Longwood Center for Community Music

The Longwood Center for Community Music offers quality music instruction through group classes and private instruction. We believe in fostering creativity and musical growth in students of all ages through multi-sensory learning and performance. We specialize in piano, strings, and early childhood music education and support the Heart of VA Community Band.

Contact Dr. Kristen Topham with any questions: tophamk@longwood.edu

Payment Information

The LCCM offers two payment options pay in full (credit or check) or pay monthly (credit card only).

To pay in full—pay online with Visa or Mastercard, or submit a check to the cashiering office.
To pay monthly—choose the monthly payment option at checkout, and enter the monthly amount listed for the class. You will have the option to enter a start and end date for payment.

Early Childhood

Music Together ®

An internationally-acclaimed music program for families with children ages Birth-5

Children and the grown-ups who love them meet weekly to participate in a fun, playful, and interactive musical experience. Families are immersed in live singing, movement, and instrument play to develop musicianship through body awareness and auditory processing. These informal, hands-on early childhood music classes give families and children a chance to get in touch with their inner musician and connect with other families.

Fall 2025: Drum collection
Saturdays 9-9:45 a.m.

Class begins Sept 20

Payment options: one payment of $145

Piano

Beginner Piano Class

At the LCCM, young piano students are encouraged to start by learning in a group setting. We believe that foundational piano skills are best built through the engaging discovery and active listening that group classes can provide.

Find the beginning class for your child’s age group below.

Let’s Play Music

Ages 4-7 (Pre-K thru 2nd grade)

Let’s Play Music is a three-year music course starting at ages 4-7 using the piano as the main instrument. It is a foundational class that maximizes age-appropriate learning potential through experience and discovery. As musical concepts and skills are presented in a playful, joyful setting, children absorb knowledge and ability. This course emphasizes ear training, chord theory, classical music, piano, note reading, and solfege.

When enrolling in Let’s Play Music, families are making a commitment to complete all three years of the program. During the first year, parents are required to attend class with their child every other lesson. For the 2nd and 3rd years, parents attend class once per month.

Visit the Let’s Play Music website to read more!

Year 1: Keyboard Prep

In the First Year, we use engaging games and songs using our Tone Bells to teach staff reading and rhythm reading skills. Our harmony instrument is the autoharp, which each student will independently play to produce harmony and accompany the class.

Class begins August 11, 2025

Mondays 4:30-5:15 p.m.

5:30-6:15 p.m.

Instructor: Janine Scott

Fee (30 classes): $600/year or 8 payments of $75/month

Materials costs

1st year: $91 + $10.50 for class t-shirt

Year 2: Introduction to Keyboard

Students must have completed Let’s Play Music Year 1

In the Second Year, we transfer these skills to playing the piano where we also learn chord notation, intervals, and harmonic improvisation.

Class begins August 14, 2025

Thursdays 5:45-6:35 PM

Instructor: Janine Scott

Fee (30 classes): $600/year or 8 payments of $75/month

Materials costs

2nd year: $72 + $10.50 for class t-shirt

Year 3: Piano Skills

Students must have completed Let’s Play Music Years 1 and 2

By the end of the Third Year, students are playing piano with proper form, transposing, composing their own music, and are prepared to excel in further music instruction.

Classes coming Fall 2026

Instructor: Janine Scott

Fee (30 classes): $600/year or 8 payments of $75/month

Materials costs

3rd year: $79 + $10.50 for class t-shirt

Piano Explorers

Ages 7-8 (2nd and 3rd grade)

This fully-immersive piano class combines the benefits of interactive group learning with the individualized attention of private instruction. Students attend a weekly group class to build listening skills, create musical performances, and learn the fundamentals of piano playing. Students also attend a private lesson each week to ensure that they develop strong piano technique, music reading skills, and good practice habits.

Students enrolled in this class should plan to practice outside of classes and lessons. They will need access to a piano or full keyboard regularly.

Class begins August 26, 2024
Mondays 5:30-6:30 PM

Group Instructor: Dr. Kristen Topham

Private Instructor: Longwood music student intern

Private lesson day/time scheduled individually

Fee: (24 classes and 24 lessons): $720/year or 8 payments of $90/month
Materials Fee: $40

Presto

Ages 8-11 (3rd thru 6th grade)

An accelerated piano class for beginners! Students learn appealing repertoire from their very first lesson. Proper piano technique, ear training, chord theory, music history, solfege, and composition come together to produce rapid results. This course teaches complete musicianship in a fun, snappy style that tweens love!

Presto is a two-year program. When enrolling in Presto, families are making a commitment to complete both years of the program. Students need regular access to a piano or weighted electric keyboard for outside practice.

Visit the Let’s Play Music- Presto website to read more!

Year 1: Group Piano for beginners

Class begins August 11, 2025

Mondays 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Instructor: Janine Scott

Fee (30 classes): $800/year or 8 payments of $100/month

Materials costs:

1st year: $88 + $15 teacher provided student supplies

Year 2: Group piano for students who have completed Presto Year 1

Class begins August 14, 2024

Thursdays 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Instructor: Janine Scott

Fee (30 classes): $800/year or 8 payments of $100/month

Materials costs:

2nd year: $88 + class t-shirt ($10.50-$19)

Intermediate Piano Class

Piano Performers

Students must have completed 3 years of Let’s Play Music or Students must have completed 1 year of Piano Explorers

Students enrolled in this class attend a group class weekly for one hour where piano technique, listening skills, and the language of music are taught through movement, demonstration, and enriching activities. Students also attend a weekly private lesson for 30 minutes where individual instruction is given and practice habits are reinforced.

Class begins August 26, 2024

Mondays 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Group Instructor: Longwood music student intern

Private Instructor: LCCM Piano faculty

Fee (24 classes and 26 lessons): $720/year or 8 payments of $90/month
Materials Fee: $40

Private Piano Lessons

Private lesson time will be based on student/teacher availability. Lessons are open to students of all ages, including adults! Students need regular access to a piano or weighted electric keyboard for outside practice.

Private Piano Lessons; 30-minutes

Students meet weekly with an instructor for 30 minutes to work on piano technique, piano repertoire from all musical time periods, music theory, and listening skills. Students will be invited to participate in recitals, performance classes, and a creative project as they prepare pieces throughout the year.

Lessons begin the week of August 24, 2025

Private lesson time will be determined based on student/teacher availability.

Instructor: LCCM Piano Faculty

Fee: (26 weeks) $760/year or 8 payments of $95/month
Materials Fee: $40 (individual book purchases)

Private Piano Lessons; 45-minutes

Recommended After the 3rd year of Piano Study

Students meet weekly with an instructor for 45 minutes to work on piano technique, piano repertoire from all musical time periods, music theory, and listening skills. Students will be invited to participate in recitals, performance classes, and a creative project as they prepare pieces throughout the year.

Lessons begin the week of August 24, 2025

Private lesson time will be determined based on student/teacher availability.

Instructor: LCCM Piano Faculty

Fee: (26 weeks) $1060/year or 8 payments of $132.50/month
Materials Fee: $40 (individual book purchases)

Strings

Beginner Violin Class

4th or 5th grade students; only 10 spots available!

The course will include cultivating proper violin hold set-up and posture (using StringRise violins included throughout the course), learning beginner violin repertoire, and learning musical terms and skills such as note recognition, singing, and rhythms. In the last few weeks of classes, the students will have the opportunity to try their newly-developed skills on regular violins (included throughout the course).

Mondays 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Dates TBD in Late October/early November 2024

Instructor: Sophia Edwards

Fee: $25 (Includes five weeks of classes, String Rise violins and all materials)
Payment options: 1 payment of $25

Not a 4th or 5th grader, but want to participate in a Beginner Violin Class? Please let us know of your interest by emailing Dr. Kristen Topham: tophamk@longwood.edu.

Private String Lessons

Ages 3+ | Beginner & Intermediate

Private lesson time will be based on student/teacher availability. Lessons are open to students of all ages, including adults!

Lessons begin the week of August 24, 2025

Beginner Lessons: weekly 30-minute lessons
Fee: $780 (includes 24 private lessons, 2 recitals, monthly play-in group classes)
Payment options: 1 payment of $780 or 8 payments of $97.50
Materials Fee: $40 (individual book purchases)

Intermediate/Advanced Lessons: weekly 45-minute lessons
Fee: $720 (includes 24 private lessons, 2 recitals, monthly play-in group classes)
Payment options: 1 payment of $720 or 8 payments of $90
Materials Fee: $40 (individual book purchases)

Instructors:

Dr. Lauretta Werner (violin/viola)

Professor Emily Ilyes (violin/viola)

Professor Eric Hollandsworth (cello/double bass)

String Interns (violin/viola/cello/double bass)

Private String Lessons with Student Intern

Ages 3+ | Beginner

Private lesson time will be based on student/teacher availability. Lessons are open to students of all ages, including adults!

Lessons begin the week of August 24, 2025

Beginner Lessons: weekly 30-minute lessons
Fee: $360 (includes 24 private lessons, 2 recitals, monthly play-in group classes)
Payment options: 1 payment of $360 or 8 payments of $45
Materials Fee: $40 (individual book purchases)

Voice

Children’s Choir

Ages 7-12 | All Levels

The LCCM Children’s Choir is designed to provide an educational singing experience for children ages 7-12. The choir offers young singers the opportunity to develop vocal technique, music literacy, and performance skills in a welcoming environment. Rehearsals emphasize musical excellence, creativity, and collaboration as children explore a wide variety of choral literature.

Wednesdays 6:30-7:15 p.m.

Instructor: Victoria Kinney

Fee: (12 rehearsals) one payment of $75

Instrumental

Community Jazz Band

Ages 15+ | One year of playing experience

We welcome area musicians to join the Community Jazz Band. Members can rehearse and perform with other musicians as they develop their improvisational skills and perform music from the Great American Songbook.

Wednesdays 5:45-7:15 p.m.

Fee: $25

Director: Dr. David Moore