Music Box Babies Program Launch

Edmonton, AB – The Winspear is proud to announce the pilot of Music Box Babies.

Music Box Babies is a newly developed program at the Winspear that stimulates creativity in the very young and forms bonds between parents and child through movement and music. The program offers a rich early childhood music education curriculum that focuses on the development of creativity, as child and parent learn together. Each song and activity has been specifically selected and designed to provide a scaffolding that offers children ages 0 – 48 months the benefits of developing creative thinking skills. Classes are organized into four age groupings sections so that the curriculum targets specific developmental stages for children aged 0-12 months, 13-24 months, 25-36 months, and 37-48 months. Music Box Babies places a strong emphasis on the parents/caregivers engaging one-to-one with their child through musical activities which stimulate emotional, social, musical, physical and cognitive skill development.

The program sets itself apart by its commitment to invite children and parents into their first musical experiences together. Music Box Babies is being developed with the expertise of consultant Angela Elster in collaboration with Winspear staff.

Elster says “Music learning is a powerful vehicle to help young children develop a full range of life skills while benefiting from the intrinsic value and beauty of music.“

“We are delighted to see the joyful faces of families making music together. The excitement and engagement witnessed in the classes during the past two weeks has brought a new energy to the Winspear in keeping with our vision” states Alison Kenny-Gardhouse, Winspear’s Director of Musical Creativity.

Published articles in scientific journals Developmental Science and the New York Academy of Sciences found interactive music classes for babies to be developmentally beneficial and that children participating in music classes showed enhanced early communication skills. For more information, please visit www.winspearcentre.com/educationwins/families-wins#musicbox-babies

About Angela Elster
Angela Elster has extensive experience in developing innovative arts programming. She developed the Royal Conservatory’s Smart Start program (birth to 5 years old) and is the recipient of the Governor General’s Meritorious Service Award for three decades of work in Arts Education. She now serves as Executive Director of the Canadian Network for Art & Learning. http://www.eduarts.ca/2016/08/governor-general-s-medal-recipient-to-head-the-canadian-network-for-arts-and-learning

About the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra | Francis Winspear Centre for Music:
In its 65th year, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra has taken its place as one of Canada’s foremost orchestral ensembles. Its current roster includes 56 musicians from Canada and around the world performing a wide-ranging repertoire from the great classical masterworks to pops and family concerts. The orchestra is the resident artistic ensemble, the “home team,” of the Francis Winspear Centre for Music, among the best acoustic concert halls in North America.

Media Contact:
Catherine Bangel
For Francis Winspear Centre for Music | Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
e: catherine@bangelpr.ca
c: 780-263-1358