Community Music Classes

Play Along
45 minute class for 2-year-old children and caretakers(must be the appropriate age by September 30, 2022)
Instructor: Phil Berman
Class Time: 8:30-9:15am
$275 per semester
Kick off your Saturday morning with joyous community music making at Tufts. Toddlers and their grown ups will sing, dance, shake, wiggle, and move as students engage with music through meaningful play. Participants will take their first steps into the world of music through familiar melodies, new tunes from around the world, and unusual instruments with teaching inspired by Dalcroze Eurhythmics, Orff Schulwerk, and Music Learning Theory.

Move Along
45 minute class for 3-year-old children and caretakers(must be the appropriate age by September 30, 2022)
Instructor: Phil Berman
Class Time: 9:25-10:10am
$275 per semester
Three-year-olds continue to learn through a sense of play and discovery as we explore movement, dance, stories, and singing to interact with music. Students will play instruments, improvise rhythms and melodies, expand their musical repertoire, explore their singing voices, and engage in joyful music making with their caregivers.

Sing, Move, and Play
45 minute class for 4-year-old children and caretakers(must be the appropriate age by September 30, 2022)
Instructor: Phil Berman
Class Time: 11:15am-12:00pm
$275 per semester
Four-year-olds engage with music games and songs that will hone their ears and bodies to prepare them for group or private music instructions. Using strategies from Music Learning Theory, Dalcroze Eurhythmics, and Orff Schulwerk, students will sing, move, and play through new meters, modes, and world music repertoire alongside their caregivers.

Mini-Fingers for KG Kids
45 minute class for children in kindergarten
Instructor: Adriana Ausch-Simmel
Class Time: 1:00-1:45pm
$305 per semester
Master the first steps in playing a keyboard!

This is a two-semester course combining rhythm games with movement, basic notation and learning the fundamentals of playing the keyboard.

During the first semester the kids will learn the notes playing the glockenspiel. During the second semester they will start playing on a keyboard.

Please purchase this instrument to bring to class and for practicing: Casio SA-46 -Portable Keyboard (32 mini keys).

• Develop coordination between hands
• Learn basic music notation
• Learn finger exercises
• Master short songs on the black keys and on the white keys
• Connect with you peers through rhythm games

At-home practice will be expected. Maximum seven students per section.

Ukulele and Movement Class
45 minute class for children in Kindergarten
Instructor: Phil Berman
Class Time: 12:30-1:15pm
$305 per semester
Master the first steps in playing the ukulele!

This is a two-semester course combining rhythm games with movement, basic notation and learning the fundamentals of playing the ukulele.

• Develop coordination between hands
• Learn basic music notation
• Learn finger exercises
• Master simple chords and melodies
• Coordinate singing and playing at the same time
• Connect with you peers through rhythm games

At-home practice will be expected. Please purchase:

• Concert or soprano ukulele
• Clip-on digital tuner
• Ukulele case or gig bag
• A one-inch, three ring binder for sheet music

Eurhythmics and Intro to Piano I
45 minute classes for children of age 6 (must be the appropriate age by September 1, 2022)
Instructor: Adriana Ausch-Simmel
See below for sections 1-A, 1-B, and 1-C and class times
$335 per semester
Your child will experience Dalcroze Eurhythmics activities that will enhance their piano playing. By learning to play simple songs, students are introduced to piano basics, coordination, keyboard geography, and to the musical grand staff. Homework is expected; parents are invited to participate in developing practice habits outside the classroom.
Full year class. Maximum of seven students per section.

• Eurhythmics and Piano I-A
  Prerequisite: Mini-Fingers One Semester
  Class Time: Saturday 8:30-9:15am
• Eurhythmics and Piano I-B
  Prerequisite: Mini-Fingers One Semester/Summer 2022
  Class Time: Saturday 9:45-10:30am
• Eurhythmics and Piano I-C
  No Prerequisite
  Class Time: Saturday 10:30-11:15am

Eurhythmics and Intro to Piano II
45 minute class
Instructor: Adriana Ausch-Simmel
Class Time: 12:15-1:00pm
$335 per semester
Your child will experience Dalcroze Eurhythmics activities that will enhance their piano playing. By learning to play simple songs, students are introduced to basic rhythmic notation and to the musical grand staff. Homework is expected; parents are invited to participate in developing practice habits outside the classroom.
Full year class. Maximum of seven students per section.

Prerequisite:

• Eurhythmics and Intro to Piano I
• Or Permission from the Instructor
• Mini-Fingers Whole Year/Eurhythmics and Piano I Whole year

Eurhythmics and Intro to Piano III
45 minute class
Instructor: Adriana Ausch-Simmel
Class Time: 1:45-2:30pm
$335 per semester

Prerequisite:

• Eurhythmics and Piano II Whole Year
• Or Permission from the Instructor

Group Piano Class
One hour classes: 9am-10am, 10am-11am, 11am-12pm, 12pm-1pm, 1pm-2pm, 2pm-3pm, 3pm-4pm, 4pm class if needed
For children ages 7 - 12
Instructor: Nando Michelin
$305 per semester
Taught in our piano/computer lab with touch sensitive keyboards.

Foundations of Rhythm in World Percussion
One hour class: 12noon-1pm
Instructor: Lauren Caso
$290 per semester
Students will learn fundamental skills and rhythms on percussion instruments from around the world. Completion of this class will help prepare younger students for African Drumming and other higher level classes. Various stick and hand techniques, as well as aural skills, will be addressed in this lively and innovative class as students prepare for an end of the semester performance. All instruments and materials will be provided. Come and feel the beat!

Group Violin Class
One hour classes: 9am-10am, beginning class; 10am-11am, level two; 11am-12pm
Instructor: Yank'l Garcia
$305 per semester
Beginning violin students will improve technically and musically in a group environment that fosters teamwork and encouragement. Each class will include time spent learning how to read music and a session on playing position in addition to practicing repertoire. Solo and group material will be equally emphasized so that students learn how to play by themselves and with other musicians.

Group Drumming
One hour class: 11am-12noon
For students ages 9 and up
Instructor: Lauren Caso
$305 per semester
Experience the challenge and fun of traditional drumming and music from Ghana, West Africa. Stick and hand techniques will be applied to hand crafted percussion instruments in an ensemble format. Songs and chanting may accompany various pieces in this ongoing series. New pieces are added to the repertoire based on the ability of the group. Prior completion of Foundations of Rhythm in World Percussion is highly recommended for the new beginner. Through the study and performance of the music, this ensemble helps build self-confidence, peer interaction and community engagement!

Intermediate Chamber Music
One hour class: 11am
For students ages 9 and up
Instructor: Arminé Karapetian Donato
$305 per semester
Chamber music for strings and piano, open to students with at least two years of lessons. Each class limited to one pianist. Children love chamber music, where they play in groups but where each player gets his or her own part. The class will incorporate musical games and improvisation designed to encourage listening, nonverbal communication and other chamber music skills. Students will work on and perform a variety of classical, folk, and popular music. Maximum six students per class. A more advanced section may be added.

Semi-Private Cello Lessons
45 minute class
Beginner – Intermediate
For students ages 9 and up
Instructor: Miriam Eckelhoefer
$415 per semester
Beginning cellists will be introduced to the instrument and will learn basic skills on the instrument while advanced beginner and intermediate cellists will continue to develop their skills on the instrument focusing on musicianship, intonation and sight reading techniques. All classes will work on varying repertoire, including solo pieces and ensemble pieces and major and minor key signatures. Students will be grouped together based on experience and level.

Semi-Private Violin Lessons
45 minute class
For students ages 9 and up
Instructors: Yank'l Garcia & Amelia Colafati
$415 per semester
Semi-private violin lessons are intended for beginner-intermediate violin students. They will learn one-two octave scales in major and minor keys, etudes, pieces, and duets. They will also continue learning about key signature, meters, bowings, articulations and building their ensemble skills. For students 9-17 years old.

Beginning/Intermediate Class for Ukulele
One hour classes: 9am, 10am, 11am, or noon in conjunction with guitar classes
Instructors: Jerry Bussiere and Phillip Grannan
Tuition: $325 per semester
No prior experience needed, but if you have played guitar, you can easily transfer your skills and knowledge to the ukulele. We will learn basic chords and/or melodies to popular and traditional songs, which the students will help to choose. Note reading is not necessary, but we will use basic chord charts that are simple to follow.

Semi-Private Piano Lessons
Thirty minute classes offered every half hour between 9am and 2pm
For students ages 9 & up, or with two years of previous experience
Instructors: Arminé Karapetian Donato and Alice Xu
$325 per semester.
Semi-private piano lessons are intended for students between the ages of 10-13 with a minimum of two years of class piano. The students will be paired by level and will work on piano technique; repertoire, including some pieces for piano duet; sight-reading; and keyboard theory. Students must have access to a piano for daily practice.

Semi-Private Voice Lessons
30 minute classes offered every half hour between 10am and 2pm
For students ages 9 & up
Instructors: Phil Berman , Adriana Ausch-Simmel, Celia Slattery
$325 per semester
Semi-private voice lessons are intended for students between the ages of 10-17. Students will work on all aspects of vocal technique, solo songs and duets.

Drumset Class
One hour classes: 9am, 10am, 11am, noon
For students ages 9 & up
Instructor: Renato Malavasi
$325 per semester
There are several levels to this class, and students are grouped according to experience. We will work on basic technique, reading notation, improvisation, and performance for drum set. The class will work on individual pieces as well as ensemble works. No experience is necessary but you do need access to a drum set for practice during the week. Join us for a fun group learning experience.

Beginning/Intermediate Course for Non-Classical Guitar
One hour classes: 9am-10am, 10am-11am, 11am-12pm, 12pm-1pm
For students ages 9 & up
Instructors: Jerry Bussiere & Phillip Grannan
$325 per semester
Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of the guitar as played with a pick and/or fingers. The focus will be on learning to play popular songs, which will be chosen by the instructor and students together. Song arrangements will be created for the students in each class and rehearsed for performance at the final concert. The emphasis will be on playing music together. We will make simple chord charts to follow and some note reading may be introduced for students who are interested.

Javanese Gamelan Ensemble
One hour classes: 10am-11am, 11am-12pm
For students ages 9 & up
Instructor: Barry Drummond
$300 per semester
Enroll to learn the music of the island of Java, Indonesia. Gamelan are orchestras consisting primarily of gongs, metallophones and other percussion instruments. Students will learn the different instruments while learning pieces of the traditional repertoire of the court cities of Surakarta and Yogyakarta. The music is at once beautiful, rich in texture, and immediately accessible to those experiencing it for the first time.

Music Theory and Composition
One hour class: 12noon-1pm
For students ages 9 & up
Instructor: Phillip Grannan
$305 per semester
The primary goal of this course is to nurture your child's creativity—both in composing music and in ways of thinking about music—while instilling the basics of music theory, including melody, rhythm, harmony, and form. As appropriate, we will work with learning and composing by ear as well as using Western notation. The class is geared towards students who have little or no experience with composing and music theory; however, intermediate levels will be offered for students with prior experience.

A Cappella Singing Class
One hour class: 12pm-1pm
For students ages 9 & up
Instructors: Abigail Summers & Adam Bernstien
$190 per semester
This course is designed for students interested in singing and ultimately forming an a cappella group. Singing a cappella means that all elements of a song (melody, harmony, instrument sounds, rhythmic beats, etc.) are produced vocally. No prior singing experience is necessary, but being able to work and sing together as a group is essential. Each class will begin with an introduction to various a cappella music styles including jazz, pop, r&b, hip hop, rock, soul, etc. Students will develop certain vocal techniques and expand their understanding of pitch, rhythm, melody, harmony, and note recognition. Songs will be selected by the class and arranged for future performances throughout the semester.

Fridays afternoons, 4:00-6:30pm
Conductor: John Page

Learn More

Samanyanga Mbira Club (adults and advanced high school students)
Instructors: Kaia Kaukeinen, Prof. Peter Kvetko (Salem State), Prof. David Locke (Tufts)
1-3 pm on the third Sunday of each month, Granoff Music Center Room 271
1-3 pm on the third Sunday of each month, Granoff Music Center Room 271 In this music from the Shona people of Zimbabwe, metal keys on a hand-held soundboard are plucked with the thumbs and forefinger in repeated patterns. Mbira songs traditionally communicate with ancestral spirits for healing, to promote peace, to bring answers to questions, and to reduce worries in life. In the first half of each meeting, we learn a new song in semi-private instruction. In the second half, we do some "heavy grooving" on pieces as everyone is invited to clap, sing, or play (or dance!), as encouraged by our Zimbabwean teachers. You may attend either or both parts of the class. Instruments are provided. Absolute beginners are always welcome. Contact the club.

Chamber Music for Adult Chamber Musicians (adults only)
Study and perform chamber works with the outstanding applied music faculty at Tufts. The 8-week long workshops are offered in the fall and spring semester and include six 90-minute coached sessions, group rehearsals, and culminate in recitals in Distler Recital Hall in May. Each group will work intensively with an experienced chamber music coach at a mutually agreed upon time. Groups for strings, woodwinds, brass, and piano will be formed based on experience and repertoire options. Pre-existing groups are also welcome. The fee for the workshop is $350. Applications are due on March 1 for the spring workshop. For more information or to arrange an audition, please contact Edith Auner by email or 617-627-5616.

Boston Village Gamelan (adults and advanced high school students)
The Boston Village Gamelan (BVG), one of the first independent gamelan ensembles in America, was established in 1979 and has been in residence at Tufts University since 1994. The ensemble performs regularly in the New England area; its focus the traditional repertoire of Surakarta and Central Java. BVG rehearsals are open to the public and new participants are always welcome. For further information, email Barry Drummond.

Introduction to Voice Class (adults only)
Instructor: Susan Davies
$350 per semester
Wednesday evenings, 7pm and 8pm, maximum of four students per hour
This class is designed to improve each student's singing voice and develop the ability to sing successfully in front of others. Throughout the semester, students will be taught the fundamentals of healthy vocal production, which includes the following principles: alignment and breath management, tone production, diction (clear pronunciation of text), expression, musicality, and stage confidence. Individual vocal problems will be assessed and exercises will be given to help strengthen and improve the voice. Students will sing together and also individually in class. (In order to take this class, students MUST be able to match pitch, or sing in tune.)

Piano Class for Adults
Instructor: Armine Donato
Evening time to be arranged, 30 minute session
$275 per six week session

Adult Guitar Class
Instructor: Jerry Bussiere
Saturday afternoons, 1-2pm
$325 per semester
This class will explore the basics of harmony as applied to the guitar. Students will learn note locations and how to construct basic chords and melodies on guitar. We will also focus on gaining strength, agility and coordination of both hands and learn how to create effective rhythmic and dynamic performances. We will apply these skills and knowledge to various forms of mainstream popular music and use simple lead sheets and recordings as a guide. Students may influence which songs and artists will be considered. We will have a sound system at hand to which we can connect iPods and CD Players. This class will be geared to beginner to elementary level students. If there is interest in an intermediate level class we will consider adding a second section. The program has a limited number of guitars to loan while students are taking classes.

Eurhythmics and Music Appreciation for Seniors I
Instructor: Adriana Ausch-Simmel
Saturday afternoons, one hour class 1-2pm
$325 per semester
Designed specifically for Seniors! Whether you have a life-long love of music or are curious to learn a little more about what makes music so enjoyable, this class will enrich your relationships with music. In Dalcroze Eurhythmics, students learn to move in simple and elegant ways to express what the music is communicating to them. This wonderfully social class incorporates work work with partners and interdisciplinary projects. Among other benefits, Eurhythmics for seniors improve balance. coordination, focus, attention and concentration.

Eurhythmics and Music Appreciation for Seniors II
Instructor: Adriana Ausch-Simmel
Saturday mornings, one hour class 10:30-11:30am
$325 per semester
Designed specifically for Seniors who already had experience with Dalcroze Eurhythmics
Through new interdisciplinary exercises and experiments, the students will deepen and expand the musical skills learned through previous experiences. Different collaborative projects will explore the connections between movement, music and the arts and expand the students' esthetic horizon. Through Dalcroze Eurhythmics experiences, students learn to move in simple and elegant ways to express what the music is communicating to them. Among other benefits, Eurhythmics for seniors improve balance. coordination, focus, attention and concentration. Full year Class