SDSU String Academy
The SDSU String Academy is a pre-college program designed to give students ages 6 - 18 conservatory level instruction. The goal of the String Academy is to teach students an appreciation of classical music, teamwork, and discipline through individual and group instruction on their instruments. Each String Academy Student receives the following:
- Weekly group class
- Weekly private lesson with master teacher
- Optional weekly helper lesson with student teacher
- Group and Solo Recitals
Each group class is limited to ten students to keep a small student-faculty ratio. Depending on enrollment there may be multiple classes of each instrument.
Contact the Community Music School at [email protected] for day, time, place, and fee for classes and lessons. Day and time may vary depending on time of year. Each program has different fees – please refer to individual programs for information on the respective fees and schedules.
Tuition is due for all scheduled classes/lessons/sessions/workshops, even those missed by the student.
String Gym is an online academy for adult violists of all levels led by SDSU School of Music faculty member Travis Maril. Participants receive two hour-long private lessons a month and a weekly online group class with Prof. Maril. The course also includes online masterclasses with some of the most well-regarded viola players and teachers in the country (approximately two per semester), as well as access to an 8-month curriculum of recorded instructional videos and text. Enrollment is limited to 10 students.
Dates: September 16, 2024 - June 1, 2025
Tuition: $3010 (payable in two installments of $1505 or monthly payments of $376.25).
One time registration fee of $35
Registration: Open through September 9. Interested students should schedule an exploratory call with Travis.
More info: https://www.travis-maril.com/about-string-gym-4
String Academy
Fall Semester 2024
September 3 Through December 15, 2024
$35 Yearly Registration Fee due with first payment (new Fall Students only). Due Dates for Installment Payments are on the 5th of each month.
*There will be a $25 late fee assessed to all late payments.
| Weekly Lesson Length |
Total Semester Cost |
4 Equal Installment Payments* |
|---|---|---|
| 30-Minute Lesson | $925 | $232 |
| 45-Minute Lesson | $1,248 | $312 |
| 60-Minute Lesson | $1,570 | $393 |
*Extra lessons in preparation for competitions and/or concerts can be scheduled at the discretion of each teacher at the cost of $86 per each hourly extra lesson (or $43 for a half-hourly lesson).
The weekly private lesson is taught by the master teacher on the instrument. Our master teachers hold advanced degrees from top music schools in the country and are experts at setting up beginning students so that they can play in tune, in rhythm, and with a beautiful sound in a very short time. In these lessons, the students will learn the basics of technique including correct posture, bowing and fingering, and musicality.
The group class is the heart of the program. It serves as a chance for students to play through the repertoire they are learning with their classmates, and to get comfortable performing works by themselves in front of their peers from day one. Here students also learn the basics of musicianship, including theory, ear training, rhythm, music history and more. Most importantly, in the group class students experience the joy of making music with their peers.
Parental involvement is an important aspect of the String Academy. Parents attend both group classes and individual lessons, taking notes so that they can help their child to practice at home. This participation is critical to the success of child learning the instrument - more so than any other factor. Some parents have so much fun learning about the instrument that they themselves elect to learn an instrument at the same time as their child.
Once you have registered online you can contact CMS Director Carina Voly to discuss the process for your payment. After the confirmation of your amount due you can make payments by credit/debit card with the following link: Community Music School Tuition Payment
Follow this PDF Tutorial if you need assistance with the payment form.
*A $25 late fee will be assessed on all past-due payments
Master Teachers
- Isaac Allen, Violin
- Angela Choong, Violin/Viola
- Bram Goldstein, Violin
- Alex Greenbaum, Cello
- Travis Maril, Violin/Viola
- Laren Rausch, Violin
- Kiersten Smith, Violin
- Carina Voly, Cello
- Andrew Waid, Violin/Viola
Student Assistants
As part of its mission, the String Academy trains SDSU students to work with children in the group and private setting. Every group class has several student assistants that help children during the class. Student assistants also observe private lessons and offer free 1/2 hour helper lessons to students.
Second year students have the option of a once a week helper lesson with a Student Teacher. We will try to arrange these helper lessons with Student Teachers that are SDSU music students majoring in either performance or music education. These lessons are a chance for String Academy students that need extra help to get it, or for those enthusiastic students to get even more one-on-one instruction.