Our Program
The heart of Bronx School for Music’s program is to provide individually catered, one-on-one private music instruction from New York City’s leading performers and educators. Our faculty focuses on the individual needs of each student; they listen to the student’s musical goals and aspirations; they provide students with tools needed to succeed. Private lessons are open to students aged four and above. BSM also accepts adult students.
Private lessons alone do not provide students with a well-rounded and broad musical education. With this in mind, BSM offers FREE group musical development courses to all students registered in private lessons in order to broaden students’ musical knowledge and to teach them concepts that private lessons alone can not cover.
Private Lessons
BSM offers instruction in either 30-minute or 60-minute time periods and has three terms each year: Two 17-week academic-year semesters (Fall and Spring) and one seven-week summer session. Lessons and group musical development classes are held Monday through Friday, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The fall Semester begins after Labor Day; the spring semester begins the first week of February.
We always encourage students that live near the Bronx area, such as New Rochelle or Mount Vernon to reach out and attend our private lessons.
Instrument offerings:
- Piano
- Violin & Viola
- Cello
- Guitar & Bass Guitar
- Voice
- Percussion/Drums
Free Musical Development Courses
Music Theory & Ear Training: Music theory and ear training are the grammar tools needed for students to understand how to write and listen to music. Through music theory exercises, students learn music fundamentals, such as note reading and rhythmic notation, solfege, scales, intervals, musical terminology, introductory harmony, and sight reading. In ear training, students engage in exercises to identify various sounds, notes, keys, harmonies, and melodies. The course focuses on cultivating students’ abilities to identify musical concepts aurally and visually, to vocalize music, and to develop melodic and harmonic skills. At the start of each session, students are evaluated by BSM’s music-theory and ear-training instructor in a short, one-on-one consultation. The instructor then groups students into cohorts based on age and ability. Groups meet once every week at an assigned time and day that suits each group.
Dalcroze Eurhythmics: Combining physical movement with music is crucial for developing strong rhythmic skills. Emile Jacques-Dalcroze’s method enhances and maximizes musical expression by training students early on to listen and appreciate music using both their minds and bodies. BSM students pursue supplemental courses in eurythmics through a series of fun and engaging games and storytelling. Eurythmics classes take place once a week, and students are divided into two groups based on age.
Music Appreciation: Students learn about the history and origins of music and how music functions. They discover different musical styles and eras, learn about the various instruments of the orchestra, and ultimately create and perform their own musical composition.
Choir: Developing vocal skills and ensemble skills is crucial for every aspiring musician. Every Saturday, BSM hosts choir lessons for all students enrolled in the program. There are two groups, one for students ages seven through nine, and another for students aged ten and above. When the weather permits, classes are held outside on BSM’s outdoor performance deck.
Group Instrumental Lessons
The Bronx School for Music currently offers the following group instrumental classes…
New Student Group Guitar: BSM’s guitar program is at capacity and new students who wish to sign up for private guitar lessons must first take at least one semester of group guitar classes in order to be eligible for private lessons. Students are placed in a group class based on age. Age groups are 7-12 and 13+. In this course, students are taught the fundamentals of guitar playing and upon teacher recommendation are allowed to transition to private lessons when space becomes available.
Guitar Ensemble: This ensemble class is offered by invitation only. BSM’s advanced guitar students are invited to take part in this group course that is a blend of chamber music, technique and sight-reading.
Guitar Technique Class: For students enrolled in private guitar lessons, this class is a supplemental course that focuses on the technical elements of guitar playing. Students are challenged by working on scales, arpeggios and technical studies to improve their facility at the instrument.
Rock Band: The Bronx School for Music’s core focus is on classical technique. Rock Band gives students the ability to branch away from the traditional classical approach taught in lessons and explore playing popular music from Rock, R&B and hip-hop.
