MYC Group Piano
Music for Young Children®
“MYC provides the necessary structure for learning to take place while allowing children the freedom to think. Children are empowered to set goals in their music learning while experiencing a playful, positive environment.”
- Barbara Coloroso, Educator/Author of “Kids Are Worth It!”
Each week, parents have the joy of learning alongside their child in MYC group piano classes.
By participating in class each week, you will learn exactly how to help your child enjoy practising between piano lessons. You and your child will strengthen your bond by engaging in music learning and music play together.
With MYC group piano classes, your child not only is able to spend special time with you, the parent, but will also enjoy the comradery of learning alongside peers.
During the one-hour long classes each week, your student will develop musical skills and knowledge through songs, stories, games and hands-on activities. These include learning to play the piano, creating rhythm stories, learning music theory, composing their own music, and developing the skill of making music with a group.
Beginning students are grouped according to age:
Sunshine
Age 4 years old (by December 31)
This beginners keyboard program includes large muscle experiences in beat and rhythm as well as fine motor experiences in rhythm instrument ensemble playing.
By the end of the first year, Sunshines are playing in C major and middle C positions and are reading from the staff. Fun pre-reading experiences – such as like and different sorting, looking for patterns with colourful visual aids, glueing and colouring – are part of the program.
The Sunshine program has two levels and each is a year long. The program takes place from September through June.
Sunshine Program Goals
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-Create a positive happy habit of learning music.
-Develop the child’s listening skills.
-Experience independence in learning and interaction with other children.
-Master the music alphabet from A to G inclusive.
-Play the C major scale and the A natural minor scale on the keyboard.
-Recognize and reproduce on the keyboard high, middle and low sounds.
-Play musical patterns on the keyboard by ear.
-Read line and space notes.
-“Echo sing” patterns using solfege (do, re, mi).
-Use 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 time signatures.
-Employ whole, half, quarter and eighth notes in singing, clapping, dictation and reading.
-Reinforce left and right modality and fine motor control in the individual fingers.
-Compose at least four measures of their own music.
-Learn levels of sound which can be incorporated into their music, using dynamics.
-Play in a recital, either solo or with the class.
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-Play in the keys of C Major, G Major, and A minor, including recognizing related key signatures.
-Accompany using primary chords for the key of C Major.
-Play with hands separately and together, including proper finger technique and strengthening exercises.
-Play simple pieces by ear.
-Transpose simple pieces from the key of C Major into G Major and A Minor.
-Read staff notation from bass clef low B through treble clef high C.
-Understand time signatures of 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 and 6/8, including strong and weak beat emphasis.
-Use ti-ti, ta, triplet, half note, half note dot, whole notes and rests in singing, playing and rhythm dictation.
-Expand musical terminology including staccato, legato, sharp, fermata, bar line, double bar line and accidental.
-Sing songs in solfege with hand signs, including do, re, mi, so and la.
-Expand composition skills and experimentation.
-Introduce composers and music history.
-Recognize major and minor tonality, including an introductory understanding of the relationship between major and minor keys.
-Perform in two recitals, solo and ensemble.
Sunbeams
Ages 5 - 7 (by December 31)
This keyboard program for kindergartners and first graders provides “big kid” lyrics to introduce concepts, finger numbers and keyboard geography.
Songs and games are used to encourage and reinforce listening. Children will master the music alphabet from A to G and play C major and G major scales with bridges.
The Sunbeam program has three levels and each is a year long. The program takes place from September through June.
Sunbeams Program Goals
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-Create a positive happy habit of learning music.
-Develop the child’s listening skills.
-Experience independence in learning and interaction with other children.
-Master the music alphabet from A to G inclusive.
-Play C major and G major scales with bridges, hands separately.
-Recognize and reproduce on the keyboard high, middle and low sounds.
-Play, by ear, selections in a five finger position: C-G, G-D.
-Identify and play treble clef middle C to high C and bass clef low B to middle C.
-“Echo sing” patterns using solfege from do to la.
-Utilize 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 time signatures.
-Employ whole, dotted half, half, quarter, eighth notes and rests.
-Develop fine motor control in the use of individual fingers.
-Effectively use dynamics in singing and playing.
-Recognize major and minor tonality in singing and keyboard pieces.
-Transpose in voice and on the keyboard.
-Apply composition methods while composing songs of their own.
-Play in a recital, solo and with the class.
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-Play in the keys of C, G, D, and F Major, and A, E and D minor, including recognizing related key signatures.
-Accompany using primary chords in the above keys, solid and broken.
-Recognize root, first and second inversions of triads.
-Transpose simple pieces into C, G, D, and F Major, and A and E minor.
-Play simple pieces by ear.
-Extend staff notation reading to all notes on the grand staff including ledger lines.
-Use time signatures of 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 and 6/8, including strong and weak beat emphasis.
-Play single and multiple notes hands together, including proper finger technique.
-Sing songs in solfege with hand signs from low do through high do in the keys of C, G and D Major.
-Use ti-ti, ta, ta dot, triplet, half note, half note dot, whole notes and rests in singing, playing and rhythm dictation.
-Expand vocabulary of musical terms including mezzo forte, mezzo piano, D.C. al fine, D.S. al fine, fine, waltz, tempo, moderato, andante and allegro.
-Recognize major and minor tonality, including an understanding of the relationship between major and minor keys.
-Transpose by sight simple pieces in the keys of C, G, D, and F Major, and A, E and D minor.
-Expand knowledge of composers and music history.
-Expand composition skills and experimentation.
-Perform in two recitals, solo and ensemble.
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-Master the keys of C, G, D, and F Major, and A, E and D minor including the primary chords for each key.
-Increase solo performance time in class to master selected repertoire with hands together, hands separately, single and multiple notes.
-Play root, first inversion and second inversion of triads in solid and broken form, including the concluding perfect cadence.
-Transpose by sight and by ear simple pieces in the keys of C, G, D, F, and A Major, and A, E, and D minor.
-Play simple pieces and solfege patterns by ear.
-Extend reading of staff notation to include all notes on the grand staff including ledger lines above, below and between staves.
-Use time signatures of 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, 6/8, 9/8, C and cut time, including strong and weak beat emphasis.
-Use sixteenth, eighth, quarter, dotted quarter, triplet, half note, dotted half note, whole notes and rests in singing, playing and rhythm dictation.
-Sing songs in solfege with hand signs from low do through high do in the keys of C, G, D, F, and A Major.
-Expand vocabulary of musical terms in dynamics and tempos.
-Master major and minor tonality including the relationship between major and minor keys, and a basic understanding of the circle of fifths.
-Increase solo, duet and ensemble keyboard experience with correct finger technique, including articulation such as staccato and legato.
-Complete written theory concepts in the Bright Ideas Homework book.
-Expand knowledge of composers and music history.
-Expand composition skills and experimentation.
-Perform in two recitals and participate in local music festivals, if possible.
Moonbeams
Ages 8 - 9 (by December 31)
Moonbeams want “quick results” and the songs, ensembles and keyboard repertoire are designed to support their growing sense of independence.
The listening activities for this age group keep the “ears open” even as reading becomes the primary focus for gathering information. Children master the music alphabet from A to G, and play C major, G major, D major, F major, A minor and E minor scales with primary chord accompaniment.
The Moonbeam program has three levels and each is a year long. The program takes place from September through June.
Moonbeams Program Goals
-
-Create a positive happy habit of learning music.
-Develop the child’s listening skills.
-Experience independence in learning and interaction with other children.
-Master the music alphabet from A to G inclusive.
-Recognize and reproduce high, middle and low sounds.
-Play C, G, D, and F major scales, one octave with primary chord accompaniment.
-Play A and E minor scales, one octave with primary chord accompaniment.
-Transpose keyboard material into the above keys.
-Play selections, by ear, in the keys of C, G, F, and D major.
-Read notes on the grand staff and play selections using these notes.
-“Echo sing” patterns using solfege from do to ti.
-Utilize 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4 time signatures.
-Achieve rhythm fluency in singing, clapping, dictation and reading.
-Develop fine motor control of individual fingers, including legato playing.
-Understand dynamics and other terms used in music.
-Recognize major and minor tonality in singing and keyboard pieces.
-Understand the relationship of major and minor keys.
-Apply composition methods while composing songs of their own.
-Play in a recital, solo and with the class.
-
-Master the keys of C, G, D, F, and A Major, and A, E and D minor including the primary chords for each key.
-Increase solo performance time in class to master selected repertoire with hands together, hands separately, single and multiple notes.
-Play root, first inversion and second inversion of triads in solid and broken form, including the concluding perfect cadence.
-Transpose by sight and by ear simple pieces in the keys of C, G, D, F, and A Major, and A, E and D minor.
-Play simple pieces and solfege patterns by ear.
-Extend reading of staff notation to include all notes on the grand staff including ledger lines above, below and between staves.
-Use time signatures of 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, 6/8, 9/8, C and cut time, including strong and weak beat emphasis.
-Use sixteenth, eighth, quarter, dotted quarter, triplet, half note, dotted half note, whole notes and rests in singing, playing and rhythm dictation.
-Sing songs in solfege with hand signs from low do through high do in the keys of C, G, D, F, and A Major.
-Expand vocabulary of musical terms in dynamics and tempos.
-Master major and minor tonality including the relationship between major and minor keys, and a basic understanding of the circle of fifths.
-Increase solo, duet and ensemble keyboard experience with correct finger technique, including articulation such as staccato and legato.
-Complete written theory concepts in the Bright Ideas Homework Book.
-Expand knowledge of composers and music history.
-Expand composition skills and experimentation.
-Perform in two recitals and participate in local music festivals, if possible.
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-Master the keys of C, G, D, F, and A Major, and A, E and D minor including the primary chords, triads and cadences for each key.
-Build proficiency in reading notation on the grand staff including ledger lines above, below and between staves.
-Use time signatures of 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, 6/8, 9/8, C and cut time, including strong and weak beat emphasis.
-Use sixteenth, eighth, quarter, dotted quarter, triplet, half note, dotted half note, whole notes and rests in singing, playing and rhythm dictation.
-Identify intervals including Major, minor, Perfect, augmented and diminished and their relationship in chords.
-Expand vocabulary of musical terms in dynamics and tempos.
-Mastering of tones and semi-tones including Major and minor scale patterns and identifying diatonic and chromatic semi-tones.
-Continue building understanding of the circle of fifths.
-Continue building transposing and accompaniment skills for simple pieces in the keys of C, G, D, F, and A Major, and A, E and D minor.
-Sing songs in solfege with hand signs from low do through high do in the keys of C, G, D, F, and A Major.
-Expand knowledge of composers and eras in music history.
-Expand knowledge of Canadian folk music and compositions.
-Expand composition skills and experimentation.
-Prepare for the Royal Conservatory Grade One performance exam.
-Complete written theory concepts in the Bright Ideas II Homework Book.
-Perform in two recitals and participate in local music festivals.
MYC® classes begin in September, and go through the school year to June.
Students have the opportunity to participate in three recitals, which happen in December, February, and June!
Learn even more about Music for Young Children (MYC) here.
“My son is now in group piano lessons. He really enjoys attending the class and interacting with the teacher and other students.”
- Maggie G, Sunbeams 2 parent
FAQs
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There is a minimum of four students per MYC class, and a maximum of six.
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MYC Victoria has an upright acoustic piano, a digital 88-key piano, a full-size electric piano, and four 61-key keyboards.
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Yes! MYC students need either an acoustic piano, digital piano, or keyboard. Your digital piano/keyboard needs to have a minimum of 61 keys.
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Here is a document that will help you find the right instrument for your young pianist.
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Not at all! One of the great things about music classes at MYC Victoria is that parents get to learn right alongside their child. Parents simply need to be prepared to participate and be engaged during classes.
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Yes! MYC is more than simply a "music lesson"; it is a commitment to your child's music education. Students in all MYC piano classes need daily access to a keyboard or piano for practice time.
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So that you can keep up with your class, each week's homework assignments will be available on the studio resource page, and families unable to attend a class due to illness or a scheduling conflict are responsible to take advantage of the resources there.
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MYC Victoria is located in a private home on San Juan Avenue in Gordon Head, just a three minute drive from the Gordon Head Recreation Centre.
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