Private Lessons
The Hartt School Community Division offers private music instruction from highly qualified faculty who specialize on their instrument. Our instructors nurture their students in order to help them achieve their individual potential. Our faculty demonstrate excellence in their own performance ability and are graduates of conservatories and schools of music from across the country and abroad.
Private lessons through the Community Division provide a number of additional benefits. Large performing ensembles, music theory and history classes, and all-school recitals are all included in the price of private lessons. These activities serve to enrich the private lesson experience and provide a practical outlet to practice the skills learned in lessons.
We offer instruction in the following instruments:
- Guitar
- Harp
- Organ
- Percussion (including drum set)
- Piano, including traditional and Suzuki instruction
- Strings (violin, viola, cello & bass), including traditional and Suzuki instruction
- Voice
- Winds and Brass (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, horn, trombone, euphonium, baritone, tuba)
Students can begin instruction at various ages depending on the instrument. Students are placed with a teacher based on the student's needs and teacher availability. Requests for specific teachers will be honored when possible. New students and parents interested in our Suzuki program are required to observe a number of lessons and group classes before being admitted to the program. Please see the Suzuki Lessons page for more information.
Music instruction is offered at the University of Hartford campus, in Simsbury at Simsmore Square, and in Middletown (piano only). Lessons may be 30, 45, or 60 minutes in length, and are offered weekly during a standard school year of 34 or 28 weeks (September-June), depending on the teacher, and one 6-week summer session. (Some satellite locations offer shorter sessions due to school schedules).
Recommended Ages for Beginning Students
- Piano: age 4 and up (Suzuki available for beginners age 5-7)
- Violin, Viola, Cello, Guitar: age 4 and up (Suzuki available for beginners age 4-6)
- Bass: age 7 and up
- Voice: age 11 and up. Lessons for younger students may be possible with an instructor who specializes in young voices.
- Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion instruments: age 9 and up
- Harp: age 5 and up
2011-2012 Private Lesson Tuition Rates
| Type of Lesson |
30 Minutes |
45 Minutes |
60 Minutes |
| Traditional Private Lessons |
$39.25 |
$54.25 |
$72.00 |
| Suzuki Piano* |
$42.50 |
$57.50 |
$74.50 |
| Suzuki String/Guitar/Flute* |
$53.00 |
$68.50 |
$86.50 |
Middletown Satellite
Traditional Private Lesson Rate
(32 weeks) |
$35.75 |
$49.25 |
$64.50 |
Middletown Satellite
Suzuki Piano Rate*
(32 weeks) |
$38.75 |
$53.00 |
$70.00 |
Registration Fee
Non-Refundable
(per year per student) |
$25.00 |
$25.00 |
$25.00 |
Late Registration Fee
(per year per student) |
$30.00 |
$30.00 |
$30.00 |
Rates are based on the type of lessons taken. Middletown rates only apply to Middletown residents who study at the Middletown satellite. Non-residents pay the regular lesson rate. For select faculty, higher rates may apply.
*Please note that weekly group classes are included in the Suzuki string, flute, and guitar Rates. Monthly group classes are included in the Suzuki piano tuition rates.
Need-based financial aid may be available through the Fund for Access.
Please contact our office at (860) 768-4451 or harttcomm@hartford.edu for questions regarding teacher placement and further assistance.
IMPORTANT: The Community Division requires that students enroll for the entire school year. New students are admitted on a rolling basis and register for the remainder of the year (some restrictions apply for the Suzuki programs).
A deposit of 10% of the tuition for the entire year, plus applicable registration fees is due at the time of registration. The remaining balance can be paid in 4 installments throughout the school year as billed by the University of Hartford. For later registrations, students may be billed in fewer than 4 installments, based on the date of enrollment. Failure to pay according to billing dates will result in default charges in addition to all tuition and fees.
An opt-out period is available the fourth week of January to students wishing to withdraw without penalty.
Please see the registration or billing pages for more information on Community Division policies.
For more information call the Community Division office at (860) 768-4451 or harttcomm@hartford.edu.