Millions Singing Since 1987
The old saying, "Great oaks from little acorns grow," describes the history of Music Together® to a tee. What started in 1987 as a tiny program in Princeton, New Jersey, has now expanded all over the world and changed the lives of millions of children—and the grownups who love them.
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It all began in 1985, when composer Kenneth K. Guilmartin found himself teaching music at his daughter's school in Montclair, New Jersey. As a teacher, he knew the importance of music in early childhood education. As a parent, he was beginning to see how his daughter's learning changed when he became directly involved in it. That year, he founded the Center for Music and Young Children (CMYC) to combine both aspects of his experience in a new and exciting music and movement program. The key elements of this program, he knew, were going to be great music, playful, developmentally appropriate activities, parental involvement, and supportive take-home materials. |
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In 1986, while attending a seminar with music educator Dr. Edwin Gordon, Ken met Lili M. Levinowitz, then one of Gordon's Ph.D. students at Temple University—and the rest is Music Together history! Ken was so impressed by Lili's innovative research on music development in young children that he hired her to consult on his musical experiments at his daughter's school. Shortly after that, they began to design the Music Together materials and classroom techniques that were first offered to the public in the fall of 1987—and have served as the foundation for the evolution of the curriculum ever since. |
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Ken and Lili are still collaborating, and the great oak that is Music Together is still growing! Stay tuned…