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Mendel Public Library music class introduces toddlers to singing and rhythm
Summary
Dorothy Romano, head of the music department at Rhythm and Hues, led a drop-in early-childhood music class at Mendel Public Library where infants and toddlers practiced singing on key, keeping a beat and sharing instruments; a parent and a former student spoke about the class’s benefits.
Dorothy Romano, head of the music department at Rhythm and Hues in Richmond Center, led a children’s music class at Mendel Public Library where infants and toddlers practiced singing on key, keeping the beat and using small instruments.
The session, held at the library, is part of Rhythm and Hues’s early-childhood offerings and brings together very young participants — including newborns — and their caregivers to learn music in an open, low-pressure environment. The class teaches basic musical skills alongside social skills such as following directions and sharing.
“She's been coming her whole life,” said Zach, a parent attending with his children Xander and Zoe, referring to Zoe, who he identified as 2 months old and participating in the class. Parents in the session used small percussion instruments and activities designed for very young learners to engage children’s attention.
Romano described the program as an opportunity for children to “explore music in an open and creative way” without pressure. The class accommodates a wide age range: instructors invite toddlers and infants to participate together so caregivers can introduce music early. Instruction during the class focused on pitch (singing on key), basic rhythmic skills (keeping the beat) and cooperative behaviors like sharing and following directions.
Romano’s own daughter, Melody Romano, attended the class as a child and is cited in the session description as a former student who later became a professional singer and actress. “I always say go for your dreams and just, like, never give up,” Melody said when recalling her experience in the program.
Organizers and parents portrayed the class as both recreational and developmental, noting it can be a first step for children with musical interest. For more information about Rhythm and Hues’s classes and library programming, the session referenced the library’s events page at wpb.org/library, as noted in the reporting of Cheryl Conn of WPB TV.
The Mendel Public Library session represents a short-form, community-focused offering rather than a formal early-education course; details about frequency, registration requirements or fees were not specified during the session.
