Meet Kathy Rowe of Music Together in Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathy Rowe.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
It all started with my grandfather singing to me! While he was not a trained musician, he sang all the time! When I got old enough, we would sing together; we could sing continuously while driving from Yuma to Phoenix (back then a 4 + hour drive) without ever repeating a song!!

After going to school for music education and teaching many years in the public schools, I found Music Together in Chicago for my very young daughters. It was love at first sound!?! The curriculum, the music, the fun child-centered approach, the variety of activities, the research – I was so enamored by the richness, AND, I loved that I could bring both of my children to class! After our 2nd class, I approached “Teacher Susan” and asked how to find out more. I was teaching for her the 2nd semester!!

I loved Music Together for my family because it gave us so many ways to keep playing with the music throughout the week, but as a music teacher, I have many more reasons. Children in school receive music class (if they are lucky) about 30 minutes per week. If a child is not singing tunefully or if they do not keep accurate rhythm in their bodies, most will say that the child is simply “not musical”. I disagree! I think that all children are musical and can learn these basics if they are given adequate time and chances to play and experiment with the music. In the Music Together class, the parents are encouraged to keep singing throughout the week and they all take the music home; tapes, then CD’s, now CD’s and digital downloads!! The learning goes deep and it happens in such a fun and natural way that we have to remind parents that all the play and silliness is great for their child’s development musically and in so many other areas as well!

Music Together in Phoenix began after coming home to Phoenix and finding no Music Together in our town. It began with one class in my living room in the fall of 1999 with my best friend’s child, my children and my neighbors and now, almost 20 years later, has grown to over 40 classes per week, serving about 300 families each session. I was astonished to learn that we have had over 10,000 enrollments since we began! I really appreciated that the program grew organically over the years; we are still adding classes where there is a need.

Music Together Worldwide (the national program) is celebrating their 30th anniversary this year!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The teaching has always been the most rewarding part of Music Together! I truly believe the immense value of music and movement for young children and now, I am just as excited about seeing our teachers bring high quality, rich music experiences to families as doing. I still teach a gaggle of classes, but spend a quantity of time with doing administrative tasks also.

Being a teacher first, I have had to learn so much about advertising and business things! I keep adding to my knowledge base and am getting better and better. We also are always looking for great people to join our teaching team, as it is a part time position and we keep having teachers move away. I feel very fortunate to do a work that I find meaningful and is still amazingly fun!

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Music Together in Phoenix – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Music Together in Phoenix offers high quality, fun and developmentally appropriate music and movement classes for families with young children (birth to age 7). We lead weekly classes with families in a mixed ages approach that encourages participation, but does not focus on performance. We truly believe that all children are musical and that all children can achieve their basics in music; singing in tune with accurate rhythm, but they need to be in a rich musical atmosphere with their favorite grownups role-modeling active music making!

So here’s the scoop: families sign up to come for session of classes (12 week fall, 10 week winter/spring or 8 week summer) and each session they get to take home and learn about 25 new songs and activities that they can recreate at home. The classes are about 45 minutes each week and we keep each class between 6 and 12 children, with as many participating grownups as they desire to bring. The 45 minute class is designed to have learning happening on many different levels; we sing, dance, twirl scarves, shake eggs, squeak like mice and each class culminates in an instrument jam session with the parents, children and teacher, followed by a sweet calming lullaby and then the “Goodbye, So Long” song.

It goes by super fast! Babies are in their mommies arms and get to be danced with and have the beat tapped lovingly on their backs and feet. Purposeful touch bring rhythm and song together for a beautiful kinesthetic whole body experience for our youngest learners. Toddlers may have wondered off to the mirror and then come back to mom to bounce on a lap for the “Trot to Grandma’s House” song and then give new and silly ideas for how to play the rhythm sticks. The singing is happening all throughout the class, while the preschool age child might be giving the teacher the next verse idea for an animal song; we are often challenged with finding a great motion and sound for a hippo or platypus!

Families take home 2 CD’s, a beautifully illustrated music book, a digital download and new families get a DVD that shares more about how music learning supports ALL learning. Families often continue semester after semester creating musical memories with their little ones that can last a lifetime and giving their children a strong musical base. We have speech therapists who come because they know that the music supports their child’s speech and language development, and we have others that are excited about how music also helps children with their sense of spacial relationships and physical coordination. There is a huge amount of research that shows how music helps with bonding and having a sense of community. Brain research shows that music learning has a big positive effect on a child’s executive function! As a music education though, I am so excited that these little learners will be able to participate in the music of our culture, sing confidently at the ball game (“Take Me Out to the…”) and maybe feel confident about dancing at their wedding when they grow up!

We are known for having very high quality music classes and for really caring about our families. Families with sick children or traveling families are able to schedule makeup classes and when a family is out a few weeks, we give them a quick ring to let them know they are missed and make sure all is okay. There is a big sense of community that happens each session. In the Spring, this explodes with our “Uncle Gerry” benefit concert! We bring Gerry Dignan, the beloved voice from CD’s to town for a huge and fun family music party. All the teachers gather for drumming and dancing, singing and jamming. Last year, we raised $800.00 for A Caring Coalition and over 60 families attending!

I think what sets us apart, is the bonding that happens in class between the child and their important grownups (mom, dad, grandma and even nanny). Our teachers really encourage families to be part of music making with their children, no matter their level of musical ability. Everyone gets to be a music maker and every gets to have fun.

I am proud that we get to do this very important work and that we touch families lives with beautiful music experiences.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We have just added a pilot program, Rhythm Kids, for children ages 4 through 2nd grade. It involves playing djembes, dancing, musical games and lots of singing and moving. I would love to see us able to teach more of these classes in the future!!

We are also looking to expand our Generations Class! This is a inter-generational music class with our mixed ages families (children birth to age five with their caregivers) meeting weekly with the “grand-friends” at a retirement center. This last year was our first year at the Terraces (16th St. & Northern) and it has been such a beautiful experience for everyone involved! I am excited be able to make this available to more and more communities.

Contact Info:

• Address: 3241 E Shea, Phoenix, AZ 85028
  + 12 other locations in Phoenix, Peoria, Paradise Valley & Scottsdale
• Website: www.MusicTogetherInPhx.com
• Phone: 602-363-8202
• Email: kathy@musictogetherinphx.com / info@musictogetherinphx.com

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