About Our Program

Shipley students begin their study of music starting in Pre-K, with general music classes and seasonal performance opportunities continuing throughout Lower School. In fourth and fifth grades, students gain exposure to different instruments and experience the joy and challenge of performing in an ensemble.

In Middle and Upper School, students can continue to play and perform in one of our many ensembles, regardless of their level or ability. In addition to general music classes and ensembles, students can enroll in our private music lesson program to receive one-on-one instruction from one of our talented private music lesson instructors.

Ways to Play

Private Music Lessons

The musical ensembles at Shipley are active in each division, providing ways for students of all skill levels to participate in music. To more fully enrich that experience, Shipley is pleased to offer the opportunity for on-site, private lesson instruction.

Whether just beginning, intermediate, or advanced, private lessons reinforce and augment the work that students pursue in the classroom. Our private lesson faculty are highly trained, active performers and educators in their respective fields. With input from ensemble directors, our lesson faculty work to design goal-oriented outcomes that align with the students’ passions, character strengths, and learning styles.

At key points in the semester, students and instructors record their progress for reflection throughout the learning process. This work gets distilled and framed in each students’ digital portfolio so that evidence of their efforts stay with them throughout their journey.