Early Childhood Music
A First Musical Experience
Baby Music: 6 months to 3 years of age – Tuesdays 9:30-10:15/10:30-11:15 AM or Thursdays 12:30-1:15
Music for babies is offered to children who are between the ages of 6 months and 3 years. This 45 minute class is packed with singing, movement, bouncing games, finger and toe plays, ticklers, storytelling, puppets, and simple instrumental activities. Every class ends with a lullaby and cuddles. Adult accompaniment is mandatory, so come prepared to run, gallop and sit on the floor along with your child. The adults as well as the children will learn new songs, games and rhymes that they will be able to enjoy at home. Music education is a critical part of a child’s healthy development. Children stand a better chance of wanting to continue a musical education later on if their first experiences in making music are positive and joyous.
Preparatory Music: 3 to 5 years of age – Thursdays 1:30-2:15 PM
This course is for children 3 to 5 years of age. Using a combination of Orff, Dalcroze eurythmics and Kodaly this will be hands on learning experience for the children. The program will incorporate all of the arts. This is often referred to as a “holistic” approach to music teaching. Singing, chanting rhymes, clapping and body percussion, games, simple dramatization, visual arts, movement and dance, storytelling, puppets, playing and exploring percussion instruments are all a part of these classes. The teaching of beat and rhythm are a constant and depending on the age and capabilities of the class, simple notation might also be introduced. The children experience immediately the joy of making music and have so much fun in these classes that they don’t even realize that they are learning. This is the foundation on which further musical studies can be built.
These courses provide an ideal preparation for subsequent courses such as Orff, Apprentice Choir, Suzuki Strings and instrumental tuition.
After School Preparatory Music (Orff): 5 to 7 years of age - Thursdays 3:30 - 4:15
Based on the musical genius of Austrian composer and educator Carl Orff, this internationally recognized approach to music education combines singing, instrument-playing, speech , dance, drama and games. It emphasizes the necessity of developing children's sense of beat, rhythm and melody in a playful, creative and participatory way, before formal training begins. This class is a continuation of the preparatory music classes for 3 - 5 year olds, but newcomers are welcome. Previous instruction is not a prerequisite for this class. The children play a wide range of percussion instruments including xylophones, metallophones and glockenspiels. They will experience the joy of creating music in an ensemble. Rhythmic notation will also be reviewed and continued.
If a child's first experiences in music making are successful and joyous, they are more likely to want to continue on in musical studies. This is a wonderful foundation.
Instructor – Denise Swan
Tuition $75.00 10 classes
Tel: +1 604 485 9633
e-mail: info@powellriveracademy.org