Meet the Instructor
Melissa Surman is a Kodály-certified music educator with a deep passion for fostering joyful music literacy in children. As the owner and instructor at Gloria Music Studio, she offers private and group piano lessons, as well as singing classes, designed to inspire students of all ages through engaging, developmentally appropriate instruction.
A lifelong musician, Melissa began her musical journey at the age of five and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music, summa cum laude, from the College of Mount Saint Joseph, with emphases in both voice and piano. She serves as the Music Director at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she leads liturgical music and supports a vibrant parish music program, and is also a pianist and choir director for Delhi Hills Baptist Church in Cincinnati.
Melissa is also a conductor with the Cincinnati Youth Choir, where she directs Vivo Coro and will be serving as Vivo Coro administrator and Piccolo Coro conductor, helping to nurture musical growth and community for young singers.
In 2019, Melissa self- published The Joyful Grammar of Music, a curriculum for home and private school instruction that introduces music literacy through singing, games, and discovery-based learning. Her Kodály certification from the Chenaniah Summer Music Institute has shaped her philosophy that the human voice is the first instrument, and that joyful, playful engagement is the best pathway to musical understanding.
At Gloria Music Studio, Melissa fosters an environment where students can develop confidence, musical skill, and a lifelong love of music through meaningful performance experiences and a fun, inclusive learning atmosphere.
Teacher Guide
The Joyful Grammar of Music is a unique program designed to be used to teach music concepts to children from 1st through 3rd grades. American folksongs and games are used to help children internalize and discover concepts before they are presented to them. The lessons provide visual, aural, and kinesthetic activities to prepare students for each concept, and the concepts are then practiced through a variety of musical activities. A QR code is provided to give teachers access to recordings of all the folk songs used in the book.
A unique music catechism and music recitation program have also been developed and are scheduled throughout the curriculum. Optional projects, instrumental activities, composer stories, and classical music listening activities are also scheduled in the program. One teacher could use this book to teach several children of varying ages (approximately 6-10 years old).
The Student Workbook
The Joyful Grammar of Music Student Workbook is a necessary component to the program and provides extra practice activities to accompany the lessons in the Teacher Guide. The music catechism and recitation questions are also included in the student workbook. The workbook includes 24 front and back worksheets to accompany the 24 weeks of lessons in the teacher guide, as well as assessments every 6 weeks.
Virtues of the Great Composers Storybook
The Virtues of the Great Composers for Children is a collection of 31 short stories about composers from ancient times through the 20th century. Each composer has a character trait that is highlighted in their story, as well as lists of suggested listening examples easily accessed online. The stories are scheduled in The Joyful Grammar of Music Teacher Guide as optional activities.Examples of the 31 unique character traits highlighted in the book are diligence, loyalty, perseverance, and leadership.The book makes an excellent read aloud for younger children or can be read independently approximately ages 8 and up.