Amherst music teacher opens academy

Jeannine Joseph, a music teacher at Smallwood and Windermere elementary schools, recently co-founded Children's Music Academy of Western New York.

"(The academy) brings families together to learn music the way that children learn best: through play," Joseph said.

Fellow teachers Karen D'Angelo and Robin Parkinson also founded the academy. The program applies the research-based Music Learning Theory in music classes for families and their children, infants to 5 years old.

"The idea is that children learn music the same way they learn a language. The first and most important step is to be surrounded by the sounds, just as infants hear language for many months before they begin to speak," Joseph said. "By singing many songs and chants in multiple tonalities and meters, we can actually increase a child's potential to achieve music competence."

The three teachers at the Children's Music Academy collectively have bachelor's and master's degrees in music, music education and child development.

The winter session begins Jan. 5 and runs for 10 weeks. The classes are 45 minutes on Saturday mornings at 10 and 11 a.m. For information, call 982-8981. The academy is located at 6116 Robinson Road, Lockport.