Amanda Plays Music

Let's Play Music - 3 year program

Let's Play Music is a music theory course that emphasizes total musicianship through piano playing, singing, classical music, note reading and ear training... and it's accomplished through play

Children learn most effectively when they are playing! If you were to peek in on a Let’s Play Music class, you would see jumping, singing, skipping, storytelling, and laughing! Music educators have long taught that the young child learns best through play, experience and discovery. As musical concepts and skills are presented in a playful, joyful setting, children absorb knowledge and ability.


Beginners Ages 4-6: Red Balloons and Blue Bugs

In First Year, classes are 45 min. long. A parent or care giver attends every other week with their student. This year sets the theory foundation. We use engaging games and songs and incorporate tone bells to teach staff awareness, ear training, advanced theory concepts, and rhythm skills. We also focus on developing the inner ear, vocal channeling, and singing on pitch.  

The focus is internal music skills: 

Sing in tune - Keep a steady beat, clap complex rhythm, subdivide - Recognize I, IV, V chords by sound/structure and their function - Solfege (DO, RE, MI) and hand signs - Cadence patterns with strong pull to DO - Sing in harmony and begin to read music through interval note relationships (steps, skips, leaps) with tone bells

2nd year: Green Turtle Shells and Yellow Arrows

In Second Year, classes are 50 min. long and a care giver attends approx. once a month with their student. Must have completed 1st year to enroll. In this year we transfer 1st year skills to the piano where we learn chord notation, intervals, and harmonic improvisation. We also begin singing in harmony using rounds and canons. 


The focus is beginning keyboard skills:

Transfer skills from 1st year bells and autoharp to the piano - Learn keyboard geography and letter names of notes on piano - Self-Accompany (Play chords while singing melody) - First semester are songs with right hand chords - blocked and broken - Second semester adds left hand chords with right hand melody or chords - Sight reading melodic intervals with a puppet named Echo Edna

3rd year: Purple Magic and Orange Roots

In Third Year, classes are 55 minutes long and care givers attend approx. once a month with their student. Completion of 1st and 2nd years required to enroll. By the end of the third year, students are playing piano at a level 1-2, transposing music, composing their own music, sight-reading, and sight-singing, have developed relative pitch, understand classical form, and are prepared to excel in further private piano instruction or any other instrument of their choice. 

The Third Year Focus is: The Complete Musician

Identify note names on the Grand Staff - Sight read and improvise with puppet Echo Edison - Take rhythmic, melodic and harmonic dictation - Play primary chords in 5 keys - Transpose beginning level pieces - Learn traditional counting and note names (quarter note, half note, eighth notes, sixteenth notes) - Musical form and expression through classical music - Chord theory and inversions - Compose an original piece

Fall 2023 semester begins the week of August 14th. Please contact me to be placed on my waiting list.

Program Costs

Registration: 

  • $30/student each year

Enrollment and Materials:

 

  • 1st year:$91 first full set or $25 for a sibling or repeat student, paid online at enrollment. Includes 2 workbooks, high quality digital downloads for both semesters, rhythm flashcards, tone bells, tote bag 
  • 2nd year: $72 full set or $42 for sibling or repeat student. Includes 2 workbooks, 2 songbooks, high quality digital downloads for both semesters, a bubble for hand position
  • 3rd year: $79 full set or $50.50 for sibling or repeat student. Includes 2 workbooks, 2 song books, high quality digital downloads for both semesters, flashcards for the grand staff, and a connections book to take to your next teacher after graduation.

Enrollment happens through the company website, which you can get to by clicking HERE.

Tuition:

          1st Year: $280/semester or you may split it into 8 monthly payments of $70/mo. 

       2nd Year: $300/semester or you may split it into 8 monthly payments of $75

        3rd Year: $320/semester or you may split it into 8 monthly payments of $80

         I collect tuition mainly through the parent portal, but you may also pay by cash or check in person.


Want to try a class before enrolling? 

Attend a Sample Class 

  • Attending a Sample Class will help you experience the magic of a real class! 
  • You'll see how the curriculum creates the ideal learning setting of play & discovery. 
  • You'll see how your child responds to the class and if it will be a good fit. 
  • I will be available to answer your questions and help you determine if enrolling is a good option. 


How can I attend a Sample Class? 

Select the class you'd like to attend by clicking here and follow the instructions!