by David Huffines/Aesthetic Images

OK, let’s begin. I’ll start a song and you pick it up when you know how it goes. Ready? “A, B, C, D, E, F, G …” Got it? Here’s another: “I’m just a bill, yes, I’m only a bill …”

If these tunes strike a chord, you have experienced musical learning. It’s this type of learning that’s at the core of Kindermusik International. As the world’s leading publisher of educational music for young children, Kindermusik reaches 66 countries and nearly 1 million families.

Scott Cross, manager of education development, and Lisa Rowell, senior director of marketing, run the business on the simple philosophy that music helps children learn more effectively.

What is Kindermusik and how early can you start?

The Kindermusik programs are designed for children from birth to 7 years old. We believe that music nurtures a child’s development in a number of ways, and that every child should have the opportunity to experience the pure delight that music brings. Kindermusik brings this joy and development to children through a variety of curricula.

For younger children, it’s about motor skills. It’s understanding that when they reach for the red egg shaker and shake it, that they made that noise. Their eyes just absolutely light up when they understand that cause and effect.

An example in older children is when they see notes on a page and keep a steady beat. They’re reading notes from left to right, and this corresponds to their preschool classes where they’re learning to read words from left to right. So it really complements whatever developmental stage they’re at.

How do children benefit?

We see it benefiting them in a few ways. One is classroom readiness. If they’ve been through Kindermusik they’re more prepared to enter a classroom setting with a teacher at the head of the class and [participate in] group learning because they’ve been doing it for years.

In addition, children are better at self-regulation in a social setting and tend to perform better cognitively.  

What should parents know about the Kindermusik program?

It’s for the kids, but it’s for the parents too.

Parents learn about what’s going on with their children developmentally in a small community setting where they can bond with other parents who are experiencing the same things.

There’s a child-development expert leading the classes who can give parents insight into what’s happening with their children and then give them the tools to take what they learn back into their home.

How is Kindermusik different from other early music programs?

We’re unique in the degree of quality and research that’s put into our curriculum and the degree to which it’s developmentally beneficial to the child.

The difference is also in the element that goes beyond the classroom. There are home materials and activities and CDs. We also put a lot of emphasis on the quality of our teachers — who are actually small-business owners running their own programs — and we invest pretty heavily in continuing-education opportunities for these participants.

Why did the business choose to be headquartered in Greensboro?

That’s a good question. It’s a great area artistically. In addition to that, we’ve found Greensboro to be a wonderful place for smart businesspeople. The people who work here are absolutely at the top of their game. In terms of support for small business and a pool of some of the best business minds, we have great resources here in the Greensboro area.

For information about Kindermusik , call 336-273-3363 or go to kindermusik.com.