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Programs

Musikgarten

Preschool children can be a part of Musikgarte, a structured program in musical training and music readiness. Activities are designed to promote language, motor skills, and social interaction while developing the child's imagination.

Piano Laboratory Program

The Piano Laboratory Program is designed to provide piano pedagogy students with actual teaching experiences in private and group settings. All student teachers are enrolled in a piano pedagogy course in the Baylor University School of Music. All classes and lessons are supervised by the Director of Piano Pedagogy Studies.

Students enrolled in the first and second year PLP classes will enjoy a variety of musical experiences while learning the fundamentals of music. Emphasis is placed on reading, rhythm, ear training, and creative work through group activities and directed play games. Instruction includes a thirty-minute group class and a thirty-minute private lesson once a week. The first-year class meets on Mondays from 4:00-5:00. Enrollment in the first-year class is offered each fall to children entering the first and second grade.

Students who have completed two years of PLP classes may enroll in private instruction. The 45 minutes of instruction may include a private lesson, partner lesson, and/or computer-musicianship workstations. A limited number of openings are available.

BU String Project

A String Project is a unique program that introduces stringed instrument playing to grade school children. Currently, 24 universities and colleges nationwide participate in the National String Project Consortium.

Under the guidance of a Master Teacher, undergraduate students teach children in the community how to read music and play a stringed instrument, such as the violin, viola, cello, or bass. In the process, children develop good work habits and improve their ability to collaborate and cooperate in groups.

Utilizing college students in supervised teaching roles allows Baylor University to offer music lessons at substantially reduced fees, making the program accessible to all families in the community who wish to participate.