Uke4Kids – The newest, most exciting and affordable private instrumental music program for primary school children in Australia!
Our ethos is to continually strive to create an instrumental music program that makes music accessible to as many children as possible without sacrificing quality, and to provide employment opportunities to our country’s great music teachers.
Uke4Kids offers a wonderful beginning to the world of playing a musical instrument for students from Prep to Grade 6. You are probably well aware of the many benefits learning a musical instrument offers, and how powerfully it supports our brains in the core activities of reading and mathematics. The high cost of most instrumental lessons, and the cost of most instruments, prohibits many children from accessing music. Uke4Kids is the most affordable private instrumental program in Melbourne
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The Program
Using both traditional and popular songs geared to the students’ age and development, the program is progressive in structure, building on skills in finger placement (fine motor skill development), rhythm, aural awareness, pitch, strumming and picking styles, coordination, music theory and other instrumental skills. The Group format creates a powerful learning environment for social skills including listening, cooperation, sharing, patience and helping others enabling our students to achieve more as individuals.
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Benefits
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Supports kids engagement in the education system
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ukulele beats the guitar hands down for young students – very easy for small fingers to manage
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is very light and fits easily into a backpack
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at $30 – $40 for a student model the ukulele is one of the cheapest instruments around
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kids can sing while they play
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it is great fun!
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great introduction to fretted and other string instruments
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terrific ensemble instrument
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While simple to learn, the ukulele can be played at advanced levels
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The ukulele wave is sweeping the globe, and has gained “street cred” which increases its attractiveness to students for whom this is an issue.
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The younger children get really excited when they see the brightly coloured ukes, and enthusiasm for learning is a wonderful thing
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Did we say it is great fun!
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Structure
30 minute classes in groups of around 5 students, generally within the normal school day. We work together with our schools so our student’s uke lessons do not interfere with key curriculum areas. After school classes are held where it is impractical to teach in class time. Students are carefully grouped according to age and developmental progress. We reassess the students at the beginning of each term to ensure they are in best group for their needs. There is weekly communication between our teachers and the Uke4Kids office with any concerns at all followed through as soon as possible with the parents or the school. Progress Reports are provided once a term to parents.
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Our People
Our directors are Yanai Morris and Dassana
Yanai, Program Director, has a diploma in music as well as extensive experience as a performer both as a soloist singer songwriter, and as lead guitarist and singer for Boat, Victor Phanta and the Black Snails and new Melbourne band Snowboys in Paradise. He has been studying and playing instrumental music since the age of 9. In addition he has many years’ experience in classroom music teaching, including instrument and voice, and private instrumental tuition both within schools and privately. As well as developing the instrumental program and speaking with schools, Yanai also teaches some of our classes which means he understands the challenges and needs of our students and teachers.
Dassana, Business Development and Marketing Director, heads up the support and developmental side of Uke4Kids. Dassana has many years experience in program development, marketing, organisational planning and customer relations. She is the person to speak to regarding any enrolment or administration enquiry.
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Our Teaching Staff
In addition to Yanai, our other two wonderful teachers are Vincent Bradley and Julian Abrahams. Both have many years experience teaching instrumental music to school children, as well as being performing musicians. It is a great thing for music teachers to also be out there using their talents every week, honing their artistic skills. This creates an authentic musical basis which translates into a more dynamic and interesting classroom experience, providing a rich diversity of instrumental skills from which our teachers can all draw inspiration. Our teachers have current Working with Children and Police Checks.
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Like to know more?
Parents
Give us a call or email, then download an enrolment form and music tuition agreement. NB. Please do not just send the form without first contacting us by phone or email as places are not guaranteed.
If we are not already part of your children’s school and you would like us to be, speak with us – Click Here
Principals and Music Coordinators
We would like to offer you and your school a demonstration of the fun and ease of learning and playing the ukulele. We look after all the time tabling, enrolments and financial management, resulting in minimum impact on your school’s resources. Just contact us via email or phone to discuss any queries you may have. If you wish to see and hear the ukulele in action or discuss the program further, we can arrange an appointment at your convenience.
Music Teachers (including trainee teachers who are musicians)
If you think you would like to be part of the Uke4Kids team, speak to us. We are also branching into the community and corporate sectors, as well as expanding our school portfolio both in greater Melbourne and out into country Victoria. If you know a school near you that could use more instrumental music, give us as call. Click Here