Heidi Riggs Vocal Studio presents......
Preschool Music Program
Sign up to reserve your spot today!
WHAT IS IT?
Heidi Riggs’ Vocal Studio is offering an unheard of 1-to-1 Preschool Music Program designed to teach your 2 to 6 year old how to speak, read, and communicate in the Language of Music.🎶
AND the program is customized to begin when your family is ready to start! 🕚📆
Young children’s minds are able to comprehend so much more than one can even begin to imagine. Their brains are constantly growing, absorbing information like a sponge.
In Rishi Srirams 2020 article "Why Ages 2-7 Matter So Much for Brain Development" (located here), they mention how "children's brains develop in spurts called critical periods". The periods start at 2 and conclude around age 7. During these periods, children's brains are able to learn twice as fast than at any other time of life. To quote Sriram, "children's experiences in this phase have lasting effects on their development".
Younger brains are more likely to recall bright colors and loud sounds compared to dim hues and quiet voices. This is one of the reasons many young children shows involve a sort of "bouncey" voice when singing songs, as well as bright colors and lively themes. Ever sat with a child and had a TV show's theme song stuck in your head all day? Bright colors and sing-songy style learning works!
In Anne Steinhoffs 2016 article "The Importance of Music in Early Childhood Development", Steinhoff mentions that "the years from birth to the age of six is the most important period for a child's musical development.” During this time, the youngest of toddlers can understand the different tones and can even begin memorizing the music. This type of learning and understanding not only develops their musical abilities, but also assists with language development.
WHY?
ABOUT
🌟𝐇𝐞𝐢𝐝𝐢 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐬' 𝐕𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐀𝐥𝐮𝐦 ('16), 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐦, 𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬. 🎶🎵
Stephanie Graham was born and raised right here in Richmond, MI!
Stephanie has always known that she wanted to teach music and theatre to young artists. Ever since she began music lessons when she was a toddler and has studied voice since a young age, she knew she wanted to change the lives of people through music just as her life was influenced by her teachers.
While growing up in Richmond, Stephanie was involved with the Richmond Community Theatre and The AUD Regional Youth Complex. Stephanie performed in multiple productions at both the AUD and Richmond High School. She is grateful to have been the Music Director for children-theatre productions at The AUD Regional Youth Complex.
Ms. Graham competed in piano and voice competitions through American Guild of Music as well as at multiple Michigan District, State, and Musical Theatre Solo and Ensemble Festivals.
In high school, Stephanie was a member of Richmond’s Advanced Women’s Chorale where she received the Fred Waring Director’s Award For Chorus in honor of outstanding contributions and achievements. During her senior year, Stephanie was given the opportunity to conduct one of Richmond High School Concert Choir’s pieces.
Stephanie studied Music, Theatre, and Communications at Capital University, studying voice under Dean Emeritus Lynn Roseberry. She also participated in Choral Ensembles at the University and churches in the city where she was a Soprano Section Leader. Stephanie’s favorite class during her time at Capital was Vocal Pedagogy, where she studied the science and art behind teaching people voice.
Since graduating in 2019, Stephanie has directed children’s theatre workshops and Directed, Music Directed, and Produced a student-written Cabaret as well as a K-12 Musical. Stephanie has been teaching Voice and Piano lessons for two years and looks forward to teaching music to the young artists of Richmond.
𝗛𝗲𝗶𝗱𝗶 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗴𝘀' 𝗩𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿, 𝗠𝘀. 𝗠𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗡𝘂𝘀𝘀, 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺! 𝗬𝗮𝘆!🌟
𝗔 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗠𝘀. 𝗡𝘂𝘀𝘀...
Ms. Megan Nuss has been teaching music for thirteen years at various levels and parts of the country for both public and non-profit entities. Among these roles, she has served as a children’s choir clinician, director for a non-profit children’s choir, presented music education research at the national level, and directed multiple musicals. She attended Doane University in Crete, Nebraska where she discovered her passion for sharing and teaching music with young people. During her undergrad, Ms. Nuss sang in the top auditioned choir for 4 years, the jazz choir, and played in the symphonic wind ensemble. A few years later, she received her MA in Music Education from the University of Northern Colorado. Her drive and passion is to nurture the musician in all students, and genuinely care and value each individual child.
Ms. Nuss was raised in small-town America, where she found her love for all things music. She grew up performing and singing in children’s choir, church choir, auditioned choir, show choir, band, community choir, and community theater. Ms. Nuss is excited to be moving back to her midwest roots with her fiancé, dog, and kitten. She absolutely loves reading, embracing her inner nerd, cooking, all things outdoors, and is a dog enthusiast.