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.
Summer 2024
Registration is now open!
Summer Dates: 8 Saturday Music Classes from June 15 – August 3
Cost: $112 per semester for eight 45-minute classes
*some classes require a book and materials which is added to the registration cost and will be purchased by the UNM Music Prep School and distributed to the student.
*classes that are longer than 45-minutes cost more.
Opera Storytellers Summer Camps
Registration is OPEN for Opera Storytellers!
SANTA FE
Santa Fe Opera
Monday, June 3 – Friday, June 7
9 am – 3 pm
ALBUQUERQUE
UNM Center for the Arts (Popejoy Hall)
Monday, June 17 – Friday, June 21
9am – 3pm
Cost: $325
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.
Spanish Bilingual Family Music (ages birth-3) 9am
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 9:00am – 9:45am.
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 9:00am – 9:45am
Teacher: Mikel Sakamoto
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
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 10:00am – 10:45am
Teacher: Mikel Sakamoto
Composition for Kids (ages 7-12) 10am
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. Over the course of the session, young composers learn the fundamentals of creating rhythmic and melodic patterns, skills for improvisation and group collaboration, musical storytelling, and how to create and use notation to express and communicate their ideas.
Saturdays 10:00am – 10:45am
Teacher: Beth Ratay
Drum Fun
This class is for beginning and continuing students ages 6 and up.
Embark on a journey of musical exploration and skill-building in Drum Fun! Students will cultivate their 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
Ukulele Fam Jam
Ukulele Fam Jam (ages 5 and up) 11am
Explore the wonderful world of music while playing the ukulele, singing, and moving. Participants will learn the fundamentals of ukulele, including chords, and strumming patterns, while jamming to popular songs and engaging in fun musical activities. Join us for a memorable musical experience!
Saturdays 11:00am – 11:45am
Teacher: Judy Castro
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 Younger Students (ages 7-9) 9am
Group piano classes are designed for participants to grasp the fundamentals, learn rhythm and notation reading, and music theory. Students are expected to practice and complete weekly assignments to progress and build upon prior knowledge and skills and must have access to a piano or keyboard at home. *A limited number of keyboards are available to rent for $20 a semester.
Saturdays 9:00am – 9:45am
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Piano: 2 or More Years Experience, 10am
This class is for continuing students (of all ages) who have taken 2 or more years (4+ semesters) of piano previously.
Saturdays 10:00am – 10:45am
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Beginning Piano for Older Students (ages 10 -12) 11am
Group piano classes are designed for participants to grasp the fundamentals, learn rhythm and notation reading, and music theory. Students are expected to practice and complete weekly assignments to progress and build upon prior knowledge and skills and must have access to a piano or keyboard at home. *A limited number of keyboards are available to rent for $20 a semester.
Saturdays 11:00am – 11:45am
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Piano: 1/2-1 Year Experience, 12pm
This class is for continuing students (of all ages) who have taken 1/2 to 1 years of piano previously.
Saturdays 12:00pm – 12:45pm
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Beginning and Continuing Piano for Teens and Adults (ages 13+) 1pm
This class is for brand new beginners and experienced students ages 13 and up. Group piano classes are designed for participants to grasp the fundamentals, learn rhythm and notation reading, and music theory. Students are expected to practice and complete weekly assignments to progress and build upon prior knowledge and skills and must have access to a piano or keyboard at home. *A limited number of keyboards are available to rent for $20 a semester.
Saturdays 1:00pm – 1:45pm
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Composition For Kids
Composition for Kids (ages 7-12) 10am
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 10:00am – 10:45am
Teacher: Dr. Beth Ratay
Adult Classes
Beginning and Continuing Piano for Teens and Adults (ages 13+) 1pm
This class is for brand new beginners and experienced students ages 13 and up. Group piano classes are designed for participants to grasp the fundamentals, learn rhythm and notation reading, and music theory. Students are expected to practice and complete weekly assignments to progress and build upon prior knowledge and skills and must have access to a piano or keyboard at home. *A limited number of keyboards are available to rent for $20 a semester.
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
Spanish Bilingual Family Music - Judy Castro
Music Rhythm, and Movement - Terri Reck
Guitar - Donovan Perea
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)