Irvine School of Music

After years of researching dozens of renowned early childhood piano programs and testing them in hundreds of students, we’ve distilled the most effective elements to create a program guaranteed to give a young student a joyful and strong foundation in piano-playing. The end result is musical proficiency, the beginnings of a virtuosic technique, and a lifelong love for music. We teach kids this age by the philosophy that their learning styles and needs are to be met through a multi-sensory approach; their understanding of music will expand into positive problem-solving skills, areas of self-expression, the growth of memory skills and excellent self-confidence and self-esteem. With such a skill set children can eventually take on the skills required to read other languages and master other tasks.

This preschool music program is a fun, private or duo piano lesson for children ages 3-5, with a broader goal of teaching the fundamentals of music. All lessons are 30 minutes per week. These lessons also utilize concepts and exercises from Dalcroze Eurhythmics and Kodaly, both methods renowned for developing musical ability in young children through movement, rhythm, and singing games. These lessons are especially good for the child who is not yet ready to sit through a private half-hour lesson, or for any child who really wants to start any musical instrument, but is not quite ready for the regular 1/2 hour private lesson. The format for the lesson includes lots of varied activity and lots of fun, and provides a solid foundation for both traditional private piano lessons and/or another age-appropriate instrument. As the child progresses and his or her attention span increases, more and more time will be given to actual piano skills. These lessons can segue into private piano lessons or another age appropriate instrument.

Our choir program teaches vocal basics in a fun group setting. Students learn proper warm-up and breathing exercises, and an introduction to musicianship, including simple sight-singing, rhythm games, and simple harmony. The choir works on a wide range of musical styles from contemporary Disney and Glee songs to Christmas classics and historical folk songs. Movement, games, and basic choreography add to this fun-oriented program.