After school

The Prep Chamber Orchestra is an advanced, strings-only ensemble open to experienced players. The Prep Chamber Orchestra explores the wonderful string orchestra repertoire from Albinoni to Zorn, with some Bach, Beethoven, Brahms and Bartók thrown in for good measure. Larger than a string quartet, smaller than a symphony orchestra, the Prep Chamber Orchestra provides the ideal setting for honing ensemble skills, exploring great compositions and making music with friends and colleagues.

Intermediate & Advanced Chamber Music ensembles emphasize quartet and trio repertoire, string and wind trios through sextets, two-piano literature, and guitar and harp ensembles. Priority is given to students enrolled for private lessons at the Preparatory Division; pre-formed groups are welcome.

Open to all students enrolled in the musicianship curriculum with permission of the department chair. Composition assignments are performed and discussed in class. Formal performances are presented in recital.

Level V: Sight singing with modes and remote modulation in 20th century idioms, polyrhythms, quintuplets, meters with unequal beats, tempo modulation, leading tone seventh chords, augmented sixth chords, Neapolitan chords, all intervals in a non-tonal context, fugue.

Level III: Sight singing material to include seventh chords, rhythmic patterns of two against three, inversions of triads and dominant seventh chords, non-tonal use of thirds, theme & variations and rondo form. Level IV: Sight singing with secondary dominants and chromatic non-harmonic tones, small subdivisions of the beat, changing meters, inversions of dominant 7th chords, secondary dominants, modulation, non-tonal use of sixths, sonata and concerto form.

Level I: Sight singing and conducting using diatonic melodies in simple and compound time. Students study all major and minor keys, the intervals in those keys, chord progressions, rhythmic design and phrasing. Level II: Sight singing using skips in all diatonic triads, syncopation, harmonic cycles of thirds and fifths, dominant 7th and V7 chords, non-tonal use of seconds, fourths and fifths; binary and ternary form.

Group guitar classes for adults and teens include such offerings as Bluegrass class, Rock Band Workshop, The Blues, and Ukulele class. Visit the website for specific class offerings.

Group guitar classes for adults and teens include such offerings as Bluegrass class, Rock Band Workshop, The Blues, and Ukulele class. Visit the website for specific class offerings.

Mary Jean Kelsey’s Group Piano has been a popular offering of our music school for a number of years. While stressing the proper approach to note reading and pianistic technique, lessons are infused with humor and a sense of fun. The joy of sharing music in an ensemble setting is the ultimate goal of this level. Seriousness of purpose and concentrated focus are stressed for the child's musical development in these classes. Mary Jean also believes that infusing the lessons with humor and a sense of fun are equally important for children's success at this age.