Click here and save Fall News 2005 PDF to desktop

---

Baltimore – Saturday, March 11, 2006
Cincinnati – Saturday, March 11, 2006
St. Paul – Saturday, March 18, 2006

Musikgarten Days are slated to be held in three locations this coming March. So, what exactly is a Musikgarten Day, you may ask? Each of these events will be a celebration day full of music and pedagogy, a “shot in the arm” to teachers in selected locations. The company’s goals are twofold: first, to bring current Musikgarten teachers together for continuing education, a time of musical work and play; secondly, to invite prospective teachers to attend in hopes that they will become enamored of our work and thereby likely to attend summer workshops, to become certified teachers, and to license as Musikgarten studios.
For each of these three events, a Musikgarten trainer will be the featured presenter: Baltimore’s participants will enjoy Jill Hannagan; Cincinnati’s, Mary Louise Wilson; and St. Paul’s, Lorna Heyge. Musikgarten days are scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m., focusing on our new “Family Music for Mixed Ages” curriculum. After a group lunch, participants will study “Around the World at the Keyboard: Sing and Dance.” A cost of $40 per participant will include the new Parent Book and CD for the former curriculum, a revised “Keyboard Sampler” for the latter, and a delicious lunch. A Teachers’ Roundtable Discussion will conclude the day at 4:00 p.m.

Stay tuned to the Musikgarten website for details on exact locations! Musikgarten Days will take place on Saturdays, as will March and April’s Workshop Previews. Musikgarten staff members will be coordinating recruitment efforts and will be eager to process your registrations! We hope that your enthusiasm will resemble that of a Cincinnati teacher who earlier responded to our poll on the concept of Musikgarten Days, as follows, “To initiate an acquaintance between Musikgarten trainers and potential teachers, enhanced by the enthusiasm of veteran teachers, would certainly ‘infect all with the spirit!’”

Nursery rhymes – a wonderful part of our tradition – feature delightful language and playful rhythms. Musikgarten has recaptured their magic in a versatile new mixed-age program for children birth to four. The Mother Goose and Father Duck program is full of music, movement, imagination, and classroom fun. Both children and parents will find that after just one class, they’ll look forward to many more!

Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,
Upstairs and downstairs in his nightgown,
Rapping at the windows, crying through the lock,
“Are the children all in bed? For now it’s eight o’clock.”

Mother Goose and Father Duck consists of two eight-week programs all in one teacher’s guide. Each program has lesson plans for eight 30-40 minute classes for the teacher, plus marketing materials. Parents will receive a family packet with a CD, parent book, and either an instrument or manipulative.

Musikgarten has commissioned Howard Baer to write four original movement compositions for each of the CDs. These unique Music for Movement compositions will enable children to explore walking and jumping (“Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the candlestick”), twisting and turning (“Oliver Twist, you can’t do this!”), and many other concepts just right for your toddler movers and shakers! We expect these pieces to rival the popularity of Howard’s classic Recorded Movement Stories CD, from 1994.

Teachers will love this program’s ability to satisfy mixed-aged classes. There is lots of movement for those toddlers. Three year-olds and older will learn language skills and use their imaginations in fun new ways.
Experience Mother Goose and Father Duck for yourself at the 2006 Musikgarten Festival or at Musikgarten Day in Baltimore, Cincinnati, or St. Paul.

Available for purchase: April 1, 2006. Authors: Lorna Lutz Heyge and Martha Hallquist

---

FROM ROB

What a treat it has been for me to be associated with Musikgarten as its new President the past nine months, and how very quickly the time has flown! Some of our readers I had met before at various Musikgarten events, and others I knew by name from my wife Martha, who has been a Musikgarten trainer for many years. I had become acquainted with Lorna Heyge, Founder and Chairman of Musikgarten, about 20 years ago, when Martha pursued her first training in early childhood music. And many of the issues surrounding this field were familiar to me through my reading of Early Childhood Connections, published by the Foundation for Music- and Movement-Based Learning.

Even my eight years of work as Director of the School of Music at the University of Northern Colorado were quite different from what I have experienced during my time with Musikgarten. In particular, I relish the time that I spend on a daily basis not only with early childhood music teachers across the country, but also across the globe. As you will see from this issue of Musikgarten Messenger, our work is rapidly encircling the planet, and exciting new developments seem to be springing up before our very eyes. At the time of this writing, new Musikgarten publications have been completed or are underway in China and Germany, and we are thrilled!

In our own country, we are seeing times of tremendous change and uncertainty. Those of us at Musikgarten Headquarters join others from national music organizations in extending our heartfelt sympathy to many who have lost much to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. We hope in the next issue of Musikgarten Messenger to offer reflections on the process of rebuilding from some whose lives have been seriously affected by such cataclysmic events as we have seen recently. For now, though, let us hold dear that which is most precious: each new day of living, each new opportunity to make the world a better place for all, and each new connection to the promise of the next generation!

– Robert N. Hallquist, D.M.A. President, Musikgarten

---

WORKSHOPS IN
CHINA AND TAIWAN
By Piper Tseng

Musikgarten was introduced to Taiwan in 1999; four years later, Pied Piper published the first Mandarin version of Musikgarten’s Family Music for Toddlers – Sing and Dance with Me in China. Over the years, various teacher trainers from the United States have come to Taiwan to conduct teacher training workshops. In August of this year, teacher trainer Cathy Mathia became the first U.S. trainer to lead teacher training workshops in Beijing, China, and to launch the second installment of Family Music for Toddlers – Play and Clap with Me. Cathy flew into Taipei on August 6, subsequently offering trainings in Cycle of Seasons and Music Makers: At Home in the World. Teachers from Kaohsiung, Taichung, and various other cities on the island attended the workshops.

A highlight of this summer’s workshop season came no doubt in Beijing. Cathy offered the Beijing workshop to an eager and enthusiastic group of teachers from many places in China: Shanghai, Guangzhou, Jinan, Hong Kong, and others. Over the course of six days, teachers attended lectures, observed demonstration classes, exchanged ideas and experiences, and, most importantly, made commitments to stay in touch so as to continue their friendship and professional exchange.

Cathy’s workshop on Family Music for Toddlers was conducted in English, with Piper Tseng, President of Pied Piper, providing the Mandarin interpretation. Christophe Tseng, Mandarin teacher trainer from France, sang Mandarin renditions after Cathy first sang Musikgarten songs in English. The magic continued with demonstration classes at the workshop. For each of these, Chinese toddlers came, many with their whole family, who were eager to observe their only child enjoying a music class with a master trainer from the United States. None of the young children had difficult understanding Cathy’s English. They moved to the music and were mesmerized by her beautiful singing. Music is a world language!

The demonstration classes presented to Chinese teachers the key elements of Musikgarten curricula and the possibility of successfully teaching music to young children. Many teachers in attendance did not believe such a thing to be possible before they saw the demonstration classes. During discussion sessions, teacher participants raised numerous questions on lesson plans, class management, behavioral issues, and the Mandarin recordings. Cathy patiently answered, demonstrating her vast experience and her considerable knowledge about teaching young children.

In addition to the Family Music for Toddlers Workshop, Cathy also conducted a Cycle of Seasons workshop. This was the first time for Cycle of Seasons to be introduced to a Chinese audience. The Chinese Musikgarten editor and advisor, Professor L.M. Yang, from Beijing Normal University and the President of the Kodály Society in China, attended the workshop to learn more about this program. Chinese teacher participants were amazed at the rich and musical curricula; for the first time, they realized how much could be incorporated and structured to make music making a holistic experience for young children. These teachers were eager and anxious for Musikgarten to come out very soon with the Mandarin version of Cycle of Seasons so that many other teachers could bring this wonderful curriculum to different parts of China.

---

WORKSHOPS IN MALAYSIA
By Karen Haughey

The globe turned on its axis as the children eagerly searched for their country. “Here it is!” they exclaimed quickly. To locate my home, on the other hand, required a rotation half way back around. “Isn’t this remarkable?” I said, pointing first to Southeast Asia. “Here we are in your country of Malaysia, while I traveled all the way from Billings, Montana, U.S.A.” A thrill ran through me as I recalled my journey half way around the earth, now to be situated in a conference room of the Crystal Crown Hotel making music with children and Musikgarten teachers of Malaysia.

Sitting on the floor with the 6- to 8-year-olds seemed not so different from my workshop experiences in any North American demonstration class. The children were, in turn, cautious, curious, and joyful, gradually pushing the boundaries, as would the children in my own country.

Jenny Ong and her brother Tommy, the Musikgarten distributors for Malaysia and Singapore, proved to be the ultimate hosts. They treated my husband John and me to as broad a taste of their food and culture as was possible in our ten-day stay. We dined at excellent Thai, Indian, and Chinese restaurants, even strolling through the streets, taking in the smells, sights, sounds, and tastes of the Night Market. Durian, the “King of Fruits” harvested quickly in the nearby jungles, presented a particularly potent smell and memorable taste!

Jenny ran a smooth, well-orchestrated workshop for 38 participants from Kuala Lumpur and surrounding regions. Though teachers were somewhat reserved at first, they relaxed as the week unfolded. We happily sang rounds, danced, and drummed together, while exploring the pedagogy of Music Makers: At the Keyboard, preceded by a review of the foundations laid in Music Makers: At Home in the World and Music Makers: Around the World.

Malaysian teachers participated in the activities with as much joy and energy as the children had shown earlier. Their warmth and gratitude for our time together were overwhelming to me at times. On the last workshop day, they offered many gifts, along with requests for pictures and autographs. More moving than the “celebrity treatment,” however, was the presentation of a wonderful memory book of my stay, including a song composed especially for me, based on a Malaysian folk song. I shall never forget the warm and caring Malaysian teachers and the fun we had making music together!

---

KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE HORIZON!
By Nancy Kubo – Seattle, WA

Nancy Kubo shares a few reflections on the marketing efforts of Musikgarten teachers in the Seattle area. Having run a successful studio since 1988, she describes here some of the marketing schemes that have proven true for her over the years.

Your name: Whether it’s summer, a holiday month, or just a month that’s typically slow for calls, we would never think of skipping a month of having the Musikgarten name out there in parent magazines and newspapers. None of our studios has signage visible to the street; so, those ads, whether small or large, are our “store front.” Moms who have the Musikgarten name in the back of their minds will go to a parent magazine and look us up.

Musikgarten name vs. studio name: We all have our own business names, such as “Mary’s Musicians” or “The Music Nest.” But once they’re involved, parents remember “Musikgarten” and also your name when they talk to their friends. They don’t care what the name on your business license is. The only time they need that is when they write out a check. So, in all of our ads, it’s the Musikgarten name that is prominent. And we want the name everywhere, so that wherever parents turn, they cannot escape seeing “Musikgarten.” They will rightly perceive Musikgarten as the most popular program, the most prevalent, and the most respected one out there.

Internet: It’s a point-and-click age now. Whether or not “Musikgarten” is a household name in your community, parents will search on generic keywords like “music” and “children” and their city name, looking for a quality program in their area. If you’re not on the web, another program is. You don’t need a big fancy website with all the bells and whistles. Do that later. For now, if you don’t have a website, all you need is a domain name and just one page with a brief description and your contact information, especially your e-mail. Move this step for visibility enhancement to top priority on your to-do list.
Sweat Equity: Some programs are in growth mode, while others are in sustain mode. For those in growth mode, you can’t beat the cost effectiveness of efforts involving your time and energy, such as going door to door with flyers, putting flyers at preschools, giving out your business card in grocery stores, or doing booths at fairs and festivals. Once you’re in sustain mode, you’ll be too busy with a full teaching schedule to do these things. Recently I invested in street signs for street corners and parks – some A-frames and also some smaller ones that just stick in the ground. (Some localities prohibit them; so, check into this.) Even if parents can’t get your phone number written down or punched into their cell phone as they drive by, the Musikgarten logo is there, and they’ll look up Musikgarten in a paper, on the Internet, or in the phone book. I think these advertisements are cost-effective if your locale allows them, because you still have them after you’ve made them, whereas newsprint ads are seen only once and then gone. But street signs will be seen again and again.

Long-term thinking: We have learned not to expect a certain number of calls from an ad, and then drop the ad because we didn’t get any calls. It’s true that some papers are better than others, so after a year, you’ll know which ads to drop. Remember, however, that it usually takes multiple exposures for someone to pick up the phone and call. It is good to ask callers how they got your number, and keep a tally, just so you’ll know. Maybe you’ll only get one new student from multiple ads, but because of that year of ads, then next year, there will be 10 new students, and each of these will recommend you to 10 more. Also, I try never to turn anyone away due to full classes. I do this by offering enough classes to keep one or two empty spots in each class time. This is to accommodate families who call mid-semester, so that there will be room in whatever day they prefer. I even add a class time if they all become full. Those I turn away will go to a competing program, or to dance or gymnastics, instead. Behind that one student, I see in the horizon two more, then two becoming four, and four becoming eight, and your studio explodes with growth.
The Starbucks effect: There’s probably some technical word in the advertising business for this, but I really believe that the more Musikgarten programs in your locale, the better it is for you. It’s the Starbucks, 7-11, or Walgreens effect. The more people see a particular brand name everywhere, the more they think of that business first when they need the product. I don’t think of nearby Musikgarten studios as my competitors, but as my colleagues and co-entrepreneurs. Not only do I benefit from the other studios’ presence – I benefit from their advertising, just as they benefit from my presence and advertising.

Telephone Book: Any teacher who wants her studio to be a full-time studio should be in the white and yellow pages of the phone book. That means having a business line or at least a “market expansion line” placed on the home phone. I have a two-line phone system at home and never allow family members to pick up my business line. If you add a “market expansion line” to your home phone, then set up the former with a custom ring so that family members won’t answer it.
Benefits of the group: We would never think of running an ad alone in one of the parent papers. We pool our money, and Musikgarten pays a share, as well. That way our ads are so much larger than what each of us alone could afford. An ad with a list of locations says to the community that Musikgarten is a viable music program not only in great demand by families, but also by a growing number of teachers. I encourage new teachers to ask Scott Whitesell at Musikgarten Headquarters about cooperative ads in their area. Even if you are only offering one or two age groups, and the existing teachers are offering all the programs, it will be far less expensive for you, and the existing teachers in your area will be grateful that you are contributing to the good will and name recognition that they have paid for and built over many years. They will be much more likely to refer callers to you whom they couldn’t accommodate. And I encourage veteran teachers to seek out new teachers and include them in cooperative ads.

Nancy Kubo is available for questions anytime by e-mail at nancykubo@comcast.net

 

MUSIKGARTEN CO-OP ADS
By Scott Whitesell

As you can see from Nancy Kubo’s article on the previous page, cooperative ads are a cost-effective way to gain ongoing name recognition for your Musikgarten studio. There are different methods and venues for co-op ads - parent circulars and Yellow Pages listings are the most popular. Contact me at Musikgarten Headquarters to learn where the nearest studios are to you. If you are the only Musikgarten teacher in your area – which can be thought of as having a “corner on the market” – consider running a small business-card size ad on a monthly basis. Whether or not you feel that you are in a competitive market, repeated exposure is the key to keeping an influx of new students.

A cooperative advertisement can be created by Musikgarten’s graphic designers and personalized with studio names and contact details. This service is free of charge when there is a minimum of three teachers, and Musikgarten will pay a portion of the cost to place the ad. If two teachers would like to place a co-op ad, Musikgarten will be unable to help pay for placement of the ad but will be happy to create the ad itself – again, free of charge. Do you operate on a tight budget? So do the rest of us. You don’t have to obligate yourself to an ad every month. There are 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month contracts available for many publications. Take a good look at the attractive sample co-op ad including Nancy Kubo’s studio below!

Welcome, New Licensees!

Rebecca Alpaugh Athens, GA
Joleen Anderson Appleton, WI
Karen Asaro Scarborough, ON
Margaret Bake Rexburg, ID
Kathryn Barnard Pittsburgh, PA
Michael Barrette Park Ridge, IL
Emily Brinks Boca Raton, FL
Adesi Brown Decatur, GA
Louise Carlile Morningside, Q
Treva Collins Charlotte, NC
Margaret Compton Chattanooga, TN
Susan Cottrell Centreville, VA
Joanna Darrow Westmont, NJ
Lisa Duerr Winston-Salem, NC
Rhonda Dunn Greensburg, PA
Sharon Dunn Signal Mtn., TN
Donna Eastham Science Hill, KY
Ana Edwards Tallahassee, FL
Sue Finley-Evans Palm Desert, CA
Judy Flores Laconner, WA
Valma Fountain Blanchester, OH
Roberta Giammittorio Alexandria, VA
Becky Grausam Columbia, SC
Michelle Gruggett Watertown, SD
Rebecca Hahn Rochester, MN
Jennifer Hancock Mebane, NC
Alicia Hanna Newhall, CA
Margo Hanson Lino Lakes, MN
Karin Hartman Elkhart, IN
Helen Haynes Ashland, MO
Karen Hochstedler Sag Harbor, NY
Kristin Huebner Sun Prairie, WI
Kim Huston Haslett, MI
Julie Kostuch Princeton, NJ
Karen Kung San Jose, CA
Jennifer Landretti Middleton, WI
Kristin Large Tallahassee, FL
Joleena Little Calgary, AB
Emi Lytle Las Vegas, NV
Anne Magosky Lockport, IL
Donna Martin Prairie Village, KS
Lauren McBride Dallas, GA
Kim McGuire Overland Park, KS
Felicia Melcer Orlando, FL
Cynthia Musa Nelson, BC
Linda Neal Saginaw, TX
Sheri Pape Rockford, IL
Kathryn Rapier Vienna, VA
Dana Roesch Chattanooga, TN
Christine Saglibene Poughkeepsie, NY
Sayuri Saito Indianapolis, IN
Marina Samoylovich Overland Park, KS
Larissa Sanders Columbia, MD
Tina Scharnbeck Sarasota, FL
Kristin Serafini Lansing, IL
Allyson Shaner Front Royal, VA
Cindy Sierk Christiana, PA
Kelsy Sloyan Princeton, NJ
Lori SooHoo Hillsboro, KS
Christa Stoner Harrisonburg, VA
Janna Williamson West Chicago, IL
Adina Woodward Windsor, CO
Lisa Zeller Naples, FL