Music School Course Offerings
Course Offerings
- Comprehensive Music Program for Young People
- Private Instrumental and Voice Lessons
- Basic Musicianship
- Piano Classes: Introductory, Beginner and Advanced-Beginner Levels
- Braille Music
- Assistive Music Technology
- MIDI Sequencing and Basic Audio Editing
- Jazz Theory/Improvisation
- Drum Circle
- Music Around New York: From Carnegie Hall to the Blue Note
- Performance Ensembles
Comprehensive Music Program for Young People
Several classes are offered as part of this innovative program: solfege/theory/braille music; computer sequencing; percussion; music appreciation; and youth chorus. Classes are 45 minutes in length and held in rotation. The classes may not be taken separately; students must be enrolled in the complete program.
Prerequisite: ages 7-18
What you will learn:
General Music
- Basic musical skills that help establish a strong foundation for advanced musicianship
- To practice these basic musical skills, such as how to sing in tune and how to develop a sense of rhythm and meter using various creative activities
Solfege/Theory/Braille Music Class
- To sightsing using solfege syllables
- To notate music in staff or braille format
- To understand basic theory concepts, including intervals, scales and chords
Percussion Class
- Basic rhythmic development using call and response technique
- Exposure to African, Latin and Caribbean percussion instruments, styles and rhythm
- To gain valuable ensemble experience and social integration skills
Computer Sequencing
- Introduction to computer music software using assistive speech or print technology
- To record on multiple tracks, edit and arrange music using the latest music technology
Youth Chorus
- To sing and blend in unison
- To explore two-part singing
- To discover music of other cultures
Recorder Class
- The fundamentals of wind playing
- To play together in an ensemble setting
- To experience music from diverse cultures and styles
Please note: there will be regularly scheduled performances; and field trips to concerts, museums and musical events in the city
Faculty: Dalia Sakas, Program Coordinator; Marc Wagnon; Svetlana Avezbakiyeva; Alejandra Lagos; Chet Schmitt
Course day: Saturday, 10 am-3 pm
Your cost: see Policies and Procedures
Master classes, workshops and special seminars are held regularly throughout the academic year and summer. Guest artists and teachers are invited to share their expertise and talent with our students.
Private Instrumental and Voice Lessons
Instruction is available in piano, voice, guitar, recorder, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, French horn, drums, vibraphone and percussion. Registration is contingent upon lesson and instructor availability. You will be notified if we cannot meet your lesson requests.
Approval of multiple private lessons will be based on instructor availability and determined by the Executive Director of the Music School.
What you will learn:
- Beginning to advanced levels of skill on the various instruments or voice
- To present oneself in public performances
Please note: performance opportunities are available through public events and student recitals Your cost: $288/16 weeks/45 minute lessons
What you will learn:
Basic Musicianship
Prerequisite: none
What you will learn:
- To develop an understanding of the basic fundamentals of music: pitch and the organization of pitch (intervals, keys, scales and triads); rhythm and meter (note values); and other variables such as dynamics, tempo and phrasing
- To develop aural recognition and the ability to sing intervals, major/minor scales, triads and simple harmonic progressions, as well as various rhythms within different meters and tempi
Faculty: Anthony Falaro; Svetlana Avezbakiyeva
Course day: to be arranged
Your cost: $192/16 weeks/45 minutes
Piano Classes: Introductory, Beginner and Advanced-Beginner Levels
Prerequisite: admission by placement audition; an audition must be arranged prior to registration
What you will learn:
- Keyboard layout
- Basic skills of keyboard playing
- Music reading
- Theory
Faculty: Dalia Sakas; Svetlana Avezbakiyeva; Alejandra Lagos
Course day: Friday, class time arranged by placement level
Your cost: $192/16 weeks/45 minutes
Braille Music
Prerequisite: knowledge of grade 1 braille
What you will learn:
- Braille symbols and the system for musical notation
Faculty: Svetlana Avezbakiyeva
Course day: Friday, 10:45-11:30 am or 11:30 am-12:15 pm
Your cost: $192/16 weeks/45 minutes
Assistive Music Technology
Prerequisites: computer keyboard skills and Basic Musicianship What you will learn:
- To become familiar with the speech program, and production of large-print and braille music scores
- Concurrent review of theory skills
Faculty: Svetlana Avezbakiyeva; Anthony Falaro; John Sanfilippo;
Marc Wagnon
Course day: Wednesday-Friday, private lesson to be arranged
Your cost: $320/16 weeks/60 minutes
MIDI Sequencing and Basic Audio Editing
Prerequisite: Assistive Music Technology and/or permission of the instructor
What you will learn:
- Understanding of MIDI sequencing for composing and arranging
- Preparation of musical scores for print notation
- Introduction to digital audio editing Please note: because of the intensive technical requirements of this course, it is offered as a private lesson
Faculty: Marc Wagnon; John Sanfilippo
Course day: private lesson to be arranged
Your cost: $320/16 weeks/60 minutes
Jazz Theory/Improvisation
Prerequisites: basic theory and/or equivalent experience
What you will learn:
- How to improvise over chord changes
- Modes, diatonic harmony and poly-modal harmony
- Chord construction and scale-chord relationships
- Form analysis of jazz tunes, including the blues, standards and modal pieces
Faculty: Marc Wagnon
Course day: Friday, 12:15-1 pm
Your cost: $192/16 weeks/45 minutes
Drum Circle
Prerequisite: no previous experience is required; open to all levels
What you will learn:
- To develop a sense of rhythm through a creative approach
- Basic techniques to enable you to play individual parts in an ensemble setting
- To experience rhythmic groove through group dynamics
Faculty: Marc Wagnon
Course day: Thursday, 2:45-3:30 pm
Your cost: $192/16 weeks/45 minutes
Music Around New York: From Carnegie Hall to the Blue Note
These six-week seminars focus on selected areas of study, and include attending a concert at one of New York City's performance venues.
Prerequisite: none
What you will learn:
- Diverse musical styles from a variety of composers and performers
Faculty: Leslie Jones, with select faculty and guests
Course day: Tuesday, 4-5 pm
Your cost: $100/6 weeks/60 minutes (scholarships are not available for this seminar)
Watch for announcement fliers with seminar topics!
Performance Ensembles
Please note: If you are enrolled in private lessons, one performance ensemble fee will be waived.
Keyboard Workshop
Prerequisites: for late-intermediate to advanced-level students only; admission by audition; arrange for an audition with the instructor prior to registration
What you will learn:
- To participate in an ensemble of electronic keyboards (Yamaha Clavinovas)
- To play ensemble repertoire
- To create orchestral and percussion sounds using MIDI keyboard technology, and to record on multi-tracks
Faculty: Dalia Sakas; Svetlana Avezbakiyeva; Alejandra Lagos
Course day: to be arranged
Your cost: $240/16 weeks/60 minutes
Chamber Music Class
Prerequisite: admission by audition; arrange for an audition with the instructors prior to registration
What you will learn:
- To participate in small ensembles, which combine strings, winds, piano and voice
- To gain experience in the collaborative process
Faculty: Anthony Falaro and Leslie Jones, co-instructors
Course day: Class time arranged by chamber group instrumentation
Your cost: $192/16 weeks/45 minutes
Jazz Ensemble
Prerequisites: admission by audition; good technical control of your instrument
What you will learn:
- Standards from the swing era to contemporary jazz
- How to jam with other musicians in a non-competitive atmosphere
- To perform in public venues
Faculty: Marc Wagnon; Gerald Gewiss
Course day: Thursday, 5-7 pm
Your cost: $65/16 weeks/2 hours
Percussion Ensemble
Prerequisites: admission by audition; advanced level proficiency
What you will learn:
- A variety of styles, including African, Brazilian and Caribbean
- Collaboration with the jazz ensemble, among others
Faculty: Marc Wagnon
Course day: Friday, 2:45-3:45 pm
Your cost: $50/16 weeks/60 minutes
Ensemble Americana
Prerequisite: admission by audition; proficiency on your instrument
What you will learn:
- Diverse styles of American music, including rock, folk, bluegrass, blues and country
- To participate in an eclectic ensemble
- To develop arrangements based on instrumentation and style
Faculty: Philip Bowditch
Course day: Tuesday, 5:30-7:30 pm
Your cost: $65/16 weeks/2 hours
The Lighthouse Vocal Ensemble
Prerequisites: admission by audition only; the ability to learn music quickly and independently
What you will learn:
- A more difficult and wide-ranging repertoire, including a capella works
- A minimum of three performances annually
Faculty: Dalia Sakas; Leslie Jones
Course day: Wednesday, 5:30-7:30 pm
Your cost: $65/16 weeks/2 hours
Note: Any new courses or seminars added during the academic year will be announced through fliers.