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Black Dots Boot Camp

Not currently offered. Please contact us if you are interested in this class!
Online via Zoom
folks playing music outside

Humans have made music since before we came down out of the trees; it was only in the Middle Ages that a bunch of monks decided to write down their weekly chants, and it’s only very recently our society somehow decided that knowing how to read their dots and scribbles was the mark of a “real” musician.

If you’re already a real musician — if you sing in the car, play fiddle in pubs or guitar around campfires, if you make up lullabies for bedtime but somehow never got around to being paper-trained — this class is for you.

We’ll start right at the beginning with those monks, the symbols they made up to show how sounds go up and down/how long they last, then we’ll discover how those symbols evolved into our present system — one that is simultaneously logical and capricious, elegant and clunky.

At the end of 12 weeks you’ll have the solid skills you need to — cautiously but securely — lift a tune off of the page and into your voice or instrument; you’ll also have the deeper insight to continue to gain fluidity over time. Singer/songwriters who want to record their odes, parents who want to better support their children, by-ear trad players, community theater/choir folk are all equally welcome.

This will be an active class; we’ll sing, laugh, and move as much as we read, write, and think.

Access to a simple keyboard will be helpful but not necessary.

NOTE: this class is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday evening but there is flexibility. Please contact the office ASAP if you’re strongly interested but could use a different time. Contact Bekah at info@uvmusic.org/603.448.1642 or complete our Inquiry Form.

We are committed to making this course accessible to everyone who wants to participate. If cost is an issue, please contact us about how to access Tuition Assistance. Musicians with learning/processing issues should be assured that these often present very little additional difficulty; it’s not the same part of the brain. Whatever your third-grade teacher told you, you can probably do this. Get in touch ahead of time and we can explore your questions.

Ages: Adults
Prerequisites: No prior skills or experience needed or expected, only curiosity and motivation
Length: 12 weeks; one hour classes
Faculty: Amy Cann
Cost: $195; No cost for students enrolled in lessons at UVMC.
Minimum Enrollment: 4

Tuition Assistance

We believe that everyone, no matter their financial resources, should have access to high quality music education. Click here to learn more about available resources and how to get financial support.

Questions about a class or not sure whether to register yet?

If you are interested in a specific class and have questions, or not sure whether you are ready to register but want to stay up to date, please complete our New Student Inquiry Form and list the name of the class.

Tuition & Payment Plans

Payment plans of 2 or more payments are available by contacting the office or for group classes via online registration. Learn more about Tuition, Fees, Discounts, and Payment plans here.

UVMC Calendar

Wondering about holidays and whether UVMC is open? Find our school calendar including holidays and make-up weeks here.