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Everyone of us is born with innate musical ability. Children can learn to sing and dance just as naturally as they learn to speak and walk. Musikgarten introduces children to the joy of making music, promotes listening, movement, and musical skill development. Early exposure to musical patterns and concepts can have a profound effect on a child’s development. For further information on the benefits of music study, read the article Why Should Young Children Take Music Classes?
Parents have many options for early childhood music education. Musikgarten is the right choice for parents who are looking for a comprehensive program on the leading edge of early childhood music education research. Its instructors receive the most rigorous training of any of the leading national programs and it is the only one that offers a well-developed plan for your child’s musical education. Musikgarten emphasizes aural training and active, thoughtful participation, not entertainment. There is also a strong emphasis on movement, rather than visual stimulation. As an organization, Musikgarten is committed to early childhood music education and is a worldwide leader in research. For further information on the curriculum and its benefits read the article Why Musikgarten?.
Wunder Studios provides a path to music literacy with a series of engaging Musikgarten classes that children love. Infants, toddlers, and pre-schoolers rock, sing, dance, and play instruments, sharing the experience with their parents. Children who take the complete series of classes acquire excellent aural skills and are very well prepared for further music study. After completion of the two-year Pre-Piano Classes (ages 4 to 7), children are eligible to enroll in the Musikgarten’s highly successful Group Piano class. Children love this class – they run to the piano, not from it!
Fall classes begin September 2, but you can join a class at any time. If you would like to schedule a class for a group, please call for details. Each class has a minimum or 4 and a maximum of 9. All Musikgarten classes include the participation of an adult caregiver, which can be a parent, grandparent, or other adult designated by the parents. Until age three, the adult participates in the entire class. From three to seven, the adult participates in the last fifteen minutes of the class.
Toddler Class: 18 to 36 months
This class is designed to bring the joy of music and movement to toddlers and their caregivers. Activities include singing, dancing, focused listening and simple instrument playing, creating an environment in which the child’s music aptitude is nurtured and skills are developed. This class meets for 30 minutes per week.
Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.
Tuesday, or Wednesday, at 10:15
Cost: $150 for 15 weeks, plus the $25 materials fee.
Preschool Class: The Cycle of Seasons, age 3 to 5
Celebrate your 3 to 5 year old's curiosity and love of nature through musical activities involving the 4 seasons. This class includes lots of songs, chants and rhymes, listening games, patterns to echo, and movement games, all of which nurture the child’s musical development while satisfying the child’s need to learn in a holistic environment. Parents still participate, but children work independently for most of the class. Meets for 45 minutes per week.
Tuesday at 1 p.m.; Friday at 9:15 a.m. or Saturday at 9:50 a.m.
Cost $175 for 15 weeks, plus the $25 materials fee.
Family Class: birth to age 5
This class is designed for families with children of more than one age group so that siblings can take class together. It combines activities and music from the birth to age 5 curricula. It is a great way to have fun, learn musical concepts, and share quality time with your child. Meets for 30-minutes per week.
Family discounts are available
Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.; or Sat. at 9:15 a.m.
Cost: $150 for 15 weeks, plus the $25 materials fee.
Pre-Piano Class: Music Makers
This two-year sequence of classes is a prerequisite for the Musikgarten piano class. Rudimentary music skills such as pitch matching, beat competency, ensemble development, and music notation are dealt with in an engaging way. The children build a vocabulary of musical phrases which they can recognize aurally and visually, which leads to an understanding of musical notation. It cultivates musical development through songs, tonal and rhythm patterns, poetry and stories, movement activities, listening games, and instrumental play. By the end of the classes, the children will be introduced to the keyboard, using the same method they’ll use in the Musikgarten piano classes. Meets once a week for 60 minutes. This program begins every September and requires a two-year commitment. It is not possible to join the program after the first semester.
Pre-Piano, Year One: Music Makers (age 4 to 7)
Monday, Wednesday or Thursday at 4 p.m.;
Friday at 10:15 a.m.; or Sat. at 10:45 a.m.
Cost: $190 for 15 weeks, plus the $50 materials fee.
Pre-Piano, Year Two: Music Makers Around the World (age 5 to 8)
Wednesday or Thursday at 5 p.m.;
Sat. at 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $190 for 15 weeks, plus the $50 materials fee.
Group Piano Class: Music Makers at the Keyboard (age 6 to 9)
Begins Fall 2009
This
two-year curriculum is the final step on Musikgarten's path to music literacy. Children play the songs they have been singing and dancing to throughout the years of early childhood. This class is an extension of the work done in the pre-piano Music Makers classes. It follows a sequential approach to building music skills, understanding musical notation, and fostering a life long love of music. Meets once a
week for 75 minutes. This program begins every September and requires a
two-year commitment. Pre-requisite: Music Makers pre-piano year one and two.
Materials Fee:
The materials fee varies for each class. Materials typically include a parent handbook, study guide, accessories, and CDs for home listening. Families who already own the class materials are not required to pay the fee.
Wunder Studios is a licensed Musikgarten program. We have chosen to offer the Musikgarten curriculum because it is the most comprehensive and well researched of all early childhood music education programs. For more information regarding the curriculum, call Michael Barrette at Wunder Studios or visit www.musikgarten.org.
New classes are being added regularly. If our class times do not fit your schedule, we may be able to organize a class for you just and three of your friends. If you have any suggestions or requests for a class time, let us know. Contact Michael Barrette if you or your organization are interested in scheduling a Musikgarten class or demonstration.
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