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Ages 14+ (open to adults) From Jack Kerouac to the Sugar Hill Gang to Wu Tang Clan to today’s latest stars, spoken word and music have become a major force in today’s artistic landscape. Learn techniques used to create written poetry - from master wordsmiths - by focusing on the placement of words to rhythms or vice versa. Through games; exploring techniques used by artists of the spoken word such as beat poets, rappers, hip-hop artists from the 80s and 90s; and free spoken-word poetry, students discover their own voice. Students learn to write and perform creative poetry and freestyle (spontaneous) poetry. Class size limited to 8. Jul 13 – Aug 26, Monday and Wednesday, 4:00-5:00 pm
INSIDE THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK FROM GERSHWIN TO SONDHEIM
Ages 13-95
Our artist-in-residence, the renowned composer, conductor, award-winning author and PBS/NPR commentator, and former Yale Professor, Rob Kapilow, brings the joy and wonder of classical music to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Kapilow’s range of activities includes his What Makes It Great?® presentations which are characterized by his unique ability to create an “aha” moment for his audiences and collaborators. Click here to hear a message from Rob Kapilow about this program. This unique, one-time-only class explores the much-beloved world of the Great American Songbook. Based on his new, new book, Listening For America: Inside the Great American Songbook from Gershwin to Sondheim, each of the course's 7 classes focuses on one of the giants of the Great American Songbook including George Gershwin, , Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Harold Arlen, Richard Rodgers, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim. Through a close look at several of each composer's most famous songs combined with a wide-angled historical point of view, the course tells the story of America through some of its greatest songs. The course is designed for everyone and anyone, whether you are a musical-theatre devotee, first-time listener, singer, music student, or simply a lover of the music of Broadway's Golden Age. From "I've Got Rhythm" to "Send in the Clowns," you will leave the course listening to America and some of its greatest music with a whole new pair of ears. The class will be presented with live Q&A on Tuesdays from 7:00-7:45 pm EDT from June 30 to August 11. If you miss a session, a Video on Demand will be available until one week after the last session. The ticket is $70 for the entire series. To register for this program, go to the events page by clicking here.
Ages 9+ (including adults) Beginner and Beginner/Intermediate level If you’re looking for a fun and easy instrument to learn, the ukulele is the perfect choice. Students learn the basics of ukulele playing including strumming patterns, proper technique and finger movements, fingerpicking patterns, chords and efficient chord changes. Students can contact the instructor regarding purchase of ukuleles, electronic clip-on tuners, and other items. Families welcome to join together. Class size is limited to 6. This class will be taught by faculty member Jonathan Trotta. Read more about Mr. Trotta by clicking here. Jun 29 – Aug 12, Monday and Wednesday, 4:00-4:45 pm Additional sections will be added, if needed, depending on enrollment.
Age 10+ (including adults) Intermediate and Advanced Guitarists (Suzuki Guitar Book 2+) One quarter to one third of a classical guitarist's practice routine involves working on developing their physical technique through scales and technical exercises. This means starting with a foundation of healthy positioning, healthy mechanics of movement, minimum functional tension at a slow tempo, and then careful building up the speed and agility of the movement patterns. The breakdown for technical development roughly covers these three areas of practice; scales, left hand exercises (mainly slurs) and right hand patterns (mainly arpeggios and tremolo). This twice-weekly finger workout class is for students looking to bring their technical facility on the guitar to the next level and is designed to refine and build the guitarist’s technique through different daily workout routines and technical exercises. Class size is limited to 6. Note: Tuition for students taking this class together with private lessons is $248 (members)/$275 (public). Jun 29 – Aug 12, Monday and Wednesday, 3:00-3:45 pm Additional sections will be added, if needed, depending on enrollment.
Intermediate and Advanced Guitarists (Suzuki Guitar Book 3+ or equivalent) Ages 10+ (including adults) Learn the basics of flamenco guitar including common dance forms (Soleares, Farruca, Alegrias, Tangos, Rumba, Siquiriyas, Bulerias); strumming patterns using all your right hand fingers (rasqueado), falsetas (melodic solos), and techniques such as ligado (slurs), alzapua (thumb bass lines combined with thumb strums), and picado (fast scales). Great for classical guitar students wanting to get an insight into the dances that influenced post Romantic Spanish composers such as DeFalla, Albeniz, and Granados. Students should be able to play some basic first position chords and how to change easily from one chord to another prior to taking this class. Note: Tuition for students taking this class together with private lessons is $248 (members)/$275 (public). Jun 29 - Aug 12 Mondays and Wednesday 6:00 - 6:45 pm
Age 10+ (including adults) Intermediate and Advanced Guitarists (Suzuki Guitar Book 2+). Prerequisite: Students must be able to identify notes on staff, clefs, time signatures and rhythms, and know how sharps and flats work. Ever wonder why it helps you as a musician to learn music theory? Does the stuff you learn in music theory seem like it has no relevance to learning the guitar? This class bridges the gap between theory and what you play on guitar - for example, how to construct major, minor, augmented, diminished chords, and seventh chords and then figure out how to use this information to find chord shapes in various positions on the fingerboard. Students will do harmonic analysis of Suzuki guitar pieces and then talk about how this information helps shape our musical interpretation. Class size is limited to 6. Note: Tuition for students taking this class together with private lessons is $248 (members)/$275 (public). Jun 29 – Aug 12, Monday and Wednesday, 5:00-5:45 pm
Ages 14+ (open to adults) A broad overview of the rich and varied history of jazz from the 1900s to the 1970s and beyond. Students will explore the major styles and innovators of jazz history including music from New Orleans early jazz, big band, bebop, cool, hard bop, free jazz, fusion, Latin jazz, and more with artists such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and others. Classes feature listening to recordings and videos. Class size limited to 8. Taught by Terry Greene. Jul 13 – Aug 26, Monday and Wednesday, 5:15-6:15pm