Beginning in January 2026, local music educator and Hatteras Island Community Strings founder Jessie Taylor will launch a new series of tuition-based children’s group classes in Avon, expanding early childhood music opportunities for families across the island.
The new classes—open to students from infancy through elementary school—mark Taylor’s first structured early-childhood program since she taught the Music Rhapsody curriculum under her former Cape Hatteras Music Academy between 2015 and 2017. The program is unaffiliated with Hatteras Island Community Strings, the volunteer-led non-profit ensemble she founded in 2022, but is part of Taylor’s broader mission to make music accessible to island residents of all ages.
The launch comes as Hatteras Island’s music community continues to grow. Taylor founded Hatteras Island Community Strings (HICF) as a small, grassroots group that brought together students for free instruction and group rehearsals.
The ensemble has since expanded into a nonprofit organization that performs seasonal concerts and provides a welcoming space for younger musicians from Hatteras to Rodanthe. With HICF firmly established, Taylor said the timing felt right to dedicate more energy to the island’s youngest musicians.
Classes will incorporate rhythm, movement, pitch recognition, and hands-on instrument exploration. Each age group has its own creative, ocean-themed name: Little Minnows (ages 1–2), Tiny Trout (ages 3–4), and Big Marlins (ages 5–7). Students will use age-appropriate instruments ranging from puppets and handheld percussion to gathering drums, xylophones, and glockenspiels. Families will be asked to purchase an instrument kit for home use, ensuring consistency throughout the program.
To accommodate winter travel schedules, Taylor will also offer a flexible drop-in option for families who may be away during the season.
Registration is now open, with a deadline of December 15, 2025. Classes will run weekly from January 5 through April 25, with one or two sessions offered per age group depending on enrollment. Final schedules will be based on family availability.
All classes will take place at Taylor’s studio at 40462 N End Road in Avon, located on the second floor of Heart Space, formerly Kinnakeet Clay.
Families can learn more or register at https://www.amajorharmony.com/music-lessons
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source islandfreepress.org ’
