Solo Recital

Our solo recital last week went very well. Ten students performed in this recital with some playing 2 pieces. We had a few on this recital performing for the first time. Our group classes will be putting on a small recital during their last class. They have been preparing to play together as 8 hand ensemble classes.

Thanks to all who played! We had a great time!

Times are a changin'

If you have not heard by now, the Cherubs Clubhouse is closing down this week. It was about this time last year that we were just getting started at the clubhouse and so it seems so strange to be closing down. I remember driving over to the location every week before it was finished to check on the progress. My own children were so excited to be some of the first kids to get to play there. We had just finished Grand Opening at this time last year and were having piano and Kindermusik demo classes. Looking back at some of the pictures from last year, it is amazing to see how all of the kids have grown! Especially the Kindermusik kids!

But, like I have explained to my piano students last week, these things happen. Life changes and you just have to go with it. Miss Erika is continuing to teach Kindermusik at the Bell Center in Homewood and piano at Arts music on 280. Rita is continuing with her violin students in the Pelham area and is enrolling more students for violin and clarinet.

I will be continuing to teach private piano at Bruno Montessori and in the Oak Mountain area. I will now be adding my Thursday group piano students from Cherubs Clubhouse to the Oak Mountain location. Fortunately, this will not be too far from the Cherubs Clubhouse location and we should be able to keep close to the same schedule. I have my keyboards, computer lab and 2 acoustic pianos at this location so our classes should more over very well!

I am now also the ABC Music and Me account manager for Kindermusik in this area so I will be going to different schools to do demonstrations of our language and literacy program for at risk learners. It is really rewarding to bring Kindermusik to kids who may not have the opportunity to participate in a studio class.

I enjoyed teaching at the Cherubs Clubhouse and my children LOVED coming to play while mommy taught there! They really enjoyed getting to meet my students and their siblings during their class time. We will all have good memories and have enjoyed getting to meet new people there. Please continue to follow us on facebook to keep in touch and for more updates for new classes and locations! Have a great Thanksgiving!

Hearing with your whole body

After watching the video I posted earlier about Evelyn Glennie, a world famous percussionist who lost most of her hearing at the age of 12, I began thinking about some of our activities in Kindermusik classes in a different light.

As adults, we tend to focus on listening with our ears only. Many of us tend to be very reserved about the way we interact with music and sounds around us. Well, maybe interact is the wrong word. We often only just hear, rather than actively listen.

Children, given the opportunity, naturally interact with music and sounds around them. They spontaneously move to music and feel it in their bodies. They cannot contain the emotions that are brought about by music. They express it with their entire being.

With the simple percussion instruments featured in Kindermusik classes, the children are uninhibited in how they play the instruments. They explore not only the audible sounds, but the feeling of playing the instrument as they play rhythm sticks or egg shakers in different ways. As their arms and hands move in different ways, they explore hearing with their arms, hands and fingers.

This is really evident with the zig zag blocks. Some of their favorite ways to play the blocks make sounds so soft that they can hardly be heard but can be felt by the children. They tap them on their faces, their shoes, or their knees. They hear the sound in their bodies. With their shoes off in class they hear the sounds with the bare feet on the floor as the music causes the floor to vibrate.

In music class, they watch other kids keeping a steady beat with sticks or moving a scarf expressively. They see the form of the music in our circle dances as we move in different ways to different sections on the music. They are hearing with their eyes.

One thing that was mentioned in the video was experiencing the sounds around us- not just music. As adults, we do not stop to enjoy everyday sounds. Children are naturally drawn to different sounds in their world and enjoy listening to a train, running water, animals sounds or even the sound of feet walking like we do in class. They absorb these sounds and make them part of their very being.

I know I cannot do justice to the words that were expressed in this video so go see it for yourself! My point is, that somewhere along the way, as a culture we stop experiencing sound with the same wonderment and awe as we had as children. We need to nurture this tendency in children and as adults strive to be a little more childlike in our musical experiences.

To watch the entire video, click here.

Great Kindermusik Deal!

Have you wanted to try out Kindermusik but not had the chance? Our Kindermusik playdates are the perfect solution! Playdates are a single session "pay to play" Kindermusik class. Just like all of our other Kindermusik classes, playdates include a research based curriculum, a take home instrument, recorded music from class and a lot of fun! Classes are scheduled all over Birmingham on mornings, afternoons, evenings and even weekends! This is perfect for mom's group activities, gifts, or just for trying Kindermusik with low cost or commitment.

Each 45 class is regularly $15.00. For today and tomorrow only, you can purchase your playdate at 53% off through Big Bham!

Once you have taken advantage of the deal, visit our playdate website for a list of classes and locations. Choose what is best for your schedule. When you register, be sure to indicate that you purchased through Big Bham and enter your gift certificate code.

Then, forward the information to all of your friends, post it on your facebook page and let everyone else know about it. Playdates are always more fun with friends!

Family Time Starts Soon

Its time! Our Family Time Kindermusik class will be starting back up this week! Family Time is a one room schoolhouse experience. This is our mixed age class for "only" children as well as families with more than one child. Only one home kit is purchased per family which makes this class a great deal for families wit mulitple siblings.

I enjoy teaching this class, and observing the younger children learning from the older children as well as seeing the older children become leaders in the classroom. Last year as we offered this class at the Cherubs Clubhouse, we played at the water table during our aquarium unit, visited the play equipment during our trip to the park, had a bunny rabbit visitor during our farm unit and had demonstrations on the trumpet and violin. I particularly enjoyed hearing the students learn the welcome song during the term, seeing them make friends with each other, and being a part of the new connections being made by the moms in the class.

We still have room in our class so don't miss out on the fun! Come join us at 9:00 am for Family Time!

ABC Music and Me and language development

Ms. Erika attended a conference on teaching English as a second language this summer and had these thoughts about language and ABC Music and Me


Communication is a vital and essential part of each of our lives! Since I have been overseas 8 times, I have experienced firsthand the joys and trials of communicating to those of other languages and cultures. I first discovered my love for working with Internationals at 17 years when I went on my first mission trip to Taiwan. Since that time, I have been overseas 6 more times and at one time, I even anticipated living long-term in the Middle East. I did not end up living in the Middle East but I have had the opportunity to work with Internationals stateside! While living in Auburn the past 2 years, I loved working within an ESL ministry in my former church with those learning English as a second language.

The training I recently received was designed to equip us to teach Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced levels in English language proficiency. We learned how to conduct student placement interviews, basic language learning skills, planning our ESL lesson, how to introduce new vocabulary, teaching pronunciation and communication practice activities. There are four basic skills that are necessary to learn a language - listening, speaking, reading and writing. When we learned our first language, listening was the first and foremost foundational language skill. We then slowly learned how to create and mimic sounds that we heard. It is important to hear the language's individual sounds, rhythm, stress and intonation patterns so that we learned how to speak the language correctly. So it is when learning a second language! It is vital to develop and practice listening skills for any language learning.

Now that I have been teaching with Kindermusik, it is so rewarding to see that one of the major focuses of the ABC Music and Me is listening! According to Kindermusik's ABC Music and Me research "Learning to listen is a prerequisite to listening to learn, " stresses research Mayesky (1986). Listening is the first language mode that children acquire, and it provides a foundation for all aspects of language and reading development. Listening is a very large part of school learning, with students spending an estimated 50 to 75 percent of classroom time listening to the teacher,to other students, or to media" (Smith, 1992). ABC Music and Me is actually a research driven and proven method for increasing language and vocabulary. During classtime, the children are exposed to actively listening to music as well as non-musical sounds and language. We develop routines to help focus the children's attention on listening and following directions, reading stories out loud and even imitation of sounds and words, developing new vocabulary. The best part is that the child is having fun the entire time while learning!

Our ABC classes are all taught in English but we love to diversify and sometimes incorporate songs and instruments from other cultures. Occasionally we have Spanish speaking children and it is fun to see their eyes light up when we start singing a Spanish song. Kindermusik also offers Spanish home materials to help with reinforce the child's first language at home and help Spanish speaking parents connect with their child at home. No matter your first language, we hope you come join us for ABC Music and Me to Listen, Learn and Love music! We believe that music's affect on cognition and skill development is undeniable!

Erika Stewart

Reaching every child with the magic of music!

I am excited to say that in addition to the private lessons and classes that I teach, I will now be this area's representative of the school edition of ABC Music and Me, which is our language and literacy program for preK and Kindergarten classrooms! This research based program has benefits for all children, but particularly benefits those who have intellectual and physical challenges, as well as those who are learning English as a second language.

One of the unique aspects of this program is that it uses music and movement as the vehicle for learning. It is not an official "music curriculum"- it simply uses the magic of music to reach children in all areas of development. This program also involves families at home with the use of the family magazine and home materials.

I look forward to visiting schools in the area to present the program in the classrooms! If you are a teacher or an administrator in a school and would like to have a demonstration of the program, please let me know!

Check out the ABC Website: ABC Music and Me

Kindermusik Demo Class September 8 at the Cherubs Clubhouse

We are having bring a friend week to kick off a new school year of Kindermusik at the Cherubs Clubhouse!

Join us for a Carnival of Music September 8 at 9:30 for babies and 10:15 for kids of all ages. Feel free to invite a friend!

Just a tip, particularly if this is your first time at the Cherubs Clubhouse, please arrive just in time for your class and come straight back to the classroom. It always takes kids a few minutes to adjust to a new place, and if they start by playing on the play equipment they sometimes have a hard time switching gears to class time. We will play after class!

Kindermusik Birthday parties!

The Cherubs Clubhouse is THE place to have your child’s birthday!
Add Kindermusik to your child’s birthday party at the Cherubs Clubhouse for an additional $4.00 per child for up to 12 children. Additional children add $2.00 per child to the price. There is a minimum of 8 children. The Kindermusik session of the party is 30 minutes long.

Kindermusik birthday parties at the Cherub Clubhouse include:
Music and movement with scarves, hoops, parachute and/or bubble machine.
Puppets
Dress up
Instrument play along and exploration
Happy birthday sing along
Imaginative play
Currently enrolled Kindermusik students can book their party for only $3.00 per child! These rates only apply to parties hosted by the Cherubs Clubhouse and are in addition to the price for booking the Cherubs Clubhouse.

Themes include:
princess
cowboys and Indians
animals
transportation
Star Wars
Sesame street
Seasonal themes (Christmas, Halloween, and so forth)
Dinosaurs
and more!

Themed parties include Kindermusik songs and activities as well as your child's favorite songs, themes, characters, props or activities!

Kindermusik Conference

I am back from Kindermusik conference in Biloxi, Mississippi! My family and I went down early and enjoyed one day at the beach and visiting with relatives that live in the area. I enjoyed getting to meet so many ladies (and gentleman :) who teach Kindermusik in the southeast. The Birmingham area had 6 educators present at the conference! We spent the weekend getting to know each other, sharing ideas, and attending classes. I really enjoyed the drum circle/bondfire at the beach Friday night!
~Lauren

Kindergarten readiness skills: Part III: Steady Beat

Why is steady beat a Kindergarten readiness skill? What does steady beat have to do with academics?

First of all, working to develop a steady beat has more than just musical benefits. Of course if your child becomes a musician steady beat is an essential on any instrument. But did you ever think about the other benefits of steady beat?

Any repeated action in our everyday lives requires steady beat from the simplest activities such as walking with coordination, dribbling a ball, cutting with scissors, to more complex actions such as typing. This is why we emphasize steady beat activities in each Kindermusik class and provide you with the materials to work on this skill at home.

Steady beat activities also help the child's brain to learn to organize and sets the foundation for pre-math skills. Studies show that elementary students who are taught basic rhythmic notation score higher on fraction tests than students who were simply taught fractions in the traditional way. I think this is because music turns mathematics into a multi-sensory activity. It all starts with steady beat.

Here are some steady beat activities for home:
1. Steady beat movement Turn on the music and pretend to be a marching band. March, stomp, or jump to the music. See how many different actions can be done to a steady beat. If you have them, use scarves, steamers, hoops or a parachute like we would use in Kindermusik class.

Listen to sounds around the house and determine if that particular sound has a steady beat, IE. a dripping faucet, windshield wipers, a ticking clock or beeping microwave. Move to the beat to these sounds. Use the music in your Kindermusik home CD to move to the steady beat. The Kindermusik songs are developmentally chosen to provide the best opportunities for movement and development of steady beat.

Babies who are not yet mobile can begin to learn about steady beat as well. Put them on your lap and bounce to the steady beat. Move them around the room to the steady beat of the music.

Movement to a steady beat allows them to feel and see the steady beat. This is especially true in Kindermusik class where the kids see their peers making a steady beat. In class the children also learn new ways to move to a steady beat by watching each other. In our class we also include circle and line dances where the children actually interact with each other while keeping a steady beat. Making steady beat a social activity helps to solidify the concept in their developing minds

2. Instrument play Pull out the instruments from your Kindermusik home materials or make your own. Using your Kindermusik CD or another CD, use the instruments to keep a steady beat along with the music. This works steady beat with the fine motor skills and allows them to hear the beat that they are making. In Kindermusik class, they can also see the steady beat made by the instruments of their friends.

3. Ball Toss This is one of my favorite activities to do with my beginning piano students. This is a little trick I learned many years ago when I was completing my training for Orff certification. For this preschool activity we use a large, soft ball. I stand across from the student. The object of the game is to pass the ball back and forth to a steady beat. If you pass too quickly, the other person will not be able to anticipate when to catch the ball. If you hold on to the ball too long, the partner has to wait for the ball. First, I demonstrate how to pass the ball to a steady beat while I hold the ball. Then I explain to the preschooler how we have to keep our beat steady or we will not be able to catch the ball. Then we pass the ball back and forth counting "one" for quarter notes. With my older students who are in piano classes or lessons, we eventually create rhythms and pass according to the rhythm. This is a fun steady beat activity that explains the concept of keeping the beat going, allows the student to use gross motor muscles to feel the beat, works for teamwork, allows the student to see the stead beat as it is passed back and forth, and lays the groundwork for counting rhythm. Students ask for this activity again and again in classes.

Kindergarten readiness skills: Part II: Listening Skills

Did you know that listening is something that can be practiced? Here are three ways to work on listening skills at home.

1. Active Listening: In Kindermusik classes each week we have a short, focused listening example. Many times, this example is nothing more than a sound made by an instrument, sounds around the house, or an animal sound. These examples are not just fun for the kids, but they provide them with an active listening experience. This can be done very easily at home with one of your Kindermusik CDs or with sounds around the house. Have the child listen to a short sound and ask them to imitate it. Ask them to move like the sound or music they heard. Ask them questions about the sound. Keep it short. They don't have to sit and actively listen to an entire symphony- just a short part. Gradually lengthen the listening example.

2. Following multi step directions We all want our kids to listen and follow directions. Board games and simple dances are two fun ways to learn to follow directions. In Kindermusik class we do circle and line dances. The object is not to learn to dance, but to follow mulit-step directions that are given verbally. There are many ways to do this at home such as the Hokey Pokey or by playing twister. Board games and card games are a great way to work on following directions as well. Some of your Kindermusik home kits come with board games to use at home.

3. Story Time We all know that reading to your child has many benefits. This is why we include it in every Kindermusik class and in the home materials for Kindermusik classes. As you are reading, be sure to make the sounds along with the book. Be sure to ask questions about the pictures. Alternatively, listen to a recording of the book. Your Kindermusik CDs have a recording of your class book. Or make your own recording of your child's favorite book. Your child can listen on their own and follow along with the book. Have your child "read" the story to you. Draw pictures about the story after reading. Put together a play or puppet show using your Kindermusik Family Time puppets after reading the book. At the end of the reading, ask questions about the content of the story. The possibilities for reading with your child are endless.

One of the most important aspects is repetition. Did you ever think that there may be a developmental reason that your child asks to be read the same book over and over? Children thrive on repetition. Once your child has heard the same book several times, leave out certain words to see if your child can fill in the blanks as you are reading. Many of our Kindermusik CDs include an example of doing this. During this break we have in our Kindermusik routine, be sure to use the home materials from previous units. That is what is so great about the Kindermusik home materials- they extend the learning year round.

3 games for Kindergarten readiness

It is the first day of school for most kids. I know a lot of parents are wondering how their child will do and if they were ready. A lot of what we do in Kindermusik is school readiness such as practicing self control, taking turns, developing listening skills, lengthening attention span as well as pre-literary and math skills.

Probably the number one skill every Kindergarten teacher looks for in a child is inhibitory control. Inhibitory control is the ability to listen to an instruction and to control the body accordingly. This is something that can be practiced in short sessions with kids of any age. There are many ways to practice this at home.

1. While playing an instrument like the rhythm sticks, have the child find different ways to tap. Then say out loud with the child, TAP, TAP, TAP, TAP rea-dy STOP. At this point freeze. Find a different way to tap and try the same thing. If you do no have an instrument, you can do body percussion which is tapping your own body. Kids of all ages can do this- even babies. You would be surprised to see how quiet and still some of my youngest students get with this game. Some even anticipate the "STOP" command and give it themselves! We do this almost weekly in a Kindermusik class.

Even if your child does not actually stop yet, they will learn the concept if they see and hear you stop.

2. Sing one of your child's favorite songs but whisper the chorus. Children have to learn to whisper. Anyone who has kids knows that they are not born knowing how to whisper in church! This is something we practice. Once whispering is mastered, have them be silent for the chorus of the song and join back in on the verses. I find that even with babies, the softer you sing to them, the harder they listen. They quiet their whole bodies down in anticipation. I can quiet a room of babies simply by singing softly rather than by speaking loudly.

3. Children love to stop and start. This is evident when you think of all the children's games that are built on this concept. Mother May I? Freeze Tag, Simon Says, the Silent Game, and Red Light Green Light. With all the video games out these days I am not sure how much these are played anymore. Children love these games and they help them learn to listen to instructions and to control themselves. We need to introduce our kids to these great games and help them practice inhibitory control.

ABC Music and Me now enrolling!

Why ABC? There are so many music programs out there. What is special about ABC?

"ABC Music & Me is a research-based language and early literacy program built around music. Kindermusik has used its 30 years of experience to create an “all-in-the-box” program for Preschoolers, Kindergarteners, and emerging readers. Our program develops essential listening and early literacy skills so your students have the skills they need to succeed in school.

ABC Music & Me is especially effective for children with developmental delays and at-risk learners. We also provide special instructions for using our program with English Language Learners and the Home Materials are available in English and Spanish.

Through songs and music, our program:
enhances students’ listening and speaking skills
helps students develop pre-reading and writing skills
involves parents in their child’s learning
gives teachers ongoing professional development that ensures results.

Build listening and early literacy skills in a way that is playful, active, and proven effective with young children!


“I’m excited to report the language learning gains were above the 70% significance level.”

Penny Collins, Director of Special Education, Osceola County, Florida"

More research concerning the correlation between the ABC Music and Me program and school skills, http://www.abcmusicandme.com/Why_Music.html.

Sign and Sing Weeks 2 and 3

Last week in Sign and Sing we worked on different attention getting strategies for presenting the signs. We used interesting objects like musical balls to draw their attention to the sign for ball. We sang a silly song and signed about their reactions to the song. Another strategy we used was bringing the object about which you are signing to your face so that the child's line of vision will follow the object. This draws attention to the object so that you can then demonstrate the sign.

This week, we introduced an Adaptation Strategy. This occurs when you move a toy next to your face so your child can see you making the sign while you hold the toy. Watch your baby’s eyes as she looks back and forth from the object to you. You have created the ideal environment for learning.

Keep working with your home materials and we will see you next week!

ABC Music and Me fall classes

ABC Music and Me will continue this fall on Wednesdays with Ms. Erika. The 4 to 6 year old class provides an introduction to the piano and will study major composers. This is the perfect class for young homeschoolers and preschoolers to learn more about music and get ready for piano or violin. It is highly recommended that students younger than 6 take this class BEFORE beginning violin. The home materials for this unit includes a pan flute and castanets.

Sing a Story - Mozart and math? With exposure to singing and music notation, your child gets more experience with abstract symbols. In class, we’ll explore how abstract thoughts are shared and communicated with symbols, such as a musical note. This same abstract thinking process helps your child learn letters of the alphabet and numbers. You can reinforce these learning concepts at home with your Student Kit as you share your understanding of music with each other.


Jumping Beans - The Jumping Beans unit jumps into the rhythms of Latin America! Children will listen to a variety of Latin music styles, play instruments, dance, and investigate the concept of a musical rest. They will move and stop their bodies, explore expressive movement, sing some Spanish words and phrases, and even jump like jumping beans. ¡Olé!


All Keyed Up - The All Keyed Up unit immerses children in the magic of keyboards of all kinds. They will learn about the composer J.S. Bach, listen to and learn about pianos, organs, synthesizers, and harpsichords, and investigate the similarities and differences between these related instruments. While they’re at it, they’ll explore staccato and legato sounds: moving and playing instruments, listening to music selections, and learning graphic notation for these concepts. It’s no wonder this unit has preschoolers All Keyed Up!

Open House

August 5 fom 5:30 to 7:00 pm will be our back to school open house at the Cherubs Clubhouse. Come meet the Imaginations Music Studio and learn more about the classes and lessons we have to offer for kids aged 0 to adult.

We will have short demonstrations of several of Kindermusik, piano and violin so that you can make the best choice for your child this fall. We will be taking fall registrations that night as well. Many of our classes are small in size to allow a low student to teacher ratio so they will fill up fast. Be sure to register in advance! Call 437-3478 if you have any questions about the classes.

Return to the Imaginations Music website

What do I need for violin classes?

Having a quality instrument is essential to your child's success in any field. A quality child's violin can cost only $60 to $100. They can also be rented. Your child will need a violin in a size for their little hands to play. This means that granddaddy's old full sized fiddle in the attic will not do for your little one. However, there are a lot of affordable options for violins.

Ms. Rita has listed some websites to help you find a violin for your child. Music Basics and violins.com. There are several music stores around Birmingham that are also worth visiting and pricing. The violins must be wooden, and NOT plastic. Before purchasing a violin, please consult with Ms. Rita at rita@imaginationsmusic.com.

Sign and Sing Class 1

Yesterday, we talked about ways to bring signs into your child's world during class as well as during playtime after class. You do not need to know every sign there is, or to use signs constantly for this to be effective. Start by choosing some of the signs from class last night that your child might be most interested in. The goal of this week is to get started signing and become comfortable signing yourself. The "see a lot, do a lot" signs are things that happen often during the day likebed, eat, more, finish, what, help and milk. There are plenty of opporunities thoughout the day to use these signs. The other type of signs which are an important part of the "Signing Smart" strategy are the "highly motivating signs." These are things that your child is very interesting in or might be very motivated to learn to sign. This may be different for each child. The signs we used last night from this category would bny, mom, dad, music, ball, bear, as well as a few more.

1. The first step is learning how to use the signs so that your children see them. It doesn't help to do the sign when you child isn't looking at you! When they are attentive to you, interested in something and making eye contact with you, this is the perfect time to sign.
2, the Second step is recognizing your child's early attempts at signing. If you are feeding your baby and they touch their hands together as if attempting to sign "more" then respond by giving them more of whatever they were eating! Some early attempts at signing may be accident, but if you respond to them, the child will learn that by speaking with their hands, they got what they needed. Also notice if your child is responding to the signs YOU give. If you sign and ask "more?" and you child's face lights up this is progress as well! Remember that it does sometimes take a long time for those first signs to appear. Don't be discouraged if you don't see any signals that your child is attempting to sign right away. Sometimes we cannot see the result of what we do with our babies for a long time. But these early experiences become aborbed into who they are. The time you spend communicating verbally and by signing with your baby will not go unrewarded.

Violin offered at Cherubs Clubhouse!

We are very excited to be opening up violin classes and private lessons at the Cherubs Clubhouse on Thursday afternoons! Both piano classes and violin classes will be taught in separate rooms at the Cherubs Clubhouse on Thursday starting in September.

Homeschool violin classes will begin at 2:00. Come study with fellow homeschoolers and play together after class. Afterschool violin will begin after 3:00 Classes will be scheduled according to age and ability of the children who sign up. Children must be at least 6 years old to participate in this program. Children younger than 6 are encouraged to begin with Kindermusik and/or piano to help prepare for violin.

Classes will start at $50.00 per month per child plus materials. Space is very limited in our classes in order to provide the children with one on one instruction. An appropriately sized violin is required by each student to practice. Email imaginationsmusic@bellsouth.net for more info.