Upon enrollment with the Conservatory, all students may participate in a thorough Music Theory curriculum. Classes are age/level appropriate and are held twice a month on Saturdays. Theory classes are a great way to supplement private and group instruction. Investing time recognizing and applying the necessary components of music, students will have a greater responsiveness to the material that they cover with their instructors. Just like any other subject or discipline, knowledge increases appreciation.
It is important for us at the Conservatory to make sure that our students have a good foundation for their development. Group lessons are offered for piano, guitar and violin as a portal to introduce the instrument to new learners. Of course, group lessons are designed to be more affordable, but more importantly, they place new students in an environment with peers who have made decisions to take the same journey. In a group environment, new learners are given the opportunity to become acclimated to playing music around others and offer some friendly competition along the way.
A staple for any school of music is the private music lesson. In a one on one environment, the members of our faculty are able to provide close supervision, direction and encouragement to each student alongside a personalized curriculum for advancing students. Private lessons are intended for those students who are committed to practice and play. At the Conservatory, we want to see each of our students become successful in their respective disciplines by teaching learners to make the most of their practice time outside of lessons. As students progress in introductory group and private instruction, they are encouraged to continue in their studies and pick up additional classes, workshops, ensembles or combinations of each.
[Refer to the Policies and FAQ sections for more information regarding modular development and tuition].
Students who have worked through a minimum of one year of curriculum may continue in additional classes as they are made available. Group lessons are intended to provide ongoing instruction with four or more students. Intermediate group lessons may work well for guitar or piano students who may have taken some time away from their instrument. Within the group lesson context, students also have immediate feedback from their peers and are given encouragement to progress together.
Ensembles are an appendage to private and group instruction as learners reach necessary curricular goals. They may be designed in a variety of formats to fit the needs and interests of our students. These groups are important for the following reasons:
- Small music ensembles are unavailable in the public school system.
- They provide learners the opportunity to practice, play and perform with others.
- It encourages practical skills of music and life development i.e. being prepared, listening to others, participation, etc.
- Because we believe that “no genre of music is more important or valid than another”, our students may explore different forms of music such as jazz, latin, classical, Motown and many others beyond contemporary pop idioms.
For students who have begun a course of study on the electric or acoustic guitar who are interested in classical but not ready to commit to exclusive study, group classical lessons are offered just for them. Students will need to purchase an appropriate nylon string classical guitar to participate. Classes are held two times per month in addition to their group, private and/or ensemble studies. Students participating in classical guitar study will gain an appreciation for the traditional approach, further their technique, study the masters and build a repertoire.
All of our students are encouraged to participate in performances and recitals. Our instructors are free to determine a recital schedule for the year. Midwest Music Conservatory has a wonderful recital facility in Memorial Hall, the former church sanctuary. For our piano students, a Kohler grand piano is available on the recital stage. Recitals are often recorded for CD and DVD production as well. Moving forward, media duplication will be standardized for those students participating at the school. Some of our instructors also enjoy taking their students into the community (coffee shops, restaurants, schools, churches, etc.) for performances.