Private and Group Instruction Classes

The Contois School of Music is THE place to learn music for Kids, Teens, and Adults.  We offer Piano, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Vocals, and Band Performance Classes. All of our instructors use the best in music curriculum including the Berklee College of Music Methods, and we’re unmatched in our use of technology including Exchange eMail, MP3’s for iPods, PC Software, and the latest in musical instrument technology from Yamaha.

To inquire about lessons, please call 1(877) 266-8647 toll free, or (802) 878-8333.
or use our contact form:  SCHOOL INFO REQUEST  


PIANO
We utilize the latest in piano teaching technology.  Student's learn on the Yamaha Clavinova Digital Pianos which provide background orchestration and interactive learning capabilities.  Song files that we use can be loaded into the new Yamaha Portable Keyboards and a number of other Yamaha Digital Pianos and Keyboards.  We also provide the background orchestrations on CD for practice at home with any piano or keyboard along with the student's iPod of CD Player.  K-12 students will concentrate on sight-reading skills, music theory and can advance into the Berklee College of Music methods for learning the best of today's music.
Price: PreK-5 $20.00 Grade 6-Adult $25.00 1/2 hour once a week. Private Lesson


GUITAR (Electric, Acoustic & Bass)
Our teachers use the latest in notation and recording software to help teach students how to sight-read, improvise,compose and learn the fundamentals of the acoustic, electric & bass guitar. In depth study of rhythm, scales, arpeggios,and chord inversions are encouraged with both  Berklee Press and Hal Leonard educational materials. Personal musical tastes are explored and students are encouraged to learn a diverse range of styles to help them develop into well-rounded musicians.
Price: Grade 2-5 $20.00 Grade 6-Adult $25.00 1/2 hour once a week. Private Lesson
Private SKYPE Lessons available!


DRUMS (Acoustic and Electronic)
Our drum instructors encourage students to embrace all aspects of drumming and percussion by learning on both a Yamaha Explorer electronic kit, and a Yamaha acoustic kit.  Electronic drum kits provide sound isolating headphone jacks, built in metronomes, and accompanying rhythm tracks, while the acoustic kit provides the natural feel, response and timbre of an actual drum.   Our drum teachers focus on reading ability, hand and foot technique and limb coordination using Berklee Press and Hal Leonard teaching materials.
Price: K-5 $20.00 Grade 6-Adult $25.00 1/2 hour once a week. Private Lesson


VOCALS
Our vocal lessons at Contois Music focus on the fundamental building blocks of singing.  Students are encouraged to work on breath management, develop a successful practice routine, and work on phrasing, intervals and volume control.  Our Yamaha Clavinova digital pianos provide state of the art technology to help the student recognize and understand intervals though its innovative microphone input feature.  Students are encouraged to have some basic piano skills before beginning vocal instruction.
Price: K-5 $20.00 Grade 6-Adult $25.00 1/2 hour once a week. Private Lesson


BAND Performance Class for Grades 4-12
Current students that have progressed through our lesson program and have acquired the necessary “chops” are encouraged to register for our band performance class. This weekly 90 minute class allows students to join a real band to learn and perform along with other student musicians. Student’s are organized by age and musical interests and learn everything from contemporary to classic tunes. Classes are held in our new professional band performance stage.  Everything on stage is what the pros use to perform.  Past bands have performed in major public venues throughout Chittenden County with rave reviews. Students must be enrolled in our Private Lesson program to be eligible for the Band Performance Class. 
Price: $35.00/week  Group Lesson

GROUP PIANO AND THEORY for the Beginning Younger Student Grades 3-5
This course is a great introduction for the young beginner just starting out on the piano, or for younger students who have taken piano lessons focusing mostly on sight-reading skills. Students are introduced to all the piano fundamentals in an exciting and fun group setting during a weekly one hour session. Each student learns on the Yamaha CVP503 Clavinova Digital Piano using the Hal Leonard Piano Method, providing the ultimate in interactive learning capabilities. Our teachers also use child friendly computer programs to learn ear training and music theory during the class. We provide two Contois School of Music teachers for this class to assure every student receives plenty of individual attention.
Price: Sep-Dec Semester: $349.00


GROUP PIANO AND THEORY for the Continuing Younger Student Grades 3-5
This course is for piano students who have previously taken a group piano class at The Contois School of Music and are looking to continue working on sight reading, theory and performance techniques in our exciting and fun group setting.  During this weekly one hour session, students continue learning on the Yamaha CVP503 Clavinova Digital Piano using the Hal Leonard Piano Method- the ultimate interactive learning method. Our teachers also use child friendly computer programs to continue learning ear training and music theory during the class. We provide two Contois School of Music teachers for this class to assure every student receives plenty of individual attention.
Price: Sep-Dec Semester: $349.00


GROUP PIANO AND THEORY for the Beginning Older Student Grades 6-12
This group class is geared towards older beginning students who may be brand new to the piano or who have taken some piano lessons focusing primarily on sight-reading skills.  Students will play more contemporary pieces of music, while learning traditional sight-reading skills, music theory and the basic fundamentals. Music theory topics introduced will include scale and chord construction as well as harmony, all necessary components to help students begin learning today’s most popular music. Instructional materials from Hal Leonard and the Berklee College of Music are utilized in one of our most popular courses. Two of our Contois School of Music Instructors teach this class so every student is assured plenty of individual instructions as well as group class participation.
Price: Sep-Dec Semester: $399.00


GROUP PIANO AND THEORY for the Continuing Older Student Grades 6-12
This course is for piano students who have previously taken a group piano class at The Contois School of Music and are looking to continue working on sight reading, music theory and performance techniques in our exciting and fun group setting. More advanced scale, chord, harmony and voice leading concepts are explored, all necessary components to help students learn today’s popular music. Instructional materials from Hal Leonard and the Berklee College of Music are utilized in one of our most popular courses. Two of our Contois School of Music Instructors teach this class so every student is assured plenty of individual instructions as well as group class participation.
Price: Sep-Dec Semester: $399.00


GROUP PIANO for Adults
This course is designed for the Adult beginner interested in learning to play a number of styles on the piano. Sightreading is covered using the Hal Leonard Adult Piano Course and student’s can progress at their own pace using the Yamaha Clavinova Digital Pianos. The course then expands into reading lead sheets, understanding fake books, downloading sheet music from the Internet, and much more. The beginning adult student will have all the necessary knowledge to pursue any style of music on the piano they may choose after this course.
Price: Sep-Dec Semester: $449.00