About Performing Artists at KMS

Our Performing Artists program is a creative, cross-genre education for your young and aspiring musician. The power of music, performance, creativity, personal growth, and belonging are harnessed together to make an incredible difference in your child's life. In this holistic music education program, your child builds their skills sequentially from pre-k through 12th grade, with each year laying a solid foundation for the next. Our carefully crafted program gives your child the tools to develop into a musician who fully expresses themselves creatively, all while thriving in a community of like-minded players. The program runs October through June. Read more about our program foundations here.

All the qualities of musical performing arts development are integrated in this unique program.

Stage 4: CREATORS

Ages: 12 - 13 (entering 7th and 8th grades)
Entrance Requirement: 1+ years of private study and teacher meet and greet
Weekly Class Length: 75-min Band Performance Class (piano, guitar/ukulele, voice, bass, drums)
Weekly Private Lesson Length: 45-min Private Lesson

foundation 1: Solo + Group Musicianship

Private Instruction: Your Creator continues to grow technically in their weekly 45 minute private lessons while discovering what music they love and experimenting in a large variety of genres.
Group Class: Your Creator has now grasped the basics of playing music in a band and is ready to add their own songs into the mix in a more extended, 75-minute weekly group experience. They’ll play a variety of genres, including, for the first time, their own songs. Creators grow stronger as musical collaborators while learning about rehearsal concepts and professionalism.

foundation 2: performance + wellness

Your Creator now goes deep with performance techniques and learning to use the sound system.
Your Creator will perform 3 times with their band, and, if they choose, as a soloist, in our progressive Student Showcases at the end of every trimester.

foundation 3: Personal development

Creators revisit the all-important growth mindset with the Tween/Teen Edition of the Big Life Journal teaching them to thrive on challenges and to view failure as a springboard for growth.
They start journaling “Morning Pages” to express their feelings and practice connecting deeply with themselves.

foundation 4: Artistry + Creativity

Each Creator receives their own Songwriter’s Notebook to start the process of writing their own lyrics and songs for themselves and/or to play with their band.
Creative Expeditions around town are encouraged for your Creator, especially with their bandmates or other friends.

2024 - 2025 Creator Information

creator Inclusions

Weekly 45-minute private lessons;
Weekly small performance classes from October to June;
3 stage concerts in December, March, and June;
1 dedicated practice binder to stay focused + track progress;
access to rewards, prizes + encouragement all year long through our KMS Practice Challenge;
fun activities to inspire creativity + build friendships;

creator performance class Schedule

Space is limited in our performance classes! They have a maximum of 5 students each, generally composed of the following instrumentation:

1 singer, or 1 singer who also plays ukulele, guitar, or piano
1 pianist
1 guitarist
1 bassist
1 drummer

creator private lesson Schedule

You’ll select your Creator’s 45 minute lesson day and time at the beginning of the year and you may begin lessons prior to October for an additional tuition payment. Choose from during our private teaching hours:

Sundays (1pm- 6pm)
Mondays - Thursdays (3pm - 8pm)

Private lesson times are first come, first served, so click below to enroll today!

performing artist showcase Dates

Mark your calendar now for your child’s big days! They’ll perform with their group in front of an energizing crowd at the Wesley Foundation of Kalamazoo! In addition to performing with their group, they may also perform repertoire from their private lesson as a soloist, if they’d like.

program Tuition

Monthly All-Inclusive Tuition Payment (October - June; 9 months): $324/mo
Alternatively, you can choose a shorter 30-min private lesson as part of the package for $255/mo
Just private lessons are available at $136.50 / month - see the tuition page for more information!

Please note that openings are first come, first serve and that all enrollments must be confirmed via the entrance requirements/auditions before they are finalized, so ENROLL NOW!

Enroll Now