Introduced in the fall of 2016, this class is geared towards kids aged 6-8 who have already had some exposure to music and show interest in continuing their creative development. Building on the basics of rhythm & time signature, song structure, instrumentation, theme, and collaboration, children in this class will work together to write (and sometimes record!) original compositions around a wide range of themes.

Over the course of the session, special focus will be paid to works such as Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf and Holst's The Planets, dipping into 20th c. minimalism (Steve Reich), as well as discussions of genre and explorations of various major and minor tonalities, all building on concepts and ideas that children have already begun to learn by this age (e.g. geometric shapes, the use of patterns, & identifying the "emotion" of a particular piece)

Of his past work with a group of students at the Oakville Academy for the Arts where this program was first developed, teacher Berri Hoch said,
“Ben is a natural and skilled communicator, able to effortlessly adjust his style to his audience regardless of age, learning style or ability. He is equally effective in large group, small group, and individual settings. Ben has an intuitive understanding of differential learning, as he operates from a standpoint of respect for the needs of each individual. Further to his tangible skills, Ben brings a strong work ethic and a warm and loving heart to his work with children.”

Check out the summer schedule here: http://mrbensopendoormusic.ca/summer2018.php