STARS Advanced
Optional 8th Year of LPM-format learning

​

**Registration open now**

​

Please read through this entire page prior to enrolling so that you understand the registration process and an overview of STARS Advanced.

____________________

​

​

STARS Advanced

August 2026 to May 2027

Classes are once per week for a total of 32 classes.
This course is only for John Paul, Evie and Joey.

​

In STARS Advanced, we will continue all the musical aspects that have been important in the studies of a well-rounded musician up to this point - sight-reading, improvisation, music form and structure, chord form and structure, music theory, composer history, learning to play in different keys, dictation and compose an original piece in the spring.  The concepts we will be reviewing and learning are truly college-level, but presented in a way that is easy to understand...all in the joyful company of peers that provide such a positive group learning experience.

​

You will find that in STARS Advanced, the weekly practice load and assignments are almost identical to this past year as the format is similar - just the next level of concepts and materials!

​

Weekly home workload will be 1 sight-reading and rhythm exercise, 1 key signature (scales, chords, triads, arpeggios, etc), 1-2 exercises from their chords book, and 2 pieces from their songbook.  Theory will be 2 pages per week. The study of classical music and music history will continue as well, but we won't have history homework to complete at home.

STARS Advanced Overview

Class time for 2025-2026:

Tuesdays 3:00-4:00pm

​

General calendar:
Mid August through early December – 16 Fall lessons
January through early May – 16 Spring lessons
Recital – mid May

​

Class duration: 60 minutes a week

​

Parental involvement:

Parents assist with keyboard/piano practice at home.  As in years prior, it will ultimately be the parent's responsibility to ensure practices happen.  Also, if you have a "real" piano (aka an acoustic piano), the piano must be professionally tuned once per year.

​​

Parents are not required to attend regular class in STARS, but as always, are welcome to observe!  Note: Parents *do* attend on the last lesson of each semester (Lesson 16 and Lesson 32) for a Semester Showcase where the kids present an overview of their semester.  The kids look forward to these classes with you so much!

​

Tuition: 

$640 for the entire STARS Advanced year.
 

--An $80 non-refundable deposit is required by March 31st to secure your child’s spot.  This will be put toward the tuition balance so that $560 will remain when classes start.  The remaining balance of $560 *can* be paid in four monthly installments of $140 ( due on Lessons 1, 5, 9 and 13 of the fall semester).  If you decide to pull your registration from STARS prior to classes starting, the $80 deposit will be retained.
 

--What happens beyond STARS Advanced?  STARS Advanced is currently my highest level.  But the good news is that STARS Advanced can continue for as many years as works for your student!  While students will be working as a group on deepening their knowledge of theory, dictation and sight-reading, each student will have books assigned to their own playing level.  So we can just keep growing individually through the method books and as a group in concepts and skills in such a positive peer environment.  Students tend to stick with their instrument far longer when in group classes.  It is exciting and encouraging to do learning together!

Registration for STARS Advanced open now.

Registration is a 3-step process:

1) Register your child for STARS Advanced here.
 

2) Pay $80 non-refundable deposit by March 31st.  Payable to Katie Shannon via cash, check, PayPal or Venmo.  Can be slipped into Katie's studio tuition dropbox or mailed to P.O. Box 796, La Porte, IN 43652.

​

3) 3) Purchase materials by July 15th - I will email you the list of books!  Alternatively, I can calculate the total and purchase them for you.

​

​​​