The Shipley Music Department encourages all students to take risks in pursuit of excellence. Through creative exploration, students develop courage to approach a musical goal and grace to achieve it through hard work and perseverance. Our PreK-12 curriculum promotes active music making and strong music literacy skills, which help to cultivate a lifelong love of music.

About Our Program

At Shipley, we believe everyone has the ability to be a musician, that music is a lifelong skill and source of well-being. Our program prepares students at every level—whether they go on to pursue their musical education at a conservatory or play an instrument for fun as an adult.

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.

List of 3 items.

  • Upper School

    Opportunities to learn and perform include:
    • Orchestra Strings
    • Orchestra Winds
    • Percussion Ensemble
    • Jazz Band
    • Honors Jazz Combo
    • Glee Club
    • Shipley Singers
    • Chamber Ensemble
    • Music courses include :
      • Music Theory and Composition
      • Advanced Music Composition and Production
      • Jazz Improvisation
      • World Music: A Global Journey
  • Middle School

    Opportunities to learn and perform include:
    • Band
    • Chorus
    • Orchestra
    • Percussion Ensemble
    • Chamber Ensemble
  • Lower School

    Opportunities to learn and perform include:
    • 3 General Music Classes per 10-day rotation for all students
    • Chamber Ensemble in 4th & 5th Grades
    • Grade Level Chorus in 4th & 5th Grades
    • Grade Level Band  in 4th & 5th Grades
    • Grade Level String Ensemble in 4th & 5th Grades

Recent Performances

"Release the Kraken" by the Upper School Percussion Ensemble

"Footprints" performed by the Upper School Honors Jazz Combo

"Cool" Performed by the Upper School Combined Jazz and Winds Ensemble

Meet our Music Faculty

Shipley Arts News

The Shipley School is a private, coeducational day school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students, located in Bryn Mawr, PA. Through our commitment to educational excellence, we develop within each student a love of learning and a desire for compassionate participation in the world.