Jy Gronner, who studied at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, is the owner of Palisades Music School.
“We specialize in fun, innovative, research-driven, multi-sensory, and transformational music education,” says Gronner who opened her Palisades studio six years ago.
She works with infants through adults. For the youngest students, infants, toddlers and preschoolers, Gronner uses Lynn Kleiner’s Music Rhapsody program. Held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, the program combines music and movement through song, instruments and play.
Photo: Bart Bartholomew
Gronner says this program leads “to developmental advances in language and literacy skills and provides far-reaching neurological effects.”
Music Rhapsody provides a transition to the Simply Music program for those five and older. Beginning students use diagrams and other tools that isolate the senses to help them learn.
For example, students use a keypad (a board with a visual representation of the piano keys) to practice on when they initially learn, then move to the piano.
“You see the pattern visually first before the ear is involved,” Gronner says.
Songs are learned with both hands from the first lesson in a variety of genres, such as classical, blues, ballads and accompaniments. Gronner aims to have students playing 35 to 50 songs in the first year. Reading music is usually introduced in the second year of lessons.
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