“I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for the patterns in music and all the arts are the keys to understanding the universe.” These immortal words attributed to Socrates in Plato’s Republic sound less like those of an ancient sage and more like someone who is up to date on the latest research in cognitive development. Mindy Dicken, singer/songwriter, teacher, and, as of March 2024, the newest owner of Children’s Music Academy (CMA) of Minot would wholeheartedly agree with his statement.
Mindy’s enthusiasm for unlocking a child’s musical potential during the period known as the “musical window,” approximately between ages four and eight is apparent to anyone who talks to her. She cites not just known cognitive boosts in focus, coordination and memory, but on the emotional and social benefits that come with learning in a small group and becoming proficient at something you’ve worked hard on. CMA’s studio, is not merely strewn with various instruments and the current seasonally themed snowflake decor, but handouts that show all the parts of the brain that must communicate with one another, when someone plays an instrument or sings (it’s pretty much all of them.) Mindy’s goal is to make these benefits tangible both through CMA and her company Everjoy Music.
The opportunity to take over CMA from previous owner and friend, Terri Aldrich, happened by chance as Terri made the decision to retire and move closer to grand-children. CMA of Minot, which first came to the Magic City in 2005, utilizes a copyrighted curriculum to teach keyboard, singing, harmony, rhythm, note reading, theory, ear training, composition, ensemble playing, recorder, guitar and more. The Pre-Junior course includes eight week sessions featuring seasonal themes and is designed for three to four year olds. The Junior and Intermediate courses offer the full CMA curriculum over either 2.5 years for students in first grade up to age 9 or 3.5 years for students as young as 4.5. These longer courses follow the school calendar and are paid for annually or in monthly installments. Classes meet one hour a week and require a parent to be present to learn alongside the student and then guide them at home.
Military families may wonder about the commitment involved when faced with the uncertainties of TDYs, deployments, and the PCS cycle. Mindy’s first piece of advice is to simply jump in and join for whatever amount of time you do have in Minot because, “the brain benefits are there for that age, and you only get busier later in their lives.” She notes that families with similar age kids can enroll both in the class and that those with busier work schedules have utilized friends, sitters and extended family to make lessons possible. She also shared that, while they are not ideal conditions for learning to take place, for a committed family there is the option to do zoom lessons when a parent is sick, the roads from base are less than optimal, or a family is temporarily away from Minot for a TDY. She has even had a military family continue to finish up the program via zoom after moving away.
Families pay for the multi-year program one year at a time and Mindy noted that, for those who pay in installments, she would not apply the dis-enrollment fee for military families faced with a PCS. She added, “for military families who prefer full-pay rather than installments (which will save them some money,) I offer a pro-rated tuition and full-pay discount [families] who know they will be moving during that year’s tuition period.” In short, when it comes to making the most of a child’s musical education, Mindy’s chief focus is to help as many families as possible succeed. She noted that even if there is not a CMA program at the next duty station, there are similar enough programs out there that she is confident there will be ways to continue forward, even after just one year with CMA.
With the next set of preschool classes opening up in March, and a few openings left for the next Junior/Intermediate Course, which start the third week of January, CMA has plenty to offer Minot’s military community. Mindy concluded, “if you’re a human being, music is for you. So why not enjoy it and understand it and develop a basic skill set that you can do something with. Most people don’t grow and say they wish they had been better at math, but almost everyone wants to be better at music!” For more information about CMA go to https://childrensmusicacademy.org/minot-nd/
