Welcome to Music Lab!
Discover. Play. Create.
Music Lab is where curiosity meets creativity!
Through interactive games, hands-on instruments, listening activities, and musical exploration, participants discover how music works and experience the joy of creating it themselves.
From learning rhythms and reading notes to composing songs and exploring music technology, Music Lab makes music accessible, engaging, and fun.
No previous musical experience required.
Our first experiences are designed for children ages 7–10, with additional programs for different ages and interests planned for the future.
Discover, Play & Create!
A Four-Week Music Lab for Young Explorers
Music is more than something we listen to. It's something we can discover, play, and create!
In this interactive four-week experience, children explore the fundamentals of music through games, movement, listening, hands-on instruments, and creative activities.
What We'll Explore
Week 1 | Music Has a Pulse! (November 14)
Discover steady beats, rhythms, and note values through clapping games, movement, and rhythm challenges.
Week 2 | Meet the Musical Alphabet (November 21)
Explore the notes A–G, discover the piano keyboard, and begin reading and writing notes on the treble-clef staff.
Week 3 | Hear It. Read It. Play It. (December 5)
Build listening skills, recognize musical patterns, and experiment with instruments while creating original rhythms.
Week 4 | I'm a Musician! (December 12)
Bring everything together! Children create and perform their own short musical pieces, with accompaniment provided by the instructor.
Program Details
Ages: Designed for children ages 7–10
Dates: November 14, 21, December 5 & 12, 2026
Time: Saturdays, 4–5 PM
Location: LifeTone Studio, Decatur, GA (in Brook Glen Subdivision)
Cost: $60 for all four sessions ($15 per class)
Experience: No previous music training required
Each child finishes the program with an original musical creation and the experience of sharing it with others.
Registering more than one child? Add each child separately so we can collect their individual information. You can pay for everyone together at checkout.
A four-week, hands-on music exploration program for children ages 7–10.
Through games, rhythm activities, keyboard exploration, listening, and creative music-making, children discover musical fundamentals and create their own short compositions.
Dates: November 14, 21, December 5 & 12, 2026
Time: Saturdays, 4–5 PM
Location: LifeTone Studio, Decatur, GA
Registration includes all four sessions.
No previous musical experience required.
Create Your Own Shaker!
A Thanksgiving Weekend Sound Lab
What happens when you combine everyday objects, natural materials, and a little musical imagination?
In this hands-on, two-hour Music Lab, children become sound explorers! They'll experiment with different materials, discover how sound changes, and create their own musical instruments.
What We'll Do
Explore Sound: Compare the sounds of rice, beans, sand, pebbles, acorns, and other materials.
Experiment: Discover how different containers, fillings, and quantities produce different sounds.
Build & Decorate: Create two unique shakers with contrasting sounds.
Make Music: Learn rhythmic patterns, create original grooves, and play together.
Shaker Orchestra: Bring our instruments together for a musical performance with live piano accompaniment.
Each child takes home two handmade musical instruments!
Workshop Details
Ages: Designed for children ages 7–10
Date: Saturday, November 28, 2026
Time: 1–3 PM
Location: LifeTone Studio, Decatur, GA
Cost: $30 per child
Materials: All included
Experience: No musical background necessary
Registering more than one child? Add each child separately so we can collect their individual information. You can pay for everyone together at checkout.
Create Your Own Shaker! | Thanksgiving Sound Lab
A fun, hands-on, two-hour music workshop where children explore how everyday objects and natural materials produce sound.
Children will:
Experiment with rice, beans, sand, pebbles, acorns, and different containers.
Discover how materials, sizes, and quantities change sound.
Build and decorate two shakers with contrasting sounds.
Create rhythms and make music together, with live piano accompaniment.
Take home both handmade instruments!
Date: Saturday, November 28, 2026
Time: 1–3 PM
Ages: Designed for children ages 7–10
Location: LifeTone Studio, Decatur, GA
Price: $30 per child, including all materials
No previous musical experience required.
Registration and payment reserve one child's place in the workshop.
April Thomas | Musician, Composer & Educator
Meet Your Instructor
Music has been a lifelong passion for April Thomas. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, where she earned a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Composition and Film Scoring, April brings professional musical training and a creative approach to teaching.
Her experience includes teaching piano to children from preschool through seventh grade at Chestnut Hill School for Music, along with years of experience as a pianist, composer, accompanist, and performer.
April believes music education should be engaging, accessible, and filled with opportunities for discovery.
Through Music Lab, she combines musical fundamentals with games, movement, listening, improvisation, and hands-on creativity, helping children develop musical skills while discovering their own voices.
Her philosophy: Learn the music. Play with the music. Make the music your own.
Coming to Music Lab
More Ways to Discover, Play & Create!
Music Lab is just getting started! We're exploring additional hands-on experiences for children, teens, and adults.
Music Editing Lab
Discover how music shapes what we see and feel on screen! Learn to select and edit existing music to match the action, timing, and emotion of a video, then create your own soundtrack.
Young Composers Lab
Turn musical ideas into original creations. Explore melody, rhythm, songwriting, and composition.
So You Wanna Play in a Band?
Discover how musicians work together, explore different instruments, and experience the excitement of playing in an ensemble.
The Business of Music
How do musicians make money? Explore songwriting, recording, royalties, licensing, and careers in the music industry.
Piano Lab: Children & Adults
Explore the keyboard, learn to read music, develop playing skills, and experience the joy of making music at the piano.
Make Your Own Instrument
Explore sound through hands-on construction, experimentation, and creative music-making.
Maestro in Me!
Ever wondered what it's like to lead an orchestra? Learn the foundations of conducting, from keeping the beat and using hand gestures to signaling entrances, tempo, and dynamics. Then step up to the podium and bring the music to life!
These are potential future offerings, and we'd love your input!
Interested in a future Music Lab? Let us know which experiences appeal to you, the ages of potential participants, and what you'd love to explore.
Additional labs will be developed based on community interest.
What Interests You?
Questions or Music Lab Interest
Have a question about an upcoming Music Lab or interested in a future offering?
Tell us a little about what you're looking for, and April will follow up with you.