Our Program
The heart of Bronx School for Music is one-on-one private music instruction delivered by some of New York City’s leading performers and educators. Our faculty work closely with each student — listening to their musical goals, identifying what they need to grow, and equipping them with the tools to succeed.
Private lessons alone, however, do not give a student a complete musical education. With this in mind, every BSM student participates in our Free Musical Development Program, a suite of group classes provided at no additional cost thanks to major support from NYC’s Department of Cultural Affairs and support from BSM’s supporters.
Private Lessons
BSM offers private lessons in 30- and 60-minute formats across three terms each year — two 17-week academic semesters (Fall and Spring) and a seven-week summer session. Lessons run Monday through Friday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The fall semester begins after Labor Day; the spring semester begins the last week of January.
Families from neighboring communities — including New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, and the surrounding boroughs — are welcome and encouraged to enroll.
Instrument offerings:
Tuition EnrollGroup Instrumental Lessons
The Bronx School for Music currently offers the following group instrumental classes…
Introduction to Violin & Cello: Students wishing to take violin and cello lessons must first take the introduction to violin and cello classes.
New Student Group Guitar: In the event that BSM’s guitar program is at capacity, and new students who wish to sign up for private guitar lessons will be placed in one semester of group guitar classes. 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.
Early Childhood Music
Children under the age of five begin their musical journey through Bronx Bops, BSM’s Early Childhood Music program. Learn more about Bronx Bops →
Prelude Prep is BSM’s preparatory class that acts as a bridge between Bronx Bops and private lessons. It is for children who are four and five years old who are not yet ready for one-on-one instruction. The class builds the foundational skills students need before beginning private lessons and serves as a primary pathway into BSM’s private studio. Families who complete Prelude Prep receive enrollment and scheduling priority for private lessons.
Free Musical Development Courses
Funded by NYC’s Department of Cultural Affairs, the Free Musical Development Program gives every private-lesson student a broad musical education — theory, ear-training, ensemble singing, and rhythmic training — without any additional cost to families. Participation is required for all students enrolled in private lessons.
Music Theory & Ear Training (online) – BSM’s theory and ear-training program follows the Royal Conservatory of Music curriculum, an internationally recognized framework that takes students systematically through note reading, rhythmic notation, solfège, scales, intervals, harmony, sight-reading, and aural skills. At the start of each session, students meet briefly with our theory instructor for a one-on-one evaluation and are then grouped by age and ability. Classes meet weekly online.
Choir (in-person) – Singing builds the ensemble skills, listening, and musical instinct that every instrumentalist needs. Choir meets every Saturday at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, with two groups — one for ages 7 through 9, and another for ages 10 and above.
Dalcroze Eurhythmics – Émile Jaques-Dalcroze’s method develops rhythmic understanding through physical movement, training students to listen and respond to music with both mind and body. BSM’s Dalcroze classes are structured around games, storytelling, and movement, and students are grouped by age.
Performance Culture
Performing is where a student’s work comes to life — and at BSM, we are building a culture that takes student performance seriously. Every BSM student performs four times per year at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, and our program offers our most committed students additional opportunities to grow as performing artists:
Guest artist residencies and masterclasses that bring working professionals into direct contact with our students.
Marquee performances in which BSM’s top students share the stage with our faculty.
A growing partnership with Steinway & Sons, whose support allows us to present our students on world-class instruments and reinforces BSM’s commitment to a conservatory-level standard of training.
Our aim is to invest deeply in the students who are ready to perform at a high level — and to give every student in the program a stage on which to grow.
Young Scholars Program
The Young Scholars Program recognizes students who have demonstrated sustained commitment and growth at BSM. Students who are 7 years old or older and have been enrolled at BSM for at least three years become eligible for the program, with selection made by teacher recommendation. Young Scholars receive merit-based scholarship support that provides additional weekly lesson time. The program is BSM’s way of investing further in the students who are investing themselves fully in their musical education.
