The wooden chopsticks are broken apart with gusto, during last night’s family evening out for sushi.

As we live in the Pacific Northwest, we like our sushi almost as much as we like our Starbucks coffee. We go for sushi each week, order mostly the same fare, but this time my son does something I’ve never seen him do.

My preschooler begins to break the chopsticks apart and then stops short, gasps and delightedly shouts, “CRESCENDO!”

Surprised, I glance over to see that he has turned his chopsticks into the music cresendo sign (for getting louder), just one of the musical concepts he’s been learning with Ms. Catherine Steele, his Music for Young Children (MYC) teacher.

Interestingly, it’s not just chopsticks he’s making musical connections with. Weeks ago, he saw the letter “f” in a calligraphy font on a sign and said, “Mommy, look at the forte sign!”

He’s 3.5 years old and is fast approaching my own limits of music theory. Within another year, he will likely pass me in my musical knowledge.

Kids dressed up as Fireman "Fred" when learning the key of F was one of our many favourite MYC classes

But his musical theory skill, pales in comparison to the fact that he just LOVES  our Music for Young Children weekly classes and continues to feel joyful when it comes to music (even after nine months of classes).

MYC is indeed the best quality music education I have had the pleasure to experience, as it is taught in such a fun, creative and playful way that my child can’t get enough of it.

As the MYC teachers start gathering new students for the fall, I’ve been telling ALL my friends that if their child shows any interest in music, to take a serious look at this innovative and exceptional program. If your preschooler or school aged child has a interest in music, or you would like to foster their love of music, see if you can find an MYC teacher in your area.

Some of our friends have gone are in other musical programs, but from what I’ve heard, they seem mediocre at best. One friend HAD to go with another program because she couldn’t get a space in a MYC class (as they often fill up their small classes quickly). I count our lucky blessings that we started off with the Music for Young Children program, especially when I hear stories like this one:

Three tears slowly cascade down my friend’s daughter’s cheeks as her piano teacher asks her to AGAIN play the same song. She has already played the piece over half a dozen times. It is clear that she is doing it wrong, but the teacher doesn’t say anything except, “Again!”

My friend, witnessing her daughter’s sadness, starts to tear up herself. When the teacher looks at my friend she said,“Is it your time of the month?”

“No.” my friend replies.“One of the things my child has is a true joy of music, but today it doesn’t seem that her joy is being supported and I find this incredibly sad.”

Needless to say, they didn’t stick with this music teacher for long.

Far too often music lessons, like with my own childhood Suzuki music training, are either boring, repetitive, discouraging and/or simply not that much fun!

It is incredible to witness the level of encouragement and joy that is built directly into the curriculum of MYC. This allows for a child’s joyful nature to be supported, while learning musical concepts in a deep and meaningful way.

Music for Young Children is comprehensive and expertly integrates singing, ear training, sight reading, creative movement, rhythm, music theory and music composition.

Children, between the ages of three and eleven, and their parents are gifted with a solid music education in a family fun group-based environment that enhances parent and child involvement. Anyone who seeks more family fun in a music setting and/or follows an attachment parenting approach (in which parents involvement and connection with their child is a priority) will simply love this program.

For moms and dads with a musical background, there are also opportunities to become a MYC teacher in your own home with this music program that was created by Frances Balodis in 1980, who was committed to designing an an exciting, encouraging, joyful and child-centered approach to learning music. Working together in small groups with parents and an MYC trained teacher, children learn FUNdamental music skills.

As you can see I give MYC my highest recommendation.

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Note: For those parents, who are interested in having their children be musically accredited,  you will be happy to note that MYC is the only Music program that prepares students for theory and piano examination from the following conservatories:

• Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto)
• Royal Conservatory of Music Examinations
• National Music Certificate Program
• Conservatory Canada
• Canadian National Conservatory of Music
• Trinity College London UK
• Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music

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