INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION

Individual instruction is offered at all levels in keyboard, string, brass, woodwind, guitar, percussion and voice. The school director will design a program of study according to the individual student’s needs and inclination. In addition to their individual instrument, some students may wish to take a theory class and/or participate with ensembles.

Instrumental instruction includes:

CHAMBER MUSIC

Our school offers chamber music coaching for strings, woodwinds and piano, as well as mixed ensembles of all levels and ages. Groups are determined by age, ability and instrumentation. Students will have opportunities to perform in classes and recitals throughout the year. In addition, scholarships are available for string and woodwind instrumentalists involved in our various ensembles.

EARLY CHILDHOOD

Our early childhood group classes are an excellent prelude to private lessons for young children from ages 3 to 6.
It is a unique program of music learning and enjoyment that nurtures the total development of the child. The curriculum has been created to facilitate children’s exploration of their world through music. Children explore many
different musical concepts through games, songs, movement and percussion instruments. These activities help promote language development, symbolic thinking, coordination, and social interaction, while they awaken the child’s
imagination.  Our early childhood music students have the unique opportunity to hear older instrumental students perform for them throughout the semester.

MUSIC THEORY

The theory program is designed to complement and facilitate each student’s instrumental study. Students will be assigned to classes according to their level of proficiency. Topics include solfeggio, rhythm reading, sight singing, major and minor scales, ear training and beginning composition. Both beginner and advanced students are accommodated.

TUITION:

Tuition is billed in semester cycles of Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer. In the Fall semester of each academic year or for any new student beginning lessons at any time, there is an annual $35 registration charge.

GROUP LESSONS:

• Early Childhood $20.00/class
• Chamber Music $22.00/class

INDIVIDUAL LESSONS FOR ALL INSTRUMENTS:

• 30-minute: $40.00/lesson
• 45-minute: $53.00/ lesson
• 60-minute: $70.00/lesson

Lessons may be scheduled 1 per week or multiple lessons per week.

All lessons are billed at the beginning of each semester. There is a make-up policy for
missed lessons. Students may miss 2 lessons in the Fall, 1 in Winter, and 1 in Spring.  If the teacher has notified you of a make-up time and you are unable to attend, that lesson may be lost.  Any lesson a teacher misses will be made-up.  Students may withdraw from all lessons before the end of a semester with 2 weeks notice and receive a refund for remainder.

RECITALS, COMPETITIONS & PERFORMANCE FEES:

Performance is an important element in a student’s musical education. Because of this we offer a wide range of performance opportunities.  Elena Berman leads a performance class every Saturday of the Fall, Winter, & Spring Semesters.  This is a wonderful chance for students to work on their technique while performing in front of a group of people.  Also, one Sunday per month Student Recitals are held to show off the pieces that the students have been working on and to give the other students in the school a chance to hear what each is doing.  Advanced students also participate in our annual benefit concerts which is held as part of our fundraisers to support the NBS Classical Music Institute Scholarship Program.

Participation in any or all of these events is on a volunteer basis and you may participate as often as you would like. A concert fee of $50 is charged to all families once per year in order to cover the additional costs of providing these opportunities. This fee supports an extremely unique and important aspect of musical education at the Nelly Berman School.

In addition to these performance opportunities, many students participate in a variety of competitions held at various times throughout the year. These are posted at the school office and vary greatly in their degree of competitiveness.