Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Netherland.
Hi Lauren, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have always loved music. As a little girl, I was writing my own little songs, recording them on a cassette player (aging myself with that one!), and performing for my family! As I grew older, that love of music has always found a way to be shared – leading worship, getting a bachelor’s degree in music as a vocalist, creating a bilingual children’s worship curriculum in Peru, releasing my own music as a singer songwriter, etc. When I became a mom in 2023, I knew I wanted a way to share that joy of music with my little ones! With a degree in music and a love of creating, I planned to create my own program, but as I looked to see what was out there in the world, I discovered Music Together®! It’s an incredible research-backed and play-based music education program taught all over the world, and the music and all the resources they have are SO amazing! It is truly a music education program with families and fun at the center, and I’m so honored to get to bring it to families (including my own!) here in Plano!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Ha! Certainly not. I started down this road as a stay at home mom of a brand new one year old boy! Nothing is easy when you’re caring for a 1 year old full time as a new mom! My baby turned one in February of 2025, and in March I started my Music Together® teacher training, a 3 day online-intensive. Day 2 of the training I decided to take a pregnancy test literally during our 15 minute break… and it was positive! I was taking on growing two babies now – my business and my second son! That summer, me and my belly launched LaLa Lessons to bring Music Together® to babies, toddlers, preschoolers (and the grownups who love them!) in north DFW! It’s been a little over 2 years in business now, and I have learned and changed so much! While there have certainly been struggles, more than anything, it’s really been a joy. When I take my eyes off the problems and focus on the faces, the families telling me how much my classes have helped their little one open up, grow in confidence, and be expressive, it makes it all worth it!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
LaLa Lessons is a family-focused music education business serving families in and around Plano. We offer Music Together®, an early childhood music education program, for babies, toddlers, preschoolers… and the grown-ups who love them! Our classes immerse families in a rich musical environment where they learn to make music with their whole body – singing, dancing, moving, playing instruments, and sharing the joy of making music together.
Do you consider yourself musical? Many people today do not! While many of us would claim an enjoyment of music, we’ve grown content to leave music-making to the “professionals.” At LaLa Lessons, we’re taking back the joy of making music together – even if we’re not perfect! Instead of being simply consumers of music, we’re engaging our children’s brains and imagination to create music in community. The result? Brains lit up with connection, confidence, and creativity!
We are proud to create an experience where every family can be musical. You don’t need to be a great singer or musician to participate—our classes are designed for everyone. The focus is on enjoying music together, following your child’s lead, and creating positive musical experiences that families can continue at home. Children learn through movement, repetition, exploration, and play, while parents and caregivers actively participate alongside them.
Many parents don’t think about music education until their children are 5 or 6 when they think, “oh, I should put them in piano!” But the most valuable age range to shape a child’s musical aptitude is actually before age 5; it’s actually the prime time to intentionally support your child’s music ability! In Music Together®, through play, your child will be guided to learn to sing in tune, keep a steady beat, develop their musical ear and sense of rhythm, and lay a strong foundation for a future of music making. I always remind parents, even if their child never touches an instrument, they will thank them for the ability to clap on beat and sing in tune – skills they’ll use for the rest of their lives!
We believe every child is musical and every family can make music – and that it’s a wonderful source of joy! If you know someone with a baby, toddler, or preschooler in or near Plano, send them to LaLa Lessons! We’d love to share the joy of music with their family through Music Together®!
LaLa Lessons offers recurring Music Together® classes, drop-in classes, and special music experiences and events, including birthday parties. Enrolled families receive access to all audio recordings, illustrated songbooks, plus more resources that allow them to continue singing and making music together outside of class.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
As a musician, it has been tough to watch the advent of AI into the creative world of music-making. With just a few clicks and prompts, people can now create an entire song and add virtually any instrument they want. It raises an important question: Will we even need real musicians anymore?
To that, I say: YES!
In my opinion, the rise of AI has only increased the value of real people, real musicians, and real instruments. As much as music is a sound—something AI can simulate—it is equally an experience, and that is something only humans can truly create.
As the author of This Is Your Brain on Music wrote, “Whenever humans come together for any reason, music is there.” Music has always been part of who we are. It is woven into our cultures, our traditions, our celebrations, and our communities. It is a fundamental way that humans express themselves and connect with one another—and that is something far beyond AI’s capabilities.
Where there are people, there will always be a need to create music, express ourselves through song, and connect through the experience of making music together.
I believe the creative arts will become more important than ever. While we may increasingly rely on AI to analyze data, automate tasks, and manage information, we will need the human touch of the arts more than ever. In a world increasingly inundated with technology, families need intentional time and space to put the screens aside, be present with one another, and connect.
That is what makes experiences like Music Together® so valuable. We aren’t just teaching songs or making music—we’re creating opportunities for families to experience music together, face-to-face, in real time. And in an increasingly digital world, those authentic human experiences may become more important than ever.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lalalessonsdfw.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lalalessonsdfw
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lalalessonsdfw
- Other: https://linktr.ee/lalalessons
