Sunshine 1 (SS1) is the youngest of the keyboard programs for 3 – 4 years old (minimum 36 months). It is the starting point of the MYC® Method, building their foundation in music reading and playing the piano. Students experience movement through beats and rhythms, as well as developing their fine motor skills with rhythm instrument ensemble playing. Children start learning the geography of the piano and note-reading through our MYC Critters (and their stories that children can relate to). By the end of the SS1 level (after 36 weeks), children are able to play their first scale (C Major) and are reading from the staff. Their pre-reading experiences such as identifying like/different sorting, patterns, and reinforcing and recalling the music concepts through fun at-home activities with gluing and colouring are all part of this level.
- Learning piano and rhythm through MYC’s unique keyboard and rhythm ‘critters’
- off-the-staff reading for contour and patterns
- steady beat experiences
- on-the-staff reading in treble clef and bass clef
- listening to identify and use dynamics (loud and quiet sounds)
- listening to a rhythm pattern and writing it using rhythm writing tools. This is sometimes referred to as rhythm dictation.
- Review and continuing development of: keyboard geography and rhythm through MYC’s unique keyboard “critters”, Identification and use of dynamics (loud and quite sounds) and listening to a rhythm pattern and writing it
- Expanded note reading in treble clef and bass clef
- Coordination of LH and RH playing
- Scale playing with harmonizing bridge chords in C Major, a minor and G Major
- Identification of melodic patterns
- Introduction to staccato (detached) and legato (smooth) touches
- Information in child size bites about famous composers