Stepping in tune

Two consecutive summers ago, Ryan Cayabyab The Music Studio (RCTMS) offered a Pre-Chorus Class for children aged eight to 13. It was for children with difficulty singing in correct pitch and rhythm. (The class is a training ground for aspiring choir members carefully chosen for musicianship skills to prepare them for the challenges in the real Chorus Class.)

The first summer, I had students with varied problems ranging from intonation, melodic and rhythmic skills, to vocal independence and tone quality. The following year, the number of students almost doubled and I had to divide them into two groups for better supervision of each child’s progress.

A typical class includes a short physical warm up exercise, vocalization, ear training, basic note reading, games, melodic and rhythmic imitation, individual or group rhythmic improvisation and singing. Among the activities kids enjoyed most was the rhythmic exercises where they get to move with the beat of the music or improvise their own rhythm by clapping, tapping, snapping and stomping.

They all looked forward with excitement as we prepared for the culminating activity where they performed in the RCTMS annual recital at the end of summer. It is for this reason that RCTMS has innovated another course called Stepping In Tune Class for this summer.

It aims to develop the child’s ability to sing in tune and in correct rhythmic improvisation. The class also teaches students the value of teamwork and camaraderie necessary to be effective as a performing group. Moreover, Stepping In Tune can provide independence and freedom in total body movement, an expression for emotions and feelings, outlets for creative expression and imagination, increased self-esteem, physical exercise that challenges the body and the child’s spirit.

(The author is a piano pedagogue and class teacher for special courses for children. For details about the Stepping In Tune Class and other courses, call Ryan Cayabyab The Music Studio at 844-3330 or 843-2874 and ask for Melissa or Gladys. The Music Studio is located at T-1B Sunvar Plaza, Pasay Road cor. Amorsolo St., Makati.)