Upcoming Events

We have several upcoming events at the Cherubs Clubhouse in Pelham! Next week, we will be having a piano recital at the Cherubs Clubhouse on Dec. 1!

Then we are having our Christmas parties Dec. 3 at 5:00 and Dec. 4 at 10:00! Come for playtime, music time, and a visit from the North Pole! Each family will go home with a Kindermusik Christmas CD to enjoy all month long! Admission will be $8.00 per person.

Our introduction to piano class, for 4 to 7 year olds will be on Thursday afternoons at 4:00. Cost is $8.00 per class. No piano is needed for these introductory classes. Come sample a few classes!

Is my child ready for piano?

Opinions vary among music educators as to when a child should start formal piano lessons and the answer also varies from child to child-depending on the interest, maturity, developmental stage and attention span of the child. On the other hand, there appears to be little disagreement concerning the value of early musical training in the development of the child.

Imaginations Music Studio at Cherubs Clubhouse offers a variety of music classes that will allow your child to participate in a program that is appropriate for his or her age and level. . We offer Kindermusik as well as group piano classes for beginners. A group setting provides the young beginner with an opportunity to learn and develop an interest in music alongside his/her peers in a fun, creative atmosphere. For a description of the classes that are offered please see our website at www.imaginationsmusic.com and feel free to contact us at 437-3478 to discuss placement of your child in a class.

Also, introductory piano camps can be a good way to determine whether your child might be interested in participating in a music program and help us evaluate which class might be appropriate for your child.
Piano Camp
We will be holding an introduction to piano/music camp in December at Cherubs Clubhouse for 4 to 7 year olds who may be interested in joining group classes which start in January. No piano/keyboard is needed at home for these introductory classes. Each week will have a different focus, but will be non-sequential in nature so that you can come to as many as you like. Space is limited so pre-registration is encouraged.
Classes will be: Dec. 3 at 4:00, Dec. 10 at 4:00 and Dec. 17 at 4:00. Contact me at 437-3478 or email imaginationsmusic@bellsouth.net to pre-register.
Price: $8.00 per class

Piano study

“According to Dr. Frances Rauscher" (a psychologist at the University of Wisconsin), "musical training, specifically piano instruction, appears to dramatically enhance a child’s abstract thinking skills and spatial-temporal ability – skills that are necessary for mathematics and science.”

Pay to play piano camp in December

We will be having a short piano camp in December for any 4 to 7 year olds who are considering piano classes for their child. We will have three 30 minute sample classes for $8.00 a piece. No materials required and no piano is required at home. Students will learn the basics of the keyboard, rhythm, steady beat and be exposed to classical music. Classes are $8.00 a piece. Come to as many as you would like. Each week will have a different focus but will not be sequential. Classes will include 15 minutes of playtime after class.

Class will be held on Thursday afternoons:
December 3 at 4:00
December 10 at 4:00
December 17 at 4:00

Call 437-3478 for more details. Space will be limited, so call to register or register on my website.

Demo classes

Importance of Theory

Written theory assignments have always been my favorite part of music study. I guess I am just a little strange or something, but I have always loved theory workbooks, theory class in college and I love teaching theory.

When I was a piano student, my teacher might assign a page or two in a new theory book for the week. I would come back a week later having finished the entire book and asking for more. I think I got in trouble for that a few times, as I was progressing farther along in my theory knowledge than my performance ability. But I didn't care, I loved knowing how it all fit together and discovering new connections and patterns within music.

The written theory assignments are often the most forgotten part of practice. Honestly, sometimes I wonder, "if they didn't have time to finish their theory, how well did they really practice this week?" In a lesson, I can usually tell if the child has finished their theory assignments without even looking by the way that they play and recall the information learned the previous week. I know kids have such busy schedules these days, but in some ways, theory is the most important part of your piano routine each week. Think about it, most piano students will not continue to be pianists for their career. But the concepts they learn from their theory assignments can help them in any future field as well as music. In theory, we learn to identify patterns, extend our vocabulary with new terminology, and wrap our minds around spacial relationships both aural and visual. We work with fractions, set up algebraic equations, multiply and divide. We work on our aural skills and learn to listen with discernment. Not to mention the musical benefits of theory work! A diligent theory student will read music better, memorize pieces faster, play by ear, and sightread better. Every aspect of playing the piano become easier with theory practice. There as so many things that go into playing the piano all in the same instance. Reading on the staff, finding the correct notes on the keyboard, playing those notes with the correct fingering, articulation and dynamics, preparing for what is coming next, pedalling, and listening. All these thought processes are occurring at the same time. The practice that the theory book provides make these ideas process faster. Studying piano without theory is like taking your driver's test without having read the manual-- you might be able to maneuver, but you are probably going to miss something important.

Don't forget to check your child's assignment notebook each week to be sure that they do not forget their theory. Sometimes the kids need a little help remembering their written work because they are so focused on the actual practice portion of their piano routine.

Kindermusik at the Cherubs Clubhouse

Frequently asked questions about Kindermusik class.
Is my child too young for music lessons?
When can my child start piano?
Are the home materials required for Kindermusik classes?

Our demo class November 3 at the Cherubs Clubhouse

Every activity in a Kindermusik class has a developmental purpose in the areas of verbal, social, emotional, cognitive, musical and gross motor development.
We start each class with our welcome song. Everyone’s comfort level rises with the familiar. Knowing what to expect with each class helps the child to feel emotionally secure. The CD included in the home materials helps the child to become fammilliar with all the songs from class. This helps them to feel confident and secure in class.
Two Little Apples created a visual representation of the words up, down, and shake with the parachute strengthening verbal development. It also provided a visual representation of the melody as we lifted the parachute up when we sang high and down when we sang low.
In “Shake, Shake the Apple Tree”, the children used egg shakers as apples. Listening to the cause and effect of shaking the eggs, tapping the eggs, and rolling the eggs strengthens cognitive development.

For “In My House,” we put an everyday part of your routine to a song. Using the dusting and scrubbing motions help to increase gross motor cooridnation and balance for the walkers. The babies felt their mothers preform the “scrubbing” motion on their bodies which made this a multi-sensory experience.
Our circle dance for “Go into the Kitchen,” taught the children simple dance steps in response to verbal instructions. The babies are carried through the motions- they see, feel and hear the instructions being carried out. The toddlers learn from watching the preschoolers follow the instructions. The preschoolers learn from watching the adults and listening to the instructions.
In every class, we have focused listening examples. These examples help the children to actively listen and lengthen attention span. Today, we listened to the washing machine sounds in a bottle.
Story time: Kindermusik is about much more than just music. We include a literary component to each class to encourage verbal and literary development. Our books always include a song, dance or talk about sounds. In the older classes, our books tell funny stories about composers and instruments. These books are included in your home materials.
Demonstration on the trumpet: Particularly in the older classes, we talk about different instruments. I often bring some of these instruments to class for a demo. This sparks an interest in future lessons. In the ABC Music and Me class for 4 to 6 year olds, we include an introduction to the piano.
Family Jam: We don’t want to only empasize gross motor development in our classes through dance and movement; we want to inspire fine motor develoment. Experimenting with the instruments provides an opportunity for fine motor development that can help your child learn to eat with a spoon, write, play a more complicated instrument, or type on a computer keyboard. An instrument is included in your home materials which allow your child to have this experience at home as well.
Relaxation is a learned skill. We used the song “Simple Gifts” in our class to practice relaxation and to promote parent child bonding time. Rocking your child is not only important for bonding but also stimulated the vestibular system in the ear which helps regulate balance and coordination.
We ended our class with a good bye song. We use this song as a signal to them that our time is over for now. We also incorporated sign language into our closing song to promote verbal and cognitive development.