Discovering musical instruments - their individual appearance, sound, and the beautiful music they create - is a wonderful experience for children and families together.

The Hoff-Barthelson Music School has a number of classes specially designed to introduce students to instruments:

• Getting to Know You (for ages 4-5): Much in demand, Getting to Know You introduces children to music from cultures around the world while developing music and language skills through singing, movement, Chalk Talk, and playing instruments including maracas, triangles, claves, and more. Getting to Know You helps students and families to select their first instrument by bringing professional musicians into the classroom to demonstrate instruments in the wind, string, and percussion families. It also introduces children to the instruments and music of the orchestra, wind ensemble, and chamber music. Highly recommended as preparation for private instruction.

• First Instrument Classes: small group instruction designed to prepare young children for private lesson instruction. Classes available for young future pianists (ages 4-5), guitarists (ages 4-6), violinists (older 3-year-olds - 4), cellists (older 3-year-olds - 4), flutists (gr. 1-4), and brass instrument players (gr. 1-4).

1. Listen to specific instruments of your choice. There are wonderful resources to listen to music at home - online music streaming services (Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, Apple Music, etc..) that feature curated playlists that you can easily access. Try searching for the particular instrument you wish to share with your child, then listen! Active listening (sitting and focusing) and passive listening (music is playing while other activities are going on - playtime, riding in the car, etc..) are both valuable. Certain selections, in

2. Enjoy masterworks by great composers that feature instruments:. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra by Benjamin Britten; Peter and the Wolf by Sergey Prokofiev; and The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saens are classics that children and adults love listening to. Listen to them on the streaming service of your choice and also search for videos on YouTube.

Children enjoy live music performances by professional musicians. But hearing and seeing other children perform oftentimes has the effect of helping children to realize that could be them! Hoff-Barthelson Music School offers weekly student recitals as well as frequent performances of student orchestras, choirs, chamber groups, and jazz ensembles. Concerts are free of charge and oftentimes don't even require RSVPs. Simply come and enjoy. Countless children have discovered their instrument through hearing and seeing other children perform. Give it a try!

The Hoff-Barthelson Music School has a superb faculty! Our placement process begins with a meeting with a Dean to learn more about the school, assess student readiness, find a teacher, and to identify related opportunities to further your child's musical development (classes, ensembles, the school's performance program, the school's progress program, etc..).

Placement meetings are free of charge. Click on the link provided below to schedule a meeting for you and your child.