Music for Young Children®
Makes Learning Fun For Me!
MYC Entry Level Programs Offered
MYC’s curriculum was created to build and sustain a wide and firm foundation in music education, appreciation and performance for young children. Our students not only learn how to play the piano and read music, but are also taught the other important elements (i.e. Sight-reading, composition and ensemble playing) that help create a solid, educated and well-balanced musician.
Sunshine 1
Designed for children ages 3 and 4
Sunshine 1 , the youngest of the keyboard programs, is the starting point of the MYC® Method for 3-4 year old beginners, building their foundation in music reading and playing the piano. Students experience movement through beats and rhythms, as well as developing their fine motor skills with rhythm instrument ensemble playing. Children start learning the geography of the piano and note-reading through our MYC Critters (and their stories that children can relate to). By the end of the SS1 level (after 36 weeks), children are able to play their first scale (C Major) and are reading from the staff. Their pre-reading experiences such as identifying like/different sorting, patterns, and reinforcing and recalling the music concepts through fun at-home activities with gluing and colouring are all part of this level.
Sunbeams 1
Designed for children ages 5 and 6
Sunbeams 1 (SB1) is the entry point of the MYC® Method for 5-6 year old beginners. They are first introduced to piano geography and rhythms through our MYC Critters to help set their foundation of music knowledge and education; however, the pace of learning for these Sunbeams matches their developmental stages. Vocabulary development is the focus for this age group- at this stage we introduce “big kid” terminology to introduce concepts, finger numbers, and keyboard geography.
Moonbeams 1
Designed for students ages 7-9
Moonbeams 1 (MB1) is the entry point of the MYC® Method for 7-9 year olds. The older beginner program is designed to support the students’ growing sense of independence. Reading becomes the primary focus for gathering information, while the songs, ensembles and keyboard repertoire incorporate early piano literature, folk songs, technique and harmonization.
Level 2
Sunshine 2
Review and continuing development of: keyboard geography and rhythm through MYC’s unique keyboard “critters”, Identification and use of dynamics (loud and quite sounds) and listening to a rhythm pattern and writing it
Expanded note reading in treble clef and bass clef
Coordination of LH and RH playing
Scale playing with harmonizing bridge chords in C Major, a minor and G Major
Identification of melodic patterns
Introduction to staccato (detached) and legato (smooth) touches
Information in child size bites about famous composers
Sunbeams 2
Study of seven different keys with key signatures.
Two note bridge chords grow to three note full chords.
Coordination of left hand and right hand in playing broken chords with a melody.
Coordination in hand-over-hand (crossing over) pieces.
Grand staff reading expands to include notes from low G in bass clef to high G in treble clef.
Staccato (detached) and legato (smooth) touches are explored.
Harmonization (adding chords to a melody) and transposition (moving from one key to another) are important study elements this year.
Continued listening to identify and use dynamics (loud and quiet sounds), rhythm patterns and accompaniment styles.
Level 3
Sunbeams 3
Designed for children ages 3 and 4
Study of minimum of eight keys
Continued study of scales harmonized with primary chords and practice of accompaniment patterns including broken chords and playing rhythmic patterns
Study of three forms of the minor scale: natural, harmonic, and melodic.
Study of inversions of triads
Study of cadences. (A cadence is a progression of chords.)
Expanded studies of: note names to include ledger lines and articulation with an introduction to accents.
Introduction to simple analysis.
Continued practice of: harmonization and transposition, composition and arranging, listening for dynamics, meter, articulation, form, and accompaniment styles.
Moonbeams 3
MYC Graduate Year
Moonbeams 3 is the final level in Music for Young Children®. When MYC was written, it was with the intent to integrate and prepare our students to take their first piano exam and theory exam at the end of their MB3 year. It is an exciting year for students, parents and teachers as these children have now gained so much knowledge, understanding and appreciation of music and piano playing that they are able to manipulate, pull-from and engage all the learning they have received throughout their journey in their MYC classes, whether it is through theory, composition, and/or the musically shown (and heard) through their playing.