“Music develops the appetite for learning and creates habits of self-discipline and personal tenacity that carry over into every facet of school. Young musicians are skilled at concentration, alertness, memory and self-control. These attributes are basic for success in higher education but, more importantly, in succeeding in life.” – The Joy of Inspired Teaching, by Time Lautsenheizer, p.55

The Young Child program (for children 4.5 – 7 years) was created with the interests and needs of your young child in mind – the young child learns best when he is actively engaged in music making.  While the need for more concrete information and skill development is at hand, play remains the primary way young children learn.

In our small, movement-oriented classes, children explore a wide variety of musical styles and the instruments of the orchestra through group ensemble play, music, games, and stories from many cultures – all designed to balance active learning that combines feeling with the reasoning aspects of your child’s development.

Young Child is not an end product but rather a bridge between the music play of early childhood and the more formal musical experiences of the middle childhood years. These classes are a musical learning experience that set the stage for future school success and the transition into formal music lessons. Our Kindermusik classes will take your child on a journey of learning through song, laughter, listening and performing. Young children who continue Kindermusik classes into early school age will develop a greater capacity for learning and a lifelong love of music.

The Young Child Journey
Kindermusik for the Young Child, a four-semester curriculum is the culmination of the Kindermusik experience – an all important step in your child’s musical growth. Young Child provides opportunities that can have many positive effects on various aspects of your child’s life. The following are some of the skills and experiences your child will develop and enjoy on his journey through Young Child.

Vocal Skills:
* Expansion of vocal range
* Opportunities to develop confidence in independent singing

Tonal Awareness:
* Familiarity with specific pitches and intervals
* Familiarity with a variety of musical modes or palettes

Rhythmic Awareness:
* Fluent use of specific rhythm language (including ta, ti-ti, etc.)
* Reading and performing simple rhythmic patterns

Movement Skills:
* Ability to use expressive movement to experience and convey musical concepts
* Increased fine motor control through instrument play, writing and drawing

Reading and Writing Skills:
* Reading and writing standard music notation including:
* Melodic notation (pitches such as c, a and d on the treble staff)
* Rhythmic notation in 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 meter
* Original musical compositions

Instrument Playing Skills and Knowledge:
* Familiarity with orchestra instruments and their families
* Experience playing a broad range of child-appropriate percussion instruments
* Focused skill development and ability to play songs on three instruments:
Glockenspiel – keyboard instrument experience
Dulcimer – stringed instrument experience
Recorder – wind instrument experience

Focused Listening Skills:
* Ability to identify orchestra instruments and their families by sound
* Knowledge of composers and masterworks of the western art music tradition
* Knowledge of music and instruments of lands such as the Pacific Islands, Europe, Africa and Central, North and South America

Awareness of Musical Concepts:
* Knowledge of basic musical structures (such as musical phrases)
* Knowledge of expressive qualities in music (such as dynamics and tempo)
* Command of a vocabulary to name and describe elements and qualities of music

Social Skills:
* Working with others to create musical ensembles, for example, composing “Sounds of the Sea”
* Cooperating in dances, partner activities and play party games, such as “Mexican Hat Dance”

Creativity:
* Expressing individual creativity through composition, drawing and movement
* Making choices in creating instrumental ensembles⋅

What Music2Grow families are saying about the Young Child Program:

“Our teacher, Verna Hewitt, does an amazing job with the active little boys in our class. I think my son has learned a lot and enjoys every class. I think it’s a great foundation for appreciating and loving music.”

“It’s fun for the child. They are exposed to different types of music and instruments. Its a great foundation for future music choices. My child can now read music – impressive.”

“Our Educator is not only teaching [the Kindermusik] program but also she makes it a comfortable atmosphere. Our daughter really enjoys the lessons with her.”