. I look for a certain intimacy in sharing, making eye contact, nodding approval, encouraging everyone to sing and move along with me. I try as best I can to be sincere in my wish to have everyone engaged. The relationships need to be genuine and affirming, giving each child in a chance to feel his/her own sphere of presence, participation, space, and joy. I feel there’s a young child in myself when I’m with children and families, and I’ve grown to trust in that little child to guide me through while at the same time holding the hand of the adult in me. There’s a child in each one of us who needs to be acknowledged and cared for in a very special way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sukeymolloy.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sukeymolloy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SukeyMolloy/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SukeyMolloy

Image Credits
(Credit: Courtesy of Dyana Van Campen)