The Brooklyn Queens Conservatory Of Music

THE BROOKLYN CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC TRANSFORMS AND ENRICHES THE LIVES OF UNDERSERVED NEW YORKERS THROUGH MUSIC EDUCATION AND MUSIC THERAPY. WE ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL BY PROVIDING MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN SCHOOLS, AT COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, AND THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. SKILLS THAT ARE DEVELOPED THROUGH UNDERSTANDING AND MAKING MUSIC ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS, AND TO THE GROWTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE INDIVIDUAL. USING MUSIC AS A THERAPEUTIC TOOL, WE HELP PEOPLE WITH EMOTIONAL, DEVELOPMENTAL AND PHYSICAL DISABILITIES IMPROVE THEIR LIVES. BKCM VALUES MUSIC AS A HUMAN RIGHT; SOMETHING THAT IS ESSENTIAL FOR HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES. WE BELIEVE THAT MUSIC HAS THE POWER TO BUILD COMMUNITY AND TRANSFORM LIVES.

COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL. THE COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL IS BROOKLYN'S HUB FOR PRIVATE INSTRUCTION IN INSTRUMENT AND VOICE, WITH INDIVIDUAL LESSONS, GROUP CLASSES AND ENSEMBLES FOR STUDENTS OF EVERY AGE AND ABILITY LEVEL. WE SERVE MORE THAN 800 STUDENTS, AGES THREE MONTHS THROUGH SENIORS. OUR PASSIONATE AND HIGHLY SKILLED TEACHERS - SOME OF NEW YORK'S MOST SOUGHT-AFTER PERFORMING ARTISTS AND EDUCATORS - TAILOR THEIR INSTRUCTION TO ADDRESS THE LEARNING STYLE AND GOALS OF EACH STUDENT, FROM THE BEGINNER TO THE ADVANCED STUDENT ASPIRING TO A CAREER IN MUSIC. THE COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL INCLUDES EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMMING, GROUP CLASSES FOR YOUTH AGES 4 - 7, PRIVATE LESSONS FOR STUDENTS 6 AND ABOVE, MORE THAN 20 SMALL ENSEMBLES AND CHAMBER GROUPS, LARGE INTERGENERATIONAL ENSEMBLES INCLUDING OUR COMMUNITY CHORALE, THE BROOKLYN CONSERVATORY CHORALE, AND OUR COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA, THE BROOKLYN CONSERVATORY COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA AS WELL AS A SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM.

OTHER MUSIC PROGRAMS INCLUDE MUSIC PARTNERS: RESPONDING TO A CRITICAL NEED TO RESTORE ARTS EDUCATION IN NEW YORK CITY'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE CONSERVATORY CREATED ITS IN-SCHOOLS MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAM, MUSIC PARTNERS, IN 1988 TO PROVIDE AND ENHANCE MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. NOW WORKING WITH PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CHILD CARE CENTERS, YOUTH-BASED AGENCIES, AND ADULT AND SENIOR CENTERS, WE PROVIDE MORE THAN 4,500 CHILDREN AND ADULTS IN BROOKLYN, QUEENS, MANHATTAN AND THE BRONX, WITH LONG TERM, SEQUENTIAL AND INSPIRING MUSIC INSTRUCTION. MORE THAN 70% OF OUR STUDENTS LIVE AT OR BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL. THE CONSERVATORY COLLABORATES WITH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND PTA LEADERS TO TAILOR OUR PROGRAMS TO EACH SCHOOL'S UNIQUE NEEDS, PREFERENCES, PRIORITIES AND BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS OFFERING OPTIONS SUCH AS BAND, STRINGS, CHORUS, WORLD DRUMMING AND PERCUSSION, GUITAR, UKULELE, RECORDER, AND EARLY CHILDHOOD MUSIC AND MOVEMENT. IN ADDITION TO LEARNING HOW TO PLAY AN INSTRUMENT OR SINGING IN A CHOIR, OUR STUDENTS ACQUIRE THE CONFIDENCE TO TACKLE DIFFICULT SUBJECTS, BUILD A STRONG WORK ETHIC, AND DEVELOP A SENSE OF CAMARADERIE WITH THEIR PEERS.

BKCM IS BROOKLYN'S PREMIER DESTINATION FOR THE SUZUKI METHOD, A NURTURING PEDAGOGY BASED ON THE CONCEPT THAT ALL CHILDREN HAVE THE ABILITY TO MASTER THE LANGUAGE OF MUSIC, JUST AS THEY MASTER THEIR HOME LANGUAGE. THE CONSERVATORY TEACHES THE SUZUKI METHOD ON SEVEN INSTRUMENTS: PIANO, VIOLIN, VIOLA, BASS, CELLO, GUITAR AND FLUTE. OUR PROGRAM ENCOMPASSES PRIVATE LESSONS AS WELL AS GROUP CLASSES AND ENSEMBLES, AND MUSIC LITERACY (THEORY). PARENTS LEARN ALONGSIDE THEIR CHILDREN, PROVIDING ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THEIR MUSICAL JOURNEYS. STUDENTS CONTINUALLY REVISIT REPERTOIRE, REFINING THEIR SKILL BY ADDING LAYERS OF ARTISTRY, MASTERY AND MUSICIANSHIP.

MUSIC THERAPY: BKCM'S MUSIC THERAPY PROGRAM IS AN ESTABLISHED PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC PRACTICE IN WHICH CLINICALLY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS ADDRESS CLIENTS' EMOTIONAL, COGNITIVE, SOCIAL OR PHYSICAL NEEDS THROUGH THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT THAT CAN INCLUDE SINGING, PLAYING INSTRUMENTS AND MOVING TO MUSIC. A GROWING BODY OF RESEARCH HAS SHOWN MUSIC THERAPY TO FACILITATE SELF-EXPRESSION, REDUCE ANXIETY AND CHANNEL FRUSTRATION INTO CREATIVITY. FOUNDED IN 2003, BKCM'S MUSIC THERAPY PROGRAM IS NOW ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST HIGHLY REGARDED CITYWIDE SERVING MORE THAN 1,600 CLIENTS OUT OF BKCM'S PARK SLOPE HOME AND AT MORE THAN 40 SCHOOLS, SENIOR CENTERS, HOMELESS SHELTERS AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS IN BROOKLYN, QUEENS, MANHATTAN AND STATEN ISLAND. BKCM'S MUSIC THERAPY PROGRAM FUNCTIONS AS A COMMUNITY HUB AND SUPPORT CENTER FOR PRACTITIONERS, TRAINEES AND FAMILIES WHO PROVIDE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITES.