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 2024 available early May!
Summer Dates: 8 Saturday Music Classes weekly from June 15 – August 3
*Some classes have an abbreviated schedule and meet every other week
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
Spring 2024
View our spring classes in the tabs below.
Saturday Music Classes
12 Saturdays
January 27 – May 11 (no class February 17, March 16 & 30, April 6)
*Some classes have an abbreviated schedule and meet less often.
Thursday Music Classes
12 Thursdays (Children’s Chorus)
January 18 – May 9 (no class February 15, March 14 & 28, April 4 & 25)
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.
Family Music (ages birth-3) 9am
***Maximum registration reached. This class is no longer available.
An Adult/Child Class
Children and grown-ups experience music through singing, rhythm, and movement activities.
Saturdays 9:00am – 9:45am.
Teacher: Judy Castro
Around the World with Music (ages 4-7) 9am
An Adult/Child Class
This class emphasizes songs and dances from countries all over the world.
Saturdays 9:00am – 9:45am
Teacher: Rachael Baca
Music, Rhythm, and Movement Level 2 9am
Parental attendance preferred
This class is for children 4-7 who have taken Music, Rhythm, and Movement Level I.
Saturdays 9:00am – 9:45am
Teacher: Terri Reck
Spanish Bilingual Family Music (ages birth-3) 10am
***Maximum registration reached. This class is no longer available.
An Adult/Child Class
Children and grown-ups experience music through singing, rhythm, and movement activities.
Class instruction will be given in Spanish and English.
Saturdays 10:00am – 10:45am
Teacher: Judy Castro
Around the World with Music (ages birth-3) 10am
An Adult/Child Class
This class emphasizes songs and dances from countries all over the world.
Saturdays 10:00am – 10:45am
Teacher: Rachael Baca
Music, Rhythm, and Movement (ages 4-7) 10am
Parental attendance preferred.
This class is for children ages 4-7 to explore and experience music in a playful and natural way through music movement games.
Saturdays 10:00am – 10:45am
Teacher: Terri Reck
Spanish Bilingual Family Music (ages birth-3) 11am
An Adult/Child Class
Children and grown-ups experience music through singing, rhythm, and movement activities.
Class instruction will be given in Spanish and English.
Saturdays 11:00am – 11:45am
Teacher: Judy Castro
Around the World with Music (ages birth-3) 11am
An Adult/Child Class
This class emphasizes songs and dances from all over the world.
Saturdays 11:00am – 11:45am
Teacher: Rachael Baca
Music, Rhythm, and Movement (ages 4-7) 11am
Parental attendance preferred.
This class is for children ages 4-7 to explore and experience music in a playful and natural way through music movement games.
Saturdays 11:00am – 11:45am
Teacher: Terri Reck
Every Other Week Family Music (ages birth-3) 12pm
PLEASE NOTE: This class meets every other week- 7 class meetings total.
An Adult/Child Class
Saturdays 12:00pm – 12:45pm
Teacher: Jennifer Warren
Children's Chorus
UNM Children’s Chorus (K-5th grade)
The primary goal is to have fun with singing!
THURSDAYS
4:30pm- 5:30pm (1 hour)
Concert: May 9
Teacher: Sharee Gariety
Drum Fun
This class is for beginning and continuing students ages 6 and up.
Students will develop musicianship and explore diverse musical genres while improvising, moving, playing games, reading music notation, and performing on various drums and percussion instruments.
Saturdays 9:00am – 9:45am
Teacher: Logan Musel
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.
Beginning Piano, Continuing (ages 7-9) 9am
This class is for students continuing from the fall semester of beginning piano.
Saturdays 9:00am – 9:45am
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Piano 1/2-1 Year Experience, 10am
This class is for student continuing from the fall semester in this time slot.
Saturdays 10:00am – 10:45am
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Piano 2-3 Years Experience, 11am
This class is for continuing students (of all ages) who have taken 2-3 years (4-6 semesters) of piano previously.
Saturdays 11:00am – 11:45am
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Beginning Piano for Brand-New Students (ages 7-9) 12pm
***Maximum registration reached. This class is no longer available.
This class is for brand new beginners ages 7-9 with little to no experience who would like to join mid-year..
Saturdays 12:00pm – 12:45pm
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Piano for Older Students, Continuing (ages 9 -12) 1pm
This class is for students continuing from the fall semester older beginner class.
Saturdays 1:00pm – 1:45pm
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Beginning and Continuing Piano for Teens and Adults (ages 13+) 2pm
This class is for brand new beginners and experienced students ages 13 and up.
Saturdays 2:00pm – 2:45pm
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Guitar
Guitar for Beginners and Continuing Students (ages 8-12) 10am
This class is for brand new students ages 8-12 and students who have taken guitar previously. Advanced students should register for the 11am class.
Saturdays 10:00am – 10:45am
Teacher: Donovan Perea
Guitar for Teens, Adults, and Advanced Younger Students 11am
This class is for brand-new and continuing students. This class is combined with the advanced guitar class for younger students.
Saturdays 11:00am – 11:45am
Teacher: Donovan Perea
Adult Classes
Guitar for Teens, Adults, and Advanced Younger Students 11am
This class is for brand-new and continuing students. This class is combined with the advanced guitar class for younger students.
Saturdays 11:00am – 11:45am
Teacher: Donovan Perea
Beginning and Continuing Piano for Teens and Adults (ages 13+) 2pm
This class is for brand new beginners and experienced students ages 13 and up.
Saturdays 2:00pm – 2:45pm
Teacher: Natalia Tikhovidova
Required Forms
Tuition Waiver Application
Donate to the Music Prep School
Donate NowMeet the teachers
Each one of our teachers is connected to the UNM Department of Music as a graduate, faculty, or both! Holds bachelor’s and/or master’s degrees in music education or music performance. They also teach in the Albuquerque area public or private schools and/or in their private music studios. They are passionate about and dedicated to “opening doors to a lifetime of music” for their students!
Music Prep School Program Coordinator - Sean Umstead
Family Music - Judy Castro
Music Rhythm, and Movement - Terri Reck
Guitar - Donovan Perea
Piano - Natalia Tikhovidova
UNM Children’s Chorus - Sharee Gariety
Drum Fun - Logan Musel
Family Music - Jennifer Warren
Around the World with Music - Rachael Baca
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)