Spring Music Together Themes: Mixed-Age and Rhythm Kids

Alex Stanton • March 13, 2024

Mixed-Age Class Theme - Triangle

This spring we'll sing, dance, and "Skip to My Lou," engage in a little dramatic play with "Meow!" and create jazzy rounds with "Hey, Ho, Nobody Home," just to name a few of the 25 songs and chants in the Triangle Song Collection. In addition to your weekly classes, your tuition includes materials for you to use at home, access to the online Family Music Zone, a family newsletter full of resources and music-making ideas, and a family line dance!

For information, check out our Music Together page.

Rhythm Kids Class Theme - Jaguar

The Jaguar Rhythm is based on drumming patterns typically played in Bomba music from Puerto Rico, an interplay where the drummer attempts to follow the dancer's movements. We'll explore the interaction between drumming and movement ourselves with the song "Bailen niños." We'll sing, dance, and drum along to the lively patterns of "Ayiko, Ayiko," a welcome song from Southern Ghana. And with "Ala Dal’ona," we'll sing, move, and explore the unique 6-beat phrase of this Lebanese folk song. Best of all, we'll get to experience the joys of being a "Jaguar in the Jungle"! All 20 selections in this collection have been chosen and arranged specifically to support each student's music development.

For more information, check out our Rhythm Kids page.

About the Illustrators

Read more about Jaime Kim on her website: https://www.jaimekim.com
See more of Gerald Kelley's work on his website: https://www.geraldkelley.com

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5 Reasons to Start Playing in a Band

July 30, 2025

As summer break comes to a close, we’re gearing up for the next term of the Sunburst Band Program and would love to see some new faces this fall. Playing in a band is one of the best ways to progress as a musician, so we put together a list of five reasons why we encourage our students to seek out opportunities to play in groups—whether it's starting a band or jamming with a couple of friends. Progress Your rhythm, timing, and listening skills improve quickly when you start playing in a band or group setting. While private lessons and solo practice are essential pieces of the puzzle, playing with others introduces new variables—like tempo changes, dynamics, and coordination—that challenge you to stay in sync with your bandmates and adapt to each other. We’ve seen so many students level up after just a couple months in the Sunburst Band Program–the progress happens fast! Friends and Connections We love watching our students and their families become friends and our band program has been a natural starting point for many of those relationships. Some of our current bands have stayed together for years, and it's awesome to see them hang out outside of lessons and support each other at shows. Plus, one of the best ways to get gigs is through connections with other musicians! Motivation Playing in a band is super motivating because you're part of a group working toward an exciting shared goal. Whether you're learning a new song, building a set list, or getting ready for a show, the process becomes more exciting and rewarding when you're making music you love with people you enjoy being around. That shared energy turns practice into something much more fun and meaningful. Performing Performing can be nerve-wracking, but it gets easier the more you do it, and being on stage with your friends makes it less scary. We love seeing how our students' stage presence and confidence grow with each performance—it’s one of our favorite parts of being teachers! As we mentioned, shows are a great place to make connections with musicians who you’d like to collaborate with in the future. Simply put, playing more shows leads to playing more shows. Creative Outlet Music is a powerful tool for expression, and it’s important to have outlets for that at any age! Life is very fast paced for many of us, and it can be tough to pause and do the things you enjoy. Band practice can be a consistent anchor in your week—something you can rely on for connection, processing, and creating with your bandmates. As corny as it sounds, playing music is good for your spirit! If you’d like to know more about the Sunburst Band Program, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us for more information. We also recommend talking with your private lessons instructor so that they’re aware and can help you prepare.