Bellchambers Music School had to think quickly when the coronavirus pandemic hit Australian shores in earnest in March.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Canberra music school arranged Zoom lessons and Google Classroom support for about 300 children who were signed up to group music lessons but their youngest students, aged 1 to 3, needed a special approach.
Assistant director Rachel Campbell got behind the camera with the help of producer Paul Bissett to create video episodes for the early childhood students, something their parents said was a welcome dose of normality amid the chaos of the pandemic.
A $10,000 grant from the Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia and Salesforce helped to kick start the BMS Beats program and lifted the school's spirits at a difficult time.
"Like every other small business we had a lot of withdrawals and people when they lost their jobs," Ms Campbell said.
"They couldn't afford these lessons and [Bellchambers director and owner] Bronwen and I had some really tough days.
"It's kind of like from something really awful has come something quite amazing."
The episodes introduce children to beats and rhythms, help them explore concepts like fast and slow and encourage them to explore the voice through animal noises and singing.
The program incorporates early literacy skills and finger play to develop fine motor skills.
The episodes also included different languages and cultures and encouraged children to sing along.
"I think it's so powerful for a little people to see their own cultures represented in those things."
Ms Campbell said a high-quality music education at a young age was beneficial for a child's development.
"There's lots of studies about the link between having formal music lessons and then having improved improved outcomes in maths and science in in high school," she said.
"So for me, music education isn't just an extracurricular activity... It's really something really fundamental like eating your vegetables or brushing your teeth."
Even though face-to-face lessons have resumed, the music school is now looking to expand the video program and make it available to early childhood educators and families both in Canberra and across Australia.
READ MORE:
The hope is the program would overcome physical distancing restrictions and allow people in remote locations to access high-quality music education.
An unexpected side effect of toddlers watching the BMS Beats episodes on repeat was their excitement when they finally saw Ms Campbell in person again.
"I think I know how Justin Bieber feels, actually," she said.
"I sort of feel like a baby music celebrity. It's really sweet."