1 - What is MUSIKGARTEN?
- MUSIKGARTEN is a children’s music programme from U.S.A.
- For Babies, Toddlers and Children 6 years old & above
- Written in 1994 by Dr Lorna and Dr Audrey. Dr Lorna is an early childhood music specialist while Dr Audrey is an early children education specialist who founded the TORONTO MONTESSORI Institute
- Group Music Class – singing, chanting, beat development, vocal development, listening skills and ultimately playing music pieces at the Keyboard
- Provides a conducive environment for children to enjoy making music together
- Builds a strong foundation for the child before they take up individual piano or violin lessons later on
- Based on over 30 years of research and practice
- Enrolment is based on the age of the child:
- Babies Class Birth to 16 months
- Toddlers Class 16 months to 4 years old
- Cycle Class 4 to 6 years old
- Keyboard Class 6 years old and above
Note: Refer to the MUSIKGARTEN colour brochure for the details of each class.
2 - What are the benefits of Musikgarten?
The children will:
- Have a good sense of rhythm
- Like to sing
- Learn how to sing at the correct pitch
- Good listening skills
- Acquire Musical Literacy i.e. “see what they hear” and “hear what they see” (when they complete the final level in the Keyboard course)
- Have better social skills i.e. open up and not be shy
- Have better discipline
- Have good bonding with the parents
- Enjoy learning music and are willing to continue to learn until they complete the higher grades i.e. they will not stop after 9 months or hate music because of the unpleasant experience
3 - My Child is 6 months old. Which class can she join?
She can join the “Babies” class which is for parents with babies from birth up to 16 months old. In the class, the parents are guided on how to stimulate the left and right brain of the child through music as well as nurture the musical potential of their children.
4 - My child is 18 months old? Which class can she join? Must she attend the “Babies” class first?
She can join the “Toddlers” class which is for children aged 16 months to 4 years old. The mother or father must accompany the child in the class.
No, it is not necessary to attend the “Babies” class first.
5 - My child is 4 years old. Which class can she join? Must she attend the “Toddlers” class first?
She can join the “Cycles” class which is for children aged 4 to 6 years old.
The mother or father need NOT accompany the child.
No, it is not necessary to attend the “Toddlers” class first.
6 - My child is 3 years old. She is very smart and can do a lot of things. Can she join the “Cycles” class directly?
No, it is not advisable to join the “Cycles” class directly. She should join the “Toddlers” class first because she will not be able to participate fully in the activities in the “Cycles” class such as contribute to the discussions. To give a similar example: If a child is 4 years old, the kindergarten will not be able to accept him/her because the entry age is 5 years.
7 - My child is 6 years old. Which class can she join? Must she attend the “Cycle of Seasons” class first?
She can join the “Keyboard” class which is for children aged 6 years old & above. The mother or father need NOT accompany the child.
No, it is not necessary to attend the “Cycles” class first.
8 - What can my child do after completing the Musikgarten Keyboard Course?
Upon completing the final level in the Keyboard Course, the children would have:
- Developed good aural skills (well prepared for Aural Tests in Music Examinations)
- Developed sight-reading and sign-singing skills
- Learnt how to do simple Compositions, transposition, Improvisation and Dictation
- Identify the sounds of instruments used in the Orchestra
- Learnt about Harmony, Chord Progression, Forms in Music, composers and Music of different periods
- Acquired the proper keyboard / piano skills
9 - What is the difference between MUSIKGARTEN and other programmes such as KINDERMUSIK or JMC?
KINDERMUSIK
- Children’s music programme from U.S.A.
- Written by the same authors who wrote MUSIKGARTEN - Dr Lorna and Dr Audrey. They left KINDERMUSIK in 1994.
- Similar in content but do not have the “KEYBOARD” course
JMC
- Children’s music programme from YAMAHA, JAPAN
- Performance oriented i.e. children are expected to play at the keyboard at very young age.
10 - How much are the MUSIKGARTEN fees?
Please refer to our Authorised Musikgarten Centre or the Teacher for details.11- Is there a CD for the children to listen to the songs they have learnt in the class?
Yes, it is call the “FAMILY PACK” and it consists of a CD, Parent Book.
12 - How much does the Family Pack (CD and Parent Book) cost and how many months will it be good for?
Please refer to our Authorised Musikgarten Centre or the Teacher for details.
13 - Why should I get the Family Pack for my child?
14 - My child is 4 years old. I want to enroll her for individual piano lessons now? What is your opinion?
MUSIKGARTEN believes that children at this age should have a good musical foundation before taking up individual piano lessons. Otherwise they will lose interest very quickly and give up music lessons after 1 year or so. At the age of 4, the fingers and the body may not be strong enough for the piano. As such, improper finger positions and bad body posture may lead to habits that are difficult to undo later on.
Musical foundation means:
- Able to feel the beat of the music
- Have a good sense of rhythm
- Have a good sense of pitch
- Able to sing
- Able to move expressively with the music
- Able to feel whether the music is in major or minor key
With a strong musical foundation, the child will be able to play the piano properly and with feeling. At the same time she enjoys it because she understands what she is playing.
Yes, there are child musical prodigies like Mozart and others but they are one in a million.
