Let’s Play Music is a fun music theory course for your child which begins at age 4-6. 

This three year program emphasizes total musicianship through piano playing, singing, classical music, note reading and ear training...and it's accomplished through play!

Children learn most effectively when they are playing! If you were to peek in on a Let's Play Music class, you would see jumping, singing, skipping, storytelling, and laughing! Music educators have long taught that the young child learn best through play, experience and discovery. As musical concepts and skills are presented in a playful, joyful setting, children absorb knowledge and ability.

Come try a free sample class and experience it for yourself!

Click here for Cost & Registration information.

What Makes Us Different

A child is most ready to learn music at an early age, but their fingers and letter skills are not developed enough to allow for success on the piano. We take full advantage of the brain's ability to absorb musical concepts and teach skills in an age appropriate way. We teach children the way that children learn best: through play, full body movement, peer involvement and experiencing before labeling. In class you'll find solfege hand signs, folk songs, games, imagination and creativity.

The magical aspect of Let’s Play Music is its power to teach, through childish play, complex skills and concepts normally thought to be above young children’s grasp--the 5 year old that can read and perform an eight count rhythm correctly, the preschooler reading notes from a staff and playing correctly on bells, the young child translating abstract symbols into harmonious chords on the autoharp and accompanying a group to a steady beat, the amazement parents feel as they see their very young children perform these tasks: this is the essence of Let’s Play Music.

The Let's Play Music curriculum is centered on the teachings of the music masters Kodaly, Orff and Dalcroze. When a child finishes our 3 year piano and music theory course they speak the language of music. That enables them to pursue private piano lessons or other instrumental instruction and to continue to demonstrate high musical ability throughout their lives. 

We solve the "Piano Playing Dilemma" 

The brain is wired for musical aptitude between the ages of 0 and 9, but fingers and letter skills are not ready until around age 8. A young child's brain is not yet hard-wired and is actively developing circuits. We take advantage of this early exposure.

In Let's Play Music, not only do we teach piano, we develop sight reading, harmony, melody and rhythm skills in such a way that children internalize these skills, and become talented! (read more here)

Come try a free sample class and experience it for yourself!

Click here for Cost & Registration information.

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Course Overview

All three years are organized into weekly classes with two 15-week semesters.

1st year: Preparation for Keyboard 

Red Balloons and Blue Bugs

In the first year, classes are 45 minutes long. A parent or caregiver attends every other week with their student. This year, we use engaging games and songs and incorporate tone bells to teach staff awareness, ear training, advanced theory concepts, and rhythm skills. We also focus on developing the inner ear, vocalizing, and singing on pitch. This year sets the theory foundation.
 
Students are introduced to:

• the 5 lines and spaces of the staff
• the major scale by singing and signing solfeggio syllables (DO, RE, MI)
• rhythm and beat
• pitch matching 
• the primary chords and their function
• major and minor tonalities
• beginning to read music through interval note relationships (steps, skips, leaps) with tone bells 
• and more...

2nd year: Introduction to Keyboard 

Green Turtle Shells and Yellow Arrows

In the second year, classes are 50 minutes long and a caregiver attends once a month with their student. This year, we transfer our skills to the piano where we learn chord notation, intervals, and harmonic improvisation. We also begin singing in harmony using rounds and canons. 

Students use keyboards to learn about:

• names of the white keys
• intervals of seconds through fifths
• playing a primary cadence and major scale
• playing in contrary motion
• singing in harmony
• accompanying themselves and their classmates
• and more...

3rd year: Keyboard Skills 

Purple Magic and Orange Roots

In the third and final year, classes are 55 minutes long and caregivers attend once a month with their student. By the end of this year, students are playing piano at a level 1-2, transposing music, composing their own music, sight-reading and sight-singing, have developed relative pitch, understand classical form, and are prepared to excel in further private piano instruction or any other instrument of their choice.

Students will learn:

• all the names of the notes on the grand staff
• sharps and flats
• key signatures
• playing the primary chords in 5 keys
• transposition
• building triads, inverting triads and identifying the root of triads
• time signatures
• adding chords to a melody
• taking rhythmic, melodic and harmonic dictation
• traditional counting and note names (quarter note, half note, eighth notes, sixteenth notes)
• musical form and expression through classical music
• composition of their own piece of music
• and more...