We all have favorite musicians. Regardless of the genre, music touches us all in some way. Have you ever wondered how that musician became so good? Many people say, ‘You have talent,’ others say it is ‘lots and lots of practice.’ Perhaps some combination? No matter your thoughts on this debate, if you are looking to foster a growing musician, there is a way to give them an early boost and help them in other ways!
Portage Music Lessons LLC offers Mini-Music Makers for ages 2-5. This program was developed by teachers Sarah Davis and Naomi Yeggy, along with studio owner James McGurer. According to Sarah, the program seeks to expose young children to the elements of music using age and developmentally appropriate, play-based activities. Activities to develop an awareness of steady beat, tempo, pitch, form, dynamics and articulation are packed into a 30-minute period of fun!
When describing the philosophy behind the program, Sarah shares ‘We don’t read before we speak, we don’t talk before we realize these words have meaning. We don’t run before we know what our legs are. The activities that we do in the Mini Music Makers are also organically derived.’
Sarah is well qualified for this class as she holds an undergraduate degree in Musicology, and is completing graduate work in child development. Sarah, always an advocate for the right of a music education, says it can start even before birth. Early and continued exposure to music taps into multiple skill sets and increases cognitive capacity. She shared information from a TED Talk by Anita Collins, who researches the relationship between music and the brain. Music exposure and education is beneficial at any age, but the biggest bang for the buck is under 7. By the age of 5, the brain is 90% the size of the adult brain. Starting younger helps to pave the pathways. In addition to musical development, musical exposure and training affect cognition and speech. Playing an instrument helps the two hemispheres of the brain communicate better.
Sarah’s classes have a monthly theme, this month it is Spring. One activity uses 3 flowers to represent the 3 notes of a chord. Placing them in an order creates a melody, placing them together makes the chord.
Parachute games are used to find the beat. Dynamics are explored by making baby waves for quiet (piano) music and big waves for loud (forte) music. Boomwhackers are a favorite, too. Boomwackers are plastic tube tuned to the notes of the major scale. Whack the tube to create the sound. Scarves are used to encourage free movement.
As the children progress, so do the musical ideas behind the games. For example, Eggs in a Nest lays the foundation for the musical concept of a four-beat measure.
What is Sarah’s favorite activity? That’s easy, and it is the same as the children’s- the Instrument of the Week. This week it was the Accordion. So far, the favorites have been the cello and trombone. During this segment of the class, students learn the history of the instrument, the family in which it belongs such as strings or woodwinds, along with a demo and the chance to experiment with, hold and play it.
Activities are usually short to accommodate the younger attention span, but there is much structure within the class.
Using the monthly theme to connect the songs and activities, a typical session would follow this basic plan: Hello Song; Activity; exploring and developing a musical concept; Song; usually a familiar, fun sing-along; Movement; often to classical or jazz; Instrument of the Week; Goodbye Song
Sarah and a few other teachers from PML are hosting a Mini Music Makers Petting Zoo on June 1. It is free for all ages. This is a great way to introduce your child to the teachers, the instruments and the world of music. Mini Music Makers is held from 1:00 to 2:00, and the Instrument Petting Zoo runs from 2:00 to 3:30. Both will be held at the Garrettsville Library Park. Refreshments will be provided, and so will special one-day-only pricing for MMM or private lessons. Be sure to mark your calendars!
And speaking of private lessons, Portage Music Lessons LLC has grown! They have three locations; 5 studios in the Mantua Location, 7 studios in their Bainbridge location, one studio in Streetsboro in addition to (limited) in-home, and online lessons. Just a few years ago, it was one room in one location with James as the one teacher. Now, they have 16 teachers! What started as guitar, bass and ukulele has expanded to most of the major instrument groups, and a few lesser-known ones, too! They even offer lessons for playing in a Rock Band.
If you are interested in enrolling your youngster in Mini Music Makers or private lessons, contact James McGurer of Portage Music Lessons LLC at 440-669-2696 or visit their website, www.portagemusiclessons.com. Don’t forget to stop by the Garrettsville Library Park on June 1!
