Registration in full swing!

Classes are beginning to fill up!  Don't miss the boat to give your child a fantastic music education!  Email me for more info.

"It has been well documented that we recall information better when it is set to melody. (How did we all learn our ABC’s?) It seems obvious that if music is used to teach other subjects, we might as well use it to teach music! Let’s Play Music contains over 25 original songs and games specifically designed to teach musical concepts. We learn staff relationships, intervals, key signatures, chord inversions and much more all in song lyrics!" letsplaymusicsite.com

Wait List

If you'd like more info about my classes and when registration opens, be sure to sign up on my wait list!  This will keep you in the loop, and also give you a priority to registration when it opens!

Get your name on the list, here!

The Power of Music

In college, I considered a degree in Music Therapy, but the required "medical classes" with all the math and science requirements led me down another path!

Music is such a powerful and often under-utilized tool.  Over the past few months, I've tried to utilize the power of music more in our home.  With all the technology available today, it's so easy to have inspiring and uplifting music filling our home.  I have watched the mood in our home change almost instantly, as I change the music in our home.  We can go from chaotic and loud, to subdued and reverent in moments (well, pretty much :)).  I have also watched whiny grumpy kids happily and excitedly start doing their assigned chores when I put their favorite music on!

It's a fun experiment, give it a try!

It's all about...T I M E!

This is what one mom had to say after attending a sample class and registering her son for next fall:

...he was in heaven, and I was thrilled to feel like I found just the right thing for him. I think that Let's Play Music and you as a teacher are going to really help him get him ready to start Kindergarten.  And one of the things I liked best was that one-on-one time with him.  On our drive out he kept calling it "our special date." :)  That individual time is something I've struggled to make happen since I had our second child last summer, so I'm really excited for that aspect of this opportunity, too.  Like you said this morning, it will help me turn my good intentions into a scheduled, regular time of one-on-one involvement with my child.  I'm so happy I found this program and you as a teacher!  I think it's going to be a great fit.

I've been thinking a lot lately about the unique aspect of parental involvement in Let's Play Music.  It can be a challenge to come to a lesson with your child every other week.  Some may ask why it is necessary?  There are several reasons for that kind of involvement...but my favorite reason is the regularly scheduled opportunity it gives a parent to spend individual time with their child.

So often the time I spend with my own children is done while I multi-task.  We are trying to get homework done, fix dinner, get someone to their ______ (fill in the class, practice, lesson) on time, find the missing library book, do another load of laundry...the list is never ending!  Despite my efforts to not over schedule our family, it still seems crazy enough that quality/quantity one-on-one time falls to the bottom of my to-do list.  It's something I'm continually striving to be better at.

Kids need us!  They need parents and caregivers who will step into their world, get down to their level and just be with them, enjoy them and appreciate them for the wonderful and amazing people they are!

I see the families in my studio sacrifice to make that happen every time they attend class with their child.  They make arrangements for siblings, they put their phones away, they leave their to-do lists at the door and just come to class and enjoy their child!  It's a beautiful thing!

I applaud them for giving their child not only a great music education, but a gift of themselves for 45 minutes every other week!  You are amazing!

Registration for Fall 2012

Upcoming Sample Class:

Thursday, April 12 @ 10:00

If you are wondering if Let's Play Music is a good fit for your child, this is a great way to find out! 

Email me at alicia.letsplaymusic@gmail.com to reserve a spot!

Last week for Early Bird Registration

Just one week left for Early Bird registration!

Register by Feburary 29th and receive

$10 off your registration fee!

Upcoming Sample Class

Sample class

Tuesday, February 28 @ 4:00pm

A 30 minute abbreviated class, with a 15 minute Q&A session at the end!  This is the best way to check out the program and see if it's a good fit for your child.  Call/email me to reserve a spot:

801-661-0766

alicia.letsplaymusic@gmail.com

Come see what the fun is all about!

What's your secret weapon?

I taught a class to a woman's group last week about how we can use music more effectively in our homes.  In my preparations for the class, I was reminded of what a great motivator music can be.  It's like a secret weapon, with power so great it can totally change the atmosphere in our home!  With the ease of free music on the Internet, and the ability to access it with technology...why am I not using it more?

I remember nagging my kids for a week to clean up the toy room.  After a week of nothing happened, I had the inspiration to turn on their favorite music and work with them to clean up.  Miracle!  The job was done in 10 minutes, and better yet it was one of those magical moments when I saw the beauty of my role as mother!  It was a fun 10 minutes I spent with my kids and the bonus was a clean toy room!

The day of the class, I had my ipod out making some final preparations, and the kids turned on "I like to move it move it." (Madagascar).  My son (who typically will NOT participate of his own will in anything musical....oh, the irony), started busting a move and just lit up!  He couldn't HELP but move!  I love how music is so powerful; it touches everyone differently, but it does touch us.

This is one song that makes me move every time I hear it.  How can you not stomp your feet, clap your hands, something to that strong beat!

Michael meets Mozart

Music Makes a Difference!

I just read this great article about music and how it affects the brain development of children.  It targeted children from 4-6 (that made me smile since it's the recommended age for LPM 1st yr students!), and had some great findings that support music education for small children!  I loved this part:

"That the children studying music for a year improved in musical listening skills more than children not studying music is perhaps not very surprising. On the other hand, it is very interesting that the children taking music lessons improved more over the year on general memory skills that are correlated with non-musical abilities such as literacy, verbal memory, visiospatial processing, mathematics and IQ than did the children not taking lessons. The finding of very rapid maturation of the N250m component to violin sounds in children taking music lessons fits with their large improvement on the memory test. It suggests that musical training is having an effect on how the brain gets wired for general cognitive functioning related to memory and attention

Happy Reading!

First Evidence That Musical Training Affects Brain Development In Young Children

Practice makes perfect!

Since I'm teaching 2 of my own girls this year, I'm getting a parents perspective of LPM (in a twisted sort of way!)  One thing I'm finding...practicing is harder than I expected, and we're only on year 1!  Not that the actual practice is hard, but finding the time to do it is a challenge.

So with the new year, I'm recommitting myself to be better at sitting down with my girls at practicing!  This week we've done pretty well.

I had an lightbulb moment!  In the past, I'm usually multi-tasking while practicing with them.  I'm making dinner, or helping the older kids with homework AND trying to help with practicing.  This week, I managed to carve out time just for LPM and what a difference it made!

Here is what the week looked like for practicing: Friday, sat down with younger one and did the bells.  Once we did the "assigned" bell work, I just tossed out the three patterns randomly (MRD, SSD, SLTD) and she played them on the bells.  Then I had her close her eyes and listen while I played the different patterns and she had to tell me what pattern it was by doing hand signs back to me.  This lasted for maybe 20 minutes...but only because she was asking for more.  If she was done in 5 minutes we would have called it good, because when it stops being fun for either of us...it looses it's effectiveness.  It is Let's PLAY Music, after all!

Then we moved to the written assignment.  The hardest part of that was finding the right crayon colors needed! Then we flipped to the back of the book and practiced making the three patterns with beans.  She would make them and then I would make them and we would quiz each other back and forth.  We also practicing identifying and making baby steps and skips with the beans.

Through out the week we've turned on the CD (she is really loving the new puppet show) and listened as we've made lunch or cleaned up.

Practice for my older one looked similar, but the bells and written work happened at a different time.  I like practicing separately so we minimize comparison and they each can demonstrate what they truly know, and not what the other one just did.

AND it gives me another opportunity to spend one on one time with them...a huge benefit to LPM!

Year 2 here we come!

2nd year requires each student to be on their own keyboard during class...so we wrapped up Thanksgiving festivities early and hit the Black Friday deals to buy 8 keyboards!  Personally, I've out grown my past adrenaline rush for skipping sleep to fight crazy crowds for a good deal...but when you have to buy 8 keyboards...I couldn't pass up the deal!  My sweetie was such a trooper to come along!

Really, the hard part was getting them home...since we spent the holiday in Bosie and had to fit the keyboards + 5 kids + 2 adults + all the stuff that goes along with them into the family mobile!

Good times!

Almost didn't fit through the door with this load!

Parent testimonials

I love it when parents discover the power and amazing ability LPM has to teach children complex musical concepts!  Here are some of my favorite comments from parents after our first semester:


"I can tell that my children are learning a good foundation for a life of music.  I am excited each week to see their improvement!"


"We are very impressed with Let's Play Music.  Our son loves it and is learning a lot.  We are excited to continue in the program."


"I can't believe how much my child has learned in such a fun way!  He has no idea that he is learning about music.  It's great!!!"

LPM in Utah County

Word is getting out!  People are discovering what a great way this is to teach music to young children!  Click here for the great article in the Daily Herald about how

Let's Play Music is taking off in Utah County!

I love teaching these classes!  It's even more exciting to have two of my own girls in my classes!  I love hearing them singing the songs in their pretend play...and teaching their babies and Barbie's what a sol-sol-do sounds like...or how a red balloon goes up, up, up,up, up, up, up, up!

AND hearing my two year old sing songs from the CD is so cute!

It's like Christmas!

Yahoo!  The UPS just dropped of the student materials for my classes!  I'm so excited!  It's like Christmas morning, but better, since I know this stuff will be used to educate musicians in the making...rather than eat lots of batteries and be broken and forgotten by the end of the week!

I've had several phone calls in the last two days of parents wanting to register their kids for an afternoon class.  Since there is such interest, I've decided to open registration for a Wed 5:00 class.  IF I get 6-7 students registered for that class by August 17th, then I will go ahead and teach that second afternoon class.

Nothing like the last minute...but I guess parents are starting to get into the back to school/routine mindset, so I totally understand.

Sample Class

I've still got a few spots in my Wed 1:00 class.  The energy of a FULL class of curious kids is so much fun...so I'm anxious to fill these last few spots.

If you've been thinking about it, now is the time to make the leap!  I promise you won't regret it, and you'll be making a fantastic investment in the musical and mental development of your child!

Come see what all the fun is about at a sample class:

Monday, August 15

1:00 pm

Email me at alicia.letsplaymusic@gmail.com to register for the sample class.

Upcoming Sample Classes

Due to the interest I got from my booth this weekend, I've scheduled 3 more sample classes:

Sat, July 30, 9:00am
Mon, Aug 1, 1:00 pm

Tues, Aug 2, 7:00pm

Plan on 45 mins.

Email me at alicia.letsplaymusic@gmail.com to register for a sample class!

Lehi Foam Day Booth

I loved doing Lehi Foam Days!  It was so fun to talk about the program to so many different people!  Honestly, "recruiting" people to the program hasn't been my favorite part.  But every time I talk about it with someone, I get that super excited feeling all over again!  I can't wait for classes to start!

My mom came and helped, which was fantastic.  While I was talking to parents, she helped supervise the kids playing the tone bells and autoharp.  My favorite part was when the little ones came and timidly looked at the tone bells...after encouragement to go ahead and give it a try they would beam when they heard the sound!

It totally helps to have so many fun, bright, colorful things to look at.  In fact, several older kids came and asked me how much the puppets were!

Now to follow up with all the interested parents!  I'm a little nervous...I only have six spots open, with a long list of parents who are interested...maybe I should start a waiting list for next year!

So excited!

Today my little Sara has asked me several times to call the LPM kids and tell them to come over for a class.  She is so upset that classes don't start till August!  I guess it's time to do another sample class, since we both have so much fun!

Children and Music

As I prepare for fall classes, I've read so many great things about the benefits of teaching music to children!  It's so amazing that these kids come pre-wired for greatness, but it's up to us, their parents and caregivers to provide an optimal environment for them to flourish!

This article is awesome!  Talking about the child's brain and how it develops.  http://www.newsweek.com/1996/02/18/your-child-s-brain.html

This excerpt talk about music specifically:

"At UC Irvine, Gordon Shaw suspected that all higher-order thinking is characterized by similar patterns of neuron firing. ""If you're working with little kids,'' says Shaw, ""you're not going to teach them higher mathematics or chess. But they are interested in and can process music.'' So Shaw and Frances Rauscher gave 19 preschoolers piano or singing lessons. After eight months, the researchers found, the children ""dramatically improved in spatial reasoning,'' compared with children given no music lessons, as shown in their ability to work mazes, draw geometric figures and copy patterns of two-color blocks. The mechanism behind the ""Mozart effect'' remains murky, but Shaw suspects that when children exercise cortical neurons by listening to classical music, they are also strengthening circuits used for mathematics. Music, says the UC team, ""excites the inherent brain patterns and enhances their use in complex reasoning tasks.''

"Last October researchers at the University of Konstanz in Germany reported that exposure to music rewires neural circuits. In the brains of nine string players examined with magnetic resonance imaging, the amount of somatosensory cortex dedicated to the thumb and fifth finger of the left hand -- the fingering digits -- was significantly larger than in nonplayers. How long the players practiced each day did not affect the cortical map. But the age at which they had been introduced to their muse did: the younger the child when she took up an instrument, the more cortex she devoted to playing it.

"Like other circuits formed early in life, the ones for music endure. Wayne State's Chugani played the guitar as a child, then gave it up. A few years ago he started taking piano lessons with his young daughter. She learned easily, but he couldn't get his fingers to follow his wishes. Yet when Chugani recently picked up a guitar, he found to his delight that ""the songs are still there,'' much like the muscle memory for riding a bicycle."