FAQ - NOTES For Families
for Music Together of Newport County -
MT ONLINE / VIRTUAL CLASSES
Parent Notes:
Listen to your Music each week
Use your materials: CD and SONGBOOK (Delivered the first week of class)
Also, a good option on your phone or tablet:
use the Music Together App “Hello Everybody”
and plug in your unique Code
(found inside your songbook front cover and sending to you from us the first week of classes via email.)
Download the songs and sing along, look at and sing with your songbook together.
Know that you have a musical child. We believe ALL children are musical
Watch our CLASS VIDEOS and other resources each week:
Videos will be coming out periodically
in recorded sessions for at-home participation.
Once released, you may access those videos AnyTime AnyDay On-Demand
For the entire semester!
Other special "Musical Moments" videos will be coming out as well throughout the session.
See notes below about suggestions on how to use the videos and music at home.
Join in the optional "ZOOM Livestream Classes" as you are available.
We'll offer Zoom Classes "Livestream" during our MT ONLINE semesters
and for our Outdoor semesters, on RAINY DAYS.
(Private for currently enrolled families) who are able to participate,
and reminders on that will be announced throughout the semester...
You will receive an invite via email
announcing those classes with a private Zoom link)
These are optional but recommended
as an INTERACTIVE way to stay connected for those interested.
Follow what we do at home:
with the MUSIC, the VIDEOS and other RESOURCES sent out each week.
Grownups - you are and have always been important "students" and “leaders” in our classes!
Our goal is to guide you in supporting your child's musical, rhythmical, vocal, cognitive, emotional, communicative, and physical development. As part of this, you become your child’s guide too:
Your child is wired to imitate what you do and learn from you and that's all part of the family fun and learning.
Let Children be their Children selves
Children learn through PLAY.
Expect for them to behave like children will do:
Some children will wisely choose to watch,
others may dance, others might run or jump around the house,
Others might play with toys, but if YOU are doing the musical activities with us,
they will still learn.
Even if they are not looking at the screen itself that is fine and ok:
Especially with the younger ones, we have no expectation that they are watching the screen throughout,
With you there joining in and participating,
If they see YOU following what we are doing,
they will learn through their own multi-sensory ways:
Listening, Watching, Feeling, Moving, and Sounding.
During each week,
Look for a time to connect with your children through music
Chose a time of day that works best for all of you to have musical time TOGETHER whenever possible.
Children need interaction and connection.
The more they see you engage, the more they will enjoy,
and the more they will soak it up and enjoy and learn.
Continue Community Building at Home
Community-building begins at home.
Music helps us build relationships.
A child's most important relationship is with you and other primary caregivers.
Our online music together classes will focus
on musical connections between you and your child.
Stay Connected with us
Let us know how music-making is going at home.
Generally, it takes 3-4 weeks
for children to become familiar with the new music.
Keep listening to the music, singing, dancing, and using class resources as often as possible.
Create Lifelong Music Memories with your children
What is the soundtrack of your life right now?
Music is a container for time and emotions of our life.
You probably have songs which remind you of your childhood, middle school, high school, college, relationships & more!
Let's create special musical memories which will help us remember
times of connection, love, and joy during our “stay-at-home” and creative remote learning.
Thank you for being a part of Music Together Community!
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More info: Q and A:
Other Ways to access the MT Song Collection music and related content online?
Getting Started:
In addition to your physical CD and Songbook, with our current Song Collection,
Your Music Together library of songs (& more!)
can also be accessed as usual through the FAMILY MUSIC ZONE as given in your packets
and/ or the app called “HELLO EVERYBODY,” on iOS or Android.
https://www.musictogether.com/hello-everybody-app
You can download or stream the music by following the instructions in the inside cover of your songbook,
where you will find your unique code each semester.
The Family Music Zone
is the special section of our national site:
for enrolled Music Together families from all over the world.
Even without using the phone app, from this site you can download or stream the music from any device you have,
wherever you are. In addition to your Music Together library,
it contains activity ideas, video, the notation and parent education information
The app itself includes some special features,
such as a karaoke function so you can isolate the instrumental tracks and turn down the vocals,
and the ability to make your own playlist of songs from all your MT collections-
so for instance a playlist of upbeat songs, or a playlist of lullabies.
The “Let’s Play” section has bonus content.
MT of NEWPORT COUNTY :
Our Own local website with general info
Remember our local website www.musictogethernewport.com,
As a parent or caregiver, what is my role?
Your active participation is the key to your children learning and growing musically
and it doesn’t matter how "well" you think you sing,
it only matters THAT you sing, and play and dance and groove with Music!
What you will pass on is your enjoyment of music and of MAKING music.
And remember, all that singing can reduce stress levels, and we all need a bit of that right now!
Since family music making in your home is so valuable to your child's musical development,
encourage everyone in your family to join in and you will have more musical role models for your little ones.
If grandparents or nannies want to join in with you, that is great-
so they can learn the songs too and make music with them
in whatever way you communicate with them.
What about Screentime?
Please remember that while our sing-along videos are OK for kids to re-watch by themselves,
their primary purpose is to create a shared experience between them and an adult in the home.
The real-life involvement and guidance of YOU, the grown-up (or perhaps even an older sibling),
is what will make the experience truly meaningful for your child.
For those of you concerned about too much screen time for your child,
rest assured that not all screen time is the same.
What we are creating here is designed to be more interactive.
We CAN make video work for us in positive ways
when it facilitates human connection and creative interaction.
And again, let go of worrying if your child isn't "watching"
or doesn't seem to be "paying attention" all the time...
Just like in class, when YOU are engaged with the music,
your child gets SO MUCH from it in their own way while you have fun too.
How should we use the Music Together materials?
Play your music at home as frequently as possible. Use the songbook too!
Your child may begin to recognize songs by the pictures and use the book to ask you to sing them.
By looking at the songbook and printed notes on the page while you sing,
you’ll help your children understand that music is something that can be read, like words.
Also for musicians, fyi: Full notation of all the songs is downloadable!
From the app or Family music zone as noted above.
Where can I buy some of the instruments we have in class?
Instruments and singalong storybooks that match songs from the curriculum
are available for purchase for use at home or as gifts directly from the national site: www.musictogether.com
In addition, we'll encourage you to MAKE your own homemade instruments and use everyday objects
for music-making. That way, your household can become even more musical!
More about MT ONLINE Classes here
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with smiles and songs,
Christopher & Katherine Carbone
Music Together of Newport County
Newport, RI 02840
401 846-9014 [email protected]
www.musictogethernewport.com