Early Childhood Programs

A child's first musical experience should blend easily into his or her familiar world of sound discovery, imagination and physical movement. At the Music School, classes are carefully designed to be age-appropriate, with the goal of developing inner hearing and rhythm, not early instrumental skills.

These active classes draw on the educational principles of Dalcroze, Orff and Kodaly, exploring musical concepts through singing, movement and play. All classes are fully accessible for children of differing abilities.

Besides teaching classes at 23 Wall Street, Heather Oberheim leads Music & Movement classes in Laconia, Manchester and Concord in child care centers, Head Start programs, after-school programs and elementary schools through the School's Music in the Community Initiative (MICI).

Music & Movement

All classes are developed and led by Heather Oberheim. Call 228-1196 to register. Tuition ($195/class except for Swinging Siblings $156/child) is pro-rated after the start of the semester.

Swinging Siblings (6 months - 7 years) Friday 10:00 am
For families with more than one small child; encourages bonding between siblings and with parents by using music, bounces, and finger play.

Bouncers (6 - 18 months) Tuesday 9:00 am & Movers and Shakers (18-30 months) Monday or Tuesday 9:45 am
In both of these classes, each child participates with a parent or caregiver to learn songs, finger-plays, stories, and movement games that can enrich family life throughout the week at home. Traditional childhood songs are chosen to support other early learning experiences such as counting and rhyming.

Musical Travelers (2.5 - 4 years) Monday 10:45 am
Rich in songs and games, this class encourages a child's musical creativity through imagery activities and child-composed tunes and rhythms. Folk songs and movement games from ethnic traditions around the world provide a focus.

Music Makers (ages 3.5 - 6 years) Monday 3:15 pm
Engaging the mind as well as the body, this class makes strong connections between the songs, games, dances, and movement activities and the formalized language of music. Children begin to learn music terms, rhythm notation, and pre-reading skills as they sing, play, and move.

Creative Story Makers (ages 3 - 6 years) Friday 11:00 am
Children use their creative imaginations, storytelling abilities, bodies, and voices in the creation of their own musical show and then perform it for parents and friends.

Stompers, Singers and Drummers (ages 2 - 5 years) Friday 9:00 am
A rhythm-based class clustered with Native American and African American songs. In this class, children will play rhythm instruments, dance and sing.

Suzuki Violin Program

(beginning at age 4) Lissa Thomas

Suzuki Talent Education offers a curriculum of music instruction based on the mother tongue method; most children learn to speak their native tongue with fluency and comfort. Dr. Suzuki discovered that music is a language that can be learned in the same manner. Although the Suzuki Method is used for teaching music, it is more than just a music education. It builds a child’s self esteem through learning to cooperate, setting goals, and appreciating beauty in the arts- skills a child will use and appreciate for a lifetime.

Overview of the Suzuki Philosophy

Belief that musical ability can be developed in all children.
A nurturing environment promotes positive learning
Musical ability is developed through listening and imitating
Parents play an active role in the learning process.
Children become comfortable with the instrument before learning to read music.
Technique is refined through constant review
Students have individual and group lessons

A Musical Bridge

The Music School has created a strong link bridging the early childhood curriculum with individual instruction or the ensemble sequence in each department. Classes for young children have been designed in the string, wind, voice and percussion departments to be an age-appropriate, fun introduction to pursuing further study.

Percussion Classes (ages 6-8)
John Faggiano - Students use hand drums, xylophones, and other instruments to learn fundamental percussion techniques in a fun ensemble setting, building instrumental and musicianship skills through simple percussion pieces.

String Classes (ages 5-9)
Jessica Helie - Students learn to play in groups, building their instrumental abilities and musicianship. Group placement will be based on age and level of advancement. Solos, duets, and ensemble work will build confidence, cooperation, and performance skills.

Recorder Classes (ages 5-8)
Maria Isaak - Learning to play recorder is an excellent way to develop note-reading skills, intonation, melody, and rhythm; as well as introducing the breathing, articulation, and fingering techniques necessary for playing a brass or woodwind instrument.

Vocal Classes - Fledglings Chorus. Please see Choruses.