“Top Notch Mommy & Me class in NYC!”
“My 1-year-old daughter loves you guys (Kana & Sasha) so much. This morning at 4am, she was saying your names. She loves the class and has learned SO much.”
rich music experience for your child
Hug Melody® Groups for babies and toddlers ages 6 months old to 4 years old.
At Hug Music, we believe in the importance of exposing young ears to quality music and instruments in a fun and nurturing environment. Our highly rated signature class, Hug Melody® is designed and led by two music instructors who are also board music therapists and professional musicians.
Each group promises to maintain a high teacher-student ratio of 7 children with 2 teachers* so that each child receives personal attention from instructors. (*Classes that are held outside of Hug Music studio may have more children in each group.)
The class is led with high-quality live music throughout the class with acoustic instruments. We emphasize the importance of giving children access to live and acoustic music because nowadays we are exposed to “computer-made” music all the time, and this is also true for our children. Exposing children to high-quality acoustic music from a young age is extremely important to promote healthy development of their ears.
The class uses exclusively original compositions that are carefully designed to evoke children’s positive responses. The songs used in the class celebrate diversity by featuring various genres, feels, moods, harmonies and rhythms rom all over the world.
We respect each child’s unique responses and celebrate them with ongoing live music to facilitate expansion of creativity and broaden artistry. All children are unique and so are their musical responses. Some respond quickly while others may respond slower. Some respond actively while others prefer to be listeners. While recorded music tends to indicate to children what are “correct” responses, using live music can make all responses unique. Furthermore, children often make spontaneous musical responses, which we value the most. Our teachers customize live music in the moment based on each child’s unique responses.
Classes are focused on improving both musical skills and healthy development, using an enjoyable and success-oriented approach.
+ You can watch or listen to some of the songs we use in the class. +
Expected outcomes and benefits of taking Hug Melody® class
Improvements of:
Social awareness and awareness of others.
Speech development: listening to the sound, using own voices, singing
Motor skill: fine-motor skills and eye-ear-hand coordination
Social skills: turn-taking, sharing instruments, following directions
Communication skills: interacting with peers and teachers
Pre-academic skills: focus on tasks, following the rules, respecting peers
Cognitive skills: attention, learning things
Innate musical ability and love of music
Musical skills
Class activities & structure
Hello song : Greeting is a very important part of life and we celebrate this moment with singing. Each student is welcomed by everyone and takes a turn to play a special instrument.
Singing: To make students feel relaxed and comfortable, we start with songs that students are familiar with. Instructors encourage students to be creative and give ideas. After a few songs, everyone learns and sings our original songs, and children participate in singing and moving.
Concept learning: Students learn letters, colors, names of fruits, and animals with scarves, puppets and props along with singing.
Shakers: Shaking shakers helps students let some energy out and simply have fun! Everyone’s favorite song is “Stop and Go”.
Transition: Students love our transition song. Students get excited about finding out what is coming next as they sing “What’s next?”
Special activities: Each term, instructors choose 2-3 special activities that students can learn to play. Those activities also provide opportunities for students to learn important social skills such as turn-taking, sharing instruments, following instructions, as well as improve music skills such as playing softly/loudly & fast/slow, remembering and repeating what the instructor plays (call-and-response), and learning how to play simple songs on color bells.
Guitar time: This is everyone’s favorite time! Each student gets a turn, picks a song, and plays the guitar with the instructor.
Solfege: Students learn and sing solfege (do-re-mi). Sometimes, students get to play the color bells as they sing solfege.
Music Theory (Hug Melody® 3 only): Students learn basic music theory (notations) through fun games.
Jam: Students express themselves through playing various highly-quality acoustic instruments such as bongos, ukulele, xylophones, percussion, and many more. Each student plays at least 3-4 instruments during the jam as they learn to share the instruments with others.
Goodbye: Students sing goodbye as they move their hands and body to the music. The song reminds students that it is time to say goodbye and we will meet again and have fun next week.
You can watch or listen to some of the songs we use in the class.
“The best part was my child gets to play the guitar!”
100% of the parents who participated in the trial classes commented in the survey that the quality of the classes were “beyond their expectations”!!
Read more testimonials here
Classes are offered in-person & online now!
“Hands down, Hug Music!”
“Hug Music is the best music school we’ve found in the area. They focus on personal attention with their small class size, we love their philosophy in exposing children while listening and playing acoustic live music Instruments throughout the class. My son loves attending their music sessions, and we really enjoy their nurturing school environment… ”
“We are sad because we are moving to California… The only thing we miss from Forest Hills so badly is Hug Music! ”
“It is beyond my expectation for music programs for toddlers!”
“Her music class was the highlight of my daughter’s week and we are so grateful she had that experience. She loves you and Sasha and always talks about you and the class. Hug music is one of the things we will miss most about Forest Hills! ”
“Thank you for offering such a great classes.”
“We have attended so many music classes but I can confidently say, HUG MELODY is the best class!!”
“2歳の娘がHug Musicのクラスに参加し、最後まで集中して楽しんでいました。JAZZミュージシャンでもある先生方の豊富な音楽知識・経験は他にはないユニークでとても面白い授業でした！ ”
“Terrific! Hands-on is the best! ”
“Wonderful! Calm and positive energy. Small class size and great music lessons for early learning. ”
“We love it! It is so fun to get to play different instruments.”
“It is enjoyable and educational both for my child and myself.”
“The best part was my child gets to play the guitar!”
“I like the class so much and it is very distinct from other music programs for toddlers.”
“I am a Juilliard grad and music school owner myself but specialize in private instruction only. I send everyone to Hug Music and the kids that return to us afterwards have loved it! Even one of my faculty had her daughter attending until they moved. Have heard nothing but great things.”
“Two weeks ago we were getting ready for bed and my 2-year-old son, L, said, “Mama, I love Kana. I love Sasha. I love music class”. My heart melted. That was a testament to the impact you both have made in my child’s life. You guys are amazing and we are so happy to have found you. Thank you both for all that you do. ”
“like the class because it is personalized and music used is all original composition!”
“My girl talks about you (Kana) and Sasha all the time. At least 3 times a day she says Sasha! Guitar! and makes a strumming motion and then she says Kana! and clicks her tongue. You are definitely having a great impact on her. ”
“My daughter attends HUG MELODY 1 class and she enjoyed it very much!! I highly recommend this music school.”
“It is nice that music is played on the guitar throughout the lesson.”
“Dear Sasha and Kana, Thank you for giving wonderful classes since Hug Music opened last year. My daughter, E. developed her innate musical ability through your class. What I am grateful the most is that the fact that E. really enjoys music with you and her wonderful classmates. Thank you again! ”
“The small class size enables my child to receive full attention and interact with the teachers.”
“Music played throughout the class is so nice and there is a room for every baby to sing and participate.”
“Hug Music is the best! My daughter was a bit shy at first, but due to the small class size (6 students max) and nurturing instructors, Kana and Sasha, she’s really blossomed into trying all the instruments and practices singing at home. She loves her Saturday classes!!! ”