First Steps in Music

Please note that the First Steps in Music program will not be offered during the 2023/2024 school year.

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First Steps in Music is the Stony Brook University Children's Music Program for children entering pre-K through 1st grade. Designed for early childhood, these classes develop motor and language skills through songs and creative movement while encouraging constructive social interactions through group activities and games. This joyful experience ignites a musical spark for a lifetime of learning and builds up readiness for more formal music training.

Through singing, instrumental exploration, movement and games, children are given an appetite for music. In a playful manner, children develop sensory awareness, language, motor, creative and social skills along with gaining a wide repertoire of music.

• Curriculum

  The First Steps in Music curriculum is a musical workout that grows tuneful, beatful and artful individuals. There are eight different activities in each workout and, like aerobics, in the beginning some participants will likely be clumsy in some aspects of the workout, but if they give it their best, they are bound to improve! And, like an aerobics workout, the more one participates the better the effect. Balancing repetition and variety is key to each workout being effective and interesting. The following are the 8 musical workout activities:

  1. Pitch Exploration (Vocal Warm-ups)
  2. Fragment Singing - Echo Songs & Call and Response Songs
  3. Simple Songs
  4. Arioso (Child created tunes)
  5. Songtales
  6. Movement Exploration (Movement Warm-ups)
  7. Movement for Form and Expression
  8. Movement with the Beat

  Created by John Feierabend, Ph.D., First Steps in Music is a developmentally appropriate and carefully researched early childhood music program taught by Craig Knapp. Classes are offered from September through June for children in Pre-K through 2nd Grade.

  First Steps in Music Level 1 is for children entering Pre-K and Kindergarten in the Fall of 2021. This class provides activities for children to further develop their tuneful, beatful, and artful abilities. Folk songs and rhymes as well as classical music are the primary source materials that are used to develop their musical minds and abilities.

  First Steps in Music Level 2 is for children entering 1st Grade and 2nd Grade in the Fall of 2021. This class provides more advanced and age appropriate music experiences for children who have had a foundation and background with tuneful, beatful and artful activities. Folk songs and rhymes as well as classical music are the primary source materials that are used to develop their musical minds and abilities.

SCHEDULE

First Steps in Music Level 1 (Pre-K and Kindergarten)
Saturdays, 9:00 AM – 9:50 AM, Music Building Room 0111

First Steps in Music Level 2 (1st and 2nd grades)
Saturdays, 10:00 AM – 10:50 AM, Music Building Room 0111

MEETING DAYS

Feb 5, 12
March 19, 26
April 2, 9, 30
May 7