Music FUNdamentals is a research based early childhood music education program offered to Early Headstart, Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten and 1st Grade students. This program is based on research that confirms that a baby’s auditory processing system is fully functioning at 24 weeks in utero. Once the baby has entered the world, research further confirms that the most rapid period of brain development is birth to one year of age, with the second highest being one to three years of age, and the third highest from three to five years of age. Therefore, when a child enters Kindergarten, they will have already passed through the three most critical periods of brain development.
Research also tells us that music intervention is an extremely cost-efficient means to increase a child’s potential during this time. However, despite these results, music specialists are not viewed as a necessary component in contemporary school curricula. In fact, current education standards do not include music until second grade. How can this be possible?
Friends of South Florida Music (FSFM) aims to address this gap in the education curriculum to help children to thrive during their formative years and to build aptitude for future learning regardless of their socio-economic background.
In Music FUNdamentals, cues are learned by the teacher and children to know exactly when to come to the circle, how to distribute the materials, move to the music and how to clean-up.
These same cues are essential for all which facilitates more time for engagement. Plus, after the lesson, the music specialist spends time discussing accomplished practices with the teachers individually as well as provides a bi-weekly summary for the principal.
Who can request Music FUNdamentals?
Music FUNdamentals is available to any underserved school population in South Florida providing early childhood education. School Principals or Preschool Directors are encouraged to email Dr. Joy Galliford at for further information.