What: University of North Texas' Early Childhood Music program for children from birth to 7 years old. Children will play games and interact with their parents while learning about music.
When: There will be two five-week sessions held Fridays from June 5 – July 3 and Saturdays from June 6 – July 11.
Where: Room 115 of the Music Annex Building, at the corner of Avenue C and Highland in Denton (1630 W. Highland St.).
Cost: $75 for newborns and babies up to to 24 months old and $85 for children ages 2 to 7 years old. Families who enroll more than one child will receive a 10 percent discount for each additonal child.
Parking: Friday parking costs $2 an hour in the Highland Street Parking Garage, 620 Central Avenue, Denton. Saturday parking is free in Lot 26, across Avenue C from the Music Annex Building.
Registration: Visit the Early Childhood Music program registration page.
DENTON (UNT), Texas -- Babies and young children will experience the joy of sound and musical learning this summer at the University of North Texas' Early Childhood Music program, which teaches children the foundations of music through interactive games and allows parents to participate in their children's musical education.
The program will be held in two five-week sessions on Fridays starting June 5 and Saturdays starting June 6 in Room 115 of the Music Annex Building. The building is located at the corner of Avenue C and Highland in Denton on 1630 W. Highland St.
"It is amazing to see what children can do musically and see how they grow across the program," said Christina Svec, assistant director of the Early Childhood Music program. "Parents will also have the opportunity to communicate with their children in a different way."
The sessions will be divided into five different age groups:
- Infant – 0 to 24 months
- Nursery – 2 to 4 years
- Pre-K – 3 1/2 to 5 years
- Kinder – 5 to 7 years
- Multi-age – 0 to 5 years
The program is $75 for infants and $85 for all other groups. The sessions for infants will be 30 minutes in duration, and the other sessions will be 40 minutes.
The schedule for the classes is listed below:
5 Week Friday Session
- Infant: 9:10 – 9:40 a.m.
- Nursery: 9:50 - 10:30 a.m.
- Multi-age: 10:40 - 11:20 a.m.
5 Week Saturday Session
- Infant: 8:30 - 9 a.m.
- Nursery: 9:10 - 9:50 a.m.
- Infant: 10 - 10:30 a.m.
- Nursery: 10:40 - 11:20 a.m.
- Pre-K: 11:30 a.m. - 12:10 p.m.
- Kinder: 12:20- 1 p.m.
Svec said the program is designed to allow parents to participate in the development of their children's musical abilities.
"Parents have a strong role in their child's music abilities early on," Svec said. "This is for the parents to have an opportunity to bond with their children through music, explore musicianship and take those lessons home."
Older children will play drums, rainsticks, tambourines and other instruments while the leader of the class gives them pattern instruction, a method of teaching which requires the children to repeat melodies or rhythms back to the teacher with their instruments. Younger children and infants under 24 months will engage in more age-appropriate activities, including dancing, moving to rhythms, playing with colorful scarves and listening to songs.
"We are basically communicating with them through babble," Svec said. "Sometimes the infant will respond and we'll have a conversation. There is a musical interaction.
Parents are asked to be present with their children for each class.
For more information, call 940-597-5450 or contact Alyssa Hedenstrom at alyssa.hedenstrom@unt.edu.
About the UNT College of Music
The UNT College of Music is one of the largest and most respected comprehensive music schools in the country. More than 1,600 music students attend UNT each year, participating in more than 50 widely varied ensembles and pursuing specialized studies in performance, composition, music education or music scholarship. UNT faculty members and students have made appearances on the world's finest stages and have produced numerous recordings, many receiving Grammy awards and nominations. Distinguished UNT alumni can be found around the globe, in top music ensembles, opera companies, universities and schools.