Music FUNdamentals is an introduction to music basics including rhythm, melody, and harmony!  This group class builds fundamental skills through music games, movement, reading and rhythm exercises, singing, and listening activities. This is a great class for the beginning musician to develop ear training and rhythmic skills!

Intro to Acting 

This class is perfect for the budding actor and the child who loves to imagine! Students will learn basic performance skills as well as creatively explore their imaginations. Through games and improv, all students will become performers by the end of the class! 

Choir 

The ARY Choir gives students the opportunity to sing and harmonize with their peers!  In a supportive and encouraging environment students will learn basic vocal techniques and solfege through vocal warm ups, and learn ensemble-singing techniques and basic harmonization through a variety of contemporary and traditional repertoire.

Musical Theatre: Musicals and Fantasies

In this musical theater class, students work in a positive and creative learning environment to develop their musical theater skills.  Students will explore acting methods, script analysis, and learn how to create strong characters through the lens of fantasy musicals and stories. They will also learn musical theater dancing and singing styles, gaining the skills to become confident and engaging performers. This class culminates with a final performance at the ARY Recitals on the Brooklyn Music School Stage! 

Musical Theatre: Intro to Playwriting/Ensemble Exploration 

In this class, students will collaboratively create, produce, and  perform their own original play! The first part of class will delve into playwriting where participants will learn how to create characters and storylines. During the second part of the class, students will work together to develop their overall skills as an ensemble through games, acting exercises, and character devising while also rehearsing for the big debut at the ARY Recitals on the Brooklyn Music School Stage! 

Group Violin 

This violin class starts with a “Paper Violin” where students learn how to treat the instrument respectfully, how to hold the instrument, and learn the names of the strings!  Once students have a strong grasp of these fundamentals, they will be introduced to youth-sized violins.  They will learn proper sound production through plucking and bowing techniques, and begin making music using familiar songs and fun activities!

Group Piano 

The ARY Group Piano classes provide students with an engaging and interactive introduction to the piano.  Students will learn proper posture, develop technique, learn to read music notation, gain an understanding of scales and harmony, and play a combination of simple one-note songs and harmonized pieces.  In this class, students will perform solo and in groups in a supportive environment that includes exposure to a range of musical traditions from folk music to today’s hits!

Group Guitar 

Group Guitar class provides students with an engaging and interactive introduction to the guitar.  Students in this class will learn to name the parts of the guitar, learn proper posture and guitar technique, perform single-note songs and gain a basic understanding of chords and harmonic progressions in an environment that encourages individual attention and includes exposure to a range of musical traditions from folk music to today’s hits!

World Percussion 

This Group Percussion class introduces students to a variety of world percussion instruments, including various drums, shakers, and other percussion instruments. In this collaborative learning environment students will practice playing in groups and as soloists while exploring musical concepts such as rhythm, technique, improvisation, phrasing, and pitch.

Contemporary Dance 

Students will learn the basics of Contemporary dance, working on a blend of technique from various styles including ballet, jazz, and modern.  Using these movements, they will improve balance, flexibility, and core strength, while exploring self-expression, creativity, and storytelling through dance.  

Jazz Dance

This class explores the principles and art of jazz dance through correct alignment, body control, and rhythm. The class includes center work, stretching, isolations, turns, jumps and simple combinations while learning dance vocabulary and anatomy.  Students will learn to apply technique in a range of dynamic and changing rhythms while acquiring an understanding and appreciation of jazz as an art form. This class will culminate with a recital on the BMS Playhouse stage!

Hip Hop/Breaking

Tumbling

Ballet/Jazz

Students will learn basic ballet fundamentals in a fun and creative manner while developing musicality and rhythm. Students will actively engage in proper alignment and class etiquette for ballet while learning and utilizing ballet vocabulary. The class structure consists of floor work, center exercises, across the floor exercises and improvisation. This class will prepare students for more advanced and structured classes, and will conclude with a recital at the end of the semester on the BMS Playhouse stage!

Songwriting

Loog Guitar

Ukulele

One of the hottest instruments out, this little guitar-like music maker rocks the house. More manageable for young strummers, the ukulele provides a great way to get into the action early and is a great stepping stone to the guitar. 

Steel Pans

Music Production

Afrobeats/African Dance 

This class will focus on improving students' comfort on the drums, including the djembe and the congas. Through the course of the semester, Mr. Fitz will share many exercises used to increase power and dexterity on the hand drums. To increase students' rhythmic vocabulary, he will be teaching rhythms from the Congo and West Africa. The class will also explore rhythms from Cuba, Haiti and Trinidad depending on the flow of the class. The class will introduce students to different time signatures, tempos and feelings . The ensemble playing will help the students learn how to play with one another and develop a discerning ear.  

Rock Band 

Performance opportunities are one of the most important and rewarding experiences for young musicians, and the ARY Rock Bands give your kids the chance to rock out on stage!  This class offers kids ages 8-12 the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of their instruments using popular and Rock ‘n’ Roll repertoire.  In a positive and collaborative group environment they will learn a variety of songs that have been arranged to fit their skill levels, and will also learn about music theory, practice aural skills, and learn the basics of improvisation!