News

• Learning Continuity for Trials and Full Enrolments during Lockdowns

  We've all had to grapple with lockdowns this year and may have to for a while yet. So how do we ensure learning and development continuity at Min… read more

• Meet The Franchisees - Louise Reeder owner/operator of the Glen Waverley Franchise

  Louise Reeder is the owner/operator of the Glen Waverley franchise. We asked Louise a few questions so you can get to know her better and th… read more

• Meet the Franchisees - Kate Howard owner/operator of the Frankston/Langwarrin franchise

  Kate Howard is the owner/operator of the Frankston/Langwarrin franchise. We asked Kate a few questions so you can get to know her better and this… read more

• Meet Our Franchisee - Chantelle Alvaro owner/operator of Montmorency/Greensborough/Eltham

  Chantelle Alvaro is the owner/operator of Montmorency/Greensborough/Eltham. We asked Chantelle a few questions so you can get to know her better … read more

• Meet Our Franchisees - Alison Cusack and Linda Repic co-owners/operators of Craigieburn & Mickleham.

  Sisters  Alison Cusack and Linda Repic are the co-owners/operators of Craigieburn & Mickleham. We asked these lovely ladies a few questi… read more

• Mini Maestros At Home Educational Activities e-Pack

  Upon paying for in-person classes every student receives our bonus Mini Maestros At Home Educational Activities e-Pack.  The Pack contains: … read more

• Zoom Zoom Zoom With Bumblebee - By Melissa Eilers

  My last day teaching face-to-face classes was in late March and I very sadly packed up my cupboards at my Glen Iris venue not knowing how long it… read more

• 7 Things to Keep your Toddler Occupied When they Have to be Quiet - By Kate Phillips, Rowville Teacher

  As a parent with small children, the times I used to dread most were loooong waits in small spaces. Doctor’s surgeries, bus stops, appointm… read more

• Contemplating During COVID - By Kate Sadler Mini Maestros Kew/Balwyn

  Music was my first love, and it will be my last. Music of the future, and music of the past. To live without my music, would be impossible to do… read more

• How Music is Like the Clothes We Wear - By Pip Hargrave

  One of the reasons I’m passionate about music education is that music is such an amazing, universal language. Music can break through cult… read more

• Inter-Generational Music Making = Strengthening Friendships Through Songs and Dance by Jo Irwin, Macedon Ranges Franchisee.

  Recently the ABC aired a unique social experiment that brings together elderly people in a retirement community with a group of 4-year-olds. Old … read more

• Diving Deeper - Music from Around the World - Janet Collins

  It’s a day typical day like any other in a Mini Maestros class. Carers and students gather happily greeting each other with a quick catch u… read more

• Why Have Concerts? - By Maddy Kelly, Mini Maestros Head of Teaching

  The Mini Maestros concerts are a wonderful way to celebrate our year of learning and confidence building together. They provide an opportunity fo… read more

• Diving Deeper - Music and Mood Enhancement

  By Michelle Maglitto - Mini Maestros Williamstown & Hoppers CrossingMusic is a fundamental part of our society. Whether it be learning an ins… read more

• Diving Deeper - Music and Vocabulary By Kitty Skeen - Former Mini Maestros Bendigo Franchisee

  The words in our vocabulary are the building blocks for understanding and expressing ideas. Children’s vocabulary and concept development i… read more

• Diving Deeper - Lullaby and good night - hopefully... By Judy O'Neill

   “”Lullaby - A quiet song that is sung to children to help them go to sleep.” (Cambridge English Dictionary). Do you sing… read more

• Kodály, Orff, Dalcroze and Suzuki - By Jo Irwin - Mini Maestros Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Franchisee

  Have you ever wondered what it actually means when we say that our Mini Maestros education program is based on Kodály methodology and is i… read more

• Mini Maestros Customer App

  The Mini Maestros Customer App is a complimentary app for parents with children enrolled in Mini Maestros classes in Australia. The app includes… read more

• Diving Deeper - Connection by Maddy Kelly - Mini Maestros' Head of Teaching

  Whilst parents and teachers are surrounded by and catering to the immediate needs of children on a daily basis, it’s difficult to measure j… read more

• Diving Deeper - Imagination. By Caroline Paterson - Former Wembley/Mount Hawthorn/North Perth Franchisee

  “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” - Albert Einstein Imagination has long since been touted as … read more

• Diving Deeper - Creativity by Kitty Skeen - Former Mini Maestros Bendigo Franchisee

  “Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, andhaving fun.”– Mary Lou Cook… read more

• Interview with Dr Anita Collins – By Esther Bertram

  Dr Anita Collins is an award-winning educator, researcher and writer in the field of brain development and music learning. She is internationally… read more

• Onlooker Learners - By Emma Hart, Former Mini Maestros Head Of Teaching

  The term onlooker learning is very much as it sounds, learning through watching. Many children will go through this stage, as it is essentially h… read more

• Meet The Team - Ally Hvalica

  Ally has just joined the Head Office team as our new Enrolments Registrar. Ally was the Preston, Ivanhoe and Northcote franchisee for just over 5… read more

• Music and Intellectual Development - By Alison Cusack & Linda Repic

  As parents we are always looking for ways to help our little ones get everything they need to develop and grow into well-mannered, smart and stro… read more

• Who is your child's best teacher? Part 1 of 2 By Emma Hart - Former Mini Maestros Head of Teaching

  Who is your child’s best teacher? What is our role as parents and teachers, and how can we help our youngest learners to reach their full … read more

• Who is your child's best teacher? Part 2 of 2 By Emma Hart - Former Mini Maestros Head of Teaching

  Continued from part 1.... READ PART 1 HERE I used to find this difficult to manage as a teacher. I found myself repeatedly showing children how … read more

• Diving Deeper - Physical Skills - By Taryn Wright

  "You are the music while the music lasts" TS ElliotThis is a quote that has always resonated with me. I think we all know that feeling our favour… read more

• Inter-generational music making is building healthy communities

  Mini Maestros have partnered with Sunbury Community Health to offer inter-generational music classes to pre-school aged children and elders resid… read more

• Writing Music Down - by 3MBS

  Writing Music Down - by 3MBSBefore sound recording was invented just over a hundred years ago, a lot of music was lost forever as soon as it was … read more

• Diving Deeper - Social Skills by Kate Rice

  In a world where you can be anything, be kind.As I scrolled through my Facebook feed recently this quote caught my eye. It really resonated with … read more

• The Importance of Repetition

  Repetition is a crucial factor in children’s overall learning development. Through repetition, children can experience a sense of pride as … read more

• Diving Deeper - Learning to listen by Robyn Stewardson, former Coburg/Fawkner/Reservoir Franchisee

  Still. Quiet. Listening to nothing. The littlest children in our classes are great at listening and the older ones get great at it. Funnily enoug… read more

• Meeting The Head Office Team - Esther Bertram - Marketing and Franchise Development Manager

  Esther Bertram is Mini Maestros’ Marketing and Franchise Development Manager. Esther’s creativity and energy are evident in Mini Maes… read more

• Meet the Team - Jo Irwin

  Jo Irwin is the Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Franchisee and our Social Community Manager. Jo first attended Mini Maestros in 2002 with her 6 month … read more

• Diving Deeper - Imagination and Music By Lisa Marcolin

  Do you remember…. as a child roaring like a tiger, flying like a fairy and jumping like a kangaroo?!?It's all about imagination.Babies imi… read more

• Speech Development - Stories from Parents by Annette L. Graham

  My Son Coulton started Mini Maestros with Georgie at the Kew Library when he was two and progressed right through the programs doing his final ye… read more

• Diving Deeper - The Power of Song by Kitty Skeen - Former Mini Maestros Bendigo Franchisee - Part 1 of 2

  What if I told you, there was one activity you can do that can be done by anyone, of any age, with no experience or qualifications. It can be do… read more

• Diving Deeper - The Power of Song by Kitty Skeen - Former Mini Maestros Bendigo Franchisee - Part 2 of 2

  List your ten favourite songs… your own ‘playlist of your life’. Do they have a place, a memory, a person associated to them, … read more

• Meeting the Head Office Team - Maddy Kelly

  Maddy Kelly is Mini Maestros’ Head of Teaching.  Maddy was born into a family of musicians and music teachers alike, with both her pa… read more

• Meeting The Head Office Team - Bruce Fethers - Co-owner & Managing Director

  Bruce Fethers is Mini Maestros’ Managing Director and co-owner. Bruce had a career as a lawyer and then as a business executive before co… read more

• Diving Deeper - Dance - by Cathy Edgar

  Most people I know like to dance. Dancing is rhythmic movement that is mostly generated by positive emotion or excitement. It’s a wonderful… read more

• The Senses - By Robyn Grose. - Former Preston/Northcote/Ivanhoe/Rosanna/Canterbury/Box Hill Franchisee

  For babies and young children the world is a magical mix of sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touchables! Unlike most adults, children feel fir… read more

• Meeting The Head Office Team - Jennifer Smith - Co-owner & Music Director

  Jennie Smith is co-owner of the Mini Maestros master franchise and the Music Director. Jennie’s wealth of experience developing music progr… read more

• The Power of Music in Expressing Children's Emotions by Chantelle Alvaro

  KidsMatter, the Australian Early Childhood Mental Health Initiative (see kidsmatter.edu.au) notes that the development of children’s emotio… read more

• Play - By Kate Howard

  “Mum, can you play with me?” – “I have to do the dishes, I will soon.”“Dad, can you play with me now?” … read more

• Meeting The Head Office Team - Introducing Stephanie Migliore

  Stephanie joined the Mini Maestros team in 2015 and is our registrar extraordinaire! She looks after over 900 Mini Maestros Head Office students … read more

• Relationships - By Ally Hvalica

  As a Mini Maestros teacher, I truly believe in our motto: Nurturing Confident Learners. I believe if we want to achieve this, we need to establis… read more

• Developmental Milestones - By MaryRose Harrison - Former Franchisee

  From the day our children are conceived we read and are told about developmental milestones. How big our child should be; how much they should w… read more

• Stories From Parents/Grandparents - Bobbie Carroll

  When our first two little granddaughters were born eight days apart in 2010 I wanted to give them a very special gift which would last their enti… read more

• Meeting The Head Office Team - Introducing Monika Szilagyi

  In this new section of the newsletter we will be introducing members of the Mini Maestros Head Office team, so you can get to know the people who… read more

• JOY by Tiff Ikin

  JOY - noun1. the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation2. a source or… read more

• Music Education

  By Kylie Rendle - Mini Maestros Mt Eliza FranchiseeTwenty years ago I sat in a cosy café in Richmond with Jenny Fogarty, the founder of Mi… read more

• Wellbeing

  By Liz Davis - Former Mini Maestros Geelong/Bellarine/Surf Coast Franchisee One can’t help but notice the constant bombardment of advertis… read more

• Peekaboo Scarves by Emma Hart, Former Mini Maestros Head of Teaching

  We are delighted to announce that Peek-a-boo scarves will be a standard part of student equipment for babies and toddlers in 2017. Peekaboo is p… read more

• All Shapes of the World

  By Kate Phillips - Former Mini Maestros Rowville/Upwey/Upper Ferntree Gully Franchisee "Look at us! Governed by squares and rectangles… read more

• Music Forever

  By Adina Hall - Former Mini Maestros Dingley/Black Rock/Sandringham Franchisee. Music is everywhere. Our lives are surrounded by music, whethe… read more

• Children of Tomorrow: Thoughts On Mindful Music Education in the Early Childhood Space

  By Marlena Raymond - Former Mini Maestros Business Development Assistant Introduction As educators, musicians, teaching artists and parents, it… read more

• Nurturing the Love of Music

  By Simone McGrath - Former Mini Maestros Glen Waverley/Mount Waverley Franchisee The first time I ever heard of Mini Maestros was in a conversat… read more

• Music. Feel it all over.

  By Kate Dodds - Mini Maestros Kew & Balwyn FranchiseeTo quote Stevie Wonder’s Sir Duke,“Music is a world within itself,It’s… read more

• Mini Maestros - It's Not Just About The Children.

  By Judy O'Neill - Mini Maestros Ringwood & Vermont South Franchisee As a mother of three small children, who had just moved into Heathmont, I… read more

• The Creative Life

  By Taryn Wright - Mini Maestros Essendon North Franchisee"We are all born creative, we just get it educated out of us"This is a quote that really… read more

• 5 Simple Ways to Nurture Creativity in Our Children

  By Maddie Thiele - Former Business Development Officer/Teacher at South Yarra and Burnley Children of Tomorrow – May 2016 &ldqu… read more

• Discovering the Joy of Music

  By Michelle Maglitto - Mini Maestros Wiliamstown and Hoppers Crossing FranchiseeMusic is one of those wonderful things that brings happiness and … read more

• Five Alternative Ways to Say "Well Done!"

  By Maddie Thiele, Former Teacher - Burnley/South Yarra As parents and educators, we would like the best for our children. We would like them to… read more

• "Good morning Bumblebee"

  By Jo Irwin - Mini Maestros Macedon Ranges FranchiseeThese three words are sung, spoken, whispered, yelled or hummed across Australia, Singapore,… read more

• A Mini Maestros Moment

  By Amanda Siva, Daughter of Mini Maestros Founder Jenny FogartyMost people crave a sense of community. It is sometimes elusive and unless you sea… read more

• The exchange between teacher and child

  By Maddie Thiele, Former Mini Maestros Teacher - South Yarra/Burnley Children of Tomorrow On the wall behind many of the desks at Mini Maestros… read more

• The joy of being a new mum, and the importance of connection learning and play

  By Emma Hart, Former Teacher - Carlton North, Head of Teaching I can honestly say, like so many have before me, that becoming a mum has brought … read more

• Community

  By Janet Collins - Mini Maestros Port Mlebourne, Docklands and Elwood FranchiseeToday we know more about our processes of learning and growing th… read more

• BABIES CLASSES - a very special and important time for you and your child.

  By Emma Hart, Former Head Of Teaching – Mini Maestros Mini Maestros babies’ classes nurture the innate love of music that babies ar… read more

• 5 Ways To Jam With Your Child At Home

  By Maddie Thiele, Former Mini Maestros Teacher In a recent study published by the University of Queensland, researchers found that in terms of d… read more

• Was Your First Mini Maestros Class What You Expected?

  Did you know it can take around three weeks for young children to settle into new situations such as Mini Maestros? In our 30 years of experience… read more

• Learning an Instrument

  Many parents enquire about their child learning an instrument, such as piano or violin. We encourage them not to be in a rush to have children le… read more