Music Education

Music Education at Ragamuffin Music Hall
“Everybody Has a Song!” 

Ragamuffin Music Hall
585 Atlanta Street Roswell, GA   30075

Call (770) 744-3814 or email at ragamuffinmusichall@gmail.com 

NEW PRE-K LESSONS!! - LET'S PLAY MUSIC!!

Ragamuffin Music Hall is pleased to announce the introduction of a the LETS PLAY MUSIC program for ages 4-7!!!!

 

See www.letsplaymusicsite.com.

Children learn most effectively when they are playing! If you were to peek in on a Let’s Play Music class, you would see jumping, singing, skipping, storytelling, and laughing! Music educators have long taught that the young child learns best through play, experience and discovery. As musical concepts and skills are presented in a playful, joyful setting, children absorb knowledge and ability.

Let’s Play Music - WHAT does it teach?

* Emphasizes melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic ear training
* Introduces spatial skills necessary for note and rhythm reading
* Teaches note reading
* Studies the music of the masters to understand classic form and instrumentation
* Encourages freedom of expression and musical interpretation
* Channels the young vice into beautiful singing by providing correct vocal models and
frequent singing opportunities
* Teaches fundamentals fo harmony and chord progressions
* Utilizes “full body involvement” for more effective assimilation of concepts and skills
* Adapts skills to the piano

WHAT does all of this mean?

It develops musical aptitude. Your child will learn the things that cause us as adults to say that a person is musically talented. Can you teach talent? YOU BET!!! Research has shown that musical aptitude (talent) is more acquired than it is hereditary. “Musically talented” people are so, not because of genetics, but because of a musical environment at a YOUNG AGE.

WHEN should these skills be taught?

This curriculum operates on the premise that the very young child is capable of learning complex musical skills, and that there is indeed, a learning “window” for children to maximize their musical aptitude. The optimal learning window for music is 3-9 years. However, manual dexterity does not develop until age 7-8, and letters (which are the traditional tools for teaching music reading) have little meaning until age 6-7. Introducing piano too soon will actually stunt their musical learning, because their hands slowdown what their minds and ears are capable of.

HOW are these skills taught?

Full Body Involvement—Through playing, dancing and singing! Lessons are structured with minimal talking and explaining. Children learn best by just doing. Research has shown that the more physically involved a child is in the learning process, the more he/she will internalize the concept. That’s why we will involve as much of the body as possible ie, the voice, the eyes, the ears, the hands, and even the full body.

EXPERIENCE PRECEDES LEARNING

Children also learn concepts more easily if the concept is experienced and understood BEFORE it is labeled. For example, they will learn to love rhythms and how to subdivide a beat long before they are told that a “quarter note” subdivides into tow “eight notes”. Then, in subsequent years of music instruction, they will grasp the concept instantly because they have already learned it, they just have not yet labeled it. Then, learning music theory is exciting and easy rather than boring and difficult.

GROUP PARTICIPATION

Children are much more likely to enjoy the setting when there are other children around. The synergy of a Let’s Play Music class naturally encourages children to participate and excel.

Private Instrument Lessons – Piano, Guitar, Beginning Mandolin:  Traditional classes in piano (starting kids with “Teaching Little Fingers to Play”) or refining your talent at later stages.  We have the right class and teacher for every level of piano and guitar player as well as beginning mandolin lessons!!

Private Vocal Lessons:  Love singing??  Interested in improving your singing voice??  We can help you start singing your favorites and refine your hidden talent!  Sing though our sound system on our stage…record in our studio…it’s a truly unique vocal training experience!

Songwriting:  Think you have some songs waiting to be written?  All of our teachers encourage songwriting and will work with you to take a song from it’s initial idea to full song!! 


Performance Coaching:  Ready to start playing out but want to work on your stage presence, set list, singing into a mic...  Sign up for private performance coaching lessons and sing on Ragamuffin Music Halls stage!!  Gain valuable experience and feedback on your performance.

Ragamuffin Music Hall
585 Atlanta Street Roswell, GA   30075

Call 770 744 3814 or email at ragamuffinmusichall@gmail.com 

In addition to teaching, Ashley is an accomplished recording artist and songwriter. Her single "UNFINISHED WOMAN" reached #1 on the Indie World Country Record Report in 2010. She was nominated for Best Female Vocalist by GeorgiaCountry.com in 2010. She has had local and national airplay of her CD "Unfinished Dreams"

  See her website at www.ashleyharris.com

Louis Robinson is a well known songwriter & performer in this area.  He has hosted Open Mic and special event Candlelight Concerts on numerous occasions and is always a crowd favorite.  He is one of the finest songwriters I know and truly a master of song delivery not to mention fantastic musicianship on the guitar.  With over 40 years in the music business, he will be teaching songwriting, performance coaching, and advanced guitar techniques on Tuesdays.  If you are an aspiring singer/songwriter, don't miss this chance to work with Louis!!

    Ed Acquesta is a master guitarist with experience in reading and writing music.  With 34 years in the industry and a full time musician, he will be teaching more advanced guitar skills in jazz guitar, flat-picking guitar, fingerstyle blues, ragtime guitar, bottleneck guitar, and beginning students.  He will be teaching on Mondays.

    Sonya Jacobs, BA., MS.  has over 15 years teaching experience in music, with specialized interest in vocal production as a Speech-Language Pathologist.  She enjoys performing with Atlanta Sacred Chorale, and is a former contemporary worship leader from Seattle. Sonya has directed children's musical theatre productions, and enjoys composing and being with her family.

  Call 770-744 3814 or email ragamuffinmusichall@gmail.com

Ragamuffin Music
585 Atlanta Street, Roswell, GA  30075

 
Where everybody has a song!