ECMM (birth to 5 years)

CYM’s Early Childhood Music and Movement Program (birth to 5 years) builds on children’s natural love of music through joyful activities that have them singing, playing instruments, moving, and listening. ECMM classes act as the first step in holistic music education; they are closely connected with the first steps of instrument study and Gordon’s Music Learning Sequence by design, focus, and implementation. In CYM’s classrooms, each activity has a purpose: whether it develops impulse control, critical listening skills, or musical knowledge or allows expression for a passion for music, lessons are balanced and engaging.

CYM offers classes taught by teachers who are registered by the Suzuki Association of the Americas and/or certified in Musikgarten, a leader in Early Childhood Music and Movement education.  Musikgarten provides early music education that supports the healthy development of the whole child and establishes a life-long love of music. The pathway to music literacy, as researched by Dr. Gordon, is a scaffolding that runs through the entire program. This coordinated, sequential curriculum will grow with your child all the way through group piano lessons, fully preparing them for individual study on any instrument. Please call to have a conversation about which class will suit your family best.

Babies Photo

Children are naturally drawn to music which will make your time in Musikgarten classes both fun and beneficial. Activities include bouncing songs and rocking songs, fingerplays and body awareness games, dances and instrumental play, in order to stimulate the brain, foster physical development, and cultivate listening skills. Patterns heard in class feed the ear-brain connection and start to form the language of music. Before long they will be imitating those patterns, developing for life their sense of pitch and rhythm.

Family Music for Toddlers – Musikgarten (1.5 to 3)

This is a great time to start music lessons with your toddler! Let Musikgarten take you on a journey of singing, dancing, rocking, bouncing, and playing instruments! Lay the foundation for future music study with developmentally appropriate activities designed to take your child on a pathway to music literacy! Learn songs and rhymes for the two of you to use together anywhere you go! Come ready to play instruments, dance, and have fun!

Cycle of Seasons – Musikgarten (3 to 5)

All children love nature- so we make that the starting point for our Cycle of Seasons classes! How do grasshoppers jump? What does a kitten sound like? Movement, singing, and lots of stories help make this the perfect activity for your child aged 3-5 years. Their imaginations and verbal skills are in full bloom- and we capitalize on that! We sing, act out, and even improvise stories and poetry! We use the whole body to explore movements and pathways that will later translate into reading and musical expression!

Pre-Twinkle Violin: Readying Families for Success!

Pre-Twinkle Violin: Readying Families for Success is Ms. Rochelle Agnew’s fresh take on classical violin playing and the Philosophy of the Suzuki Method, first brought to the United States in the late 1950’s. She will offer this opportunity monthly to parents and their children of 3 – 4 years, and nurture the musical and physical skills required of a family to become “instrument ready”. Rochelle is a dedicated teacher who has developed musical talent in students for nearly 14 years. She will give specific teaching points to help beginners prepare to receive their own violin. Half a dozen “learning areas” will be presented in each meeting:

  • Sing and Move  As participants are welcomed to the room, they are invigorated by whole body activities that introduce the violin literature and playfully demonstrate the phrasing of each piece. Corresponding melodic and rhythmic patterns are unconsciously put into deep memory.
  • Fine Motor Fun  Singing games orient ear, eye, hands, and fingers, heightening the awareness and sensitivity needed to coordinate fingerboard and bow use.
  • Violin Focus  The ear is trained further and tuned to the violin’s open strings as participants listen to the instrument played and observe how a beautiful tone is created. Students name the violin parts and learn their role in creating resonance.
  • Home Practice  Rochelle will demonstrate and assign one activity for families to “show-back” to the best of their ability before the lesson ends, and they commit to practice this skill everyday until the next meeting. She will make recommendations that ensure a home environment where consistent learning can take place.
  • Touch Stones  One point readings based on Suzuki’s Philosophy, and reflection-time for parents, establish basic understanding of the method’s unique attributes. Each parent will be encouraged to articulate foreseen and unanticipated challenges; they will have space to share expected benefits particular to their child and meaningful to their own family.
  • Closing Circle  Review is a joy as the group enthusiastically finishes the meeting with their favorite violin experiences.

Pre-Twinkle Guitar: Readying Families for Success!

Pre-Twinkle Guitar: Readying Families for Success! will provide a foundation in classical guitar playing and the Philosophy of the Suzuki Method, first brought to the United States in the late 1950’s. Mr. Mark Marston will offer this opportunity monthly to parents and their children of 3 – 5 years, and nurture the musical and physical skills required of a family to become “instrument ready”. Mark is a dedicated teacher who has developed musical talent in students for over 25 years. He will give specific teaching points to help beginners prepare to receive their own guitar. Half a dozen “learning areas” will be presented in each meeting:

  • Sing and Move As participants are welcomed to the room, they are invigorated by whole body activities that introduce the guitar literature and playfully demonstrate the phrasing of each piece. Corresponding melodic and rhythmic patterns are unconsciously put into deep memory.
  • Fine Motor Fun Singing games orient ear, eye, hands, and fingers, heightening the awareness and sensitivity needed to coordinate finger and fret use.
  • Guitar Focus The ear is trained further and tuned to the guitar’s open strings as participants listen to the instrument played and observe how a beautiful tone is created. Students name the guitar parts and learn their role in creating resonance.
  • Home Practice Mark will demonstrate and assign one activity for families to “show-back” to the best of their ability before the lesson ends, and they commit to practice this skill everyday until the next meeting. He will make recommendations that ensure a home environment where consistent learning can take place.
  • Touch Stones One point readings based on Suzuki’s Philosophy, and reflection-time for parents, establish basic understanding of the method’s unique attributes. Each parent will be encouraged to articulate foreseen and unanticipated challenges; they will have space to share expected benefits particular to their child and meaningful to their own family.
  • Closing Circle Review is a joy as the group enthusiastically finishes the meeting with their favorite guitar experiences.

Let’s get started!