Private Music Lessons at Park Hit all the Right Notes

On Wednesday afternoons, a fleet of instructors from Brookline Music School descends on Park. Soon, the halls reverberate with notes from violins, saxophones, and trombones, among other instruments—the sounds of young musicians honing their art.

This is the third year Park students have been able to take private music lessons as part of Enrichment, and the program is already flourishing and making a meaningful difference.

In Grade 4, Park students join one of four ensembles: band, guitar, chorus, or strings. Students can supplement this in-class instruction with private lessons, which they can take for their chosen instrument, including voice.

 As with all of Enrichment, an important goal for the after-school music program is accessibility. “We hope these offerings make it easier for families to fit music lessons into their schedule because they take place at Park,” said Music Department Chair Dave Cordes, who also notes that the financial aid available can help ease barriers of cost.

“The goal of our ensemble program is that any student at Park can play together, whether they have been playing a long time or are just starting out,” said Dave, calling Enrichment music “Incredibly supportive of this goal.”

Dave, who leads string ensembles, explains that while every Park student has the opportunity to grow in skills and confidence through Park’s outstanding music curriculum during the school day, private lessons provide additional benefits for those students who take them. “There are a lot of really fine details that go into playing a string, brass, or wind instrument,” he said, including embouchure, body position and mechanics, and even how much to tighten the hair on a bow.

These individual sessions provide students the added benefit of precise, targeted instruction that helps build a student’s technique. This allows young maestros to tackle more challenging work in their ensembles and gives students a foundation they can carry with them into high school and beyond. 

 “We want to make sure that the habits we are creating now are the ones we want to continue forward,” said Dave. “It’s easier to learn in the beginning.”  He reflects, “We are very excited to be able to offer this program. It’s of great value to our curriculum, and allows our program to be all the more inclusive.” 

Learn more about the enrichment program here.

Enrollment for the Winter Enrichment session, which will run from January 12 – March 6, 2026, is currently open. Visit the Park Family Portal to register for a class or join a waitlist.

By: Caitlin Rimshnick, Park Perspectives Co-Editor

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