Classes at Athens Young Musicians Studio
HARMONY ROAD ages 4-5
The Harmony Road Music Course is carefully designed for children to learn the basic building blocks of music. Emphasis is on ear training, solfege singing, keyboard playing, ensemble and rhythm activities, movement, and music creativity. Harmony Road gives the student “inner hearing,” which makes transposing, improvisation and composing easily accessible in their musical studies. Parent involvement in class and at home.
2 year course, 55 minutes weekly
HARMONY ROAD ages 4-5
The Harmony Road Music Course is carefully designed for children to learn the basic building blocks of music. Emphasis is on ear training, solfege singing, keyboard playing, ensemble and rhythm activities, movement, and music creativity. Harmony Road gives the student “inner hearing,” which makes transposing, improvisation and composing easily accessible in their musical studies. Parent involvement in class and at home.
2 year course, 55 minutes weekly
New Class for Fall 2010: Mondays @ 4:00 p.m. OR Thursdays @ 3:30 p.m.
Classes begin August 16th
Classes begin August 16th
THE YOUNG MUSICIAN, ages 6-7
The Young Musicians is designed especially for 6 and 7 year olds to give them an age appropriate introduction to keyboard playing and music making. Classes include keyboard, singing, rhythm and note-reading games all in a fun and motivating group lesson environment. Parent involvement in class and at home.
2 year course, 55 minutes weekly.
New Class time for Fall 2010: Mondays @ 5:00
KEYBOARD PREP ages 7-11
The Keyboard Prep course is designed for children ages 8 to 11 who are studying music for the first time. This fast-paced,fun, and motivating program develops the student’s basic musicianship skills through ear training, solfege singing, keyboard performance and writing music. Parent involvement encouraged.
1 1/2 year program, 55 minutes weekly
New Class for Fall 2010: Mondays @ 6:00 p.m. beginning August 16th.
KEYBOARD MUSICIAN
Continuing curriculum for students who have completed Harmony Road or Keyboard Prep. Students continue to develop performance skills through the study of varied repertoire styles, technical studies, sight-reading songs and three and four part ensembles. Ear training is expanded to include dictation and recognition of tonal centers and chord progressions. Students learn to accompany themselves while singing. Two part singing and artistic repertoire encourage expressive musicianship. Harmonic training develops an understanding of accompaniment styles. Students are given techniques to develop their own musical creativity. Parental involvement encouraged.
2 year program, 55 minutes weekly
MUSIC FOR LITTLE MOZARTS for 3 year olds!
An introduction to music for 3’s and Moms (or Dads) which includes keyboard activities. This 6 class session meets for 30 minutes weekly. Additional sessions will be available!
Thursdays @ 5:30 beginning October 2010.
Research has shown that very young children can develop an awareness of pitch and musical concepts. If left untapped, this natural feeling for music may never be developed. It is our goal to provide step-by-step musical training that will aid in the growth of a child’s inner music and enhance all future musical activities.
Why should my child take group lessons instead of private piano lessons?
Most piano teachers want to wait until children are reading to begin piano lessons. Recent research concludes that the mind has special neuron connectors dedicated to musical leaning. These musical pathways are at their peak from birth to age seven. This period of heightened awareness of pitch, rhythms, and harmony provided a window of opportunity for musical growth through age appropriate experiences that will make music a natural part of a child’s life.
Musicianship is about more than playing piano pieces, and total musicianship, including singing, movement , a “feel” for rhythm and meter, harmony, tonal centeredness, and ensemble, are best learned in a group setting.
Children are more motivated to participate and to practice because a group lesson is simply, more fun. Interaction with other children and parents makes learning music an exciting and engaging experience and provides a natural way to reinforce musical skills.
Group keyboard lessons proide a wonderful beginning for all future musical endeavors. Because students play with a group, they have skills necessary for band or orchestra. Because singing is an important element, they learn to sing in tune and to sight-sing; a wonderful advantage for future singers. Keyboard harmony and competence in accompaniment prepares them for composition and arranging; skills that most piano students do not learn.
While it is easier to send children to piano lessons, parental involvement in music heightens both its importance in the minds of kids, and it’s pleasure, because music becomes something kids and parents do together.
Tuition, Fees and Poilicies
REGISTRATION AND MATERIALS FEES
Registration fees include are due prior to the beginning of classes in August and payment reserves a place for your child in class. Materials fees are due on the first lesson of each semester.
Beginning students (Harmony Road 1, Keyboard Prep 1) - $50
Students starting in February - $25
Beginning students (Music for Little Mozarts) $35
Returning students $50
Materials (per semester) $20
Beginning students (Music for Little Mozarts) $35
Returning students $50
Materials (per semester) $20
TUITION PAYMENTS
Harmony Road, Keyboard Prep, Keyboard Musician, Piano Lessons
Tuition may be paid monthly or for the entire session. The cost per session is $400 (plus yearly registration and materials fee).
Monthly payments of $80 are due on the first lesson of each month, August through May.
Second and third children from the same family receive a discount for both tuition and yearly registration.
Second child Registration - $50 Tuition - $375/semester ($75/month)
Third child Registration - $30 Tuition - $325/semester ($65/month)
Classes run mid-August through May with sessions lasting 18-20 weeks. Tuition is based on 4 lessons per month. When there is a fifth lesson in a calendar month, there is no extra charge. Lessons missed because of holidays or school vacations will not be made up. If you must miss class, your home practice assignment will be mailed or e-mailed to you. Missed classes cannot be made up. However if there is another class at the same level you may attend that class.
Music for Little Mozarts
Music for Little Mozarts lasts for 6 weeks, with a 2nd session available. Tuition is $60 per session. Registration and materials fee is $25.
COMMITMENT
By registering for a class, you are agreeing that your child will attend class and that you will pay tuition for an entire 5 month semester. At least 5 months is necessary to evaluate whether or not you feel musical study is what you and your child are suited for, therefore students may not discontinue lessons in mid-semester. (Music for Little Mozarts students commit to a 12 lesson session) If you wish to terminate lessons, you may do so only at the end of a semester, giving one month's notice of your intention to not continue in the following semester.
PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES
Children perform for one another in class almost every week and performance becomes an enjoyable and relaxed experience. Small concerts are held in class from time to time with an opportunity to invite family members.
At the end of the school year the entire Studio participates in an ensemble concert, “Young Musicians in Concert” which features students performing with their classes. Ensembles are from a wide variety of musical styles, from Classical to Pop to Latin. This is an exciting and fun musical experience for both students and families.
