The Music Preludes® Curricula is composed of individual lessons presented on various age-related levels, including Infant (6 weeks to 12 months), Toddler (12 to 24 months), Mini (2-year olds), Introductory Level (3-year olds), Level I (4- & 5-year olds), and Level II (Kindergarten/1st Grade students). Each level is designed to function both independently and as a step along a learning continuum, as essential music concepts are introduced within each level, and each level includes new and interesting material appropriate for the child’s developmental age and sophistication. Therefore, children obtain the benefits of an on-going learning process regardless of the level in which they join the program, and children who experience the various levels continuously are simply provided with a more comprehensive musical and educational experience.

The concepts introduced within each level of Music Preludes® are listed below:

Infant/Toddler Level: *** (Children will be assisted by Caretakers during all activities!)

• Learning about the Colors of Music (loud, soft, fast, slow, high, low, short, long) – through lots of fun songs, chants, finger-plays, movement, and stories.
• Keeping a Steady Beat – as we play instruments
• Rhythm and Percussion Instruments
• Moving Creatively to Music  

Mini Level***2-year olds:

• Learning about the Colors of Music- (loud, soft, fast, slow, high, low, short, long) – through lots of fun songs, chants, finger-plays, circle games, movement, and stories.
• Keeping a Steady Beat – as we march and play instruments
• Rhythm and Percussion Instruments – emphasizing Tempo and Dynamics
• Moving Creatively to Music – while stepping, swinging, hopping, etc.
• Understanding Tone Quality and Rhythm – long and short sounds
• Expressing our Feelings through Music
• Multicultural Songs, Dances and Activities – interpreting genres of music from diverse cultures, developing an awareness of the various types of tempo and dynamics reflected in the music, learning folk stories and traditional dances from different countries. 
   

 

 

 

Introductory Level for 3-year olds:

• Dynamics – loud and soft
• Tempo – fast and slow
• Pitch – high and low
• Note Values – quarter, half, and whole note values
• Rhythm – combination of note values
• Percussion Instruments – play traditional instruments and create our own; marching band
• Music Appreciation – highlighting Mozart’s “Toy Symphony”, Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf”, and Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”

 

 

 

Level I*** 4- and 5-year olds:

• Dynamics – loud and soft
• Tempo – fast and slow
• Pitch – high and low
• Note Values – quarter, half, and whole note values
• Rhythm – combination of note values
• Percussion Instruments – play traditional instruments and create our own; marching band
• Music Appreciation – highlighting Haydn’s “Surprise Symphony”, Ravel’s “Bolero”, and Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”
• Note Values and Rhythm Patterns – learning about quarter, half, whole and eighth notes through experimentation with a variety of percussion instruments and moving creatively to rhythms
• Keyboard Vocabulary – focusing on ‘twin’ & ‘triplet’ related keys

 
Level II for Kindergarten***1st Grade:

• This year, we are introducing and teaching flutophones/recorders
• Dynamics – loud and soft
• Tempo – fast and slow
• Pitch – high and low
• Note Values – quarter, half, and whole note values
• Rhythm – combination of note values
• Percussion Instruments – play traditional instruments and create our own; marching band
• Note Values and Rhythm Patterns – learning about quarter, half, whole and eighth notes through experimentation with a variety of percussion instruments and moving creatively to rhythms
• Keyboard Vocabulary – focusing on ‘twin’ & ‘triplet’ related keys
• The G-Clef Staff and Music Notation including Middle C through Treble C Notes  – children learn to analyze music as it steps and skips up and down the G-Clef Staff using a variety of games to enhance their enjoyment of music, including Music Bingo, Staff
• Note Bean Bag Game, and more! 
   

 

The Music Preludes® Curricula is currently implemented in over one-hundred preschools throughout the state of New Jersey and Westchester, NY. It is facilitated in each school by of one of our music specialists who teaches the program to groups of 8-10 children for a one half-hour session each week. We offer the program either for a tuition paid by the parents (providing the school with a percentage of the net income), or for an hourly fee paid directly by the school. The tuition agreements vary according to each school’s preference. We are happy to provide free demonstrations throughout the school year and summer to introduce parents and educators to our program.