ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y.— The Bard College Conservatory of Music Preparatory Division is a Saturday program of study for students ages 5–18, with instruction offered in piano, violin, cello, double bass, flute, and voice.(Additional instruments may be added on the basis of demand.) The program offers open enrollment through Wednesday, September 1. The fall semester begins on Saturday, September 11, meeting 13 Saturdays through December 18,  (October 9 and November 27). No auditions are necessary for admission to the program. For further information and tuition and fees for the Preparatory Division, call the program director, Fu-chen Chan, at 845-758-7671, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.bard.edu/conservatory/preparatory.

“The opportunity to study music with conservatory-level instructors is often available only to those who live near urban cultural centers,” said Bard College president Leon Botstein. “It is gratifying that, with the Bard College Conservatory of Music, we are able to offer serious music study, in a conservatory setting, to those who live in the Hudson Valley region.”

The program includes private lessons (of age-appropriate length); Performance Class, group sessions in which students play for each other in a relaxed and supportive environment; Musicianship Class, in which elements of music theory and history, as well as ear training, are offered; and monthly and end-of-semester recitals, which are open to parents and friends. Chamber music coaching sessions will be offered if there is sufficient interest.

“The early study of music brings important benefits to young people, touching many areas of their lives: language, motor and social skills, and an understanding of the value of hard work,” explains Robert Martin, director of the Conservatory. “Most important, music enriches the young person’s life and provides a lifetime of enjoyment.”

Because of its connection to The Bard College Conservatory of Music, the Preparatory Division provides its students with many advantages, including an expert and nurturing faculty, many of whom have connections with the Conservatory. Concerts and master classes presented by the Conservatory are open to students and families of the Preparatory Division, free of charge. In certain cases, advanced senior students in the Preparatory Division may be able to take lessons from regular Conservatory faculty, who are among the most distinguished musicians of our time.