The Rationale for Mixed-Age Classes
Music Together was the first early childhood music program to offer music classes for mixed ages. Child development researchers have known for a long time that the natural, family-style environment of mixed-age classes is the best way for young children to learn. In our experience, it works! In Mixed-Age classes, the older children love to show what they know, and the younger ones love to watch and imitate. The relaxed, no-pressure environment lets all kids learn at their own pace.
Music Together Mixed Age Family Classes
for ages birth through 4 years old are based on the recognition that all children are musical. All children can learn to sing in tune,
keep a beat, and participate with confidence in the music of our culture, provided that their early environment supports such learning.
By emphasizing actual music experiences rather than concepts about music, Music Together introduces children to the pleasures of making
music instead of passively receiving it from CDs or TV.
Central to the Music Together approach is that young children learn best from the powerful role model of parents/caregivers who are actively
making music. The program brings families together by providing a rich musical environment in the classroom and by facilitating family
participation in spontaneous musical activity at home within the context of daily life.
So...What is Music Together?
- A community of families sharing songs, instrument play, rhythm chants, and movement activities in a relaxed, playful, non-performance-oriented setting.
- Music learned through developmentally appropriate activities that support and respect the unique learning styles of every child
- Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers participating at their own level in family-style classes of mixed ages
- Parents and caregivers contributing to the enrichment of their child's music environment – regardless their own musical abilities
- A new song collection every semester for four years, featuring great arrangements of original and traditional songs in a wide variety of tonalities, meters, and cultural styles
- 45 minutes of PURE FUN with your child every week!
Music Together Big Kids classes for children 5-7 years old!
Many parents of 5-, 6-, and 7-year-olds ask, “What’s next?” and “Is my child ready for piano/violin/instrument lessons?” Music Together Big Kids is an ideal preparation for—or complement to—that kind of formal music instruction. By continuing the path of Basic Music Competence begun in mixed-age classes, Big Kids lays the foundation for Basic Music Literacy in a playful, engaging, and familiar setting and paves the way for musical enjoyment in school, in lessons, and in life.
What’s in a class…
- Structured activities such as conducting, game songs, solo and ensemble experiences, improvisation, movement, music-reading readiness, and solfège to name just a few.
- Activities satisfy both the fun-loving and challenge-ready natures of 5-, 6-, and 7-year-olds and provide opportunities for leadership, confidence building, social interactions with peers
- Mixed-stage approach means that children’s individual temperaments, learning styles, and developmental stage are honored and participation is choice-based. Children this age are ready to learn about being a part of a group, about taking turns, and about following rules.
- Secondary musical development is the period in which children start on the path to Basic Music Literacy. Basic Music Literacy is simply being able to recognize the elements that can be associated with music and the focus is on pre-literacy behaviors and skills.
- Lesson plans—typically have fewer songs because more time is spent developing activities for each song.
- Rhythm and tonal patterns—recorded on the Big Kids CDs to reinforce the games and activities in class