I spent a month in summer 2025 studying Music Learning Theory in the USA. This theory explores how we learn when we learn music, with a specialism in Early Childhood Music. I am thrilled to introduce a brand new baby class. This addition will be part of my Music Play with Trish sessions. There is now an older preschool class on Mondays at 9.25 am and a babies to toddlers class on Fridays at 12 p.m. Classes are hosted at Goose Green Community Centre. This is part of St John’s church in East Dulwich on East Dulwich Road.
We know that:
Every child has a natural inclination towards music, and engaging with music brings benefits to all individuals. Children excel in learning, and educators should take inspiration from their curiosity. Additionally, making music is a vital skill that enhances engagement, personal development, and enjoyment throughout life.
We also know that:
Parents and Caregivers
…are active participants in music classes.
…do not need to have any particular abilities – only a willingness to learn and try.
…also learn and grow musically through their interactions with their children in class.
…can take what they learn in class to add to musical play at home.
The Importance of Early Childhood Music for Your Child
My classes for early learners are suitable from infancy. They will guide students through developmentally appropriate lessons. These lessons are sequenced perfectly to foster their understanding of music. My classes (and subsequent lessons) provide foundational learning. This learning will benefit your child for their entire life of music making. These classes are not only their first introduction to music, but also the most important.
The early years of life are especially crucial for establishing a foundation for lifelong music development. A child’s musical experiences from birth to age five profoundly impact their future musical understanding. These experiences affect their ability to appreciate and achieve in music as an adult. Children need exposure to a rich variety of music during these years. This exposure helps them develop the necessary readiness for formal music learning when they are older.
Here at Music Play with Trish, my approach to educating young children is based on the research done Dr Edwin E. Gordon. He spent his entire teaching and researching career – almost 60 years – investigating HOW children learn music. It’s not about how we think they should learn. It’s about how they truly are able to learn and how best to do it.
Did you know that the most important time in a child’s musical life is during the critical age? Gordon defines this as from birth to around 18 months.
“Through music a child gains insights into herself, into others, and into life itself. Perhaps most important, she is better able to develop and sustain her imagination. Without music, life would be bleak. Because a day does not pass without a child’s hearing or participating in some music, it is to a child’s advantage to understand music as thoroughly as she can. As a result, as she becomes older she will learn to appreciate, to listen to, and to partake in music that she herself believes to be good. Because of such cultural awareness, her life will have more meaning for her.”
— EDWIN GORDON, MUSIC EDUCATION RESEARCHER AND FOUNDER OF MUSIC LEARNING THEORY
Musicianship with Trish 