Canalside Music Together

Canalside Music Together is an early childhood music and movement program located at 50 State Street in the Northfield Common complex in Pittsford, NY. Founded by Esther Winter, the studio has been serving Rochester-area families since the fall of 2003 and has introduced thousands of children and caregivers to group music-making over more than two decades. The program follows the Music Together curriculum, a research-based early childhood music education model developed in 1987 that operates in more than 3,000 communities across over 40 countries.

Canalside Music Together offers in-person, indoor group classes for children from birth through age five, accompanied by a parent or caregiver. The core offerings include:

• Mixed Age Class — the signature Music Together format, designed for children five and under alongside their grownups. Sessions run 45 minutes each week over a 10-week semester and incorporate singing, rhythmic rhymes, movement activities, and instrument play.
• Babies Class — available during select semesters for infants up to seven months old and their parents, structured as an 8-week session.

Each semester introduces a new song collection, giving families material to continue music-making at home between classes. The curriculum is grounded in decades of research in both music education and child development, with content designed to build basic music competence while supporting social, emotional, cognitive, and physical growth.

Canalside Music Together has built its enrollment largely through word of mouth over its 20-plus years in the Pittsford community. The studio focuses on participatory, family-centered music experiences rather than performance-oriented instruction, welcoming mixed-age groups so that siblings of different ages can attend together. Its longevity in the Rochester market and consistent use of the research-backed Music Together curriculum distinguish it as an established option for early childhood music education in the area.

The studio is situated within Northfield Common at 50 State Street in the Village of Pittsford, NY. The Pittsford Public Library is directly across the street, and the historic Erie Canal corridor runs nearby. Limited parking is available behind the building, with additional public parking behind the library and street parking on Church Street around the corner. The village center offers a walkable mix of shops and restaurants along State Street and Main Street, making it easy to pair a class visit with other errands in the neighborhood.