Question: How old does my child have to be to start Music Together^® classes?
Answer: Children can start Music Together classes as young as birth. The important thing is that the class is fun for the adult, who is the musical role model for their child. Some adults prefer to start when their children are around 8 months and can sit up and shake instruments. Others love to start when their children are newborns, exposing them to music from the start. We recommend that you visit a class or attend a free demo class to see how it feels for you.

Question: My child is 4 years old and we want to start him/her in music. Should we look into starting an instrument or take a group music class?
Answer: Many adults who studied an instrument as a child feel as if they can't play music well, and are uncomfortable with it despite years of lessons. This is likely because they didn't develop primary music competence prior to studying an instrument. Primary Music Competence is defined as the ability to sing in tune and keep an accurate beat. These abilities are crucial for a person to have a quality experience learning and playing an instrument because they are the foundation of musicianship. Many children are ready to start studying an instrument somewhere between the ages of 5 and 7 years, while a few can begin at age 4 in a supportive and developmentally appropriate environment. We recommend sticking to group music classes through at least age 4 to allow your child to build his/her primary music competence, and then taking a trial lesson or two to see if your child is ready to study an instrument.
CMCJP has many group music class options for children between 4 and 8 years of age, including Music Together/Older Family (3-5 yrs), Ukulele (4-6 yrs),  Young Pianists (4-5.5 yrs), Group Beginning Keyboard (4.5-7 years), and Musical Theatre (4-6 & 5.5-8 yrs). 

Question: We've done Music Together since our child was very young. He is now 3 or 4 years old. Should we stick with Music Together or move on to something else?
Answer: Children can continue in mixed-age Music Together classes through age 4 and even 5 years. However, our Music Together Older Family class is a perfect transition for the 3 or 4 year-old who is ready for a more "amped up" music class experience and to be in a class with peers. Older Family classes involve opportunities for individual music creativity, such as singing our own names on the hello song, improvising rhythm patterns, and telling "tonal pattern secrets." We also have an interactive instrument play-along which teaches tempo, dynamics and ensemble playing. 

It is important for 3 and 4-year-olds to participate in group music classes to build their primary music competence, prior to beginning instrumental study, so we recommend sticking with group classes for as long as you can.

Other group class options appropriate for 4 year-olds are: Musical Theatre workshops (4-6 & 6-8 years), Ukulele (4-6 yrs),  Young Pianists (4-5 years), and Group Beginning Keyboard (4.5-7 yrs).  For children 3 years, we also offer drop-in Music Playgroup.

Question:  Do we have to have a piano at home to take keyboard or piano classes?

Answer:  For the Young Pianists class, it is not required to have a piano or a keyboard at home, as the class does not require any at-home practice.  For Group Keyboard, In-studio piano lessons or In-home piano lessons, students should have either a keyboard or a piano at home.  Feel free to contact us for tips on purchasing a keyboard or piano.

Question:  Are we a returning family?

Answer:  If you've ever taken a class at our center (does not include drop-in programs such as Playgroup, concerts, Jam n' Dance parties, or free demo classes), you are considered a returning family. 

Question:  Do you offer a discount for multiple registrations?

Answer:  Yes.  We offer a 10% discount off of the second registration (children must be siblings), taken off of the lower priced registration (this discount cannot be combined with other discounts).  Contact us for a coupon code prior to registering for your classes, or we can deduct the discount from your credit card after purchase.

Question:  Why is there a $15 registration fee for new families only?

Answer:  The new-family registration fee helps us to keep our tuitions lower for everyone by helping to cover some of our administrative and payment processing costs.