Getting babies ready for the Ivy League

Susan Ohanian - New York Magazine pointed out that "drum-whacking classes for 2-year-olds are considered by some to be essential preparation for admission to the Ivy League." But age two may be "over the hill." Three months seems to be the time for getting kids out of the Ivy League gate. For $995 a 3-month-old can enroll for a one semester course in music appreciation ("help foster development through expressive singing, tapping, clapping, bouncing, and rocking") in a Diller-Quaile New York City music program. That buys one 45-minute session a week.

At 9 months the child graduates to Music Babies class.

At age 2.7, the child is eligible for Meet the Instrument ("guest musicians on alternate weeks, who introduce the violin, viola, cello, double bass, guitar, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, French horn, and a wide variety of percussion instruments"). And by now the weekly musical appreciation cost has escalated to $2,080.00. Still 45 minutes.

For the bargain rate of $1,775, five- and six-year olds can take Great Composers:

Classic recordings, live performances, biographical sketches and stories create the landscape for each class, as children learn about theme and variation, harmony, texture, meter and motifs setting a foundation for their music studies.