Music and Movement Program for children aged 3 months to 6 years.
HOP, SKIP AND SING! Core music skills are developed each weekthrough a variety of playful experiences – singing, instrument playing, improvising, listening, dancing and creative movement activities that captivate each child’s imagination.
We use the most amazing teaching aids and some of the most beautiful instruments from around the world. Our highly skilled music educators encourage children to explore, create and respond
spontaneously to activities in a non-performance based
environment.
Our curriculum is founded upon extensive research as well
as the philosophies of three of Europe's most significant music
educators; Kodaly, Dalcroze and Orff.
What makes Colourstrings different from other music & movement programs?
Age specific classes (0-11mos, 1-2yrs, 2-3yrs, 3-4yrs, 5-6 yrs.) that are
responsive to the musical, physical, intellectual, social and emotional
development of each child. Music skills are introduced in accordance with each child's capabilities and developmental readiness.
Solid musical progression -
Core music skills are built upon each week without children
realising that they are actively "learning". Classes progress in very small
logical steps from sound to symbols, from imitation to improvisation,
from the
simplest to the most advanced musicianship. Learning
occurs through direct musical experiences that involve the entire body; creative movement, active listening, problem-solving, comparison, and guided
question-and-answer. Read more....
Our exclusive song books and CD’s ensure seamless continuity between home, class and future instrumental lessons. There are three books (Pentatonic, La and Do). In every class we sing a selection of the
songs and gradually children experience more complicated musical
concepts in class activities. Parental involvement is strongly encouraged.
Multi-sensory teaching that support’s the unique learning styles of each individual child. We believe that ALL children can achieve basic music competence with the right approach. New concepts are presented in as many different ways as possible: enabling the child to feel it, see it, hear it and know it.
By the age of 5 or 6, ALL Colourstrings-trained children can read and write basic music notation, are able to feel musicality, have a highly developed sense of rhythm and pitch and will be ready to progress naturally onto an instrument through Colourstrings if they wish to.
Our program integrates seamlessly into instrumental training (41/2 - 7 years). Favourite songs from the music and movement program reappear in the instrumental books. A colour-coded system of notation simplifies the process of learning to read music whilst an overall sense of play engages the children into highly focused studies.
The most effective way to
learn musical language is by being immersed in the sounds of music, including a
broad variety of musical scales, rhythms, and styles in class and at home, starting at a very young age.
Colourstrings creates an
environment for the child where toys, stories, singing, and instruments live
side by side. Children sing,
dance, pretend and have fun in a warm and positive environment and the
best part is, your child is having so much fun they have no idea how many skills they are absorbing!
We strive to make our lessons exciting as we know that when a
child enjoys doing something fun they are much more receptive and this builds
an association with music that is positive, which remains so, right throughout
their training. The 'hidden' technical
elements in our classes are not particularly obvious to an untrained musician,
but in amongst all the fun and laughter there is a solid foundation of
first-class music teaching.
Each
song/game/rhyme is analyzed for its musical content (e.g. what
rhythms/pitches/tempos it uses) and our teachers take into account the needs of each individual child. Each lesson is carefully designed to follow on from the last
and to gently stretch the children's musicianship skills
The most
common observations about Colourstrings sessions is how calm it is, how there
is a sense of shared exploration and an emphasis on creative contribution from
every participant and ultimately how confident the children become.
Why Pre Instrumental Musicianship Training?
* If the musician has already been 'created' (i.e. the
child can sing in tune and already understands musical concepts) there
will only be the technical difficulties of the playing an instrument to
think about.
** If the child can hear what is on the page before playing, he will have a greater understanding of the music.
*** An understanding of pitch relationship through singing is likely to lead to better intonation.
Some of the best musicians in this world started their instrumental learning relatively late. The most important way to help your child be a good musician is not to start instrumental lessons too soon, but instead to support and encourage the development of their musicality and musicianship.
Kodály a Hungarian music educator said ‘It is a long accepted truth that singing provides the best start to music education; moreover, children should learn to read music before they are provided with any instrument…even the most talented artist can never overcome the disadvantages of an education without singing. (1974).
HOP, SKIP AND SING! Core music skills are developed each week through a variety of playful experiences – singing, instrument playing, improvising, listening, dancing and creative movement activities that captivate each child’s imagination.
The most effective way to
learn musical language is by being immersed in the sounds of music, including a
broad variety of musical scales, rhythms, and styles in class and at home, starting at a very young age. 
* If the musician has already been 'created' (i.e. the
child can sing in tune and already understands musical concepts) there
will only be the technical difficulties of the playing an instrument to
think about.
