HORSIN' AROUND; SHARI LEWIS, CHARLIE HORSE PUPPET PROMOTE MUSICAL LEARNING FOR KIDS.

Byline: Keith Marder Daily News Television Writer

Shari Lewis wants to help children make beautiful music.

Beginning today on KCET, her new series, ``The Charlie Horse Music Pizza'' (8 a.m. weekdays), will embody the same wacky sensibilities of her other children's projects while focusing on teaching kids music theory, how to sing and how to play instruments.

Lewis, best known as the hand and voice behind Lamb Chop, goes way back with music.

A serious musician and graduate of New York's High School of Music and Arts, Lewis is a symphony conductor who has led the national symphonies of the United States, Canada and Japan.

``My mother always said that the study of a musical instrument or of music gave students tremendous self-confidence and self-esteem,'' Lewis said. ``They were more disciplined, had better manners and even had better posture.''

A study completed in 1994 at the University of California, Irvine, found that keyboard and vocal training at a preschool age improved a child's aptitude for spatial relations. The same study showed that children using a computer produced the same results and that college students gained a temporary 10-point increase in IQ after listening to Mozart.

``There are lots of shows for children that focus on math, science, nature and reading,'' Lewis said. ``This is (television's) first show that really focuses on music. Music is brain food that you eat through your ears.''

``Charlie Horse'' will set out to feed the young appetites. With help from the Music Educators National Conference, every episode will have a music lesson, such as tuning and scales. Each episode will contain original songs composed by professionals, including Ray Charles. Games, activities and crafts related to the making of music have been incorporated into the plots.

Children respond early to music, experts say.

``Music is one of the first things to develop,'' said Mary Shamrock, the assistant chair of the music education program at California State University, Northridge. ``It's happening in utero. A good friend of mine sang to his child a couple months before birth. And when the baby cried, he sang the song, and the baby shut up.''

The show's cast is part puppet (including Charlie, Lamb Chop and Hush Puppy) and part people (including Dom DeLuise as ``Cookie'' the cook).

The main setting for the musical comedy is the Music Pizza Parlor on the beach, a ``Cheers'' for children, as Lewis put it. Lewis is the owner/operator, assisted by Charlie Horse, Lamb Chop and Hush Puppy. And they've added two new characters: a skateboarding orangutan (Take Out) and a raccoon who lives in the garbage (Fingers).

Lewis said the original intention of ``Charlie Horse'' was to supply the music education that was being cut out of school curriculum for 3- to 8-year-olds. But, she says, music is making a comeback in schools.

``I think they realized,'' Lewis said, ``that music isn't a frill. It teaches kids to learn.''

The rebirth of music in the classroom has led to a shortage of music teachers.

``Schools are in our faces that we don't have enough teachers coming out for them,'' said CSUN's Shamrock. ``We couldn't recommend students to take music. There were no jobs. It's going to take a couple of years to catch up.''

Shamrock said that for the show to be most effective, it should go beyond the sing-songy music heard on such shows as ``Barney and Friends.'' Also, interactive activities are a big bonus. The fact that Lewis is working with professional music educators is an excellent sign.

``They shouldn't be afraid to use art music,'' she said. ``The myth is that little kids won't like classical music. But if you do that when they are 12, then they will only listen to hip-hop.''

Lewis said that the show will include all types of music, from classical to ``My Dog Has Fleas.''

``Kids already love music,'' she said. ``Kids want to go out and make their own music. We are raising a generation of spectators. We will use any musical style as long as it has energy.''

In one episode, a 9-year-old child teaches Lewis how to play the violin.

``If you look at Itzhak Perlman playing the violin, a 7-year-old will clearly say, `I can't do that.' But if the same 7-year-old would look at a 9-year-old girl teaching me to play, they could say, `That would be fun.' We did some focus groups with kids between 3 and 7 and they really got it.''

The Music Educators National Conference gives the show's writers ideas of what to teach and ways to teach it.

``Music on other shows is passive and sing-a-longy,'' said Mallory Tarcher of Sherman Oaks, head writer, creative supervisor and daughter of Lewis. ``We are giving music education, not just music. We teach how to play a harmonica, the difference between a quarter, a half and a whole note, and we use all original music.''

In meetings with executive producer Bernard Rothman, Lewis, Tarcher and story editor Aubrey Tadman discuss the music lesson and places in the half-hour show where the songs would best fit.

``Shari will say, `Here's the place to talk about the music lesson,' '' said Tadman of Encino. ``She will tell us approximately what to put in it, and we write it with comedy to take the sting out of the lesson. It gives me great pleasure to take something that is maybe not so exciting and make it fun to learn and entertaining. Even though it's the toughest part of the show to write, putting in comedy is really worthwhile.''

Writing for the show has proven to be fun for Tarcher and Tadman, and they both particularly love writing for DeLuise, who can add to a line with physical comedy. And his size, next to little puppets, results in some sweet images.

``Dom is hysterical,'' Archer said. ``Our crew loved him. Whenever he was in a scene, he was cooking. He made frittatas and omelettes. The crew sent him a thank-you note when it was over. We just couldn't get the smell of garlic off the set.''

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Photo: Shari Lewis and puppet Charlie Horse will aim at educating kids with music.