Ages 4–7 • Weekly 45-Minute Sessions • Seasonal Enrollment
Where music meets imagination.
Tune-the-Tale is Erie Niagara Conservatory’s signature early childhood program that combines storytelling, movement, and music exploration in a joyful and developmentally rich format. Guided by experienced teaching artists, each class invites children into a new world—one where books come to life through rhythm, voice, instruments, and play.
Program Highlights
- Book-Based Learning: Each season features two beloved picture books as the heart of the musical journey.
- Multi-Sensory Play: Children listen, move, sing, and play each week—developing both musical and social-emotional skills.
- Performance-Ready: Every season ends with a short, joyful “mini musical” that families are invited to attend.
- Certificates Included: Children receive seasonal awards like Rhythm Explorer and Voice Virtuoso to mark their growth.
Structure & Flow
Session Breakdown:
- 📖 Read & Discover – Storytime and guided discussion
- 🥁 Feel the Beat – Explore rhythm, gesture, or voice
- 🎼 Make Music – Create motifs using instruments or body sounds
- 🎬 Build the World – Improvise scenes with props and music
- 🎭 Rehearse – Simple roles, transitions, and expression
- 🌈 Perform – Invite families for a short story-based musical
🍁 Seasonal Themes
Season 1: Rhythm & Storytelling (September- November)
- Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb — Drumming games & body percussion
- We’re Going on a Bear Hunt — Rhythm walks through imagined landscapes
🥁 Rhythm & Storytelling
| Book | Musical Possibilities |
|---|---|
| Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson | Rhythmic repetition, dynamics (quiet/loud), ensemble sounds (snoring, sneezing, storm) |
| Tip Tip Dig Dig by Emma Garcia | Percussive syllables, tempo changes, vehicle sounds |
| Down by the Station by Will Hillenbrand | Train rhythms, steady beat games, cumulative song form |
| Tanka Tanka Skunk! by Steve Webb | Syllabic rhythm play, animal names as drum patterns |
Season 2: Movement & Gesture (December- February)
- From Head to Toe — Move like animals, match gesture to sound
- Giraffes Can’t Dance — Discover tempo through dance styles
🌀 Movement & Gesture
| Book | Musical Possibilities |
|---|---|
| I Got the Rhythm by Connie Schofield-Morrison | Full-body rhythm and dance, call-and-response |
| Move! by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page | Animal movements with matching sounds and instruments |
| Hop Jump by Ellen Stoll Walsh | Contrasting tempos and movement qualities (hopping vs. flowing) |
| Shake a Leg! by Constance Allen (Sesame Street) | Silly gestures, freeze dance, interpretive movement |
Season 3: Voice & Expression (March- May)
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear — Call-and-response singing
- The Gruffalo — Character voices and vocal effects
🎤 Voice & Expression
| Book | Musical Possibilities |
|---|---|
| The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland | Character voices, dynamics, vocal storytelling |
| Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr. | Animal sounds, call-and-response, vocal timbre |
| Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang | Emotion-based vocal improvisation, mood-based music |
| Sing by Joe Raposo | Song-based book; great for a final sing-along piece |
Season 4: Instruments & Sound Exploration (June- August)
- Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin — Explore orchestral instruments
- Ada’s Violin — Make your own instruments, build soundscapes
🎻 Instruments & Sound Exploration
| Book | Musical Possibilities |
|---|---|
| Berlioz the Bear by Jan Brett | Orchestral sound exploration, animal instruments |
| Music, Music for Everyone by Vera B. Williams | Community music-making, improvisation, found sounds |
| The Noisy Paint Box by Barb Rosenstock | Cross-modal sound-color play, synesthesia-inspired soundscapes |
| Because by Mo Willems | Cause-effect in music, orchestra building, emotional storytelling through sound |
💡 Learning Goals
By the end of each season, children will:
✅ Keep a steady beat and recognize rhythmic patterns
✅ Use their voices expressively in songs and storytelling
✅ Explore instruments and sounds from everyday life
✅ Build confidence through collaboration and performance
📅 Participation
Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer sessions available
Participation is limited to 10 children with parents to ensure individual attention and joyful group dynamics.
Workshops are free, thank to the support of our community partners.
💌 Interested?
Contact Us or Join the Waitlist to reserve your spot for the next season of Tune-the-Tale.
Upcoming dates:
Time: 9:30 am
Locations: Earl W. Brydges (Main Street) Library, Niagara Falls, NY Flag Room
Julia Boyer Reinstein Library, Cheektowaga, NY
January 3 (Niagara Falls)/ January 10 (Cheektowaga)
Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
January 17 (Cheektowaga), January 31 (Niagara Falls)
Tip Tip Dig Dig by Emma Garcia
February 7 (Niagara Falls), February 14 (Cheektowaga)
Down by the Station by Will Hillenbrand
February 21 (Cheektowaga), February 28 (Niagara Falls)
Tanka Tanka Skunk! by Steve Webb
Special Note: The Niagara Falls Public Library and Cheektowaga Public Library do not endorse or advocate the views of any group using our Meeting Rooms
Thank You to Our Supporters
The Erie Niagara Conservatory of Music is proud to be a sponsored project of Arts Services Inc. (ASI), our fiscal sponsor. Their support and advocacy allow us to bring accessible, high-quality music education to children and families across Erie and Niagara counties.
We are also deeply grateful to the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation for their generous funding of our children’s music workshops. Their investment helps us offer free and low-cost “Tune-the-Tale” programs in community libraries, giving young learners a joyful entry point into music, rhythm, and storytelling.
Together, ASI and the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation are helping us build a more musical, creative, and connected region. We are honored to partner with both organizations in shaping a brighter future for our community.