Piano

The piano faculty at the Music Institute is a group of dedicated and experienced teachers who fosters the love of music and enables lifelong enjoyment of music in their students.  Their love of music and pursuit of excellence is demonstrated through their own achievements and actions.

Most of the piano faculty have obtained a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance, and continue to distinguish themselves through performances in the Baltimore-Washington area as well as on national and international stages.  Many are also piano faculty at the college level.  In addition to teaching and performing, they are also active members of the National Guild of Music Teachers, Music Teachers National Association and its affiliated organizations on the state and county levels.

The faculty works with students of all ages.  Whether you are a piano student heading to a music conservatory or a college music department; someone who wants to enjoy playing the piano for yourself; or a working/retired adult who wants to realize the dream of playing the piano, come to The Music Institute and the faculty will support, encourage and guide you to your goal.

Strings

The Music Institute is proud of its first-rate strings program. You can take private lessons in violin, viola, cello, and bass, and you can join a small chamber ensemble. We also have a Cello Ensemble and String Orchestra open to students of all ages who perform a successful audition.

The Music Institute string faculty is the one of the best you will find in any preparatory program. Nearly all of our teachers are also HCC college instructors, and also teach at other colleges, music conservatories, and music departments in the Baltimore/DC area. Our strings faculty, which includes the award-winning Gemini Piano Trio, has appeared in concert in venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Alice Tully Hall. They teach from experience gained in the real world of performing on the concert circuit.  Programs for our younger students include Suzuki classes, Colourstrings™ and Preparatory ensembles.

Winds

The woodwind department offers lessons to students of all ages and ability levels on the clarinet, saxophone, flute, and recorder.  The brass department teaches lessons in trumpet, trombone, euphonium, French horn and tuba.  Our faculty is experienced in styles ranging from classical to jazz to pop, and is comfortable teaching and playing in any of those styles.  We foster our students’ musical interests and encourage them to be the most well-rounded musician they can be.

The Music Institute also has ensembles for wind instruments in addition to the larger Prep Jazz Band and the HCC Jazz Ensemble.

Voice

The voice faculty is a dedicated group of teachers, scholars and artists who emphasize good vocal health, efficient technique and confidence in performance.  These basics apply to all singing, no matter if your interests are traditional art music/opera, popular/jazz, choral music, or musical theater styles. 

Whether your wish is to pursue music as a career or you just want to sing in the shower, our nurturing instruction will further your confidence in your ability, help to develop your singing skills, and foster an appreciation of vocal music that will last a lifetime. 

With some exceptions, we believe that serious vocal study should not begin before the age of 14, but we feel that it is never too late to begin instruction.  The habits learned early in vocal study can determine the length and success of a potential singing career.  We encourage students to participate in outside activities that support their dreams and ambitions.  We encourage regular recital participation to help develop self confidence and a positive performance persona.  Come join us and see what your voice can become – we will be with you every step of the way, guiding and encouraging you. 

Percussion

It's an exciting time to play percussion at the Music Institute at HCC! Take lessons from professional percussionists on any area that interests you - classical and orchestral percussion, jazz, Latin and world percussion, and more! Learn to play any one of HCC's many wonderful brand new percussion instruments, like drumset, congas, timpani, and the beautiful 5-octave Yamaha marimba.

Guitar 

The guitar faculty approaches teaching as an individualized activity.  Lessons are designed with each student’s interests and needs in mind.  Believing that a student will learn best with music that he or she knows and loves, the guitar faculty tailors the lessons to each student’s tastes while addressing the important technical, theoretical, and `musical requirements for each style of music.   Age ranges are from 8 to senior citizens. We teach in many different styles from Classical, Folk, Blues and  Rock to Jazz.  Electric guitars as well as acoustic instruments are accepted. We accept beginning bass students who are looking for ensemble-oriented lessons as well as insights into bass techniques and theory.

For younger students (8 years and younger), we are able to accommodate their physical limitations with such starter instruments as baritone ukuleles and half-size guitars, often lending the instrument for a time until the student is ready to move ahead to his or her larger instrument. Our faculty structure lessons based on the cognitive and physical talents of each student as well as musical tastes making lessons educational and interesting as well as enjoyable.   

Music Therapy

“Music Therapy is an established healthcare profession that uses music to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals of all ages.  Music therapy improves the quality of life for persons who are well and meets the needs of children and adults with disabilities or illnesses.  Music therapy interventions can be designed to promote wellness, manage stress, alleviate pain, express feelings, enhance memory, improve communication and promote physical rehabilitation.”  (American Music Therapy website) 

The Music Therapy program at The Music Institute at HCC  is unique in the area and offers individually-designed private music therapy sessions with a board-certified music therapist for people with disabilities.  Private beginning piano lessons are also available with a music therapist.  Through a cooperative program with Howard County Public Schools, high school music therapy internships and work-study programs are also available.

Suzuki Beginning Violin

You may, with the instructor’s permission, sign up for fewer then the  entire seven months of lessons.

Sr. Shinichi Suzuki, a master violin teacher and founder of the Japanese Talent Education Movement, revolutionized violin teaching.  Results have truly been outstanding!  The Suzuki method is based on the principle that every child can develop his abilities during the early absorbing and sensitive yeaers far behond what most people can imagine.  A child learns music through the same process he learns his mother tongue language.  Thus the parents’ role is vital in the development of early learning ability.  The parent attends lessons and helps with practice at home.  The basic principles of the Suzuki Method consist of listeneing, motivation, proper technique, repetition and reinforcement.  The primary goal is to train the schild not only in musical abilities but also in his total human development.

Colourstrings™

Colourstrings™ is a world-renowned method of musical instruction that begins from the earliest stages of a child’s instruction and develops the necessary skills of study for college level.  The Hungarian Szilvay brothers have based their method, the Kodaly method, which integrates instrumental studies with singing.  In using scientifically related colors to identify specific strings, children develop the ability to read music readily in a natural progression of learning.

Stage One – Book A

Students will receive 30 minute group lessons per week with a minimum of three and a maximum of five students per class.  Ages are 4-8 years old.  Parents are encouraged to attend lessons.  For more information about the Colourstrings™ method, visit the Colourstrings web site at http://www.colourstrings.co.uk.