For more details on pricing and dates for this semester’s offerings, visit our Jacobs Academy page and scroll down to “Program offerings.”
Young Pianists has the following class offerings:
Private Lessons
Please note: Lessons may be taken either online or in-person. Consult with the student’s teacher and with the director.
There are a number of different ways to study the piano. In the Young Pianists Program, the traditional private piano lesson is central to the program of study. We believe that individualized lessons have significant advantages, not the least of which is that instruction can be tailored to each student’s age, advancement level, learning style, and particular needs. Lessons culminate in a final recital at the end of the semester.
During our fall and spring semesters, we offer two options:
- Two 30-minute private piano lessons per week – 15 weeks, 30 lessons (strongly recommended for beginners and children under the age of 10)
- One 60-minute private piano lesson per week – 15 weeks, 15 lessons
The summer session is a flexible, shortened setup consisting of 6 hours of lessons (either 6 hour-long lessons or 12 half-hour lessons), taken anytime before the fall semester begins, on dates agreed upon mutually between instructor and student families.
New students should contact Dr. Elizabeth Yao for a teacher assignment at elizyao@iu.edu, with the answers to these questions:
- Your child’s name and age
- Has your child taken piano lessons before?
- Do you have an acoustic piano or an electric keyboard on which your child can practice every day? [Note: If you are planning to purchase an electric keyboard and are looking for recommendations, we have some options listed on our FAQ page.]
- What are the days/times that your child is available for lessons? (For example, Monday 5-7pm, Tuesday 3-6pm, etc.) The more availability you can give, the easier it will be to find an instructor whose schedule fits yours!
- Is there any other information that you think would be helpful in finding an instructor that’s a good fit for your child’s personality and learning style?
In the case of insufficient openings, students will be placed on a waitlist.
NEW! Young Beginners Group Class
The purpose of our Young Beginners group class is to lay a musical and pianistic foundation for young beginners (ages 4.5 to 5) that will make it easier for them to transition to one-on-one lessons afterward. The unique benefits that a group class offers are:
- 45 minutes weekly with peers in a fun group setting provides a low-pressure introduction to the piano for young children who may feel intimidated by, or may not yet have the attention span for, an hour’s worth of one-on-one lessons each week
- a cost- and time-efficient way to start learning piano and musical basics
- an easy transitional link to bridge the gap between a kindergarten music class (like Musical Beginnings) and traditional piano lessons
- Classes are offered on Saturday mornings during Fall and Spring semesters: 14 weeks, 14 classes
- Prerequisites:
- Student must be at least 4.5 years old
- Student must be able to count to 5 and hold a pencil
- Student should have some kind of experience with being in a classroom/group and following directions
- Student should have a keyboard/piano at home, and parent should be able to spend time at home during the week helping the student practice
Music Theory Class
- One hour per week on Saturday mornings: 14 weeks, 14 classes
- Recommended for students who have had at least 2 years of piano lessons.
- Classes may take place in-person or online, depending on demand.
- New students should contact Dr. Elizabeth Yao (elizyao@iu.edu) for information on class placement and levels.
- Young Pianists offers substantial discounts to most families enrolling 2 or more children in Theory classes. Individual students taking 2 Theory classes concurrently are also eligible for a discount on the second class. Classes must be taken in the same semester to qualify for the discount. Please read the Table of Theory Class Discounts to see if you qualify.