Young Child, Level 4 and 5 Curriculum (5 - 7 years)
Young Child prepares the young child who is eager for first experiences with musical symbols and instrument discovery but is not yet ready for formal lessons and traditional music reading with an instrument.
Class Structure: 15 classes in a semester, 30 classes throughout the "school year" with four different units total; caregiver attends the first 5 minutes and the last 5-10 minutes
Class Length: 60 minutes
What to Expect in Class:
- Singing and vocal development: It may sound like a foreign language when a child sings “ta” and “ti-ti,” but this is the language of professional musicians and composers and getting young children ready to read and write simple rhythm patterns.
- Movement: See children dance expressively to music, giving them the practice they needs to coordinate their body movements to the sound of music. This kind of musical play not only improves musicianship, but physical coordination as well.
- Reading and writing: Young children will learn melodic notation and identify pitches such as the C, A, and D notes on the treble clef, plus rhythmic notation. Eventually even composing their own music.
- Focused listening: Children will learn to identify a range of orchestra instruments and their sound qualities, while also gaining an early awareness and knowledge of composers and masterworks in Western arts tradition.
- Exploring and playing musical instruments: Authentic percussion, string, pre-keyboard, and woodwind instruments expose children to the many choices for future musical study, and at the same time provide them with the opportunity to musically succeed before taking on more formal instruction.