Community Piano Lab at the Epic Center
Community Piano Lab
The Gilmore Community Piano Lab, formerly located at the Maple Street YMCA, is now located in the lower level of The Epic Center downtown Kalamazoo. Small-group piano lessons for children and adults are available at a variety of musical levels.
Click on the link below to register. You will be contacted by The Gilmore when your registration is complete to confirm your schedule and answer any questions you may have. Class times are listed on the registration form.
Dates
Fall 15-week session dates: September 12 to December 23, 2022
Spring 15-week session dates: January 16 to May 12, 2023
(there will be no classes during Spring Break: March 20-31, 2023)
Cost per 15 week course:
Student (18 and under) – $150
Adult – $200
Spring 6-week session dates:
Spring I January 16 to February 24, 2023
Spring II: April 3 to May 12, 2023
Cost per 6 week course: $95
Payment assistance options and multiple children discounts are available upon request. Please contact Nicole Bell: [email protected]
Keys 2 Kids Keyboard Lending Program
Through the generous support of our education sponsors, we are able to loan keyboards to families that do not currently have access to an instrument. Details on how to borrow a keyboard will be sent after registration is complete. The Keys2Kids keyboard lending program is free of charge to class registrants.
Piano Lab Classes
Special 6-week courses:
Pre-Reading Class (ages 4-6)
This class is for young learners ages 4-6.
We use pre-note reading music books and include music and movement activities.
Students can continue to take this class until they are ready to read notes and move into our Beginner class.
This class is held in 6 week intervals.
Class meets once per week for 45 minutes on Monday or Tuesday at 3pm.
Adult Beginner (6 week course)
Small group piano lessons for adults with no previous piano experience.
This is a special preview of our full 15-week Adult class.
Students will learn basic musical concepts, learn to read music, and more.
This class will work in the Faber Adult Lesson Book Series.
Class meets once per week for 45 minutes on Monday or Tuesday at 7pm.
Piano Lab Classes for Youth
Beginner (elementary ages K-5)
Group lessons for elementary aged students.
The Beginner class is for elementary students that are new to piano or have taken the pre-reading class (see Special 6-week Classes). Students will learn about how to read music, basic rhythms such as quarter notes, half notes, and whole notes.
This class will work in Primer and Level 1 Faber Lesson books.
Once students complete their level 1 lesson book they can advance to the Early intermediate class.
Class meets once per week for 45 minutes. Class times are listed in our registration form.
Early Intermediate (elementary ages K-5)
Group lessons for elementary aged students.
The Early Intermediate class is for students who have completed our Beginner class or at similar level.
Students will have an introduction to chords, use of the damper pedal, more rhythms including eighth notes, introduction to key signatures, and more.
This class will work in Level 2a and Level 2b Faber Lesson books as well as supplemental materials.
Class meets once per week for 45 minutes. Class times are listed in our registration form.
Intermediate (Elementary – Middle school aged students)
Group lessons for elementary – middle school students.
The Intermediate class will build on skills learned in our early intermediate class.
Students should have already taken the early intermediate class or have previous musical experience.
Students will learn more complicated chord structures, minor scales, rhythms such as triplets and sixteenth notes, complex time signatures and more.
This class will work in the Level 3a and Level 3b Faber Lesson books as well as supplemental materials.
Class meets once per week for 45 minutes. Class times are listed in our registration form.
Advanced (Elementary – Middle school aged students)
Group lessons for elementary – middle school students.
The Advanced level is for students who have completed all other classes or are at a similar level.
Students will learn about the circle of 5ths, have a solid understanding of chords and scales, learn complex rhythms and articulation, develop a sense of style and musicality, and more.
This class will work in the Level 4 and Level 5 Faber Lesson books as well as supplemental materials.
Class meets once per week for 45 minutes. Class times are listed in our registration form.
Older Beginner Level 1 (Middle-High School aged students)
This class is for middle-high school aged students that are just starting out.
No musical experience is required.
Students will learn to read music and build a foundation of basic musical concepts.
This class will work in the Faber Accelerated Beginner Book Level 1
Class meets once per week for 45 minutes. Class times are listed in our registration form.
Older Beginner Level 2 (Middle-High School aged students)
This class is for middle-high school aged students that have completed the Older Beginner Level one or are at a similar level.
Students will build on concepts from the level 1 class and develop more advanced skills and sense of musicality.
This class work in the Faber Accelerated Beginner Book Level 2
Class meets once per week for 45 minutes. Class times are listed in our registration form.
Piano Lab Adult Course
Adult Beginner (full 15 week course)*
This class is for Adults with minimal to no prior experience. *If students aren’t sure about signing up for the full 15-week course, we suggest trying our Adult Beginner 6-week course.
Students will learn basic musical concepts, how to read music and much more.
This class will work in the Faber Adult Lesson Book Series
Class meets once per week for 45 minutes. Class times are listed in our registration form.