Exceptional Early Childhood Music Education at The Music Studio in Albany NY
When thinking about signing your preschoolers or young children up for music lessons many questions come up. What age is the right age - should we be starting so young? Do they need to learn these skills in a music studio, or would lessons later on at school suffice? What if I don't know anything about music myself?
If you're looking for early childhood music education near Albany, NY look no further. The Music Studio makes the whole process easy, starting kids when they're young and their eyes and ears are open to new experiences. Everyone from professional musicians to those who have never picked up an instrument in their life put their trust in The Music Studio when it comes to music education for their preschoolers and little ones.
The role music plays in a child's development cannot be underestimated. Learning music strengthens the brain, boosts confidence, and helps them learn how to persevere. Read on to see how The Music Studio has turned out bright, ambitious, young musicians year after year.
High Standards & Structured Learning Combined With Fun
Here's why it's advantageous to start kids young: Their ears are just developing and the skilled instructors are able to shape them as young musicians. By the time they start taking music lessons at school, they already know quite a bit, and are in a solid position to truly excel. But it's not just enough to start early - it has to be through a program that is actually going to work.
The Music Studio's core program is appropriately called The Foundation, and it starts kids as young as four. This two-year program follows the school year, beginning in the fall, and starts the group out with singing, ear training, rhythm, movement, and note reading through a variety of instruments.
The Music Studio has been promoting the love of learning music since 1977, and to date more than 15,000 students have graduated from the studio. At a minimum, students leave The Music Studio with a true understanding and lifelong love of music, while many have gone on to have a career in the music field.
"Years ago I started teaching privately and I felt that the kids needed more than to just learn how to play a note at the right time," Noel Liberty, owner of The Music Studio, told us. "And so that's when I started developing the Foundation program and it just made a huge difference."
When asked what challenges Liberty sees with teaching children music she says, "I don't actually! I feel like everybody's different, but everyone has an innate love of music and a desire to master new skills and an ability to learn."
Liberty went on to explain that the classes really tap into what speaks to kids: independence and playing together, which is accomplished through learning about rhythm, melody, and building the knowledge of music from there. Piano is the primary instrument learned, as that is what sets a solid foundation for learning more instruments, although many other instruments are taught at the school.
Many kids stay with The Music Studio throughout the years, taking lessons all the way from preschool through high school, and now some former students send their own children to the studio.
Parental Involvement Yields a Sense of Family & Community
One of the ways The Music Studio operates sets them apart from other music studios in the Albany area, and that is the emphasis on parental participation. Parents are with kids aged eight and under during classes, which makes the whole experience more of a fun family activity and helps reinforce practicing at home, when the time comes for that.
"At the very beginning it's not really structured as in, you have to practice this much, it's more we want the kids to love music and having someone that they can sing the songs with and play the games with at home is great," Liberty said. "Later on the parents are not as involved that they have to be there every week. But even in the more advanced classes, they're there once a month in private lessons."
Perhaps one of the best reasons for the parental participation is that it paves the way for the ultimate sense of community. Many businesses speak about being part of a big family, but there is nowhere this is more true than at The Music Studio. The parents aren't just there for the kids - the kids, the parents, and the teachers are all part of the same group dedicated to helping all the kids succeed.
David Alan Miller, the Grammy Award-winning conductor of the Albany Symphony, has sent his kids to The Music Studio, which really speaks volumes about how extraordinary this organization is. Highly acclaimed professional musicians send their children to The Music Studio, but again, so do parents who simply love music, or perhaps don't know much about music at all. Kids and adults from all different kinds of backgrounds work together to advance skills and promote a shared love of music.
Outstanding Opportunities are Opened Up
Yet another advantage to going with The Music Studio is that opportunities abound for the little ones that go beyond learning in the classroom. The Music Studio students have performed in class recitals at SUNY Albany, and have also performed with the Albany Symphony and the Empire State Youth Orchestra.
Liberty worked with Miller of the Albany Symphony to have the kids perform at their Magic of Christmas Concert, even helping to develop the music to be performed. Liberty was surprised to find there was nothing written for Orff instruments on the subject of Christmas and Miller was willing to work with the studio to put something special together for the kids; Orff instruments are different sized drums, recorders, and non-pitched percussion instruments that are especially great for children learning music.
The relationships The Music Studio has forged with the local community allow them to participate in special events and programs, such as with the Albany Symphony, that these kids just wouldn't otherwise get to do.
In fact, in her spare time, Liberty enjoys making the most of all the music, arts, and culture the Capital Region has to offer. This true passion for the arts can only put her in an even better position to lead The Music Studio, and likely leads to further relationships with the local community.
"I don't leave the studio as much as I should," Liberty told us, laughing. "But I'm really thrilled at the depth and breadth of the arts offerings in the area. I mean from the Albany Symphony to SPAC to the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. . .there's just so much to hear and so much to encourage people to go to but I love it when I can go myself."
Enticed Yet? Here's How to Learn More
Although the Foundation program is the core program offered (which always starts in the fall and takes kids ages four to eight) there are also short-term classes throughout the year, classes for kids with special needs, classes for adults, classes for children as young as two, and more.
Whether you're looking for music lessons for preschoolers, high schoolers, or yourself, you can be sure to find a comprehensive program and a lot of fun happening at The Music Studio, the prime place for early childhood music education near Albany, NY.