Madeline Thibodeaux strums her ukulele in her Pajarito Music studio. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

Dozens of music activity items await use by children up to seven years old. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

Madeline Thibodeaux is excited about her Kindermusik classes which begin Wednesday. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com

Los Alamos native Madeline Thibodeaux has returned to the community with her family and opened her Pajarito Music studio where she offers Kindermusik classes for ages 0-7 and ukulele classes for ages 7+, including adults.

Kindermusik is a music and movement class for early childhood based on the latest brain research.

“Our goal is not to create child musicians, but rather musical children. Our focus is on whole-child development, using music as a means for that development. Music touches every area of the brain, making it the perfect vehicle for learning in all areas,” Thibodeaux said. “Plus it’s fun! So the children just think they’re playing and having fun, but we adults know what an incredible work-out their growing brains are getting.”

She says the ukulele is the perfect instrument for a beginning musician.

“It has four strings, making it more accessible than a guitar for those small fingers. Children can quickly become successful at it, which raises their self-esteem and motivates them to continue practicing,” Thibodeaux said. “In our ukulele classes, we learn how to pick out melodies as well as strum chords and sing along.”

Her philosophy of education is that people’s lives are enriched by music, whether they go into it as a career path or not.

“My goal as an educator is to instill confidence in my students. I am their biggest cheerleader!” she said.

Thibodeaux also teaches Kindermusik at all five elementary schools in the county. Between that and her studio classes, she has a pretty full schedule. She said Kindermusik is very personal and intimate with a lot of one-on-one connection. Children in the three and under age group come with a parent of adult to help them.

Kindermusik is very personal and intimate, There’s a lot of one-on-one connection and also with the three and under group, the come with a parent or some adult to help them.

Thibodeaux left Los Alamos to go college in New Orleans where she earned a degree in music education. She taught for two years at a middle school outside New Orleans and found that teaching that age group wasn’t her thing although she enjoyed the students and the whole teaching aspect. When she found out about Kindermusik she was excited to be in business for herself. She first opened her studio in 2010 and was about to hit her 10-year anniversary when COVID hit. She switched to virtual classes and eventually the family decided to move back to Los Alamos. Two of her brothers, Ryan and William Finn live in Los Alamos.

For more information, call (505) 402-6995 or email madelinethibodeaux@gmail.com. Pajarito Music is located at 2101 Trinity Drive, Suite S in Los Alamos. Website: https://pajaritomusic.kindermusik.com/

Young participants in one of Madeline Thibodeaux’s previous Kindermusik classes. Courtesy photo