Music Matters for babies and pre-school children was established nearly five years ago in Maidenhead and soon spread to include classes in Wooburn Green. Classes for five to eight year olds are now also held after school in Maidenhead.

Research shows that children who receive professional music tuition from an early age have significant advantages over their peers. These advantages include improved intellectual, physical, social and emotional development as well as providing a creative outlet for each child, and improving self confidence.

Tutor Lyn Thomson B.Ed. (Music), previously taught children in primary and secondary schools in Australia, England and Portugal. Lyn felt that once children entered nursery or primary school in England they had very little opportunity to be taught by specialist music teachers, and this inspired her to create Music Matters. In addition to her training in Melbourne Australia, Lyn completed a two year part-time musicianship course with the British Kodály Academy in July 2003 and has also taken various short courses with the Academy, specifically on teaching music to babies and young children.

The Kodály approach (pronounced Ko-die-ee) centres on teaching music through singing and playing musical games. All the songs are unaccompanied (no CDs are used!) so that the child is able to focus on just one sound rather than the conglomeration of sounds that is produced from accompanied singing. The emphasis is on the child learning to sing the songs themselves rather than being sung to or entertained.

Through the songs learnt at Music Matters, various concepts are experienced such as high / low, loud / soft, fast / slow, as well as the more specific musical concepts of beat, rhythm and pitch for example. The children learn these concepts initially on an unconscious level through direct experience of the music itself and later this learning is made conscious.

The Kodály approach emphasises the importance of learning music in small logical steps so that all children can achieve, not just an elite few. Songs and rhymes that are learnt in Music Matters classes are revisited later in order to teach specific concepts or skills. For example, in a two year old class the children will say a rhyme and tap the beat. In a three year old class they will they will say the rhyme, clap the rhythm of the words and then play the rhythm on a large drum. When five they will move to the next stage and write down the rhythm that they have just played (which they work out aurally and don't just copy from the board!).

This might sound very highbrow but Music Matters classes are lots of fun! Even the baby classes are very active and as soon as they can walk the children are up on their feet following the actions and joining in all the activities themselves, as the more active and involved the children are in the classes, the more they learn and the more fun they have. Untuned percussion instruments such as drums and bells are used at some stage in all the lessons, and tuned percussion work on a xylophone commences with the three year olds.

Music Matters classes are small with a maximum of 15 in the babies classes and 12 in the classes for three to eight year olds. The children are grouped according to age. These small classes ensure that no-one gets lost in the crowd and provide the opportunity for the children to get to know each other and for the teacher to get to know each child and to understand their individual needs. Each session runs for 30 minutes and is packed with a variety of songs and activities.

If you would like your child to enjoy the benefits of
classes with a qualified, specialist teacher please contact Lyn on 01628 622651 to book a free first lesson.

Or email to lyn@lynsmusicmatters.co.uk