A Community Music School Opening Doors to a Lifetime of Music!
To be added to our email list to receive updates about classes and registration or for more information, please contact musprep@unm.edu
12 Saturdays September 7 – December 14
UNM Children’s Chorus: 12 Thursdays August 29 – December 5
Cost: Base price is $165 per semester for 12 45-minute classes
• Classes that require books and materials cost more.
• Classes longer than 45 minutes cost more.
• Classes on an abbreviated schedule cost less.
Preview our fall classes in the tabs below:
Tuition waivers available – See the “Tuition Waiver Application” below.
Saturday class registrations come with one parking code for the Cornell parking structure, additional codes are $10. Free parking is not available for Thursday Children’s Chorus classes, but we offer drop-off and pick-up services.
Three required forms must be submitted prior to attending classes that do not require parent participation and can be found below in the “Required Forms” section.
Schedule of classes, modalities, and protocols subject to change at any time in compliance with updated guidelines, mandates, and health orders.
For string lessons and classes please visit the UNM String Lab School website
Early Childhood
- Play is the work of children! Children play together in a community with each other and with their grown-ups and teachers to explore and experience music through singing, rhythm, and movement activities.
- Early childhood music classes are inclusive and open to all! We welcome and celebrate all variations of families, learning modalities, and developmental abilities. Playful music-making in the community with other children of all abilities and developmental stages creates a safe and fun space for children and adults to explore and develop their musical selves.
- Due to classroom size, we recommend one adult per child participate in adult/child classes.
Music, Rhythm, and Movement (ages 4-7) 9am
Parental attendance preferred.
This class requires discipline, focus, attention, and cooperation with the instructor. The Dalcroze approach to music is joyful, creative, and imaginative. These high-energy classes make learning feel like play! Please note that students are expected to remove their shoes during class.
Saturdays: 9:00am – 9:45am
Teacher: Terri Reck
Spanish Bilingual Family Music (ages birth-3) 10am
An Adult/Child Class
Children ages birth-3 play together in community with their grown-ups and experience music through singing, rhythm, and movement activities.
Class instruction will be given in English and Spanish. All are welcome to join! Fluent Spanish is not required to take this class.
Saturdays: 10:00am – 10:45am
Teacher: Judy Castro
Music, Rhythm, and Movement (ages 4-7) 10am
Parental attendance preferred.
This class requires discipline, focus, attention, and cooperation with the instructor. The Dalcroze approach to music is joyful, creative, and imaginative. These high-energy classes make learning feel like play! Please note that students are expected to remove their shoes during class.
Saturdays: 10:00am – 10:45am
Teacher: Terri Reck
Composition for Kids (ages 7-12) 11am
Explore the captivating world of composition through musical exploration, experimentation, and expression! Participants will explore musical traditions, works, and composers from around the world, experiment with making sounds on a variety of instruments, and gain tools to express their creativity and share their ideas with others.
Saturdays: 11:00am – 11:45am
Teacher: Dr. Beth Ratay
Spanish Bilingual Family Music (ages birth-3) 11am
An Adult/Child Class
Children ages birth-3 play together in community with their grown-ups and experience music through singing, rhythm, and movement activities.
Class instruction will be given in English and Spanish. All are welcome to join! Fluent Spanish is not required to take this class.
Saturdays: 11:00am – 11:45am
Teacher: Judy Castro
An Adult/Child Class
Children ages 4-7 play together in community with their grown-ups to explore and experience music through singing, rhythm, and movement activities.
Saturdays: 11:00am – 11:45am
Teacher: Mikel Sakamoto
An Adult/Child Class
Children ages 4-7 play together in community with their grown-ups to explore and experience music through singing, rhythm, and movement activities.
Saturdays: 12:00 – 12:45pm
Teacher: Mikel Sakamoto
Monthly Music (ages birth-3) 12pm
PLEASE NOTE: This class meets on an abbreviated schedule: 6 class meetings total.
An Adult/Child Class
Children ages birth-3 play together in community with their grown-ups and experience music through singing, rhythm, and movement activities.
Saturdays, September 14 – December 7: 9/14, 9/28, 10/26, 11/2, 11/23, 12/7
12:00pm – 12:45pm
Teacher: Jennifer Warren
Children's Chorus
UNM Children’s Chorus (K-6th grade)
The primary goal is to have fun with singing! This choir for young singers will include the playful exploration of unison and simple part songs, rounds, musical movement, vocal exploration, singing games, fundamental music reading, and activities designed to help each child discover their own voice and have fun with singing.
*Class price includes music and materials.
THURSDAYS, August 29 – December 5
4:30pm- 5:30pm (1 hour)
Concert: December 5
Teacher: Sharee Gariety
Drum Fun
Family Drum Fun (ages 6-10) 12pm
One adult must attend with child participant(s). ($5 per adult)
Children and their adults embark on a journey of musical exploration and skill-building in Drum Fun! Students will cultivate musicianship through improvisation, movement, games, music notation, and performance on a range of drums and percussion instruments.
Saturdays: 12:00pm – 12:45pm
Teacher: Sean Umstead
Piano
- Piano students are expected to regularly practice at home and should have access to a piano or keyboard during the week.
- Piano students should keep their fingernails short.
- Cost of book, copies, and materials included in price.
Beginning Piano for Older Students (ages 10 -12) 9am
This group piano class for children ages 10-12 is designed for participants to grasp the fundamentals, learn rhythm and notation reading, music theory. Students are expected to practice and complete weekly assignments.
Cost of book, copies, and materials included in price.
Saturdays: 9:00am – 9:45am
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Beginning Piano for Younger Students (ages 8-9) 10am
This group piano class for children ages 8-9 is designed for participants to grasp the fundamentals. Students are expected to practice and complete weekly assignments.
Cost of book, copies, and materials included in price.
Saturdays: 10:00am – 10:45am
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Piano: 1/2-1 Year Experience, 11am
This class is for continuing students (of all ages) who have taken 1/2 to 1 years of piano previously.
Cost of book, copies, and materials included in price.
Saturdays: 11:00am – 11:45am
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Piano: 2 or More Years Experience, 12pm
This class is for continuing students (of all ages) who have taken 2 or more (4+ semesters) of piano previously.
Cost of book, copies, and materials included in price.
Saturdays: 12:00pm – 12:45pm
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Piano for Teens and Adults (ages 13+) 1pm
This class for students ages 13 and up is designed for participants to grasp the fundamentals and learn rhythm and notation reading.
Cost of book, copies, and materials included in price.
Saturdays: 1:00pm – 1:45pm
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Composition
Composition for Kids (ages 7-12) 11am
Explore the captivating world of composition through musical exploration, experimentation, and expression! Participants will explore musical traditions, works, and composers from around the world, experiment with making sounds on a variety of instruments, and gain tools to express their creativity and share their ideas with others.
Saturdays: 11:00am – 11:45am
Teacher: Dr. Beth Ratay
Adult Classes
Piano for Teens and Adults (ages 13+) 1pm
This class for students ages 13 and up is designed for participants to grasp the fundamentals and learn rhythm and notation reading.
Cost of book, copies, and materials included in price.
Saturdays: 1:00pm – 1:45pm
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Required Forms
Tuition Waiver Application
Donate to the Music Prep School
Donate NowMeet The Teachers
Music Prep School Program Coordinator - Sean Umstead
Music Prep School Director - Dr. Aaron Jacobs
Spanish Bilingual Family Music - Judy Castro
Music Rhythm, and Movement - Terri Reck
Piano - Natalia Tikhovidova
UNM Children’s Chorus - Sharee Gariety
Family Music - Jennifer Warren
Composition for Kids – Dr. Beth Ratay
Family Music - Mikel Sakamoto
Tuition Assistance
Tuition assistance is based on financial need and determined by using the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch formula. Families who qualify for tuition assistance may use the waiver for one child in one class. Waivers are usually for 50 percent of the tuition.
We are grateful you are part of our musical community!
- Sanitizing all common use instruments and materials each day
- Hand sanitizer available in classrooms
- Disinfectant wipes available in MPS office
Location and Parking
We are located on the University of New Mexico Main Campus, in the Center for the Arts, 203 Cornell Dr. NE. Parking is available in the Cornell Parking Structure, on Redondo Dr., near Stanford/Central Ave. Parking permits are provided for our Saturday classes. Contact UNM’s Parking and Transportation services for more information about parking on campus: http://pats.unm.edu.
**The UNM Music Prep School has a no refund policy. However, if your class is canceled due to low enrollment, you may transfer enrollment to another available class or be refunded.
**UNM Music Prep School Cancellation Policy Due to Weather & Other Emergencies
If we feel it is unsafe for families and teachers to travel due to weather conditions or if UNM cancels classes or closes campus for emergency reasons, we will cancel our classes. There will not be make up classes or refunds if we have to cancel.
If we must cancel, we will put a message on our voice mail (505.277.8816) and will ask KOB and KOAT to add us to the cancelation list that is published on television stations, websitesand apps.
If you have any questions please contact us!
Sean D. Umstead
Program Coordinator
Office:
(Tuesday – Friday) Room 2120
(Saturday) Room 1412
in the UNM Center for the Arts
musprep@unm.edu
or (505) 277-2282 (Tuesday-Friday)
(505) 277-8816 (Saturday)