“I really have enjoyed the early childhood music classes with my son. The experience has been musically and personally rewarding for all of us. I truly look forward to each class.” -Brendon

 
 

 

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The Magic of Music

Early Childhood Music Program

 
 

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For children 6 months to 9 years old

 

Fall session starts September 24th

Spring session starts February 1st


Our Early Childhood Music program is a nurturing, fun, interactive group program for children ages 6 months to 9 years old, where children develop physically, emotionally, cognitively, and socially through playful participation and exploration. In this class they learn the fundamentals of music including rhythm, melody, notation and an introduction to orchestral instruments. The rhythm component they learn by doing fun games with rhythm sticks, triangles, shakers, hand drums, etc. For the melody component they learn the concepts through lots of singing. They will learn high – low, loud – soft, pitch, major – minor, etc. For notation they learn how to recognize musical symbols such as tremble clef, bass clef, half note, whole note, etc. (Much the same as learning your alphabet before you learn how to read.) We also teach them how to recognize all the instruments of the orchestra both by sight and sound. The preschool music classes are taught by our patient, fun and encouraging instructors with university degrees in music who love working with young children. The preschool music program prepares students to go on into private instrument lessons when they are older.

 

 

Fun & Lullabies: (6 months to 18 months) with caregiver

This class is meant to be a learning and sharing experience for parents and infants through singing and movement appropriate for very young age groups. Sensitivity to sound begins at a very early age. Fun & Lullabies is a first learning experience for even the tiniest ears just learning to listen.  It provides an opportunity for parents and their littlest ones to share songs, rhymes, and movement games in a nurturing, joyful setting.

Mondays

1:00pm

Wednesdays 10:00am

Click Here to Download the Registration Form

To schedule a trial lesson call 301.365.5888

 

 

Toddler Tones: (12 months to 3 years) with caregiver

This class offers a musical experience any toddler will enjoy. It engages children through songs, chants and games that helps them to see music in their everyday world.  As this class guides toddlers to co-operate with other children, they develop the co-ordination needed to play instruments, words to simple songs, recognition of different rhythms, and the ability to differentiate musical factors like pitch, volume, and time. Through improvisation, rhythm, play acting, movement, and song, this class will offer fun for your toddler & you.

Mondays 10:30am

Tuesdays 4:30pm
Wednesdays 11:00am
Saturdays 10:00am

Click Here to Download the Registration Form

To schedule a trial lesson call 301.365.5888

 

 

Color My Music: (2 to 3 years) with caregiver

A follow-up to “Toddler Tones”, this class takes advantage of its students’ more mobile bodies with a higher emphasis in rhythmic exercises, dance, and games.  These classes are filled with musical activities: students listen to stories, climb, jump, crawl, and use their imaginations in discovering the joy of music. Vocal exploration, call and response songs, movement, finger play and exposure to non-pitched instruments, make this class a wonderful musical experience. 

Tuesdays 10:30am

Fridays 10:30am

Click Here to Download the Registration Form

To schedule a trial lesson call 301.365.5888

 

 

Music, Imagination & Me: (3 to 5 years)

This class encourages developing minds to improvise and stretch their imaginations through music. What would wind sound like at the piano? Could a painting turn into music?  We create artwork and conjure pictures in our minds, then use the piano and other percussion instruments to make our thoughts come to life. In this class, children will become more aware of pitch and rhythm, recognize the sound of different instruments, become more expressive through music, and develop more sophisticated movement to music. 

Mondays 4:00pm

Saturdays 11:00am

Click Here to Download the Registration Form

To schedule a trial lesson call 301.365.5888

 

 

Musical Voyage: (4 to 5 years)

This class is designed to promote musical independence, and to boost cognitive understanding of music.  Students enjoy partner activities, musical games, and continue work with more advanced concepts such as tempo, dynamics, and timbre.   Rhythm, songs, and vocal patterns are continued, while children are encouraged to begin creating their own music through simple rhythmic patterns and melodies. The goal of this class is to nurture the musical intelligence of each child by providing opportunities to explore musical concepts through a variety of sounds, instruments and recordings.  

Wednesdays 1:00pm
Saturdays 12:00pm

Click Here to Download the Registration Form

To schedule a trial lesson call 301.365.5888

 

 

Instrument Explorers: (4 to 5 years)

What does it feel like to hold a violin in your hands? How do you make a sound on a guitar? Children learn about different instruments by seeing, touching, and hearing them.  Each class session also includes a crafts portion in which children create real and imagined instruments.  This class covers wind, percussion and string instruments. Additionally, these instruments are used to introduce melody and music notation.  “Instrument Explorers” is a first introduction to musical instruments, in which they can discover their favorite for when they are ready to move to private instruction.

Saturdays 1:00pm

Click Here to Download the Registration Form

To schedule a trial lesson call 301.365.5888

 

 

Keyboard Kaleidoscope: (4 to 6 years)

This is a first exploration of  keyboard instruments where children are introduced to the building blocks of music: rhythm, pitch , note reading, and techinique through playing games.   By the end of the semester, children will be able to perform simple melodies on the piano.  Class size is limited to 4.  It is recommended that a student have access to a piano or keyboard outside of class to maximize their experience.  This course is a one-semester course leading to private studio instruction.

Mondays 6:00pm
Tuesdays 5:45pm

Wednesday 4:30pm
Thursday 4:00pm

Click Here to Download the Registration Form

To schedule a trial lesson call 301.365.5888

 

 

Singing, Fun & Play: (5 to 9 years)

Designed for children who love to sing, this class introduces students to fun warm-ups, vocal exercises, proper breathing, posture & simple repertoire. Musical selections include folk songs, children’s rhymes, & simple choral literature suited to young voices.  

Tuesdays 6:30pm

Click Here to Download the Registration Form

To schedule a trial lesson call 301.365.5888

 

 

Magic of Recorder: (5 to 9 years)

Recorder Class introduce children to the joy of making music with others through learning simple songs, while teaching the basic concepts of music, terms, technique, ear training and note-reading. 

Thursdays 6:00pm

Click Here to Download the Registration Form

To schedule a trial lesson call 301.365.5888

 

 


Benefits of Early Childhood Music

  • Sound discrimination and reproduction, solfege.

  • Singing and playing any of the Orff instruments (for advanced levels).

  • Ability to interpret rhythmic patterns and melodic sequences through movement and singing.

  • Concentration & memory.

  • Attentive listening.

  • Movement & sound repertoire.

  • Awareness of personal space & the space in the room.

  • Working in an ensemble (teamwork).

  • Ability to create and improvise with movements and sounds.

  • Refining fine motor skills (precise normal dexterity) and sensory motor skills (coordination of vision, hearing, verbal ability, touch and movements such as: eye-hand coordination, breathing control, sound discrimination and recognition).

  • Refining gross motor skills (movement of the entire body or large portion of it, such as: walking, marching, running, skipping, tip-toeing, on a given rhythm).

  • Body awareness and balance development, learning music through your body.

  • Creativity and self expression.

  • Social development, and self esteem.

  • Brings the joy of music and movement to the lives of children.

  • Stimulates the child’s musical development

  • Develops attentive listening skills, capacity for play, and exploration.


Early Childhood Music classes meet for 45 minutes once a week, for a period of 12 weeks.  There are 3 sessions during the year: fall, spring and summer. Tuition: $312 plus registration fee of $36.

 


Click Here to Download the Registration Form

To schedule a trial lesson call 301.365.5888

 

For Current Openings
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Our two locations serve communities of Bethesda, North Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Rockville, Potomac, Cabin John, Kensington, Silver Spring, Gaithersburg, Washington DC, and Virginia.

 

The International School of Music (ISM North): 10450 Auto Park Ave. Bethesda MD 20817  |  Tel: 301.365.5888
The International School of Music (ISM South): 5110 Ridgefield Rd. Suite 104, Bethesda MD 20816  |  Tel: 301.657.0763

 

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