Music school recommendations?

Michael Lee75 said:The Juilliard School has approval from the Department of Labor, though honestly, I haven't the slightest clue if their curriculum matches the public schools exactly since I don't know what those state programs even look like.😁

But yeah, once a kid finishes a year and gets their certificate, they can move over to a public school without much trouble.

The only catch is it isn't on the West Side—it's located way up by Mount Rushmore.

Thanks!
Unfortunately, Mount Rushmore is totally out of our way. 😢

I've been looking at a school in our neighborhood, but I can't figure out if they actually have Department of Labor approval. From what I can tell, not all the staff are even certified professors. I'm assuming there are certain standards you have to hit if the Department of Labor gives you the green light, right?
Also, does anyone know if you can even transfer to a public school if you've been taking lessons from someone who isn't a certified pro?

redridge13 said:Thanks!
Unfortunately, Mount Rushmore is totally out of our way. 😢

I've been looking at a school in our neighborhood, but I can't figure out if they actually have Department of Labor approval. From what I can tell, not all the staff are even certified professors. I'm assuming there are certain standards you have to hit if the Department of Labor gives you the green light, right?
Also, does anyone know if you can even transfer to a public school if you've been taking lessons from someone who isn't a certified pro?

Look, direct transfers into a public school aren't really a thing without an audition or some kind of proficiency exam. It mostly boils down to whether they even have an opening, like if someone dropped out of their specific instrument program.

I did my own digging into private schools once too, and we ended up sticking with the public route instead. No regrets whatsoever.

rapidbear21 said:Hey everyone!

I’m a total novice when it comes to music, but I have an 8-year-old girl—she’s in 2nd grade—who really wants to pick up an instrument. Now suddenly I need to know everything, and I know absolutely nothing. 😁 Sorry for the long rant here, 🙂

I checked in with the local Juilliard-style conservatory, Zlatko Baloković, and there’s a tiny chance a spot might open up for flute this year. If it does, we might get an audition, and if we pass—God willing—that would be amazing... 😁
if not, they suggested starting with basic music theory classes...

To start off, does anyone have experience with this school, the teachers, or anything else? Any info helps. 🙂

On another note, my daughter is a bit hyperactive—she’s great in school, but she definitely struggles with focus and concentration... it's not dramatic, she doesn't have a diagnosis or anything, just my own subjective take as her mom... given that music school isn't just playing around, but a real school in every sense of the word, I'm torn. I want to give her the chance to develop those skills if she actually shows talent and drive, but at the same time, I worry it might be too much. I don't know if it's smarter to jump into the flute now if the opportunity arises, or maybe wait one more year... 🤔

Also, my niece goes to the local community arts center, and I noticed their prices are lower... I did a little Googling and it seems like Zlatko Baloković is on the pricier side compared to others. Don't all schools charge the same? How does that work?

If anyone is actually enrolled at Zlatko Baloković, I'm a bit confused about that introductory theory class. Their website says it's once a week for 45 minutes at price $400, but the lady I spoke to mentioned a slot from 6:45 PM to 8:15 PM—basically a full block session. Which one is it, and what's the actual cost? 🤔

Does it make sense to push through that intro theory now if she’d just end up taking standard theory next year in 1st grade?

Generally speaking, which instrument would you recommend as "easier" among guitar, violin, flute, or maybe clarinet?

And last thing—what kind of prices are we looking at for decent, student-grade models for these instruments? From what I can see, this is not a cheap hobby... which one ends up being the most expensive to play? 🕺

Thanks in advance!! 🙂

Think of that price more like a contribution rather than a flat fee; it’s basically what you're chipping in to help cover the upkeep and the purchase of instruments and all that other gear. Even though high schools are technically state-run, they don't actually get a dedicated slice of the budget from the city or the federal government to cover stuff like this.
I really hope you guys aren't under the impression that those 150 or... $67 I was just sitting here thinking about how everyone seems to have a different idea of what "fair" actually looks like when you start looking at the numbers for tuition. If you’re trying to figure out the real monthly cost for anywhere between 18 and 90 hours of instruction, it really all comes down to the age of the student, doesn't it? It’s never a straight line. You’ve got your little ones who need way more hand-holding and specialized attention, then you’ve got the teenagers, and then the adults who are basically paying for the privilege of being treated like professionals. It’s like trying to price out a gym membership versus a private trainer; the baseline might look similar on paper, but once you factor in the intensity and the specific needs of the person in the seat, the math starts getting pretty messy. Depending on whether you're looking at a few sessions a week or a full-blown intensive schedule, those monthly totals can swing wildly. It’s a bit of a headache to pin down without a clear breakdown of how much time is being spent per age bracket.
Look, you can't really skip the basics of ear training and music theory if you actually want to know what you're doing. It’s like the foundational stuff they teach you at a preschool—you’re there singing, listening, getting a feel for rhythm, and probably scribbling down notes and clefs on paper just to get the muscle memory down. It’s essentially the musical version of kindergarten, where you learn how to hold the crayon before you try to paint a masterpiece.

Kids dealing with ADHD need massive amounts of support at home and in High School, which basically means you can't just let them fly solo when it comes to practicing; you have to be right there hovering over them every single day at first. It’s not even really about the instrument itself—since they're usually getting one-on-one attention anyway—it’s more about the ear training and music theory drills. When you're staring down fifteen or twenty different sight-reading exercises, that's where things fall apart if they don't have someone keeping them on track.
You really have to pay extra attention to providing extra help with reading sheet music if you notice your kid was already struggling with the basics like reading, writing, or math earlier on.

And just a little bit of friendly advice from someone who's seen this play out: if you start noticing that your child is hyperactive or just can't seem to lock in and concentrate, don't just write it off as your own subjective perception. It’s likely a real hurdle that's only going to escalate once the workload ramps up and they move into those more specialized subjects in middle school.

Christian Lee13 said:Think of that price more like a contribution rather than a flat fee; it’s basically what you're chipping in to help cover the upkeep and the purchase of instruments and all that other gear. Even though high schools are technically state-run, they don't actually get a dedicated slice of the budget from the city or the federal government to cover stuff like this.
I really hope you guys aren't under the impression that those 150 or... $67 I was just sitting here thinking about how everyone seems to have a different idea of what "fair" actually looks like when you start looking at the numbers for tuition. If you’re trying to figure out the real monthly cost for anywhere between 18 and 90 hours of instruction, it really all comes down to the age of the student, doesn't it? It’s never a straight line. You’ve got your little ones who need way more hand-holding and specialized attention, then you’ve got the teenagers, and then the adults who are basically paying for the privilege of being treated like professionals. It’s like trying to price out a gym membership versus a private trainer; the baseline might look similar on paper, but once you factor in the intensity and the specific needs of the person in the seat, the math starts getting pretty messy. Depending on whether you're looking at a few sessions a week or a full-blown intensive schedule, those monthly totals can swing wildly. It’s a bit of a headache to pin down without a clear breakdown of how much time is being spent per age bracket.
Look, you can't really skip the basics of ear training and music theory if you actually want to know what you're doing. It’s like the foundational stuff they teach you at a preschool—you’re there singing, listening, getting a feel for rhythm, and probably scribbling down notes and clefs on paper just to get the muscle memory down. It’s essentially the musical version of kindergarten, where you learn how to hold the crayon before you try to paint a masterpiece.

Kids dealing with ADHD need massive amounts of support at home and in High School, which basically means you can't just let them fly solo when it comes to practicing; you have to be right there hovering over them every single day at first. It’s not even really about the instrument itself—since they're usually getting one-on-one attention anyway—it’s more about the ear training and music theory drills. When you're staring down fifteen or twenty different sight-reading exercises, that's where things fall apart if they don't have someone keeping them on track.
You really have to pay extra attention to providing extra help with reading sheet music if you notice your kid was already struggling with the basics like reading, writing, or math earlier on.

And just a little bit of friendly advice from someone who's seen this play out: if you start noticing that your child is hyperactive or just can't seem to lock in and concentrate, don't just write it off as your own subjective perception. It’s likely a real hurdle that's only going to escalate once the workload ramps up and they move into those more specialized subjects in middle school.

In our school's case, it's a bit more than $150, $67, and instruments aren't included—they're rented or bought separately, which is standard practice everywhere else too. In my initial inquiry, I wasn't disputing the value for the money (quite the opposite), but I was comparing prices across several schools following the same curriculum, and the annual difference of $233 is significant. It actually surprised me that different public High Schools don't have uniform pricing... I was just commenting on that.

My child doesn't have a formal diagnosis, as I mentioned before, but I am her toughest critic and I notice things that other parents might overlook... though I wouldn't say because I notice them it makes it a huge deal, since I see these same traits (sometimes even more pronounced) in most kids her age. She loses focus, she can't always concentrate, she's lively and talkative—but then again, she reads better than many others (though she's not the best), and she can solve math problems faster and more accurately than most, yet still mess them up so badly it makes your eyes ache.🙄🤦 I believe that with any 8 or 9-year-old, you need to work with them, monitor them, and push them, so I'm planning on doing exactly that... exceptions exist, sure...🙂

We gave up on the ear training, and the flute class is full... for this school year, we agreed we'd try to see if we actually have the time and capacity for the High School next year, so we'll head to auditions in the spring... she still wants to do it, so if anyone has experience with Zlatko Baloković, I'd love to hear about it... or any other advice. 🙂

Matthew Garcia2 said:Look, direct transfers into a public school aren't really a thing without an audition or some kind of proficiency exam. It mostly boils down to whether they even have an opening, like if someone dropped out of their specific instrument program.

I did my own digging into private schools once too, and we ended up sticking with the public route instead. No regrets whatsoever.

Yeah, yeah, look, I get it—there’s no magic button to just instantly transfer credits or whatever. But by passing those state exams, we're basically making sure my kid keeps the door wide open to go back into a traditional music program if they want to. It's all about keeping those options on the table.

Honestly, we went with a private music school this year because the logistics were just a total nightmare—between the location being a pain and everything else we had going on, it seemed like the easy way out. Now? I’m sitting here kicking myself. I totally regret it.

redridge13 said:Hey there,

Does anyone have a solid list of private music schools in NYC that actually follow a formal curriculum? I’m looking for places where the training is legit enough that you could actually transition into a public conservatory or state school after finishing a year or two.
I really want to avoid those hobbyist spots where some college kid is just teaching kids how to play chords for extra cash—I need actual professionals who know their stuff here.

I'm mostly looking at schools on the West Side.

Thanks!

Latido Music School over in the West Side area... highly recommend them.

Hey there.

I’m trying to figure out how you all go about picking a music school for your kids.
Is it just about what’s closest to the house? Word of mouth? Or are you looking at the tuition costs?

We’re thinking about starting them off with a preschool program, but honestly, we have no idea where to even begin.
We're living here in New York City.
Thanks.

Hey there... after last year was such a disorganized mess and we started way too late, we’re getting a head start this year and actually being prepared☕

My kid is turning 9 soon, and we’re looking at flute, guitar, or clarinet—basically whatever comes first in the age bracket. Right now, we're deciding between the local public High School (over in the Zapruđe area) and the Zlatko Baloković school (out in Travno), mostly just because of the location... if anyone has any experiences, praise, complaints, or recommendations regarding either of these two schools, please share🙂

One thing I still haven't quite wrapped my head around is the price difference at Zlatko Baloković, which is $733 years plus $33 months for instrument rental (making it $3,200 total), whereas the High School is $433 years with their own instrument, or $2,000 if you rent one🤷—and again, I don't think that's a realistic price for classes four times a week plus choir or orchestra, assuming we even get to that stage. But since they both run the same program and are subsidized by the Department, I'd love to hear an explanation if anyone has one... is Zlatko Baloković actually that much better or something? It's closer to us, and as far as I know, they just have a wider selection of instruments... at the High School in Zapruđe, we're pretty much stuck with just guitar from our wishlist

Also, I found out that the guitar teachers at the High School are Krešimir Grloci and Iva Bach Kundić, so if anyone has experience with them, let me know—and recommendations for Zlatko Baloković are also very welcome🙂

Thanks!😉

Kimberly Green50 said:Hey there.

I’m trying to figure out how you all go about picking a music school for your kids.
Is it just about what’s closest to the house? Word of mouth? Or are you looking at the tuition costs?

We’re thinking about starting them off with a preschool program, but honestly, we have no idea where to even begin.
We're living here in New York City.
Thanks.

If my kid hasn't already fallen head over heels for a specific instrument, I'd probably just enroll them in the nearest public music school for the sake of logistics. Most local daycare centers have great educators who can introduce kids to the world of music with a lot of heart.
Once the child actually settles on an instrument, that's when I'd focus on choosing the right teacher, and then let the teacher guide the choice of school. Beyond just their technical skill, you really need to look at their teaching style. Since lessons are usually one-on-one, the rapport built between the instructor and the student is everything.
Remember, you can always switch teachers or schools later on. Good luck!

Scott Booth said:If my kid hasn't already fallen head over heels for a specific instrument, I'd probably just enroll them in the nearest public music school for the sake of logistics. Most local daycare centers have great educators who can introduce kids to the world of music with a lot of heart.
Once the child actually settles on an instrument, that's when I'd focus on choosing the right teacher, and then let the teacher guide the choice of school. Beyond just their technical skill, you really need to look at their teaching style. Since lessons are usually one-on-one, the rapport built between the instructor and the student is everything.
Remember, you can always switch teachers or schools later on. Good luck!

I agree that from a purely logistical standpoint, choosing a school within walking distance or a reasonable commute via public transit is the smart move. I don't know if things will shift next year, but for the last two years, they've had solfeggio as a block session once a week plus online choir. That’s why there haven't been many kids showing up.
Some parents choose the instrument during that block period, but we didn't.
If they revert to the old system—two sessions of solfeggio and two sessions of instrument per week starting in third grade—plus choir, the amount of travel time becomes massive. If you aren't living right around the corner, it's a nightmare. Very few people manage to coordinate their schedules to stack solfeggio and instrument lessons together. It's especially brutal if the child is in after-school programs or only attends classes in the morning, leaving you stuck with whatever afternoon slots the teacher has available.

We opted for the public school, operating under the logic that you can always pivot to a private academy or private lessons later, whereas public schools often have strict age requirements for enrollment. You don't really get to hand-pick the teacher unless the schedule is impossible to work with or the vibe just isn't clicking after a year and you request a transfer—though even that depends entirely on the availability of other instructors.
As for the teacher our child was assigned, we couldn't be happier. Honestly, if we had chosen ourselves, we wouldn't have done better. She is the complete opposite of the typical elementary school teacher; a breath of fresh air, truly.

Getting in isn't easy; it mostly hinges on the audition, how many applicants there are, and how much talent is in the pool. They don't publish it, and they certainly won't say it publicly, but candidates who attended the school's introductory solfeggio or music preschool programs definitely have an edge. It makes sense—those kids are better prepared, and the faculty already "knows" them.
I'm not sure what the preschool curriculum looks like since we missed that phase, and clearly, our child got lucky during enrollment. But looking back at all that stress, Trump, my advice would be to enroll them in the preschool program at the local school nearby. 🙂
That way, you can see if the child actually enjoys this type of education and decide if you like the school itself. If both check out, the child will have a much easier time passing the audition.
And, of course, provided they have a sense of rhythm and pitch. 🙂

Matthew Garcia2 said:I agree that from a purely logistical standpoint, choosing a school within walking distance or a reasonable commute via public transit is the smart move. I don't know if things will shift next year, but for the last two years, they've had solfeggio as a block session once a week plus online choir. That’s why there haven't been many kids showing up.
Some parents choose the instrument during that block period, but we didn't.
If they revert to the old system—two sessions of solfeggio and two sessions of instrument per week starting in third grade—plus choir, the amount of travel time becomes massive. If you aren't living right around the corner, it's a nightmare. Very few people manage to coordinate their schedules to stack solfeggio and instrument lessons together. It's especially brutal if the child is in after-school programs or only attends classes in the morning, leaving you stuck with whatever afternoon slots the teacher has available.

We opted for the public school, operating under the logic that you can always pivot to a private academy or private lessons later, whereas public schools often have strict age requirements for enrollment. You don't really get to hand-pick the teacher unless the schedule is impossible to work with or the vibe just isn't clicking after a year and you request a transfer—though even that depends entirely on the availability of other instructors.
As for the teacher our child was assigned, we couldn't be happier. Honestly, if we had chosen ourselves, we wouldn't have done better. She is the complete opposite of the typical elementary school teacher; a breath of fresh air, truly.

Getting in isn't easy; it mostly hinges on the audition, how many applicants there are, and how much talent is in the pool. They don't publish it, and they certainly won't say it publicly, but candidates who attended the school's introductory solfeggio or music preschool programs definitely have an edge. It makes sense—those kids are better prepared, and the faculty already "knows" them.
I'm not sure what the preschool curriculum looks like since we missed that phase, and clearly, our child got lucky during enrollment. But looking back at all that stress, Trump, my advice would be to enroll them in the preschool program at the local school nearby. 🙂
That way, you can see if the child actually enjoys this type of education and decide if you like the school itself. If both check out, the child will have a much easier time passing the audition.
And, of course, provided they have a sense of rhythm and pitch. 🙂

Cheers, which school is this? And if you don't mind sharing, which teacher are we talking about? 🙂

Thanks for all the input!

Could someone give me a quick breakdown here? What’s actually the difference between basic ear training and introductory solfeggio? Are we just talking about two different names for the exact same thing?

Kimberly Green50 said:Thanks for all the input!

Could someone give me a quick breakdown here? What’s actually the difference between basic ear training and introductory solfeggio? Are we just talking about two different names for the exact same thing?

I haven't a clue.
I already mentioned I didn't attend any of those early childhood music programs myself.
If anyone actually knows from experience, they should probably just check the school's official website.
Both programs target kids roughly 6 to 8 years old, though I suppose it depends on whether they're still in daycare or have moved up to elementary school.

Usually, you sign them up for the specialized music track around second or third grade. My guess is first graders get funneled into the basic ear training sessions instead. And unlike getting into a mainstream school, there isn't an audition required for these—you just sign up.

rapidbear21 said:Cheers, which school is this? And if you don't mind sharing, which teacher are we talking about? 🙂

I sent you a DM

Not much happening in this thread lately.
It’s a shame, really. There aren't many people around here who actually care about music; it feels like everyone is just obsessed with sports instead.
Getting some firsthand info would be great, though even second or third-hand accounts would help. We’ve been keeping an eye on a few local school websites, but that’s nowhere near enough.
It’s actually surprising how many programs and schools are out there once you start digging around. Wish we had started looking into this sooner.

We already have a little one transitioning from preschool to elementary this year, so the music-focused preschool option is basically a given. But I’m noticing that almost all the schools offer preparatory programs for kids in that 6 to 8 age range.
We’ll give it a shot. From what I gather, there isn't even an audition involved.
The only problem is... which one do we actually pick?

George Edwards72 said:Pavel Markovac versus a high-functioning Elly Bašić?
Any insight would be appreciated!

For us, it really boils down to these two. Which one did you guys settle on? I’m mostly looking at the parking situation and how bad the rush hour traffic gets—it’s a mess out there. But once my kid starts commuting solo, taking the light rail seems like the most practical move between these two options.
My wife has been watching some shows about it, and she’s actually leaning pretty hard toward the Ellie Basich concept.

Kimberly Green50 said:For us, it really boils down to these two. Which one did you guys settle on? I’m mostly looking at the parking situation and how bad the rush hour traffic gets—it’s a mess out there. But once my kid starts commuting solo, taking the light rail seems like the most practical move between these two options.
My wife has been watching some shows about it, and she’s actually leaning pretty hard toward the Ellie Basich concept.

Switching over to Melissa later on is actually quite difficult. They teach solfeggio using an entirely different system than the other music academies, and my daughter wouldn't have been able to transfer there after a year or two because of that.
As for the reverse—moving from Melissa to a different music school—I honestly don't know.

ambereagle88 said:Switching over to Melissa later on is actually quite difficult. They teach solfeggio using an entirely different system than the other music academies, and my daughter wouldn't have been able to transfer there after a year or two because of that.
As for the reverse—moving from Melissa to a different music school—I honestly don't know.

Thanks for the input.
In the meantime, I've picked up plenty of info on another forum. People seem to rave about Ellie Basich.

It’s one of those things where once you commit, switching becomes a massive headache because the curricula are so different. And you really need to make a call.

The hardest part of the decision for me? Most of these music schools are jammed right into the heart of downtown. No parking, constant congestion in the middle of everything... they've even been talking about expanding the pedestrian zones lately, which just means more traffic chaos elsewhere. We're a bit further out from the absolute center, so maybe taking the light rail is doable. If there isn't a bulky instrument to lug around, I might even consider a bike.

Kimberly Green50 said:Thanks for the input.
In the meantime, I've picked up plenty of info on another forum. People seem to rave about Ellie Basich.

It’s one of those things where once you commit, switching becomes a massive headache because the curricula are so different. And you really need to make a call.

The hardest part of the decision for me? Most of these music schools are jammed right into the heart of downtown. No parking, constant congestion in the middle of everything... they've even been talking about expanding the pedestrian zones lately, which just means more traffic chaos elsewhere. We're a bit further out from the absolute center, so maybe taking the light rail is doable. If there isn't a bulky instrument to lug around, I might even consider a bike.

Hi there!

I noticed you guys are looking at enrollment options. Elly Bašić has been a really solid school over the last 5 or 6 years. 👍

Regarding what you said about different programs—switching can definitely be a headache.
But if you ask me, it’s not impossible. At the end of the day, it all comes down to how well your kid plays, sings, or understands theory.
Back when I was at the conservatory, we had classmates from all sorts of different programs, so it wasn't a huge deal.

What I’d suggest is coming by Abbey Road Studios for a free trial lesson at 20 Washington to see what else is out there. Especially if we're talking about preschool age. It's for violin lessons (a smaller instrument).

Why? Because the classes are taught by a real professional who has tons of experience working with little ones. Plus, most kids from Elly Bašić who ended up winning awards actually started out with the Suzuki method with Mark.
The idea is a relaxed, systematic approach where kids pick things up quickly without getting bored.🎉

Of course, you can also take exams at the end of the year along with theory lessons.

Good luck finding the right teacher or school!

Best, Sven Marković

Thanks for the offer.
He’s not even a preschooler yet; he actually starts kindergarten this fall. They kind of pushed him out of daycare early since his birthday is right on the line and he can already read and write. It totally messed up our plans for signing him up for music school, but hearing how insane the waitlists for daycare are this year, I guess he just freed up a spot for some other kid.

The violin isn't really on our radar right now.
We're looking at piano, guitar, or maybe drums. Honestly, we'll just see what sticks when enrollment rolls around—who knows, maybe he'll change his mind entirely during the prep course.