WHO WE ARE
Introducing children to music during one of the most
integral phases of growth and development
ABOUT OUR PROGRAM
Did You Know? A child’s brain grows faster from birth to age 5 than at any other time of life (reaching 70% of its adult size by age one and 85% by age three). Creating music, and the human interaction that accompanies music-making, involves multi-sensory activities that foster strong brain growth and healthy interaction between young children and their caregivers.
ChIMES is KeyNote’s early childhood music program that supports this crucial phase of child growth and development. Along with our flagship program that features parent/caregiver and child classes in Balboa Park and Liberty Station throughout the year, ChIMES also offers programs to community-based partners in order to bring early childhood music to as many families as possible.
ABOUT OUR CLASSES
ChIMES offers a welcoming and inclusive community with interactive musical experiences that encourage family bonding, at-home learning, and pave the way for future musical development and school readiness. You and your child will sing and dance, be exposed to a culturally rich array of music and instruments, play your own instruments, and learn about rhythm, tone, and other musical concepts.
Activities with our teachers are playful and interactive, and the classes are personalized to accommodate all children, and encourage musical development and active participation. Our ChIMES curriculum focuses on the child/caregiver shared musical experience. Actively participating in class and interacting with your child is the key to a fun and enriching experience!
ChIMES SESSION SCHEDULE
We run multiple sessions (either 8 weeks or 4 weeks) throughout the year. Most classes are held indoors in our new early childhood music studio in Liberty Station, and we also have outdoor class options in Balboa Park. There are class options for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and English/Spanish bilingual classes. View our upcoming classes.
CLASS OPTIONS
Sing, dance, smile, and play with your child!
Babies Only
Pre-walkers, recommended for ages up to 8 months (no older siblings please)
“Modeling” Stage: Parents and caregivers act as music-making role models, nurturing their child's innate musicality. Babies learn by observing and imitating these actions. Participation increases as babies become more familiar with the sights, sounds, and feelings of music, as well as the class routines. This class is designed to create a joyful and educational musical environment where babies and their caregivers can bond through play and music.
What to Expect: Singing, dancing, lap songs and bounces, parent education, peek-a-boo games, scarves and movement, basic rhythm activities, hands-on play with instruments.
Toddlers/Preschoolers
Recommended for ages 2.5 - 4
“Increased Independence” Stage: During this stage, children take more ownership in activities, as they start to recognize favorite songs and actively participate in musical activities with greater control over their voices, bodies, and musical instruments. The class transitions into a shared parent/child experience rather than being solely parent-led. This class is designed to seamlessly integrate music into everyday life, fostering an immersive environment where children and their caregivers can explore, discover, and share musical experiences together.
What to Expect: Singing and solfege, harmony and tonal fundamentals, large movement, rhythm patterns and activities, guest musicians, instrument play.
Babies/Toddlers
Recommended for ages approximately birth to 2.5
“Exploring” Stage: Children begin to observe, imitate, and actively participate in class activities. As they become more familiar with the routine and develop greater control over their voices, bodies, and musical instruments, they start to interact more with others. The class transitions into a shared parent/child experience rather than being solely parent-led. This class provides a joyful, interactive environment where toddlers and their caregivers can explore and share musical moments together.
What to Expect: Singing and solfege, harmony/tonal fundamentals, dancing and large movement, creative expression, rhythm activities, guest musicians/instrument show-and-tell, instrument play.
Preschool/TK
Recommended for ages 3.5 – 5 yrs old
“Creating & Doing” Stage: Children take on a more active role, generating their own ideas, sounds, and movements. The class becomes more child-led, with children showing greater independence and creativity. Parents and caregivers continue to participate, but children also engage significantly with their peers and the teacher. This class is designed to enhance children's musical abilities and independence, fostering a love of music and creativity in a supportive, interactive environment.
What to Expect: Ensemble skills, rhythm activities and movement, improvisation and creative expression, expanded instrument exploration, basic music notation and concepts.
Mixed Ages
Recommended for all ages, birth to 5
Scaffolded Approach: Classes are designed to be developmentally appropriate for mixed ages, with activities structured in a scaffolded manner. This allows children to engage with the activities in their own way, according to their personal developmental level. This class creates a supportive and dynamic environment where children of different ages can learn from each other, fostering growth and development through shared musical experiences.
What to Expect: Leadership opportunities for older children, role modeling for younger children, inclusive and adaptable activities that ensure each child can participate and benefit at their own developmental pace.
English/Spanish Bilingual
Recommended for all ages, birth to 5
What to Expect: Our bilingual program offers a joyful, engaging and inclusive music-making experience for families, conducted in Spanish and English. This class is designed to introduce everyday vocabulary and simple directions in a fun and interactive way and allows children and their families to explore music and language together, enhancing their linguistic and musical development. No prior knowledge of Spanish is needed, making it accessible for all families.Features: Bilingual instruction, curated music playlist, Spanish language rhythm cards, family participation, cultural sensitivity and celebration.
MEET THE ChIMES TEAM
Our creative, experienced team is passionate about helping your child
grow and develop
Mr. Charlie
Mr. Charlie
Teaching Artist
Born and raised in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming, Charlie Perkes comes from a strong musical family. He was accepted into the United States Army Band as a bassist and while in the Army, he studied at the Department of Defense School of Music.
After completing four years in the Army Band, he joined his wife in the Navy Band, where they completed a four-year tour of duty performing all over Europe and Africa. His next tour to Japan was for four years, performing all over Southeast Asia.
Charlie plays the bass, cello and ukulele, and has been teaching ChIMES classes for several years. He also works as a Strings Teaching Artist for SDYS.
Miss Kat
Miss Kat
Teaching Artist
Kat Fitzpatrick has a BA in Child Studies and an AS in Early Childhood Development, and over 30 years of early childhood teaching experience. She has taught preschool at both private schools and at CVUSD. Kat also ran her own business teaching music and drama enrichment classes for young children and performing for children all around San Diego.
Her other passion (besides the little ones!) includes musical theater and performance. Kat has won awards for her own original preschool song recordings and also for performing; she has been in many San Diego productions, most recently Sister Act at SDMT and The Addams Family at Lawrence Welk Theater.
Miss Mariana
Miss Mariana
Teaching Artist & Program Coordinator
Mariana (Mari) Jones has been working with KeyNote since 2022 as an Opus and Early Childhood Program Assistant, ChIMES Teaching Artist, and Music Discovery Teaching Artist. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Mari came to San Diego to receive her BA in Theatre Arts and Performance Studies from the University of San Diego, where she pursued a minor in Comprehensive Music, and spent much of her time singing, playing piccolo, dancing baile folklórico, and acting.
Over the last few years, Mari has been a passionate advocate for community-centered arts education as an intersectional approach for social justice and border advocacy in the San Diego-Tijuana region. Additionally, Mari has always looked up to her mother, who
works in early childhood education, and she is excited to be following in her footsteps and teaching with ChIMES and Music Discovery.
Miss Michelle
Miss Michelle
Teaching Artist
Michelle Caravia began playing the piano at a very early age and has a Bachelor of Music with a major in vocal performance. She has taught private piano and voice lessons as well as improvisational acting and group singing classes. She was a substitute teacher and paraeducator with the Orange County Department of Education for 6 years in the special education classes.
Michelle is passionate about performing and enjoys everything from singing to acting to improv. She has sung with Opera San Luis Obispo, Miami City Ballet and New World Symphony. She has performed in improv festivals around the country and, most recently, performed in an interactive theater production at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Florida.
A daughter of Cuban immigrants, Michelle grew up in a Spanish-speaking household and she is excited to give ChIMES families exposure to Spanish language through songs and other musical activities.
Mr. Thiago
Mr. Thiago
Teaching Artist
Thiago Winterstein is a charismatic, family-oriented multi-instrumentalist who performs and teaches in multiple languages and genres. Starting at age 8, he began studying piano and trombone, which would provide a foundation for learning many other instruments. His formal studies included earning a Guitar Performance degree from Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA, and studying Brazilian percussion, drum set, cavaquinho, arrangement, and 7-string guitar in São Paulo, Brazil.
For the past 17 years, Thiago has been performing, teaching, recording, and writing music in styles ranging from Bossa Nova, Nueva Trova, North American and Latin American Folk, reggae, rock, and blues. For years he performed with Chilean singer Angela Roa. He also helped develop a music program in Los Angeles to promote language development, literacy, and movement with the support of the Hope Street Family Center.
He is currently establishing his musical roots in San Diego, playing capoeira, and helping raise his twin daughters.
MEET THE ChIMES
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Kate Battenfeld
Kate Battenfeld
Early Childhood Program Manager
Kate joined KeyNote in 2020 and oversees the ChIMES parent-child program, Music Discovery program, and early childhood school and community outreach programs.
She taught general music in the Carlsbad Unified School District for 11 years and owned and operated an early childhood music studio for over 20 years. Kate is also a writer and editor, covering topics related to early childhood music education and parent education.
Additionally, she is an accomplished vocalist and has performed in various locations around the country. Kate received her M.Ed. specializing in arts integration from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In her spare time, you can often find her performing locally as part of her acoustic band, The Bad Carls. Want to learn more? Check out this article in SDVoyager about Kate’s story.
Sarah Williams
Sarah Williams
Early Childhood Program Coordinator
Sarah has been working at KeyNote since 2018 as an Early Childhood Program Coordinator, helping grow the ChIMES and Music Discovery programs and early childhood school and community outreach programs.
Growing up, she studied piano from elementary through high school, and also played violin in the San Diego Youth Symphony for several years. She is thrilled to be back now as a staff member so she can help more children experience the joys of music through KeyNote’s range of programs.
After earning her BA from UCLA and MA from University of Westminster in London, Sarah spent 10 years managing tourism marketing campaigns in San Diego and London. She has also worked as a piano accompanist, piano instructor, and taught early childhood music classes. Sarah enjoys spending time with her two young boys, reading, exploring nature, and attending live music concerts around town.
Miss Mariana
Miss Mariana
Teaching Artist & Program Coordinator
Mariana (Mari) Jones has been working with KeyNote since 2022 as an Opus and Early Childhood Program Assistant, ChIMES Teaching Artist, and Music Discovery Teaching Artist. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Mari came to San Diego to receive her BA in Theatre Arts and Performance Studies from the University of San Diego, where she pursued a minor in Comprehensive Music, and spent much of her time singing, playing piccolo, dancing baile folklórico, and acting.
Over the last few years, Mari has been a passionate advocate for community-centered arts education as an intersectional approach for social justice and border advocacy in the San Diego-Tijuana region. Additionally, Mari has always looked up to her mother, who
works in early childhood education, and she is excited to be following in her footsteps and teaching with ChIMES and Music Discovery.
Briana Mossman
Briana Mossman
Early Childhood Program Assistant
MEET CHIMESY AND MALLEY
Meet the ChIMES Characters
Say “Hello” to our program characters, Chimesy and Malley, who have jumped right out of the ChIMES xylophone logo to join the musical fun!
Chimesy and Malley are here to help families get the most out of the ChIMES experience by appearing throughout the songbooks and curriculum materials with tips of how to support your child’s musical development and ideas of musical activities to do together at home.
MEET THE ChIMES ILLUSTRATOR
Karen Riedler is a San Diego-based illustrator and artist who created the characters Chimesy and Malley in order to enhance the ChIMES curriculum and further our commitment to building an inclusive and welcoming community.
Karen also designed the vast array of colorful ChIMES graphics and illustrations that appear throughout our curriculum materials to help bring each session theme to life.
You can learn more about Karen and her work at karenriedler.com.
