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
Registration for summer opens Friday, May 1!
Summer 2026 Dates
Registration for Saturday classes available Friday, May 1!
6 Saturdays, June 13 – July 25 (no class July 4)
Opera Storytellers Summer Camp
Registration for Opera Storytellers is open!
Opera Storytellers: Inside Every Kid Is An Opera Waiting to Be Told!
In collaboration with UNM Music Prep School, the Santa Fe Opera presents Opera Storytellers, a week-long summer camp for children entering 3rd through 6th grades in the 2026-2027 school year.
When: June 15 – 19, 9am – 3pm
Where: UNM Center for the Arts (Popejoy Hall)
Camp fee is $325 per child. Sibling discount is $25 per child. Space is limited.
Click the Opera Storytellers Tab below to learn more and register!
Tuition:
Base tuition is $100 for six 45-minute classes.
- Classes that require books or materials cost more
- Classes longer than 45 minutes cost more.
- Classes on an abbreviated schedule cost less.
Tuition Assistance is available
To request tuition assistance, please submit a Tuition Waiver Application.
Parking:
- One parking code for the Cornell Parking Structure is included with each Saturday registration. Additional codes are $10.
- Free parking is not available for Thursday Children’s Chorus classes. However, drop-off and pick-up services are provided.
Protection of Minors:
Required supervision of minors: In accordance with UNM Minors on Campus policies, a parent or guardian must accompany all minor children into and out of university facilities and remain on site for the full duration of each class.
Children’s Chorus drop-off service: the Music Prep School provides a supervised drop-off and pick-up service for UNM Children’s Chorus classes on Thursdays, with convenient drop-off and pick-up locations, and children released only to authorized adults with valid ID.
Note:
Class schedules, formats, and health protocols are subject to change in accordance with updated guidelines, mandates, or public health orders.
Preview Our Classes
Browse class descriptions and register using the tabs below.
For string lessons and classes, please visit the UNM String Lab School website.
Opera Storytellers Summer Camp (3rd - 6th grades)
Opera Storytellers: Inside Every Kid Is An Opera Waiting to Be Told!
June 15 – 19, 9am – 3pm
In collaboration with UNM Music Prep School, the Santa Fe Opera presents Opera Storytellers, a week-long summer camp for children entering 3rd through 6th grades in the 2026-2027 school year.
Whether taking on the role of composer, writer, performer, or designer, with Opera Storytellers students get to discover which parts of the creative process they like best. Students collaborate in a safe, supportive, and fun environment, and work together to develop and present an original 10-minute opera. No previous music or performance experience required.
Camp fee is $325 per child. Sibling discount is $25 per child. Space is limited.
Registration for Opera Storytellers is open!
Click the link to register: Opera Storytellers
For more information and to request discounts and scholarships, please contact musprep@unm.edu.
Spanish Bilingual Family Music (ages birth-3)
- Children ages birth-3 play together in a community with each other and with their grown-ups and teacher to explore and experience music through singing, rhythm, and movement activities.
- 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.
Class instruction will be given in English and Spanish. All are welcome to join! Fluent Spanish is not required to take this class.
An Adult/Child Class
Saturdays: 10:00am & 11:00am
Teacher: Judy Castro
Click the link to register: Spanish Bilingual Family Music (ages birth-3) 10am & 11am
Family Music (ages 4-7)
- Children ages 4-7 play together in a community with each other and with their grown-ups and teacher to explore and experience music through singing, rhythm, and movement activities.
- 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.
An Adult/Child Class
Saturdays: 11:00am – 11:45am
Teacher: Mikel Sakamoto
Click the link to register: Family Music (ages 4-7) 11am
Guitar (ages 8-17)
- In our fun and engaging guitar classes, students explore a variety of musical genres while learning essential techniques such as strumming patterns, chord progressions, and more. Along the way, they’ll build their skills as musicians and deepen their appreciation for different musical styles.
- Guitar students are expected to practice and complete weekly assignments and should have access to a guitar during the week. A limited number of guitars are available to rent for $20 per semester.
- Cost of book, copies, and materials included in price
- Grownups are expected to remain on site while their students are in class.
Saturdays, 10:00am, 11:00am, & 12:00pm
Teacher: Mel Moreno
Click the links below to register:
Beginning Guitar (ages 8-12) 10am
This class is for beginners ages 8-12 with little to no experience.
Guitar for Teens and Advanced Students 11am
This class is for beginners ages 13-17, as well as advanced students with 3 or more semesters of previous guitar experience of any age.
Continuing Guitar for Younger Students (ages 8-12) 12pm
This class is designed for continuing students ages 8-12.
Piano (ages 6 and up)
- Piano students are expected to practice and complete weekly assignments at home and should have access to a piano or keyboard during the week. A limited number of keyboards are available to rent for $20 per semester.
- Piano students should keep their fingernails short.
- Cost of book, copies, and materials included in price.
- Grownups are expected to remain on site while their students are in class.
Saturdays: 10:00am, 11:00am & 12:00pm
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Click the links below to register:
Beginning Piano for Younger Students (ages 6-7) 10am
This group piano class for children ages 6-7 with no previous experience is designed for participants to grasp the fundamentals, learn rhythm and notation reading, & music theory.
Beginning Piano for Older Students (ages 8-10) 11am
This group piano class for children ages 8-10 with no previous experience is designed for participants to grasp the fundamentals, learn rhythm and notation reading, & music theory.
Piano: Over 1 Year Experience 12pm
This class is for continuing students (of all ages) who have taken more than 1 year of piano previously.
Ukulele Fam Jam (ages 5 and up)
- At least one adult must attend with child participant(s). ($5/adult)
- This class is designed for beginners with little to no experience and welcomes both children and their accompanying adults! Explore the wonderful world of music through ukulele playing, singing, and movement. Participants will learn the basics of ukulele like simple chords and strumming pattern, while jamming to popular songs and engaging in fun, interactive musical activities. Join us for a joyful and memorable musical experience!
- Required Materials: A tuner or tuning app. Soprano, concert, or tenor ukulele (no baritones). A limited number of ukuleles are available to rent for $20 from the UNM Music Prep School per session on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Saturdays: 12:00pm
Teacher: Sinix Pinkston
Click the link to register: Summer Ukulele Fam Jam (ages 5+)
Musical Creativity (ages 4-12)
Musical Explorations (ages 8-12): Got a young musician bursting with musical ideas? It’s time to let them loose! Young musicians ages 8–12 will journey through the vibrant world of music, discovering sounds, traditions, and composers from across the globe. They’ll experiment with a variety of instruments, create their own melodies, and build confidence through improvisation and group collaboration. Along the way, they’ll learn to use notation, craft musical stories, and share their creative ideas in fun, hands-on ways. This all leads up to an exciting finale where their original compositions are performed live by professional musicians at the end of the term!
- Grownups are expected to remain on site while their students are in class.
Saturdays: 10:00am, 11:00am
Teacher: Dr. Beth Ratay
Click the links below to register:
Creative Musical Play (ages 4-7) 10am
Musical Explorations (ages 8-12) 11am
A Message from the Director
Welcome to the UNM Music Prep School!
Whether you’re a returning family or just beginning your musical journey with us, I’m so glad you’re here. At the UNM Music Prep School, we believe in the transformative power of music education—for children, for families, and for our broader community. Our goal is to create joyful, inclusive spaces where students and families of all backgrounds can explore, grow, and connect through music.
Thank you for being a part of this vibrant community. I look forward to seeing you at class, in the lobby and hallways, or at one of our events and performances soon.
Together in community,
Dr. Aaron Jacobs
Director, UNM Music Prep School
Meet The Teachers
Music Prep School Program Coordinator - Sean Umstead
Guitar – Mel Moreno
Spanish Bilingual Family Music - Judy Castro
Music Rhythm, and Movement - Terri Reck
Piano - Natalia Tikhovidova
UNM Children’s Chorus - Sharee Gariety
Musical Creativity – Dr. Beth Ratay
Family Music - Mikel Sakamoto
UNM Children’s Chorus – Louise Loomis
Ukulele Fam Jam - Sinix Pinkston
Donate to the Music Prep School
Donate NowTuition Assistance
Tuition waivers are limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis to those who express need. To apply, download the Tuition Waiver Application and return it via email to musprep@unm.edu. Please do not register for classes until you receive a response and allow time for processing. The UNM Music Prep School is not responsible if a class fills up before a waiver is granted.
We are grateful you are part of our musical community!
Here’s how we’re working to keep all Music Prep School families safe and supported:
- Hand sanitizer available in all classrooms
- Disinfectant wipes available in the MPS office
- Compliance with all UNM Minors on Campus policies
- Ongoing cooperation with campus partners to maintain a safe and secure learning environment for all Music Prep School families
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: https://pats.unm.edu.
**UNM Music Prep School Cancellation Policy
If we determine that 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. Please note that there will be no makeup classes or refunds in the event of an emergency cancelation.
If a class must be cancelled due to instructor illness/emergency, every effort will be made to schedule a makeup class. If a makeup is not possible, the class will not be rescheduled, and no refunds will be issued.
If a cancelation is necessary, we will notify families immediately via email and/or by phone using the contact information provided at registration.
If you have any questions please contact us!
Director, UNM Music Prep School
Sean Umstead
Program Coordinator
Office:
Room 1412, UNM Center for the Arts
musprep@unm.edu
or (505) 277-8816