Students are grouped according to age/grade in school, and meet once a week after school in the basement of the St. Paul’s Rectory during the school year, for 55-minute piano classes of not more than 4 students per group.  Instruction includes the development of music reading, aural, and writing skills, and students begin to play the very first day of class.   

Students enjoy many performance opportunities throughout the year – almost one each month - beginning with the Clavinova Festival in October and ending with the Year-End Performance and Awards Program held at St. Paul’s.  Many of the performance opportunities during the year are competitions, such as the IMTA District Auditions, for which local and state honors are awarded, while others are more relaxed performances, such as the Piano Celebration held at North Park Mall each spring.  Additional performance opportunities include playing sacred selections for Masses, providing holiday music for the St. Paul’s “Breakfast with St. Nick”, participating in the Iowa Federation of Music Clubs Festival, and for more advanced students, competing in the Federated Music Teachers Association annual Baroque Festival.  Those students choosing to enter any events that require an entry fee will be billed individually by Mrs. Hyland.

Judy Hyland, a Nationally Certified Teacher of Piano and of Music Theory, and a professor of music at St. Ambrose University, has over 30 years experience in piano teaching.  She is an active member of, and holds local and state offices in, several professional Iowa music teacher organizations.  In addition, she is a member of the College Board of Examiners, one of about 350 independent music teachers across the United States and Canada who administer and adjudicate practical piano performance examinations for the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) based in Toronto, Canada, and for its US counterpart, the National Music Certificate Program (NMCP).

Please consider enrolling your child in the unique and exceptional “Say Yes To Music” program.   The only requirements are a commitment to learning to play the piano, daily practice, and an adequate practice instrument (not a tabletop/portable keyboard) which can be arranged by special consideration with Foster Family Music.  Space in the St. Paul’s “Say Yes to Music” program is limited, and is on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

There is a non-refundable registration fee of $50 due directly to Mrs. Hyland by August 1,  for admission into the program.  In addition, a $60 materials fee is also due directly to Mrs. Hyland by September 1 for all books and materials to be used during the school year.  Classes will meet September through mid-May, with tuition of $60 per month per student, payable to St. Paul’s School, due on the first of each month, September through April.

For further information, please contact Judy Hyland at 563-359-6977, or e-mail hylands4@mchsi.com.

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