Yamaha Course Descriptions

TWO-YEAR-OLDS ARE FILLED WITH RAW CREATIVITY AND ARE WITHOUT INHIBITIONS, approaching everything with passion and curiosity. When given the right tools to express themselves, watch as their artistic flair takes over. Designed for two-year-olds, our lessons enable your toddler to enjoy music the fun way with you. We foster your little one's love for music by teaching them how to ‘listen’ through fun activities like singing, body movements and playing with rhythm. It’s a great way to spend quality time bonding with your little one.

Course Areas include:

I Like Singing

In this interactive sing-along session, your child will learn how to sing enjoyable songs together with you. With easy yet interesting lyrics, your child will soon begin to develop a love for singing.

Joyful Rhythms

In this section, your child will explore different musical rhythms by playing on percussion instruments and responding to the music rhythmically.

Musical Fantasy

Every child loves a story. We make our tales come alive with a combination of stories, music and pictures guaranteed to leave a lasting impression and develop your child's imagination.

Teacher’s Recital

A time for appreciation. Each lesson, our teachers play pieces on the Clavinova or piano so your child can listen and learn to appreciate the beauty of music.

Play With Music

This is where your child's hearing ability is developed. Through guidance, the ability to distinguish contrasts in music is achieved.

Required at Home:

A keyboard instrument at home is not a requirement for Music Wonderland. However, upon entering Junior Music Course the following year, students will need access to an instrument for home practice

Parents/Guardians:

A parent or guardian is required to accompany the student in class as there are activities that will involve both adult & child!

BRINGING OUT THE MUSICIAN WITHIN: Music Wonderland is designed specifically with the 3 year-old in mind. This course is a wonderful introduction to the world of music through singing, listening, and playing the keyboard, even at this young age.

An appreciation for all forms of music is strengthened by the various activities that take place between the children and their parents. Music Wonderland is not only a great way to stimulate your child's development, but also to strengthen the bond between parent and child.

Keyboards are used in the course as tools for expression of concepts such as high/low and loud/soft sounds, as well as teaching students various rhythmic patterns. They learn to play a part in music-making with parent, friends, and teacher. The use of different fingers is also introduced in a way that is natural for 3 year-old children.

By the end of Music Wonderland, your child will have learned how to listen and react to song and sound, and enjoy making music with others. You will see the start of little musicians who can appreciate and express themselves through an international language - music.

Course Areas include:

• Lyric Songs and introduction to Solfege Singing
• Keyboard Activities
• Concentration/Listening Games
• Music Appreciation
• Rhythm Step
• Picture-Card Shows

Required at Home:

A keyboard instrument at home is not a requirement for Music Wonderland. However, upon entering Junior Music Course the following year, students will need access to an instrument for home practice

Parents/Guardians:

A parent or guardian is required to accompany the student in class as there are activities that will involve both adult & child!

HANDS OF A CHILD, WORK OF A MUSICIAN: The Junior Music Course (JMC) is designed for 4 and 5 year-old beginners, and graduates of Music Wonderland.

JMC focuses on the development of well-rounded musical ability, through listening, singing, keyboard/piano playing, reading, writing, and creating. From the first year of the JMC, students will train not only their fingers, but their ears, their minds, and their imagination.

The piano keyboard is the tool of choice for this age group, as it is easy and effortless to produce accurate pitch, and also allows students to simultaneously experience melody, harmony, and rhythm.

Ear-training is an integral part of JMC, since age 4-5 is the best time for a child to acquire a sense of pitch. Most students attain either absolute "perfect" pitch, or very good relative pitch by the end of the first two years. This ear-training will help them in the future to play music by ear, improvise, and compose.

JMC follows a thoroughly researched, internationally-renowned curriculum. The materials and approach are all designed specifically to capture the interest of this age group. Colourful textbooks and beautifully orchestrated music on CDs help to inspire the students. DVDs featuring animated shorts will help to reinforce concepts at home.

At the end of their first two years in the JMC, students will not only have achieved a high level of performance, but they will have also acquired the tools necessary to create their own music.

Course Areas include:

• Keyboard (piano) Playing
• Solfege & Lyric Singing
• Ensemble Playing
• Music Appreciation
• Rhythm Training
• Harmony
• Workbook activities (Reading/Writing)

There are 6 levels (years) of the JMC that students may progress through.

Required at Home:

For the first two years of JMC, students will need access to a keyboard instrument with at least 61 full-sized touch-sensitive keys, with a variety of realistic sounds and rhythms. Weighted "heavy" keys (like those of an acoustic piano) are not a requirement at this stage, since some 4-5 year-old children can find them frustrating to play. Technical exercises will come into play a few levels later in the JMC, when the children are physically ready to develop these abilities.

Parents/Guardians:

Accompanied by the parent, as the parent is the essential link between the class experience and successful practice at home, both child and parent can share the joy of leaning music with one another.

The Young Musicians Course is founded on the belief that every student loves music. During the two-year program, students participate in activities that teach basic musical skills and encourage independence, creativity and self-expression. The course appeals to the imagination of a young mind and becomes an integral part of your child's growth.

Course Areas include:

• Singing
• Ear training
• Repertoire (keyboard pieces)
• Ensemble playing (group performance)
• Keyboard harmony
• Arranging
• Keyboard technique
• Sight singing
• Sight playing
• Theory

Required at Home:

For the first two years of JMC, students will need access to a keyboard instrument with at least 61 full-sized touch-sensitive keys, with a variety of realistic sounds and rhythms. Weighted "heavy" keys (like those of an acoustic piano) are not a requirement at this stage, since some 4-5 year-old children can find them frustrating to play. Technical exercises will come into play a few levels later in the JMC, when the children are physically ready to develop these abilities.

Parents/Guardians:

Accompanied by the parent, as the parent is the essential link between the class experience and successful practice at home, both child and parent can share the joy of leaning music with one another.