Academy Music

The NAU Community Music and Dance Academy offers individualized instruction on almost every instrument, for all Music Lesson options (including Suzuki). Music teachers are available at three different levels:

• Intern Teachers: students who are Music Performance or Music Education majors at NAU’s Kitt School of Music or College of Education.
• Professional Teachers: students or staff who have received their undergraduate degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Master Teachers: teachers who serve as NAU Kitt School of Music faculty members, have obtained their terminal degree in music, or have equivalent professional experience.

Private instruction improves knowledge and capacity of the instrument/voice and improves the degree to which students can contribute to his or her school and community ensembles.

If you are interested in private lessons, please register or read more about the programs below.

The Academy Suzuki Strings program offers students the opportunity to be fully immersed into the Suzuki philosophy, a method based on the teachings of Japanese Violinist, Shinichi Suzuki. Please check out the Suzuki Association home page for more information on the Suzuki philosophy and history.

Students in the Suzuki program have the opportunity to perform in numerous recitals on NAU campus and throughout the community, in addition to weekly group classes. Parents and students will be fully immersed in the philosophy while the parent trains and learns in early semester parent classes, as well as alongside the child in the classroom.

New Suzuki Students are asked to register for the Suzuki Parent Beginner Package (see next menu).

Please learn more about the Suzuki Program using the links below:

• Suzuki Philosophy
• Group Class Schedule: Spring ’23
• Supply List

The Parent Beginner package begins with two nights of parent-only instruction at the start of the semester (please see the Group Class Schedule (link: Group Class Schedule pdf) for location, dates and times). These parent-only sessions will help provide parents with foundational knowledge of the Suzuki philosophy, important information about the NAU Suzuki Strings program structure, and tips for practicing with their children at home. In addition, the parent will learn how to handle the instrument properly, achieve proper posture holding the instrument, develop the skill to produce a clear, resounding tone, and learn to play a few of the PreTwinkle pieces their children will learn in group class. A full-size instrument will be provided for the parent to practice on during these parent-only sessions.

The Parent Beginner package includes a semester-long enrollment in the New Beginner and Music Mind Games group classes on Thursdays (please refer to the Group Class Schedule for specific times). Students will have the opportunity to perform a short solo on a Formal Recital, as well as participate in a Group Recital with the New Beginner group class at the end of the semester. In addition, students enrolled in the Parent Beginner package will be provided with an Academy rental instrument at no extra cost for the semester.

• Parents MUST register through the Academy prior to participation
• Suzuki PreTwinkle Pieces

Group lessons for beginning parents provide foundational knowledge of the Suzuki philosophy. In addition, the parent will learn how to handle the instrument properly, achieve proper posture, and develop the skill to produce a clear, resounding tone.

• Parents MUST register through the Academy prior to participation
• Suzuki PreTwinkle Pieces

Individual lessons

“The Suzuki Triangle” is composed of the teacher, parent, and child. This triangle forms the basis for learning. Every child will eventually have an individual lesson with a teacher and the parent will be involved as an adjunct teacher.

• New Beginning Suzuki violin students will start by learning together in group class on Thursdays for the first 5-6 weeks before being assigned a lesson time with an instructor (in addition to the Thursday Group Class.)
• Lessons will be held at the Performing & Fine Arts Building or Ponderosa Building depending on teacher assignment
• A parent should be present at all private lessons for elementary age students
• Parents and students are encouraged to arrive early to observe any individual lessons
• A 24-hour notice is necessary for a teacher to reschedule a lesson. Please contact the Academy Office or your teacher if cancellation is necessary.
• A missed lesson without notice will not be made up

Weekly group classes

The main focuses of the group classes are reviewing of repertoire, learning to listen and play together in a group setting, performance etiquette, note reading (for appropriate levels), and learning techniques necessary to contribute and participate in ensemble playing.

• Group lessons take place on Thursday afternoons (see group class schedule. Coming soon.)
• Regular attendance by students and a parent is imperative and expected

Informal recitals

Teachers provide an opportunity to have an informal performance experience for their students at least once each semester.

• An accompanist will be provided for all students
• Instructors will guide students through the details of rehearsing with an accompanist
• Informal recitals take place on the Saturday of the week leading up to formal recitals.
• Students performing advanced repertoire may need to arrange and pay for any additional time with the accompanist on their own
• Advanced repertoire should be given to accompanist no later than two weeks prior to scheduled performance

Formal recitals

Formal recitals are designed to offer an opportunity to perform in a music hall in a formal setting for family, friends, and peers.

• All recitals take place in Kitt Recital Hall unless otherwise specified
• Students and families are expected to stay for the entire recital
• Students are expected to dress appropriately for formal recitals

Community performances

There are many opportunities for Suzuki students to perform through the Northern Arizona community as a group each year. Group performances provide a fun and safe venue for children to develop practice performing together in new settings for audiences. The repertoire is most often drawn from the Suzuki books. Anyone can participate in these performances, though not every student will play every piece based on the varied review. Community performances have included:

• Hullabaloo Festival at Wheeler Park
• Cornucopia Fall Festival at Thorpe Park
• Holiday Lights Ceremony at Little America Hotel
• Mountain Campus Arts and Craft Fair at duBois Conference Center
• Coconino County Fair at Coconino County Fair Grounds
• Children’s Festival at Wheeler Park

Traditional Music Lesson Packages cover all instruments, from Piano to Trumpet, Drums to Clarinet, and everything in between. The Academy works with the NAU Kitt School of Music and College of Education to find teacher matches for all kinds of instruments, for almost any level and include:

• Intern teachers who are music majors at NAU
• Professional teachers who have received their master of music degree or equivalent professional experience
• Master teachers who serve as NAU School of Music faculty members, have obtained their terminal degree in music, or have equivalent professional experience

Private instruction improves knowledge and capacity of the instrument/voice and improves the degree to which students can contribute to his or her school and community ensembles.

If you’re interested in private lessons, complete the registration form or read more about the programs below.

Voice lessons

Vocal instruction through the Academy is available to students age 6 and older. Registered students will be connected with the Academy vocal coordinator, Dr. Ricardo Pereira, to schedule a meeting during which the student’s placement with a teacher will be determined.  Private instruction typically concludes with the production of a vocal master class and recital at the end of each fall and spring semester in which students have the opportunity to share their talent and excitement for music with family and friends.

Please see the Academy Calendar (Coming soon.) for recital and master class days and times.

Piano lessons

Piano lessons through the Academy are available to students age 5 and older. Upon registration, the student will be placed with a private teacher by the Academy piano coordinator, Dr. Michelle Wachter. Private instruction will culminate in at least one performance opportunity in recital in Kitt Recital Hall in which students get to share what they’ve learned with family and friends.

Please see the Academy Calendar (Coming soon.) for recital and master class days and times.

All other instruments

The Academy maintains teachers for private lessons on almost all classical instruments. There are not always teachers at all three levels available for each instrument, but we can usually find a teacher and arrange for instruction.

Chamber Ensemble

The Chamber Ensemble is designed to help advanced students improve their reading and ensemble skills in a comfortable group setting. Students who are at the proper ability level in the Suzuki Strings program will the attend the class as part of their Thursday after group class block. The Chamber Ensemble is open to non-Suzuki String students as well. Students in the ensemble class will develop skills to help them prepare for more advanced ensemble playing in future years. It is recommended that students bring their own music stands to rehearsals.

Music Mind Games

Music Mind Games is an instructional method of teaching musical concepts and theory to young children. The curriculum is designed as a support system for developing musicians ages 5-10 and parents while providing guidelines for teachers. By participating in Music Mind Games, students will learn to read music and develop skills necessary for understanding music theory and be able to:

• Follow directions
• Develop a quick and dependable memory
• Work well in a group
• Develop problem-solving techniques
• Learn to develop respect for their teachers and fellow students

Students of all ages and abilities will enjoy learning, reading, theory, dictation, and much more in weekly Music Mind Games classes! Each student is encouraged to purchase a Puppy Packet so they can play Music Mind Games at home as well. Puppy Packets will be used throughout your child’s music education.

Note: Music Mind Games is considered part of the Suzuki Strings curriculum and meets on Thursday afternoons in various classrooms. Please refer to the Suzuki Strings group class schedule (Coming soon.) for complete details including starting date – classes will meet on weeks when “Group Classes” are listed.