Parents Comments

I so enjoyed my visit with the family class this morning, and wanted to thank you for the privilege of joining in. Each week in the 3-4 year old class in Paramus, I watch the monitor with other parents and see the children's joy and enthusiasm, but had no idea what you are saying or singing. This week it was a true pleasure to be able to fill in the gap.(that is not just curiosity but the teacher in me) You are one-of-a-kind, and Bergen County is so lucky to have you!

Carol Fais Julianna's Nana

I wanted to thank you so much for turning Jessica on to music over the last 18 months. Today was her last class with you, something we are so sad about because we know how much she absolutely adores your class. To watch her now sing songs, play instruments and dance around our house is such an incredible thing, and we know that much of that development has been driven by what she has gotten from Musical Munchkins. Thank You! And thank you for being warm and friendly to Kathy. As a working parent, it is so wonderful to hear how excited Kathy has been about attending your class.

Rachel

---

Just wanted to take a minute and tell you how much my daughter, Evelyn Pierce, (age 2 1/2) enjoys Miss Nancy's Monday class at Edgewater. It's one of only two classes that I found really interests her. Miss Nancy does a wonderful job and is so sweet. We are sad we have to change to Friday, because I don't think she will be our teacher any more, but we still look forward to singing and having fun!!

Pixie Pierce

---

Musical Munchkins has been a wonderful experience for my daughter. We joined when she was 6 months old and are continuing now that she is turning 1. She lights up when she sees the guitar and hears the music. Miss Joanne and Miss Nancy are fabulous with the kids and Jordan is mesmerized when they sing and play. Her favorite things to do are shake, clap and hum.

Lara Sheer and daughter Jordan

---

My 2 1/2 year old daughter says it is really fun to walk, run and skip to the music!

Cari Brandon and daughter Sara

---

My daughter Tamar loves the class. For days after we sing and dance to the songs we learned.

Irene Dayan and daughter Tamar 1 year old

---

I love that Miss Joanne includes every child and gives them a chance to touch her stuffed toys or her guitar. She gives the more laid back children just as much attention as the more outgoing ones.

We love going to class each week!

Margaret Walsh and son Jay Walsh 11 months

---

Emma has been with Miss Joanne since the Spring of 2005. She looks forward to going to class every week. The moment we leave, she asks to see Miss Joanne again. I used to love being a part of the class, but now she is a big girl and goes into class without me. I look forward to beginning class with Garrett as well. I know that he'll love it as much as his big sister does. Thank you so much for this program!! We love Musical Munchkins!!

Vanessa Stucke and Daugher Emma

---

I have been wanting to get in touch with you to thank you for such a wonderful class for my children. Julia is now 3 1/2 and started pre-school.

It was so easy for her to go into school by herself because she was in your 3 year old class without mommy already. Samantha is now 2 1/2 and misses muchkins - we may be signing up again for the winter with her. Julia was a munchkin from 14mths - 3 years and loved every minute and learned so much, we still sing your songs!! - Your classes are fantastic!

Lauren Rinaldi

---

I had to write to tell you how much my children and I enjoy your classes. I have to admit that I joined mostly to make friends for myself, but it didn't take long to realize that they were getting so much out of Musical Munchkins. It has also given me my best material for feedings, car rides and baths. Your songs, stories and puppets have become part of our everyday lives yet sometimes it surprises me how much they have learned from your materials. Going to your class is like getting a dose of brain food for the week! I believe that Sarah's familiarity with her teacher and her munchkin friends helped her ease into pre-school successfully. I don't mind telling you that the teacher was amazing with the children.

Robin Fakler, Sarah and Mark's Mom

---

Nick has learned the fundamentals of music. He can sing the songs by heart when he is at home. We have used a lot of the songs "games" (ex. Blocks 1-2-3-4-5 ah boom!) and the laundry crates have taken on a whole new musical meaning. The teacher is amazing, she greets every new class and every new child (and sings every song!) with the same upbeat enthusiasm each week!

Debi Conocenti, Nick's Mom

---

We love Musical Munchkins! Both of my children have been in Musical Munchkins since they were 6 months old and have loved every minute of it. They love circle time and the music, stories and games. The instructors are the best! Musical Munchkins makes learning a fun experience.

Ann Hopper, Amanda & Thomas's Mom

ARTICLES

Business of Parenting The Musical Miss Eileen

By Jeanne Muchnick


There’s a musical energy to Eileen Oddo’s voice. Even when this White Plains mom of two and co-founder of Musical Munchkins is talking about frozen grapes (one of her favorite summertime treats), or her son’s recent interest in punk rock, she practically sings her sentences.

It’s easy to tell she’s a vocalist — and an enthusiastic messenger to help others to enjoy and feel the music. Trained as a classical pianist, this Southern Belle — she originally hails from New Orleans — says her original dream was to be a performer or to teach piano at the college level. But after taking eurhythmics lessons in Europe post-college, she fell in love with “the wonderful world of teaching early childhood.”

"My parents didn’t quite get it,” she says. “I had been studying and playing the piano since I was four; I went to France to study to be a pianist. And then I got involved with Dalcroze Eurhythmics, which is a Swiss method of training young children to be musicians. I came home and basically told them I was happier sitting on the floor with little kids playing instruments.

“I completely changed directions in terms of my career,” she continues. “But I’ve never looked back. I love it.”

Musical Munchkins, the brainchild of Eileen and her former partner Chris Patella, started on the living room floor of Chris’ Westchester home and quickly spread to rented spaces in churches, nursery schools, YMCAs and other locales. The classes are designed to get preschoolers interested in music; they begin with Baby Munchkins for ages 6-23 months, and go up to age five. Depending on age, parents either accompany their child or come and participate for the last l5 minutes.

The concept of teaching children music at an early level began 2l years ago when Eileen was a teacher at the Westchester Conservatory of Music and Chris was teaching classes in her home. “A parent from my music class told me that I had to meet Chris — that her younger daughter was taking a class with her and that her classes were exactly like mine.”

The two met and realized they had a lot in common: high energy, enthusiasm for youngsters, and a real love of not only getting kids up and dancing, but getting them to appreciate playing instruments and listening to the beat behind the tempo. “My goal has always been to lay a foundation for music,” explains Eileen, “to create a base and an appreciation for harmony. I want to create a culture where every young child has music in their soul and in their nervous system.”

In fact, she says she was thrilled to find out recently that out of an elite chorus group of 10 singers at The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, five were “graduates” of Musical Munchkins.

Just as exciting has been her ability to combine motherhood with her career. When she started Musical Munchkins, she was a newlywed but knew kids were part of her future. “I chose this career because I wanted to be able to work around my children,” she says. “Piano teachers are busy from 2-7pm at least; my job is usually over by 3.” She has two children, Timothy, age l6, and Annie, l0.

Some of her fondest memories, she says, are from the days when her kids were toddlers and in her classes, though she admits there were times she had to place them with different instructors to keep the peace — and her sanity. “It was hard. I’d have eight children in my class and one of them was my kid,” she recalls.

Eventually Chris, who had older children, moved out of the area and “Miss Eileen” — as she’s known to her students — took over the operation. Today, there are l4 locations with a total of about 900 kids in classes per year. In addition, Eileen volunteers once a month at Blythedale Children’s Hospital and also teaches classes on Thursdays at the Y in White Plains. “So parents who’ve had me for their first and second kids know to find me there that day,” she says.

Of her daily life, she says: “I don’t have a typical day. My nervous system is very ‘buzzy.’. I need stimulation to do a lot of different things.” Her routine consists of managing the business (which she does from home), training and teaching her instructors, and volunteering. She recently wrapped up a big project: putting together instructional, curriculum-based CDs geared to each Munchkin age group. It was a family affair, with son Timothy playing percussion and drums, her husband (also a musician) doing the arranging and mixing, daughter Annie helping with ideas and singing, with Eileen herself on guitar, piano, vocals, formatting songs and putting the whole project together. Her staff was also instrumental — no pun intended — in helping with the collection.

Her kids, she says, were “drawn to music” at an early age and you can hear the pride in her voice when she talks about Timothy and the drums, classical guitar and yes, even punk rock that he plays. Not to mention Annie’s perfect pitch, or the way she recently picked up trumpet in addition to piano and how neither of them complains when it’s time to practice. In fact, sometimes she doesn’t even have to remind them.

Eileen admits she never gets tired of the sound of music. “We have a very noisy house,” she admits. “Happy, but noisy.”

For Bergen County call (908) 587-1106

Click here to contact us at munchkinsnj@aol.com for New Jersey Top of page