Hartt School Community Division Fall Music and Dance Instruction Begins in September

West Hartford, CT – August 8, 2016. Students of all ages are invited to join the University of Hartford’s Hartt School Community Division (HCD), a comprehensive performing-arts school that provides instruction in music and dance for people of all ages and experience levels. Fall registration is open now. HCD facilities are located in West Hartford, Hartford, and Simsbury. Music programs begin September 6, and dance classes begin September 7, 2016.

HCD will be hosting a dance open house at the Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts Center, 35 Westbourne Parkway, Hartford, on Wednesday August 17 from 3–6 p.m., and Saturday, August 27 from 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Come tour our state-of-the-art facilities, meet our dynamic faculty, and participate in free sample classes for children 3–14 years old.

About Private Music Lessons

The Hartt School Community Division offers private music lessons for children and adults in piano, strings, winds, brass, percussion, voice, guitar, harp, organ, and music composition. Suzuki-method study is available for bass, cello, flute, guitar, piano, violin, and viola. Some instruments are available for students as young as 4 years of age. Lessons are offered both at our main-campus location at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School in West Hartford, Conn. and our Simsmore Square location in Simsbury, Conn.

HCD faculty consists of highly qualified graduates of conservatories and schools of music from across the country and abroad. They have deep understanding of their instruments, musicianship, and education. Private lessons do not end in the practice room. Included in the cost of lessons are musicianship classes and monthly solo recitals. Most students enroll for a once-weekly lesson for 34 weeks, September–June, and may continue lessons throughout the summer. Lessons are booked in 30-, 45-, or 60-minute blocks. Many students also participate in chamber music, orchestras, wind ensembles, and vocal ensembles.

About First Steps in Music

Music exploration is not just for school-aged children and adults. Parents, caregivers, infants, and toddlers love our First Steps in Music program for young learners birth through 5 years of age. First Steps in Music is a developmentally appropriate early-childhood music program created by John Feierabend, Ph.D., one of the leading authorities on music and movement development in childhood. Through singing, instrumental exploration, and games, children are given an appetite to love music.

For more information on our music programs, visit hartford.edu/hcd, call 860-768-4451, or email harttcomm@hartford.edu.

About Dance Classes

HCD dance classes are held in the spacious studios of the Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts Center (HPAC) in Hartford, Conn., close by the University of Hartford’s main campus. Classes are offered for students aged three through adult and are taught by an experienced and knowledgeable professional faculty. The program includes both recreational classes for younger children and adults and a conservatory-quality pre-professional program for students beginning at age 8.

The pre-professional dance program (available to students beginning at age 8) offers a comprehensive curriculum of technical training, repertoire, and performance designed to provide the foundation necessary for future collegiate studies and professional careers.

For those students under the age of 8, or those just beginning their dance experience, HCD offers toddler/pre-k ballet and tap for children ages 3–4, ballet for children ages 5−7, tap for children ages 5−14, hip hop for children ages 6−14, and jazz for children ages 9 through teen.

Classes for teen and adult dancers include ballet, jazz, and tap.

If you’re a first-time adult dancer (15+) with no experience, our 8-week beginner ballet or tap programs will introduce you to the basics and prepare you for further study. Adult ballet and jazz classes are offered for beginners through advanced level students on an ongoing, full-session basis (September-June).

For more information on our dance programs, visit hartford.edu/hcd, call 860-768-6000, or email dancedesk@hartford.edu.

About The Hartt School Community Division (HCD)

At our locations in West Hartford, Hartford, and Simsbury, Conn., The Hartt School Community Division serves over 2,800 students of all ages and backgrounds. As the community arm of the University of Hartford’s Hartt School, the mission of HCD is to enrich lives through innovative and unparalleled performing arts education. For more information on The Hartt School Community Division, visit hartford.edu/hcd.

The Hartt School is the performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford that offers innovative degree programs in music, dance, and theatre. Founded in 1920, Hartt has been an integral part of the University of Hartford since its charter merged the then Hartt School of Music, the Hartford Art School, and Hillyer College to create the University in 1957. 2010 marked Hartt’s 90th year of providing world class performing arts education to students in Greater-Hartford and around the world. With more than 400 concerts, recitals, plays, master classes, dance performances, and musical theatre productions each year, performance is central to Hartt’s curriculum. For more information about The Hartt School, visit hartford.edu/hartt.

Photo credit: Frank Marchese

Pictured : HCD dance students