The Musical Journeys Program of the Fredonia School of Music will continue accepting registration for the Spring Session of Pathways to Music program, which will be held again in the gymnasium of the Campus & Community Children’s Center. Pathways to Music provides an opportunity for children and parents to discover the joys of experiencing music while singing, moving, listening, dancing and playing. The program is designed for children ages six months through five years old.

Each class is a combination of age-appropriate musical activities including songs, finger plays, dances, bouncing games, circle games, instrument exploration, lullabies and more. In a playful manner, children will be gaining a wide appreciation of music while developing language, motor, creative and social skills.

The curriculum used for Pathways to Music is a holistic approach to age-specific early childhood music education, modeled after “First Steps in Music” by Dr. John Feierabend of the University of Hartford. Faculty members for Pathways to Music have extensive training and experience. Sonja Inglefield holds a masters degree in early childhood music pedagogy from the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. She spent almost 10 years teaching early childhood music on the Peabody Preparatory faculty and in the Baltimore City Schools before moving to western New York. Kay Barlow holds Level 1 Certification from the Center for Music and Young Children and the American Orff-Schulwerk Association, in addition to masters of music and bachelor of music education degrees. She was a recipient of the 2005 Chautauqua County Early Childhood Award for Excellence in teaching.

“In Pathways to Music, children are encouraged to explore creative expression,” Inglefield said. “Every year, there is more and more research confirming the positive influence of music and movement on the healthy development of children. Even a very young child can benefit from the stimulation of a musical environment. Having a stress-free, enjoyable time in your week is healthy for parents too.”

The weekly classes are for one child and one accompanying parent or guardian. Three classes will be offered this spring. Pioneers (ages 6 to 24 months) will meet on Saturdays from 9:30 to 10 a.m.; Explorers (2- and 3-year-olds) will meet on Saturdays from 10 to 10:45 a.m.; and Adventurers (4- and 5-year-olds) will meet on Tuesdays from 6:15 to 7 p.m. Total cost for the 10 week course is $95 for Pioneers and $125 for Explorers and Adventurers. Beginning on Saturday and Tuesday, all classes will be held in the gymnasium of the Campus & Community Children’s Center on the SUNY Fredonia campus.