ABC Music and Me begins on Thursday at 9:30

ABC Music & Me supports the early childhood standards and requirements for “high quality programs” as defined by the National Institute for Early Education and aligns with pre-K national and state standards. ABC Music & Me has won the Teacher's Choice Award and was a finalist for the AEP Golden Lamp Award.

Ms. Erika will be teaching our ABC class and is very excited about it. If you are looking for something to do over the summer, wanting to try a Kindermusik "sampler," or if you are one of our continuing students from the spring, I think you will enjoy ABC.

The class will run for one month and is priced at $55. The tuition price includes materials. The home materials are a book, a CD of all the songs from class and rhythm sticks. Just ask one of our continuing students what a difference using the home materials makes!

Those enrolled in the summer term will be given opportunity for fall class preference and an early bird discount for fall registration.

Interested in music but working full time? Click here to help us bring our program to your school!

Summer camp expo, Kidsfest, and Mom's market

The Cherubs Clubhouse and the Imaginations Music Studio was represented today at the Birmingham Parent magazine summer camp expo at Brookwood mall. We will also be represented soon at the Mom's Market in Pelham, and at the Birmingham Kids Directory Kidsfest in Hoover. We have a lot of classes going on at the Cherubs Clubhouse and some great summer programs and camps coming up! Contact me for more information at imaginationsmusic@bellsouth.net

We also just finished up our "Share the Love" fundraiser at the Cherubs Clubhouse. The event was a sucess and fun for all. Our piano studio will be doing a fundraiser to help raise money for Haiti very soon as well.

Snow plan!

The possibility of snow in Alabama is exciting! It is all everyone can talk about this week and I know that soon the stores will be void of milk and bread. Whoever decided that we all need to stock up on bread and milk in the case of a few flurries is making millions off of Alabama! If it snows, the schools will close, in fact the entire state will shut down for even a few inches and we will all cuddle by the fireplaces drinking hot chocolate, eating chicken noodle soup and watching movies.

I am keeping a watch on the weather for our demo classes this week. As of now, I am still planning to have our demonstration classes on Thursday. Anyone who has lived in Alabama for very long knows that as soon as you change your schedule for a predicted snow day, the snow will come another day or not at all. However, in anticipation of the snow later this week, we are also going to offer a demo piano class on Wed. afternoon. PLEASE EMAIL imaginationsmusic@bellsouth.net if you would rather come Wed.

If there is does indeed snow on Thursday, please call 529-6902 for a recorded message about our piano demonstration class.

Please join us for our demonstration classes, Wed. January 6 at 10:00 for kids 4 and under, Wed. January 6 at 4:00 for kids 4 and up and Thursday, January 7 at 4:00 for kids 4 and up. It is super cold out there, and you will need something to do to warm you up and keep away the cabin fever!

More than just for the kids...

How many new moms have made a New Years Resolution to live a more active lifestyle? I remember how hard it was for me to exercise after the birth of my children. As soon as I would get everything set up, their nap time was over. After their bedtime, it was too late and I was way too tired. Waking up early in the morning didn't last long either. It was often too rainy and cold in the winter for walks outside, and too hot during the summer. I tried going to the gym, but my child was not comfortable staying in the daycare there.

Parent participation in our Kindermusik classes, while not the same as an aerobic class or spinning class, supports a more active lifestyle. In Village class moms fly their babies around the room, sway and rock their babies and participate in circle dances while holding their babies. In our toddler classes, ABC Music and Me for 2 to 4 year olds and Our Time, for 18 months to 3 years, parents move around the room with their child, participate in lap bounces, circle dances and more. The more engaged the parent is during the class, the more the child will actively participate. Of course, these activities are not only for class, they can be done in the home as well! What a great way to provide an active example to our children to support a healthy lifestyle!

What's more, is that for every active, gross motor activity, we also provide an opportunity for learned relaxation. Did you know that relaxation can be a learned skill? It is hard work being a parent, and you deserve a break. Moms (or other caregivers) and babies are encouraged to slow down and focus on each other during periods of rest and relaxation in our classes. In Village, we promote calmness and bonding through intentional touch activities and rocking during this time. In Our Time and ABC, parents and children cuddle up to rock and sing a lullaby or listen to a story. These are techniques that can be implemented throughout your daily routine to promote a sense of peace and serenity in the home.

Village (0 to 18 months), Our Time, (18 months to 3 years), and ABC Music and Me (2 to 4 years) will begin January 13 at the Cherubs Clubhouse. Be sure to sign up and reserve your spot. Register here!

ABC Music and Me for 4 to 6 year olds

ABC Music & Me supports the early childhood standards and requirements for “high quality programs” as defined by the National Institute for Early Education and aligns with pre-K national and state standards. ABC Music & Me has won the Teacher's Choice Award and was a finalist for the AEP Golden Lamp Award.

ABC Music and Me is one of my favorite classes to teach. We are offering ABC Music and Me for kids 4 to 6 years old on Thursdays at 10:00am and Thursdays at 4:00pm. For this class, we are offering a shorter term length for busy families. We are having our first 8 week session starting in January and ending before spring break. Our second session will begin after spring break and go through May.


Each month of the curriculum has a different theme. One of my favorite themes is brass instruments. Each week during that theme we would talk about a different brass instrument. Since I play the trumpet, I particularly enjoy this unit because I get to bring my trumpet in and play for the class! Each month is a different theme and each week during the month builds upon the last week.

We learn about different instruments, music from other cultures, study major composers, sing, explore different instruments, learn circle dances and study musical notation. We also have a unit on dance where we learn about jazz, tap, ballet and hip-hop as well as a unit about opera.

One other aspect of this class that I like is the introduction to piano. Each week we work on correct piano technique and learn a new aspect about keyboard geography. At the Cherubs Clubhouse, I will use my keyboard lab for this part of class so that each child will have a little longer at the keyboard to explore. This is a great way for kids to get a feel for the piano and see if they might be interested in lessons before making the investment in a piano at home.

I also love the home materials for this class. One of my favorite things is when a student comes into class and I can tell they have been listening to their CD. The literature in the family guide contains a clever story that is not only interesting to the student, but also discusses the theme for the month. One of my classes last year loved to read the stories from the family guide by themselves. They were so proud of themselves for being able to read part of the book all by themselves. Kids 4 to 6 years old are drawn to the written word and love being in the Kindermusik classroom which is saturated with literature.

Why piano ensemble?

Piano ensemble can be a fun way for beginners to start formal study of the instrument. Group piano ensemble can also be a valuable supplement for private students as well. Piano classes begin for children as young as 4.

In piano ensemble, we utilize 6 electronic keyboards, midi-technology, hands on theory materials, and games to facilitate the learning of new concepts. From the very beginning, we work towards good technique and posture at our touch sensitive keyboards. In our classes, the students play together as an ensemble in order to develop a strong steady beat and solid understanding of rhythm. Instead of rushing through several rhythmic values, we focus on reading and understanding each one. But playing together as an ensemble, the students develop the valuable skill of "keeping going" and listening to the other ensemble members. Solo piano students often have the "stop-start" mentality. Often, if they make a mistake, they immediately stop time to fix it(and sometimes even comment about it) or even slow down for the more difficult parts. While we do want to practice difficult passages individually (with a metronome at an appropriate tempo) as pianists we do need to learn to continue playing past mistakes on recital.

Another aspect of the piano ensemble class that I like is the approach to staff notation. Instead of beginning in a pre-reading notation for the first 2 months and then switching to the staff; we focus solely on rhythm, steady beat and keyboard geography at first. Then when we have a firm foundation we start our work on the staff. Sometimes, by learning a "pre-staff" notation, students learn to guess the correct notes by the fingering and hand position. In our group classes, we do not teach by hand position but by the location of the notes on the staff. We thoroughly learn each note on the staff before adding a new note.

An important aspect of group piano is the social aspect. Many students are intimidated by private lessons. By participating in a class, piano changes from being a solo activity to a team activity. The children are self motivated to practice because of the influence of their peers. They more readily participate in games and activities simply because it is more fun to participate in a group. The younger children learn from the older children and the older children learn by being teachers and leaders.

Check out my website for a list of piano classes starting at the Cherubs Clubhouse this spring. For students already studying privately, we will also be having piano camps during the summer as well as summer ensemble classes. For more information on the Mayron Cole Method for group piano, click here.

Is my child too young for a music class?

Is my child old enough for a music class? What can they really get out of a music class at such a young age?

Our Village class, for ages 0 to 18 months, is our youngest Kindermusik class. Often parents are interested in participating in a class with their child but wonder what the benefit can be at such a young age. Kindermusik is not about making "little Mozarts" but about facilitating total child development through the magic of music and movement. Studies are showing the correlation between active participation in an early music class and cognitive, social, verbal, musical, emotional and motor development. Kindermusik is about so much more than just music. The babies in a Village class are learning object permanence, working on aural skills, having social interactions and are moving to the beat with their caregivers in an environment that is saturated with literary, verbal and multi-sensory stimulation. Village class provides opportunity for bonding between parent and child as we dance and rock together as well as engaging in intentional touch activities that encourage relaxation. The babies in a Village class are using fine motor skills by learning to grasp our simple age appropriate instruments, pass instruments from hand to hand, and learn cause and effect by playing the instrument in a variety of ways. Every activity in a Kindermusik class is not only enjoyable for that parent and child, but has a purpose and prepares the child for life in many different ways.

If you are looking for an activity for your baby, our Kindermusik Village class has a little bit of everything. From movement, circle dances, singing, reading, instrument exploration, exposure to fine music as well as art, to intentional touch, social interaction and early school skills, Village class has it all! Come to a free Kindermusik class, January 6 at 10:00 at the Cherubs Clubhouse in Pelham and experience it for yourself!

Read more about the benefits of early exposure to music

January Demos!

Give your snowman a break! Come celebrate the kickoff of our spring music classes at the Cherubs Clubhouse in Pelham! We will have a FREE Kindermusik session on January 6 at 10:00 for kids 4 and under as well as a free piano session on Wednesday at 4:00. On Thursday, January 7 at 4:00, weather permitting, we will have a another FREE demonstration of our group piano class for kids 4 and up. Come see what music classes we have to offer at the Cherubs Clubhouse. There are still spots left in most of our classes so come try out a class and see what you think! We have students coming from all over the Birmingham area to our classes so be sure to come see for yourself what all the buzz is about!

Come play on our WARM indoor play gym for 15 minutes after our 30 minute class. Check our website for a complete list of our classes! Our January term will start on January 13.

Musical Solutions to parenting dilemmas

Many parents first consider Kindermusik because of the developmental and educational benefits to their child. In class, they quickly see that Kindermusik offers something for the grownups, too.

Kindermusik helps to make parenting a little bit easier through in-class tips, child development insights and activities in our weekly emails, not to mention the community of other parents and caregivers who attend class together.

We invite you to join in the conversation yourself. See how other parents use Kindermusik to help with potty training, toddler tantrums, getting a preschooler out of bed in the morning, and more on the Kindermusik Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kindermusik/24135466916

For 30 years, Kindermusik has remained constant as the single best choice you can make for your child today.

Contact us to schedule a class visit and to learn about our payment plans. Classes start at $9 per week plus materials.

New piano classes for home schooling families

We are opening up a few new classes at the Cherubs Clubhouse for homeschooling families! These will be on Thursday mornings starting in January.
Thursday, 9:00 group piano class for 7 to 9 year olds
Thursday, 10:00 ABC Music and Me for 4 to 6 year olds
Thursday, 10:45 group piano fo 5 and 6 year olds.

Check out what Birmingham Mom online has to say about our classes, Birmingham Mom Online

See my website for further details regarding our new classes! View website

Space is limited- especially in the piano classes, so please reserve your spot soon! They are already filling up.

Our January schedule:
Wed. 9:00 Village class-- kids 0 to 18 months
Wed. 10:00 Our time-- kids 18 months to 3 years
Wed. 11:00 ABC Music and Me-- Kids 2 to 4 years olds

Thursday 9:00 Piano-- kids 7 to 9
Thursday 10:00 ABC Music and Me kids 4 to 6
Thursday 10:45 Piano for 5 and 6 year olds

Thursday 4:00 pm ABC Music and Me 4 to 6 year olds
Thursday 5:00 pm piano for 4 and 5 year olds

Recital at the Cherubs Clubhouse

Many thanks to the Cherubs Clubhouse for helping me put on my piano recital tonight! I think it was a big success. I would like to thank Kathy and Sharon at the Cherubs Clubhouse for helping with the set up and behind the scenes work. I would like to thank my mother and husband for helping with the food and watching my son during and after the recital. I would also like to thank the parents of all my students for helping them practice at home and for bringing them out on such a rainy night.

All the students performed well and had a great time. I was very proud of how prepared and poised they all were. It looked like they were all pros at performance! The younger kids had a blast on the play equipment after they played while the older kids enjoyed playing games on the Wii. This was a first recital for many of my students and the relaxed atmosphere at the Cherubs Clubhouse was perfect. This was definitely a one of a kind recital experience that I hope all the students will remember in a positive way. We made a recording of the recital which I hope to be able to put on a CD for my students to take home next week.

We have a busy week this week at the Cherubs Clubhouse. This Thursday, Dec. 3 we have our first group piano class at 4:00. Please call and book your spot so we will know how many materials are needed. Classes are $8.00 per child. We are also going to have our Kindermusik Christmas parties at 5:00 on Thursday and 10:00 this Friday, Dec. 4. Please call to reserve your spot at the Kindermusik parties as well. Check out my website for more info on our group classes starting a January. Imaginations Music Studio

Group piano
Imaginations Music Studio presents group piano lessons using the Mayron Cole Piano Method which is a unique, innovative and enjoyable way for students of all ages to learn to play the piano. Hallmarks of the program include teaching the student to think for him/herself and developing musicality in each student. To achieve these goals, the program emphasizes note reading, consistent counting, and creative thought in each lesson. The method currently contains nine levels, from Pre-Primer to Early Advanced, plus three Older Beginner levels. In this method students concentrate on learning to read notes-not hand positions and finger numbers. Typically, students taught by this method are very proficient at sight-reading, counting rhythms, and keeping a steady beat. It is an excellent method for presenting and constantly reviewing theory concepts. It presents analyzing theory with each composition while constantly reviewing "old" concepts. When students have friends their own age in a class, they are usually more motivated to learn, form a cohesive group, and have a lower dropout rate. Practice and performance levels are usually raised due to each student striving for greater correctness on scales and pieces. Students seem to work harder at pleasing their friends in group piano lessons than they would work for a teacher at a private lesson. Group games make learning theory fun and improve socialization skills. Students usually have a strong peer motivated desire to practice. The kids enjoy weekly low-pressure performance opportunities. In addition, longer class periods permit the incorporation of ear training, solfege, rhythm drills, and ensemble skills which are essential to developing skilled musicians. This method helps the student develop not only skills but a life-long love of music. The group method is an excellent method for beginners and continues through nine-levels. This method provides a solid basis for those students who transition into private lessons as they become more advanced.

GRAND OPENING

Its today! I am so excited about the grand opening at the clubhouse. Having the opportunity to teach Kindermusik there is so exciting to me! I cannot think of a better place to teach with the play gym, the beautiful room and all the kids who are so excited to join the "club". Come by anytime today to meet us. Don't forget to get a membership to the clubhouse for free parties, discounts on birthday parties, and paly time. Also, pick up some information on our Kindermusik classes that will be held there.

Don't forget to book your child's birthday party! Come check out our birthday room! (it will also be the room where I teach Kindermusik) It is perfect for any occasion. Unlike some birthday places, you can come in a do whatever them your child wants. Boys, girls, even adults will feel at home there. There is even seating for adults!! Kindermusik birthday parties are becoming popular so book yours in advance!!!

We are located conveiently off of highway 31 in Pelham-- close to the Alabaster line. We are in the Keystone Plaza shopping center-- close to Staples and Big Lots. Our address is 3548 Pelham Parkway, Pelham. Directions are on my website!

Cherubs Clubhouse

I spent the day at the Cherubs Clubhouse today planning and coming up with ideas for the upcoming months. The play gym set arrived today and the place is really taking shape! I didn't quite realize all that is going to be offered there until my visit there today. There is going to be a big play gym area that looks like an outdoor playground! There is also going to be a smaller play area with inflatables and a ball pit. There is also a "deck" where there will be water exploration! Cool! If you come and take one of my classes there, you will also have some time after class to enjoy the equipment. My classes will mostly be in a birthday party room which is going to be a great space for a Kindermusik class. I also was impressed with the safety measures taken by the Cherubs Clubhouse. They are really taking care to make sure every aspect of their space is as safe as possible. I am so excited and can't wait till the grand opening!