Today we’d like to introduce you to Sukey Molloy.
Hi Sukey, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Regarding the flow of my life, I guess I could be called a late bloomer. My early years were sprinkled with a combination of unusual opportunities and experiences, as well as familial challenges. Put together, these circumstances have given me a wealth of perceptions that offered rich material to work with. Growing up I was surrounded by the performing arts and the great outdoors. To this day my heart still lives in those two places. My mother had a career in music and arts administration, and my father was a decorated naval officer. Growing up we lived near a large farm and my favorite pastime was to feed the cows at the fence and to spend long afternoons alone in the woods by the stream. I never liked school very much even though I was a decent student, and one day I left home, unexpectedly, before graduating from high school. I did eventually go on to get a degree in education and the performing arts and was very fortunate to get into a modern dance company in NYC even though I was a little green around the edges. Once married with children, it took some time to get my footing again and to launch a new career. Without really planning it, I began teaching movement and music classes to very young children, and eventually began recording the songs and stories I was creating. This has grown into a wonderful spring of relationships and creativity that I never could have imagined.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
This has not been a particularly smooth road! First of all, the birth to 5 age group that my music, books and movement programs are created for turns over every three years or so. This means having to attract new audiences over, and over again. Of course, my work has a life of its own now and new families find me, but it continues to be an uphill climb. Another hurdle has been the transition from CD listening to digital which was a giant turn around in the industry and has dramatically affected artists’ income. And, the cost and expenses involved in recording music, printing books, marketing, performing, distributing and being relevant online are all a constant demand. It has only been by teaching my music and movement programs and the kindness and support of my family that I have kept the boat afloat!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in creating music, video, picture books, teaching, and performing for very young children ages birth to 5. I also promote interactive music and movement learning programs and workshops including stories and topics about feelings, physical play and the natural world. When I created my first storytelling album, The Adventures of Little Stubby, about a miniature donkey finding his way in life, I visited many donkey rescue farms and was touched to discover how much work is being done to help animals in need, and how special it is for children to interact with animals.
I’m told what I’m best known for is a quality of intimacy and trust when relating to children, that they feel safe and included and eager to participate in my presence. I aim to create an atmosphere of permission, encouragement and participation in my interactions and find that young children, even when hesitant at first, eventually feel supported enough by the environment to inch forward and join in. This is a skill I have worked on and is based on discovering ways to help each child feel included, acknowledged and honored. It’s amazing what a simple nod of the head, a moment of eye contact, a light touch on the shoulder, or the hint of a smile can convey. No matter whether I’m in a small classroom or on a large stage, this principle remains central to my mission. Every child matters.
One aspect that I am most proud of is the awards and reviews I’ve received for my work. These include The Children’s Music Web Award, The NAPPA award, Mom’s Choice Award, the School Library Journal and others. It is very special to feel acknowledged and recognized for one’s work. Additionally, I am extremely proud of the work I have accomplished in such a short time, given the fact that I started my music career later in life. Creating, teaching and performing have been a tremendous joy and I’m grateful to have been able to follow this path and produce a body of work that children and families can enjoy for years to come. I feel very sensitive to the inner lives of children and whether they are given the opportunity to experience the deeper feelings of confidence, joy and self-awareness that can appear in themselves. I believe my work serves as an invitation to come closer inside to oneself when listening, watching and engaging.
What sets me apart from others is that I have had the great fortune of co-producing each one of my albums and DVDs with the renowned recording engineer, Larry Alexander. Larry is not only a Grammy winner but has worked with such artists as Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, and Willie Nelson to name a few. Larry’s special influence, his creative contribution, work ethic, quiet listening and enduring friendship have all helped to shape each song, poem, story, animation and sound. What also sets my work apart from others, I believe, is my interest in how to sincerely listen and watch when recording, teaching or performing. I have always tried to remember to sing directly from the child within, to relate openly and to nurture that relationship with humility. This is something I also learned from my mentor, Dr. Garland O’Quinn whose book, Teaching Developmental Gymnastics was a great revelation. And finally, it was Mr. Rogers who once said something that profoundly influenced my interactions with children. It was part of his acceptance speech for his award from PBS. He said that for him, the 6 feet between the child and the TV screen is a sacred space. This awakened something in me that I have always tried to honor in my work.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
My industry encompasses music recording, performing, storytelling, book publishing, video animation and early childhood education so there are different paths to develop. But what seems the most obvious is that as a culture we are going ever more in the direction of online communication and there is no turning back. The listening and viewing audience is now accustomed to having lots of entertainment and education options at their fingertips, and most of it for free. So it seems that promotion and marketing platforms remain a necessary element in keeping relevant. Through it all, I have done my best to continue to represent the unique needs of the very young child. When the brain is experiencing its greatest thrust of development in the early years, it is the time when electronic viewing may be the most detrimental. But unfortunately, our attraction to fast moving images and highly produced sound has become a high speed train that has left the station. Parents and teachers have an important job now to make sure that children are given the opportunity to develop at a relaxed pace and to be allowed to interact with their sensory world and development without addiction to electronic mediums. Also, for artists to be given the support they need to continue to create environments and tools that support sensitive early learning.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sukeymolloy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sukeymolloy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SukeyMolloy/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SukeyMolloy
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DZ06evO2ib9yo. – https://www.amazon.com/CDs-Vinyl-Sukey-Molloy/s?rh=n%3A5174%2Cp_32%3ASukey+Molloy
Image Credits
Dyana Van Campen