WPMA Pre-College runs on Sundays, generally from 10am to 6pm, and occasionally on Thursdays, 5pm to 8:30pm. Students must be prepared to attend during these hours. Because of scheduling complexities, students may be asked to take private lessons in their major or chamber music coachings during the week.
Pre-College students are expected to take two 1-hour private lessons per week or 30 lessons each semester with WPMA Pre-College faculty. The compound returns of a student taking multiple lessons per week over many years is the difference between being considered a talented student musician and becoming a young artist capable of consistently winning state, national, and even international titles.
Two hours weekly.
A dynamic sequence that builds vocabulary and concepts from elementary topics to advanced studies in form analysis and chromatic harmony. The program cultivates musicianship by developing analytical and listening skills that connect classroom learning to musical repertoire. Additional advanced topics will be rotated into the theory class curriculum, tailored to match students’ needs and interests.
45 minutes weekly.
Ear training is a vital component in the development of a musician. The various activities aid the student in perfecting pitch and rhythm performance skills. Students learn to recognize and react to harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic structures through recitation and dictation. At the most advanced levels, students apply aural skills to performance repertoire, engaging in score reading, clef reading, transposition.
45 minutes weekly.
With their Pre-College teacher’s approval, all students are eligible and expected to participate in WPMA’s chamber music program. Students are placed in string quartets and will have 1 hour of rehearsal and 1 hour of coaching with chamber faculty each week.
Two hours weekly. Placement in the chamber music program by discretion of the administration.
As part of WPMA’s growing engagement with visiting artists and distinguished guest faculty, the academy regularly hosts artist masterclasses that give students direct access to world-class musicians.
Pre-College students will have opportunities to work with these artist directly in masterclasses, seminars, Q&A sessions, and occasional private lessons as availability allows.
In addition to performing frequently in academy student recitals, Pre-College also presents a collective recital each year featuring solo, accompanied, and chamber performances.
Senior students in the program are required to give a one-hour recital as part of their graduation requirement.
