Private Music Lessons
Germantown Academy invites master teachers to conduct private music lessons on campus for all students who wish to study an instrument. One-on-one lessons take place before, during, and after school at mutually convenient times that do not impact academic instruction. Contact Private Music Lesson Coordinator Hannah Doucette with questions about music lessons.
Interested in beginning an instrument?
Instrument Offerings
Strings
Violin (1st-12th Grades)
Cello (1st-12th Grades)
Viola (3rd-12th Grades)
Double Bass (3rd-12th Grades)
Woodwinds (4th-12th grades)
Flute
Oboe
Clarinet
Saxophone
Brass (4th -12th grades)
Trumpet
French Horn
Trombone
Baritone Horn
Tuba
Piano, Percussion, Voice
Piano (1st-12th Grades)
Mallet Percussion (4th-12th Grades)
Voice (6th-12th Grades)
Lesson Times
Lower School lessons generally occur during or after school depending on the instructor’s availability. During school lessons occur once a week during recess (1st-5th grades) or lunch (4th-5th grades), so no academic time is missed.
Middle/Upper School lessons typically take place once a week during school hours. Due to the 7-day rotation, students will have a different meeting time each week. Lessons alternate between study halls, break, ensemble, lunch, and any other times deemed appropriate by GA. Students are required to mark future lesson times in their planbook at each lesson and will receive an email with the schedule for the coming week.
MS clubs note: Private music lessons take precedence over MS clubs. If a student is scheduled for a lesson during the time a club meets, the student should attend their lesson.
1st and 2nd Grade String Lessons
Violin and Cello (Suzuki Method)
We offer violin and cello lessons using the Suzuki Method approach in 1st and 2nd grade. In order to be in line with the Suzuki philosophy, these lessons do require the participation of a parent or guardian. As reflected in the Suzuki Triangle (parent, teacher, and student working together to reach a goal), the parent/guardian also practices at home with the student on a daily basis. Please visit the Suzuki Association website for further information about the method or feel free to email Hannah Doucette with any questions.
In addition to the weekly private lesson, students are also highly encouraged to participate in the Suzuki Group class, which meets once a week for 30 minutes. No parent/guardian is required for the group session. Group class is a time when students share their music with peers and musical concepts are reviewed in a game-like approach. The focus is on building ensemble skills to prepare for 3rd Grade String Ensemble and reinforcing what is being taught in the private lesson. Contact Hannah to sign up for the group class.
Piano Lessons (Traditional)
Due to high demand, Germantown Academy instructors do have a waitlist for piano lessons. To be added to the waitlist, please fill out the Private Lesson Interest Form above.
Students attend lessons once a week and use a traditional approach to learning. No parent/guardian participation is required.
Percussion Lessons
All students in Germantown Academy's band program will experience a play-based approach to melodic and rhythmic literacy. This is true of every instrument group, including percussion. To achieve confidence in music literacy as quickly as possible, GA percussionists develop a "mallet first" foundation in their music reading. Students taking percussion will achieve mastery of the Rubank Elementary Method for Marimba, A Fresh Approach To Mallet Percussion Method, and the Essential Elements for Band (Percussion Book 1) and then move freely about the percussion section. It is also important to note that due to the size of the percussion instruments, there is a limited amount of space available in the percussion sections and there will be an audition for those entering band. Please contact Jeremy Correnti with any questions!
Voice Lessons
Germantown Academy offers private voice lessons to students in 6th Grade or older. Please do not request voice lessons if your child is younger than 6th Grade.
Non-GA Student Policy
Students that do not attend Germantown Academy may take lessons through the private lesson program provided that the teacher has met the needs of current GA students or the lesson is at a time that GA students do not take lessons. At this time, only GA students are able to be added to waitlists.