My child is in pre-K or kindergarten. Which class is right?
Junior. It is CMA's signature course, written for children who start in pre-K or kindergarten. About an hour once a week, with you in the room, for a multiyear course that ends in a graduation ceremony.
- Pre-K and kindergarten
- multiyear course through graduation
- about an hour a week
- parent in the room
Why Junior starts here
Between about 4 and 8, a child's ear develops the way language does. Children who start in those years hear, read and play with an ease that is hard to catch up to later. Junior is CMA's answer to that window: the full curriculum, taught at the age when it takes root, at a pace a 5 year old loves.
What a Junior class looks like
Every class comes back to the keyboard. Around it, your child sings, keeps time on percussion, learns to read notes on the staff, trains the ear to hear what is on the page, composes short pieces, and plays in an ensemble with the other children. As the course goes on, recorder and guitar come in, so that by graduation your child has handled the keyboard, a wind instrument, a string instrument and percussion, and can tell you which one they want next.
Activities are short and varied, because a kindergartner's attention is. A class is a sequence of games, songs, dances and playing that add up to real musicianship. Children rarely notice how much is being asked of them.
By graduation
- Play the keyboard with both hands, reading from the staff.
- Sing in tune, in harmony with others.
- Read and write rhythm and melody.
- Hear a phrase and play it back.
- Compose and perform an original piece.
- Play recorder, basic guitar and a range of percussion instruments.
- Walk across the stage at a graduation ceremony, which is a bigger deal to a 9 year old than it sounds.
What you do
You sit beside your child and learn the same material. You will read notes you forgot you knew, or learn them for the first time. At home, "home fun" is a few minutes a day at the start and about 10 minutes a day by the graduation year, and because you learned it in class, you can do it together. Parents tell us this hour is the best standing appointment on their calendar.
“Our daughter has grown tremendously these past 3 years through CMA's incredible music program, and her incredible music teacher, Mrs. Goodwyn! This music program is truly phenomenal.”
“All three of our boys have gone through the CMA program. While it was definitely a time commitment, all of my boys have a solid foundation in theory, reading/playing music and ear training. The time we were able to spend with each child during the classes was priceless.”
Questions about Junior
How long does Junior take?
Junior is a multiyear course that runs through graduation, including summers. The exact length depends on when in the year your child starts. We will tell you the finish year when we place your child.
What if my child has never had a music lesson?
Every CMA course is for beginners. Junior assumes nothing beyond curiosity.
Do we need a piano at home?
A piano or an electric keyboard with at least four octaves. Your teacher can suggest brands and local stores.
What is the commitment?
One class a week, during the school year, with you in the room, and a few minutes of home fun a day. Tuition is paid monthly and there is no long term contract. See Tuition for how paying works.
Get your child on the list for Junior
Or call (417) 425-4618.
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