Introducing RCM Smart Start™ Early Childhood Program at the Music Institute of Chicago
July 13th, 2026
Beginning fall 2026, the Music Institute of Chicago (MIC) will continue expanding its comprehensive music education offerings by introducing a new early childhood program. The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) Smart Start™ early childhood program is a developmentally-sequenced early childhood music program designed to nurture both cognitive and musical growth from infancy through age 4.
At MIC, the RCM Smart Start™ program uses music, movement, play, and the arts to nurture critical cognitive skills including:
- ATTENTION
- MEMORY
- PERCEPTION
- COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY
Smart Start™ classes will be offered in Evanston, Winnetka, and Lake Forest beginning in Fall 2026.
Why MIC is introducing RCM Smart Start™
The first years of life are a remarkable time for brain development. During these early years, children build the foundational skills that support learning, communication, self-regulation, and academic success. Created by experts in early childhood education and neuroscience, the RCM Smart Start™ program supports the development of:
- Emotional regulation
- Focus, attention and memory
- Confidence and self-expression
- Cognitive and fine motor skills
- Language and social interaction
Through interactive movement, and group play, children build essential skills that help them thrive – in and beyond the classroom.
How is the Smart Start™ Curriculum different from other Early Childhood Music Education Programs?
The Smart Start™ curriculum builds on the Royal Conservatory of Music's sixty years of fine music pedagogy in early childhood. The RCM has been able to bring together leading subject specialists to develop a unique and exciting early childhood program. Together with The RCM's Director of Research, neuroscientist Dr. Sean Hutchins, our early childhood music specialists are allowing a current understanding of cognitive skills to evolve our teaching of music.
Also, modern educational practices help us understand that children learn in many different ways and it is important to differentiate the way that we teach to best serve the learning needs of the child. Supporting music with the arts (drama, dance and visual art) creates a full-bodied learning experience, including physical, visual and interpersonal engagement.
A Place for Families to Discover Music Together
Early childhood is a special time to discover, explore, and connect. RCM Smart Start™ creates opportunities for children and caregivers to experience music together, building joyful memories and a foundation for a lifelong relationship with music.
