Remember the recorder? It’s that small plastic instrument — looks kind of like a flute or clarinet — that’s often the first instrument children learn to play in school. Or, at least, they used to. But ...

Remember the recorder? It's that small plastic instrument — looks kind of like a flute or clarinet — that's often the first instrument children learn to play in school. Or, at least, they used to. But ...

The recorder often inflicts squeaky torture on parents. Music teacher Valerie DePriest explains why it became a staple in music education. When Lebanon-born George Semaan came to the United States via ...