Young Musicians

Research shows babies prefer the sound of their caregivers’ voices over any other kind of music. YM Infants class, for children ages 9-18 months, is a special opportunity for babies and caregivers to bond through musical experiences including musical massage, bouncing, swaying, playing instruments, and singing.

The positive atmosphere of this class helps foster lifelong connections with music, builds strong parent-child emotional bonds, and develops the foundation for basic cognitive skills including attention, memory, perception, and cognitive flexibility. Through PCM’s Young Musicians curriculum, you and your child learn about the fundamentals of music by moving your bodies, singing, and playing. In every class session, learn multicultural songs and games with particular attention paid to beat, rhythm, and listening skills.

Set your child on the right path by engaging them in multicultural music, movement-based play, and developmentally-based learning. This class focuses on cognitive skills relevant to music, such as sustaining attention, remembering songs, and recognizing perceptual cues as well as developing gross motor function in toddlers by encouraging them to move their bodies in time to sounds and music. Children will practice listening and singing, playing simple instruments like maracas and drums, and taking turns, leading to musical competence, confidence, a sense of belonging, and increased social skills. You and your child will participate actively in the class, while you support the development of your child’s musical creativity and build further skills for musical interaction together.

This developmentally-based class supports the growth of your child’s cognitive skills through activities such as recognizing musical patterns, focusing on the most important aspects of music, and understanding connections across artistic representations. Your child learns foundational musical skills such as tempo, meter, pitch, and volume, and play a wider variety of percussion instruments. They’ll also play with picture-based pre-notation and collaborate in musical activities with other children designed to foster basic musical knowledge and encourage individual and group creativity.

YM 4 classes engage children in activities that strengthen their emerging understanding of music as a language. Children learn to recognize melodic and rhythmic patterns through singing, chanting, dancing, and creating. Students will have opportunities to play a wide variety of pitched and unpitched percussion instruments.

A care provider accompanies their child for all classes for this course.

Enrollment is for the entire school year. Annual tuition includes 36 weeks of instruction.

These classes engage children in activities that strengthen their emerging understanding of music as a language. Children learn to recognize melodic and rhythmic patterns through singing, chanting, dancing, and creating. Students have opportunities to play a wide variety of pitched and unpitched percussion instruments.

Singing, rhyming, creative movement, and folk dancing complement the beginnings of rhythmic notation and identifying melodic patterns. Ensemble training and creative improvisation begins as children sing and play together using a wide variety of pitched and unpitched percussion instruments. Performing for an audience is also introduced.

A care provider accompanies their child for all classes for this course.

Enrollment is for the entire school year. Annual tuition includes 36 weeks of instruction.

Prerequisite: Participation in one year of YM classes and age 5 as of September 1, 2024

In Piano Bridge 1, students will have the opportunity to both experience making music through PCM’s YM 5 and 6 curriculum and to learn the fundamentals of piano. Students will sing, move, and play and use their musical knowledge as they learn about the piano keyboard, rhythm and melody reading, and playing along together. Students who take this course as 5–6 year olds will be better prepared to begin piano lessons in the piano department the following school year.

A care provider accompanies their child for all classes for this course.

Enrollment is for the entire school year. Annual tuition includes 36 weeks of instruction.

YM Jazz includes singing, movement, instruments, and storytelling with Sherry Luchette, author of The Flying Jazz Kittens. She introduces students to swing time, blues form, and great jazz music from all eras.

Percussion instructor Yuri Inoo leads children and adults in fun and inspiring drum activities suitable for all ages. No prior experience necessary.

Ages 6+ with an accompanying adult are invited to enroll.

Family Ukulele is an intergenerational program where students learn basic chords and rhythms, strumming patterns, simple songs, and even some novice improvisational skills that can lead to jam sessions at home!

Students gain the confidence necessary to collaborate effectively, create beautiful music, and—best of all—have fun learning the ukulele!

Children ages 7+ with an accompanying adult are invited to enroll.

In this exploratory class, taught by PCM’s French horn teacher and Winds, Brass, Percussion chairperson, Danielle Ondarza, young students have opportunities to hear, hold and explore the instruments of the brass family, and learn to play the P-buzz trombone.

Continuing students from Bridge to Piano ONLY. No new students.

For students ages 6–8, Piano Bridge 2 follows the same curriculum as Piano Bridge 1, but allows for older children to proceed at a faster pace as their developmental skills allow. This class is an excellent first step to piano lessons in a less strenuous practice setting.

Enrollment is for the entire school year. Annual tuition includes 36 weeks of instruction.