Early music education finds a global home in Roswell

Twenty years ago, Rob Sayer was leaving a career as a school band director and looking for something else to do that involved working with young children. The reality of more school districts’ cutting back on arts programs, and music in particular, sparked an idea made relatable by its comparison to language learning.

“You don’t wait to start talking to your kids,” said Sayer. “Just like language development, the younger you start, the more impact music education can have.”

Sayer launched The Music Class, a Roswell-based center that focuses on bringing music into the lives of kids from toddlers to first grade.

“They learn it like a language; when they’re immersed in it, they understand and enjoy it,” said Sayer. “Part of it is learned from their parents and pre-school teachers, and we work with them to make that happen. We also expose them to a wide variety of sound. We have 12 CD’s of jazz, classical, rock and everything in between for them to listen to.”

Hearing a variety of genres, interacting with instruments, singing and dancing helps children become fluent in the language of music, he added.

“And as with language, if you’re not conversant, you won’t be able to read,” he said. “Unfortunately, the traditional American approach has been ‘let’s learn to play by reading.’ If we can get them to sing in tune and understand a variety of musical sounds, they can pick up an instrument quickly later on.”

Parents interested in exposing their youngsters to music have flocked to Sayer’s school, that now boasts a dozen locations in the metro area and is offered in more than 1,000 pre-schools around the world, including China. In Atlanta, about 1,700 students a year take 45-minute classes held in 10-week blocks. The tykes are accompanied by a parent or caregiver who is also charged with modeling musical interest.

“That creates a social dynamic, which is why people repeat so much,” said Sayer. “They develop a community sense that’s warm and loving. I have some families who have been bringing multiple kids here for 10 years.”

Cumming’s Susan Wallace has three children who have, at some time since 2010, attended The Music Class. She currently makes the drive to Roswell twice a week to attend separate classes for her 2- and 4-year-olds.

“I’m a former Fulton and Forsyth educator, and I know the window [of learning] closes on fluency in reading,” she said. “That plays into other parts of their education as well. Music is a very important part of that. Now, my 2-year-old can keep a beat and carry a tune – things I know as an educator will play a more important role down the road.”

Studies have also supported connecting special needs children with music, and Sayer has tapped into that my creating a comfortable environment where kids can experiment with sound and instruments without judgment. Max Janton, a young student who benefited from the program, passed away in 2017, and in his honor, his parents launched the Maximus Janton Foundation to fund special needs in the community. The nonprofit recently awarded $8,000 to The Music Class to support that work.

“We don’t access financial need, but now we can work to give children in Atlanta locations full scholarships,” said Sayer.