Early Childhood

Musicianship Class Fall 2014Young minds learn so much, and a musical foundation can make a lasting impression for the rest of their lives. I have a Collegiate Level 1 Early Childhood Music Certification from Early Childhood Music and Movement Association, and I believe in the importance of having group classes of musical discovery for young minds. My early childhood music classes are 30-minute sessions of musical discoveries using interactive song and movement.

What: Group music classes are for children younger than 8 years old to develop musical aptitude such as tuneful singing and feeling beats etc.

Where: Milltown, WI.

Why: These group music classes lay the foundation for young children to shape their mental clay/aptitude (see analogy at bottom of page) through interactive song and movement. Laying the foundation at a young age is beneficial for building on and developing achievement after the age of 7-8 years. Waiting to start private music lessons until close to 8 years old is helpful because the brain is more developed to concentrate and to comprehend all of the notes, math, and direction aspects involved with lessons.

I do begin private lessons for children younger than 8 if that is what the parents desire, but children who start formal lessons younger than 8 often reach the same level as children who wait to start at about 8 years old (see analogy at bottom of page).

Who: Children ranging from 2-6 years old divided into various classes based on age – 2-3 yrs., 3-4 yrs., and 5-6 yrs.

When: Half hour class once a week for 10 weeks.

How: These music classes would involve singing and interactive movement presented in more of a fun learning experience rather than set instructions as with private piano lessons. The music classes help strengthen musical aptitude (tuneful singing, feeling beats etc.) which lays the foundation for musical achievement in private lessons.

Price: For half hour classes, the price is $10 for the first child and $8.00 for each sibling who also joins a class. The group music classes fee may be paid in full on the website or with check.

Sign up by sending an e-mail to jared.mielke@nowmusicstudio.com

Analogy explaining early childhood music classes: The preferred age for teaching private music lessons at kNOW music studio is when the student is 7 or 8. The reason can be explained by thinking of the student’s musical intelligence as a lump of clay bestowed at conception. Each person is conceived with a different size lump of clay. Before turning seven, the clay is still soft and can be molded and shaped. Focusing on musical intelligence (or aptitude) works best during the soft stage to prepare for when the clay hardens around the age of 7. The musical intelligence before the age of 7 shapes the clay into a container which can be filled with musical achievement after the student turns 7. The importance of cultivating the student’s intelligence before achievement can be shown with an example of farmers. A farmer who plants his crops in early May before getting the field ready by plowing etc. will have less success than another farmer who plants in later May after getting his field ready before planting. The analogy applies with the farmer planting in early May being a student who emphasizes on achievement before getting ready by developing aptitude. The farmer who waits until the end of May is the student who emphases aptitude such as tuneful singing and understanding rhythm before working on achievement.