Music Classes

EXPOSURE: Music Exposure for Infants (birth-12mo)
Capacity: 6 infants per class

This class is designed to create a musical environment for babies to experience through sound, sight and touch. Children absorb music from the time their auditory system develops in their mother’s womb. It is never too early to introduce your infant to music. Exposure to music has been shown to benefit a child’s social and cognitive development from the time they are born. In this class, parents and caretakers have the opportunity to share a musical space with their baby in an explorative manner. The instructor will play or sing songs, musically interact with each baby, and introduce a variety of musical sounds and instruments. Information will also be provided throughout the term that pertains to current research in early childhood music education.

The class will not be sequential and you and your child can pay month by month.

EXPOSURE: Music Exposure for Toddlers (12-26 months)
Capacity: 6 toddlers per class

This class is designed to offer a musical space for toddlers to explore instruments, music storybooks, musical games and of course, their voice! Exposure to and participation in music during the early formative years has been shown to promote and augment the development of language (among other developmental skills.) The purpose of this class is to introduce music as fun and rewarding, while exposing musical concepts that not only support healthy development, but also grow the budding musician in your child. The instructor will incorporate musical concepts into guided activities such as painting, dancing, musical games, puppet songs and music storytime.

The class will not be sequential and you and your child can pay month by month.

*Parental attendance required and participation is encouraged

EXPLORATION: Music Exploration for Preschoolers (2-3 years)
Capacity: 6 kids per class
*Parent attendance required, participation is encouraged

During the preschool years, children start to develop the cognitive ability to recognize patterns, discern between different sounds, and imitate information. This class is designed to foster musical skills already inherent in your child while encouraging creative responses and developing autonomy in musical expression. Musical games, puppet songs, music storytime, painting and dancing are just some of the activities included to inspire your child’s creativity. Similar to a general preschool setting, this class will incorporate seasonal, environmental and social themes into musical lessons (themes such as autumn, fireworks, farm animals, oceans, respect, sharing etc.)

The class will not be sequential and you and your child can pay month by month. 

ENRICHMENT: PS Music (ages 4-5)

Parental attendance optional, although participation is encouraged

As children approach readiness for primary school their skills for music comprehension increases greatly. At this age children are cognitively capable of internalizing a beat, echoing back correct pitches, imitating rhythms and discerning between major and minor tonalities. This class is designed to expand upon the musical knowledge your child has, while also developing new skills. We will focus on musical concepts such as rhythm, pitch, tonality, tempo, articulation and timbre in the form of drum circles, rhythm and singing games, instrument exploration, movement activities, and art projects. Themes that are often explored in primary schools will also be incorporated into classes throughout the year such as Halloween, community helpers, ocean life, spring, fireworks, pets, gardening etc...

The class will not be sequential and you and your child can pay month by month.

My Music Community (ages 5-9)

MY MUSIC COMMUNITY is a collaborative project-based learning course to help foster music exposure and comfort in collaborative and communal music-making.  Students will be introduced to various styles of music and will have opportunities to collaborate within these styles. Learning fundamentals of music notation and music structure, MY MUSIC COMMUNITY will help children interact with music while also relating to others. This course is for children ages 5-9 years old. 

Classes are held on a month-by-month basis

Family Instrument Play (ages 0-5)

In the early education music classes, we have noticed some little ones prefer to spend most of the time engaging with the variety of instruments in the classroom.  We want to give families a chance to come in and play with the instruments without the structure of a class in place.  We will still have a facilitator who will provide prompts and suggestions for free instrument play and interaction with your little one.  This is a time for family bonding around music, and also a time to meet other parents!

Classes are held on a month-by-month basis

Campfire Guitar Class (ages 6 and up, no experience is necessary)

The campfire group guitar class will teach all students how to play chords, basic strumming/ fingerpicking patterns, and also take on the coordination to play and sing.  Build a repertoire of songs so you can start jamming with your friends around the campfire.  No experience is necessary.  Rentals available.  

Prices:
$240 for 11 class series
$25 for a drop-in session during specific drop-in weeks

Group Piano Class (no experience is necessary)

Beginning piano class for children with no piano experience!  Students will learn rudimentary skills such as hand placement, posture, reading notation, rhythms and playing tunes from ear. 

Prices:
$240 for 11 class series
$25 for a drop-in session during specific drop-in weeks

Theory Fundamentals I, II, and III (ages 7-12)

This series will teach elementary-aged beginners the basics of music notation, ear training, rhythm, keys, and chords. Over three 11-week courses, students will start by identifying staff notation and then use that knowledge to deduce rhythmic patterns, intervals, and scales. They will not only apply these concepts to a variety of musical styles, from Western Classical to commercial genres, but also construct their own examples with in-class and take-home assignments. Classroom time focuses on active and fun participation with games, puzzles, singing, and movement.

Prices:
$240 for 11 class series

Introduction to Music Theory (ages 12-18)

This series will take middle and high school students beyond fundamentals and into the realm of music analysis. Through three 11-week courses, teenagers will not only learn to recognize intervals, rhythms, keys, and chords, but also reference what they learn to infer patterns within classical, popular, jazz, and commercial music. Eventually, students will independently evaluate the music they listen to and make hypotheses about how it works. These skills are honed at the visual level through score identification, at the aural level through recordings and listening exercises, and at the tactile and creative level through music composition.

Prices:
$240 for 11 class series

Seminar: Myth and Music (ages 16+)

Who deserves the label of “musical genius”? This course is intended for young and older adults with some musical background who are willing to explore and deconstruct that concept. Using philosophers and academics like Roland Barthes and Tia DeNora as starting points, participants will compare readings that criticize or exonerate established beliefs around genius, aesthetic taste, and the idolization of historical figures. Class time will focus principally on discussion intermingled with some lecture, analysis, and listening, and assignments will involve journal entries and formal writing. Through this method, students will better judge how music appears against its cultural backdrop and evaluate the objective limits of music theory.

Prices:
TBD for 11 class series, weekly 2 hour sessions