Music Together classes for Leaside families
Leaside families drive eight minutes up Bayview to reach our studio at 2180 Bayview Ave. That trip is worth describing plainly: north on Bayview from the Bayview & Eglinton corner, past Serena Gundy Park on your left, straight up to Lawrence. It’s one road, no turns. For families coming from Laird & Eglinton or the Leaside Memorial Gardens side, it’s a slightly different route but roughly the same time.
Trevor Flemings, who completed his master’s in collaborative piano at U of T, is one of our Music Together teachers. He also teaches private piano and voice at the studio, which matters for a specific reason: if your child goes through Music Together and later wants to move to private lessons, Trevor may already know them. That continuity — same building, familiar face — makes the transition from group classes to individual study much less daunting for a five- or six-year-old.
Music Together is for children from birth to age five, with a caregiver in the room and participating. A season is 10 weeks. A free demo class is available before any season commitment. Current rates are on our tuition page. ABC Academy has been a licensed Music Together provider since 2003, and we’re one of the few Toronto schools where a child can move from Music Together at age two or three to private instrument lessons at age six without changing schools.
Musical experience in early childhood shapes how children process language for years afterward. Consistency matters more than the specific activity.
Frequently asked questions about Music Together for Leaside families
- Is the drive from Leaside to 2180 Bayview straightforward?
- Yes. From Bayview & Eglinton, follow Bayview north — it’s eight minutes on a clear morning. From the Laird side of Leaside, take Laird north to Millwood, then Bayview north. The studio has street parking on Bayview and a lot behind the building. Saturday morning classes finish before most weekend traffic picks up.
- What does a caregiver actually do during a Music Together class?
- You sing, move, and play alongside your child. The teacher leads songs and activities, but you’re not sitting on the side watching — you’re in it. The research behind the program shows that children learn music far more quickly when they see the important adults in their lives participating, not just supervising. You don’t need to be a singer. You just need to try.
- My child turns six this year. Are they too old for Music Together?
- Music Together is designed for birth to five. At six, a child is usually ready for private lessons — piano, guitar, or voice. We teach all of those at the same studio, and a child who went through Music Together often has a head start on pitch and rhythm that makes the first months of private lessons easier. We can talk through options when you call.
- How does ABC differ from other Music Together providers closer to Leaside?
- We’re an official Music Together licensee operating from the same address since 2003. Our teachers — including the ones who run Music Together — hold university music degrees and pass a Toronto Police Vulnerable Sector Check. We’re also the only provider we know of in Toronto where Music Together and a full private lesson program for older children exist under the same roof.