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 Fall 2026 opens Friday, July 24 at 10am!
Fall 2026 Dates
Saturday Music Classes: August 22 – November 21, 2026
No class September 5 or October 10.
Thursday Children’s Chorus: August 27 – November 18, 2026 (Wednesday)
No class October 8.
Tuition:
Base tuition is $200 for twelve 45-minute classes.
- Classes that require books, materials, or are longer than 45 minutes cost more.
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.
Family Music (ages birth-3 and 4-7)
Children and their grown-ups explore music through singing, movement, rhythm, and playful musical experiences in a joyful and supportive community. Our classes are welcoming and inclusive of all families, learning styles, abilities, and developmental stages, creating a fun and engaging environment where children and families can connect, grow, and develop their musical selves.
An Adult/Child Class
Family Music (ages birth-3)
Saturdays: 9:00am – 9:45am
Teacher: Jolie Davidson
Click the link to register: Family Music (ages birth-3) 9:00am
Spanish Bilingual Family Music (ages birth-3)
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 & 11:00am
Teacher: Judy Castro
Click the link to register: Spanish Bilingual Family Music (ages birth-3) 10am & 11am
Music, Rhythm, & Movement (ages 4-7+)
Dalcroze training is a hallmark of university and community music programs nationwide. Students who bring curiosity, focus, and a little self-discipline will thrive in this class!
- Grownups are expected to remain on site while their students are in class.
Saturdays: 10:00am
Teacher: Terri Reck
Click the link to register:
Fall 2026 Music, Rhythm, and Movement Level I & II (ages 4-7+) 10am
Guitar (ages 8-17)
Saturdays, 10:00am & 11:00am
Teacher: Mel Moreno
Click the links below to register:
Beginning & Continuing Guitar (ages 8-12) 10am
This class is for beginners ages 8-12 with little to no experience and continuing students who have taken guitar previously.
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.
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 $25 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: 9:00am, 10:00am, 11:00am, 12:00pm & 1:00pm
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Click the links below to register:
Fall 2026 Piano: Half – 1 Year Experience 9am
This class is for continuing students (of all ages) who have taken 1/2 to 1 years of piano previously.
Fall 2026 Beginning Piano for Older Students (ages 8-10) 10am
This group piano class for children ages 8-10 is designed for participants to grasp the fundamentals, learn rhythm and notation reading, & music theory.
Fall 2026 Beginning Piano for Younger Students (ages 6-7) 11am
This group piano class for children ages 6-7 is designed for participants to grasp the fundamentals, learn rhythm and notation reading, & music theory.
Fall 2026 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.
Fall 2026 Piano for Teens and Adults (ages 13+) 1pm
This class is for brand new beginners and experienced students ages 13+. Group piano classes are designed for participants to grasp the fundamentals, learn rhythm and notation reading, and music theory.
Creative Musical Play (ages 4-7)
- Grownups are expected to remain on site while their students are in class.
Saturdays: 11:00am
Teacher: Dr. Beth Ratay
Click the link to register:
Children’s Chorus (grades K-8)
Thursdays: 4:30pm
Performances: Thursday, October 29 and Wednesday, November 18
Teachers: Sharee Gariety, Jolie Davidson, and Louise Loomis
Click the link to register:
Fall 2026 UNM Children’s Chorus (K-8th grade)
Rock Band (ages 9 and up)
OFFERED IN THE SPRING
Join the band and make some noise! This exciting Rock Band class brings together popular music, creativity, and collaboration through guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and vocals. Students learn by playing songs, improvising, writing original music, and performing music in a fun, supportive, and inclusive environment. Students have the opportunity to build musical skills, gain confidence, express themselves, and connect with fellow musicians. Students of all skill levels (complete beginner to advanced) are welcome, and no prior experience is necessary. Students are welcome to bring their own instruments, but instruments will be provided if needed.
- Grownups are expected to remain on site while their students are in class.
Saturdays: 1:00pm – 1:45pm
Teacher: Dr. Melissa Ryan (UNM Music Education Area Head)
Thursday Morning Family Music (ages 12mo-5y)
OFFERED IN THE SPRING
Our classes are welcoming and inclusive of all families, learning styles, abilities, and developmental stages, creating a fun and engaging environment where children and families can connect, grow, and develop their musical selves.
Music for Me (ages 12mo-3y): Come join us for a joyful music-making experience that fosters musical growth and builds parent-child bonds.
An Adult/Child Class
Thursdays: 9:00am – 9:45am
Teacher: Allyssa Pehrson
Music and My World (ages 3-5y): This class focuses on teaching musical concepts and skills through experiential and play-based learning. Lessons include singing games, instrument play, creative movement, ear training, and beginning music notation and theory.
An Adult/Child Class
Thursdays: 10:00am – 10:45am
Teacher: Allyssa Pehrson
Meet Our Staff
Music Prep School Operations Manager - Sean Umstead
Guitar – Mel Moreno
Spanish Bilingual Family Music - Judy Castro
UNM Children’s Chorus - Sharee Gariety
UNM Children’s Chorus – Joliana Davidson
UNM Children’s Chorus – Louise Loomis
Musical Creativity – Dr. Beth Ratay
Family Music - Mikel Sakamoto
Piano - Natalia Tikhovidova
Ukulele Fam Jam - Sinix Pinkston
Music Rhythm, and Movement - Terri Reck
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!
Operations Manager
To contact the Music Prep School, please email musprep@unm.edu