Music Programs

The Gasse School of Music currently offers individual and group lessons in violin, viola, cello, and piano.    We use both the Suzuki and traditional teaching techniques described below, including sight reading, audition, and performance skills.   We encourage performance opportunities and every student participates in recitals twice a year. We also offer instruction for Spanish-speaking students.   Demonstration classes are also available for businesses and other organizations, including schools, community centers, libraries, museums, bookstores, and children's retail stores.

The Suzuki Method

The Suzuki method is based on "the mother tongue system of learning", or the way children learn to speak their native language. We learn to speak through observation, listening, imitation, and repetition, and the Suzuki system teaches students to play an instrument using these same principles.

A student of any age may learn to play stromg instruments through the Suzuki method, but this system works especially well with children. In fact, we believe it is the best system that exists to teach students to play an instrument in early childhood. At the Gasse School of Music, we have been very successful in teaching children as young as four years old. The teacher custom designs the classes of each child, focusing on each student's ability, attention span, and motor coordination.

Through the Suzuki method, the student acquires excellent posture, beautiful sound quality, accurate intonation, and learns all of the basic techniques of playing the instrument as well as developing a musical approach to the music played.

Suzuki group classes support the learning that takes place during private instruction. These classes complement private lessons rather than replace them. Students in the group classes experience tremendous peer support and positive peer pressure. They enjoy the interaction with other students, and also are inspired to work hard to keep up with their peers. Due to the benefits of the group setting, some elements of musical training are more easily taught or reinforced there. In our experience, students who take a combination of private and group lessons have greater success on their instruments than those who take two private lessons a week.

The Traditional System

In the traditional system, a student learns to play an instrument by reading the music first and then trying to transfer what is on the page to the instrument. Students who began learning to play an instrument through this method may transfer to the Gasse School of Music. Once again, we will custom-design the student's lessons and supply whatever is needed, and in addition we will continue to move the student forward in the traditional system if so desired.

Sight Reading

We begin to teach sight reading - the ability to look at sheet music and immediately play it on the instrument - as soon as the student is ready. Readiness depends on both the student's age and ability to play the instrument correctly.

Sight reading is essential for both amateur and professional musicians. Whether or not an amateur musician continues playing and enjoying an instrument depends upon sight reading ability. Adults often do not have much time to practice and the ability to sight read allows them to enjoy the instrument without spending too much time rehearsing. Professional musicians need to sight read since they often have little time to prepare a large amount of music.

Auditions

The faculty at the Gasse School of Music is highly trained and experienced in orchestra music and performance. Students get prepared for professional orchestra auditions by learning and polishing the most important and frequently asked excerpts from orchestral music. We also teach different skills and practice methods that allow the student to prepare a large amount of music in a short period of time. This type of practice is much different than when preparing a concerto or a recital.

Early Childhood

MusikGarten

Family Music for Babies (ages newborn – 18 months)
Play musically with your baby through bouncing and rocking songs, wiggle and peek-a-boo games, dancing, moving, and singing. Music play activities are designed to increase your child’s curiosity about music, to develop listening skills and a sense of beat, and to establish the foundation for singing and musical thought.

Family Music for Toddlers (ages 16 months – 3 _ years)
Participate with your toddler in singing, chanting, moving, dancing, listening, and playing simple instruments – while developing a strong musical bond with your child. Through activities that bridge the natural connection between music and movement, your child’s musical aptitude and listening abilities are enhanced and further developed.

Cycle of Season’s (ages 3 – 5)
Celebrate your child’s love of nature and growing independence through activities which focus on the seasons of the year. Classes are designed to build attention and self-expression and include singing, chanting, moving, focused listening, musical games, exploring musical instruments, creative movement, and storytelling.

Chamber Music

The Gasse School of Music organizes and instructs ensembles and encourages students to participate in them - Ensembles most commonly are trios, quartets and quintets that include violins, violas, cellos and pianos. Ensemble music is unique because it forces the individual performer to move beyond his own instrument and work with the broader music itself by listening, balancing, leading and following the other instruments.

Ensembles greatly develop both teamwork and leadership. The performers must work together as a team and do everything possible to ensure that everyone plays well. In addition, leadership is developed because each member of the group becomes the conductor at different moments.

Jardin Musical

El GSM tiene el orgullo de ofrecer su nuevo programa : " Jardín Musical ", que provee instrucción musical del más alto nivel a niños de 2 a 5 años.

En este programa, los niños aprenderán jugando todos los elementos básicos que constituyen la música (pulso estable, ritmo, entonación, dinámica, tiempo y expresión), como así también su expresión física y gráfica. A través del canto, la danza, la dramatización y tocando instrumentos simples, los niños aprenden a reproducir la música que escuchan.

A medida que los elementos musicales van siendo asimilados por los niños, se van introduciendo elementos gráficos que conducen a la lectura de la música. Los alumnos quedan listos para comenzar a tocar un instrumento formal (como el violín, el cello o el piano) y aprender a leer la música que requiere ese instrumento.