Music education has been at the heart of Ruth Thompson’s teaching career for over 30 years, and in doing so, she has become a much-loved member of the Orange region.

Ruth’s ‘Early Years Music School’ [EYMS] operates out of the heritage building at Orange Public School. It has proved very popular with the locals with many families travelling from Molong, Cudal, Millthorpe, even as far as Cowra, to enjoy her sessions.

Upon visiting the classroom, a notable sign hung generously along the wall, which read, ‘I don’t sing because I’m happy, I’m happy because I sing.’

“That is very much what echo’s throughout this place.” Ruth explained, “Parents pay me their biggest compliment by saying I’ll come here, tired, sleep deprived, really wanting to stay home in my Pj’s, but knowing I can come here and I will always leave feeling better than when I came.”

The vocal based program includes the use of singing games, listening, moving, dramatic play, percussion instruments, books and puppets in a setting of socialisation and wonder. Classes specifically to age groups, as young as three months old, to five years old.

“This is my passion, I love children and I love music,” Ruth continued. “It’s beyond doubt to me that music is just so critically important prior to going to school, it does wire the brain in a very different way to those who don’t have that experience. It’s all about engaging their bodies and engaging their ears. They just love it. I will start playing my guitar and they just stop and look, their bodies will start to move or dance.

At peak times I’ve got around 120 children enrolled and they’ll often stay with me from the time they’re babies through to when they start school, if circumstances allow it. We have a ball, that’s why it’s been so sad during this period.”

As Covid began to rear its ugly head, Ruth made the decision to close the school. In doing so, her EYMS community made sure she was still a part of their ‘new’ day to day.

“It’s been really, really lovely that my community have being totally supportive of my decisions. I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do during this period, I really didn’t want to do the ‘Zoom’ thing. I started uploading videos; just me, singing, doing rhymes and puppet work on Facebook and I just had the most amazing response from parents.

They would send me videos of their children watching me, they would get so excited and would say, look Mum/Dad! Ruth can see me! As they would see me on their electronic devices, computers or in some cases, their TV’s!

I was in tears when I would see that, I’m a bit of a softie,” Ruth smiled, “I’ve just been incredibly fortunate, it’s very precious, it’s like I have an extended family, these families have taken me into their lives and let me bring joy to their children and in turn, their family.”

So, with such an incredible demand, Ruth set up her Zoom classes which have been running for over a month now.

“It’s been quite funny, because there is about a one second delay, I’ll start singing and all of children are still, about a second later you see them begin to dance and busting a move.” Ruth laughed.

“Friends and family are watching the videos on Facebook so they are all supporting me as well, it’s nice to know other people are enjoying my videos out there. It kept my motivation and my creative juices flowing as well, it got me up in the morning, got me dressed and excited for the day, that kind of stuff.”

Excitingly enough, after the two- week school holidays the doors to Early Years Music School will open again, though, like everyone else, there will be conditions and class sizes will be reduced, “It will be a very emotional time,” Ruth beamed, “There are so many people that are just itching to come back to ‘Ruth’s House’, as they call it.

I just think that’s the power of community, which we have an abundance of, laughter, which we have a lot of and of course, music, those are the elements. It may be a little muffled to a degree right now, being online and everything, but it’s kept the entertainment going and I cannot wait to see my EYMS family again.”

For enquiries please contact Ruth on 0408 835528.