Music For Little Mozarts, an exciting, award-winning new keyboard class, is designed for students ages 4 to 6 and tells the adventures of Mozart Mouse and Beethoven Bear. Through imaginative play, students learn musical concepts and the basics of piano performance.
Orff Music and Movement: In 1924, Carl Orff, a highly respected German composer and music educator, developed a new rhythmical method of teaching music, using special pitched and unpitched instruments he created specifically for children. His highly innovative idea of uniting movement, singing, and playing instruments has become a basic in good music education and is used extensively throughout the world. As a quasi-extension of the Kindermusik curriculum, the Orff approach further explores singing, movement, speech, instrumental ensemble, theory, listening, and improvisation.
Private Lessons at Hunterdon Academy of the Arts, or In Your Home
Private instruction is available in Strings, Flute, Guitar, Brass, Clarinet, Saxophone, Voice, and Piano. Students must have an instrument for practice at home.
Most lessons are taught at the HAA music studio facility. However, we realize that some of our students (or their parents) may be too busy for the trip to HAA. We are therefore offering a convenient alternative—lessons In Your Home. At this time, however, availability of teachers for in-home instruction is still limited. We are in the process of expanding our faculty to meet growing demand.
Ensembles
Once students have mastered the basics of their musical instrument, they greatly profit from playing in ensembles. Not only will they discover new worlds of sound, created by various combinations of instruments playing simultaneously, but making music together with other performers also has many non-musical benefits. It requires discipline and focus, while fostering a spirit of teamwork among the ensemble members. Most importantly, playing in groups is a lot of fun and a great source of joy and entertainment!
Therefore, Hunterdon Academy of the Arts provides young instrumentalists an exciting opportunity to participate in the Hunterdon Academy of the Arts Youth Orchestra. Those who love to sing join our long-standing Hunterdon Youth Choir. And, starting in spring 2008, guitarists are strongly encouraged to perform in our Hunterdon Guitar Ensemble.
NEW!!!
Instruments: Rent or Purchase Through HAA Music Store
For your convenience, instruments may be rented or purchased through the studio, a licensed affiliate of the National Educational Music Company (NEMC). In consultation with your teacher, we will be happy to guide you on how best to meet your instrument needs. To simplify your shopping, HAA Music Store (link below) will also carry various musical accessories. For more details, visit the HAA Music Store (link at the top of page) on our website and give us a call.
Non-Musical Benefits of Studying Music
Aside from improving musical skills, the study of voice or a musical instrument also has many non-musical benefits, among them:
- Patience: The process of learning effective practice skills aids in developing patience
- Confidence and Poise: Frequent performance helps the student develop confidence and poise that will be useful in dealing with many situations in life
- Perseverance and Commitment: The demands of instrumental and vocal lessons teach students o develop a commitment to projects and follow them through to completion
- Friendships: Music study provides opportunities for interaction with peers to establish new friendships
- Coordination: Singing and playing and instrument strengthen the coordination of small and large muscles
- Self-Esteem and Satisfaction: As musical skills are developed, students feel a strong sense of satisfaction in their progress and develop a feeling of self-esteem that transfers to other situations in life
- Creativity and Self-Expression: Music study provides a forum for communicating feelings and using imagination for creative endeavors
- Pride in Achievement: Students develop a sense of pride in their abilities through musical achievements
- Concentration: The study of voice or an instrument fosters concentration that can carry over into learning other subjects
- Fun and Relaxation: Singing, playing an instrument, and listening to music is fun. This skill can provide hours of entertainment and relaxation throughout one’s entire life!
