In the Yamaha Primary Course (Explorer) for 3-year-olds, children not only listen to and sing songs from various genres while visualising imagery but also have fun playing the piano or Electone with playful elements integrated into the lessons. We highly recommend starting this journey at age 3 for families who wish for their children to cherish music as a lifelong treasure and aspire for them to become proficient musicians.

When it comes to playing a musical instrument, adults often focus on technical skills like finger dexterity or score reading. However, Yamaha Music School believes that "playing" goes beyond these abilities. It emphasises having a personal vision of "how you want to play" and being able to perform with feeling while carefully listening to the sound. Accumulating stress-free "playing" experiences leads to a unique and expressive performance style.

The sense of "I can do it if I try!" becomes a fundamental source of children's confidence throughout their future, making the early years crucial in shaping their experiences. The age of three is a significant period when children explore their interests by engaging in various experiences, asking themselves, "What possibilities do I have?". Another aspect of "social competence" is the ability to navigate interactions effectively with others. When a child encounters someone who plays an instrument better, it can foster a desire for improvement and internal motivation, leading to a sense of wanting to play better and produce beautiful sounds. When playing with others, children naturally listen attentively to different sounds. In essence, music facilitates mutual understanding, empathy, and compassion. Furthermore, the remarkable aspect of music is its impact on the brain-listening to music involves processing information and various interpretations, fostering cognitive development. Engaging passionately with music not only brings joy but also nurtures intellectual growth.

• Professor Toshihiko Endo:

• Professor at the Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo, and also serves as the Director of “CEDEP”, i.e. the Center for Early Childhood Development, Education, and Policy Research, an affiliated institution of the university. His areas of expertise include developmental psychology, emotional psychology, evolutionary psychology.