Matawan Music Together: Making a Musical Connection with Your Child

For Lisa Hearns, music is a way of life. 

Hearns, a Woodbridge resident who recently launched Matawan Music Together, began singing and playing piano when she was a young girl. Since then, she has graduated from Berklee College of Music, taught piano and voice for over 15 years and released a jazz album.

"My family was always musical. My mother and my father were both musical. They taught music, my sister played flute, I started playing piano when I was young and I tried out a few other instruments," Hearns said.

When she heard about Music Together, she wanted to start her own center in order to bring musical education to babies and preschool-aged children.

Music Together is an international program that began in 1987 and pioneered a research-based musical curriculum designed for early childhood development, Hearns explained.

In 2003, she became a registered Music Together teacher and licensed center director and now she is preparing to start her first semester of teaching in Monmouth County with weekly classes at .

"It's really amazing when you are able to share music with children and families. It allows moms, dads and families to connect with children in a different way," Hearns said. "For a while music has been disappearing from the family life in terms of singing along. A lot of people just turn on a CD and feel like singing is left for the professionals."

She chose to teach in Matawan because, she said she feels like there is a shortage of opportunities for children to obtain a musical education at such a young age.

The curriculum focuses on positive musical experiences rather then on musical concepts or passively hearing music, she explained. Children attend class with a caretaker, such as a parent, grandparent or nanny to encourage a family learning style and a connection through music, according to Hearns. A child may bring multiple adults without an extra charge. Hearns' main focus is just to get music into the home.

"The class is more participatory. The important piece is the family participation, especially at home with the CD's and song books that are given out," Hearns said. "Children learn through play so it makes it a lot of fun to have children of different ages in the class."

Hearns will be offering free demo classes at the church on:

• Thursday, March 22 at 9:15 a.m.
• Friday, March 30 at 10:15 a.m.
• Thursday, April 5 at 10:15 a.m.
• Friday, April 13 at 9:15 a.m.

To register, contact Hearns at 917-756-3273 or email her at LHearns09@gmail.com. More information and registration is also available on the website, matawanmusictogether.com.