School of Music starts "Pathways to Music" for pre-schoolers Sept. 23
The Musical Journeys Program of the Fredonia School of Music is proud to announce an exciting new program for children and parents to discover the joys of experiencing music while singing, moving, listening, dancing, and playing.
The Pathways to Music program is designed for children ages 6 months through 5 years old. Each class is a combination of age-appropriate musical activities including songs, finger plays, dances, bouncing games, circle games, instrument exploration, lullabies and more. In a playful manner, children will be gaining a wide appreciation of music while developing language, motor, creative and social skills.
The once a week, 45 minute classes are for one child and one accompanying parent or guardian. Three classes will be offered in the fall. Pioneers, for ages 6 to 24 months, will meet on Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. Explorers, for 2 and 3 year olds, will meet on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. Adventurers, for 4 and 5 year olds, will meet on Thursdays at 6:15 p.m. Total cost for the 10 week course is $125. Beginning the week of Sept. 23, all classes will be held at 2140 Mason Hall on campus.
The curriculum used for Pathways to Music is a holistic approach to age-specific early childhood music education, modeled after “First Steps in Music” by Dr. John Feierabend of the University of Hartford. Faculty members for Pathways to Music have their own extensive training and experience to add to the program. Sonja Inglefield holds a master’s degree in Early Childhood Music Pedagogy from the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Md. She spent almost 10 years teaching early childhood music on the Peabody Preparatory faculty and in the Baltimore City Schools before moving to Western New York. SUNY Fredonia alumna Kay Barlow holds Level 1 Certification from the Center for Music and Young Children and the American Orff-Schulwerk Association, in addition to Master of Music and Bachelor of Music Education degrees. She was a recipient of the 2005 Chautauqua County Early Childhood Award for Excellence in teaching.
“In Pathways to Music, children are encouraged to explore creative expression,” says Ms. Inglefield. “Every year, there is more and more research confirming the positive influence of music and movement on the healthy development of children. Even a very young child can benefit from the stimulation of a musical environment. Having a stress-free, enjoyable time in your week is healthy for parents too!”
For more information and registration forms, interested persons should visit www.fredonia.edu/music or call Ms. Inglefield at 716-673-3151.
