Started in Fall 2012, Hochstein’s Making Music, Making Strides (MMMS) program – offered in partnership with the YMCA of Greater Rochester – currently provides tuition-free group music classes to more than 50 pre-K children ages 3-5 at two YMCA branches.
The MMMS classes at the YMCA teach music and movement as well as new skills and lessons. These classes, provided at no cost to families, help children to develop not only as musicians and dancers but as complete learners. (See video below.)
The program culminated in “All the Things I Can Do!,” their end-of-year concert in the Hochstein Performance Hall on May 31, which included singing, movement, and percussion.
“One of our students is nonverbal,” says YMCA Preschool/Pre-K teacher Jamie Lantz, “but when he goes to Hochstein, he’s singing, dancing, playing the instruments, smiling. It’s really nice to see that the music brings that out in him.”
“To experience social/emotional learning and physical and cognitive learning through these music programs is really where our mission is brought to life,” says Denise Johnson, Executive Director of Childcare, YMCA Urban Services.
As we near the end of our fiscal year on June 30, we ask you to support Hochstein programs today with your contribution so we can continue to make these programs available to the community. Use link: https://hochstein.org/Support.
Watch a video about the YMCA MMMS program thanks to our friends at Crystal Pix. See the slideshow for pictures from the end-of-year performance.