MISTER G Is Coming to Town: Get to Know Our New Favorite Kindie Artist

As a child, I was fortunate to live and travel abroad. That experience sparked a lifelong fascination with different cultures. My father was born in Germany and came to the U.S. as a refugee from Nazi Germany, so that part of my cultural background has influenced the work I’ve done for PJ Library, which incorporates Hebrew and Yiddish. My lifelong love of Spanish has also been a major inspiration for me as a songwriter and an author.

I’ve been fortunate to tour the world playing music for children and families, and there have been countless wonderful moments connecting with kids through music. But performing in India at The International School Agra on my birthday was an experience that I’ll never forget!

While a song can stand on its own by being catchy, a book needs a narrative arc with a beginning, middle and an end. Certain songs lend themselves to being adapted to books better than others, and it’s always an interesting process to create a narrative on the page from what originated as a piece of music. In the end, the songs that became books need to transform quite a bit to work on the page without the support of rhythm and melody.

During my performances, I sing and speak in a variety of languages. But regardless of the musical genre or language of a particular song, I draw upon the power of music as a unifying force like no other. Time and again, I’ve looked out from the stage at crowds of children from diverse backgrounds who are happily singing and dancing together thanks to the capacity of rhythm, melody and positive energy to bring people together.

My philosophy is that all of us — children and adults — are more receptive to learning when we’re having fun. With that in mind, I want learning to happen seamlessly through the songs and stories. Personally, I want to instill a greater sense of environmental stewardship and cross cultural appreciation with my audience. I believe the most impactful way to do that is through creating songs and stories that are captivating in and of themselves. When a child sings a song or reads a book over and over, the message of the art will be internalized.

Our shows are very interactive, so the audience will be singing and dancing along with us from beginning to end. It’s a joyful collaboration with the crowd at every concert. We always have children, parents and grandparents at our concerts, so it’s important to me that the performances are equally engaging to audience members of all ages. My goal is that everyone who comes to a show leaves feeling happier than when they arrived.

I’ve performed at JCCs all over the country, but never in Washington state so I’m excited to connect with the Stroum community! The last couple of times I’ve been on tour in the Pacific Northwest, and it’s always inspiring to be in one of the most beautiful places in the world. I love hiking, so I’m hoping for some good spring weather while we’re in town.

Everywhere! We’re on tour coast to coast this year. Some of the upcoming events I’m most excited about include the premiere of my play, “Señorita Mariposa,” which is based on my children’s picture book, this September in Minneapolis, and a return to the Austin City Limits Music Festival in October.