Preparatory Music Program

Shenandoah Valley Preparatory Music became a program of EMU’s department of music in 1988 and is dedicated to providing the highest quality music education to all students in the central Shenandoah Valley regardless of age, race, ability, financial circumstances, or ethnic origin through private and/or group instruction in a variety of musical areas as well as through performance settings. Under the direction of administrative director Sharon M.D. Miller, musical instruction is given to over 400 students in the following areas:

• Instrumental music instruction: violin, viola, cello, double bass, piano, flute, guitar; Suzuki violin, viola, cello, piano, and flute.
• Musikgarten: ages infant to 7 years.  Call 540-432-4277 or email prepmusic@emu.edu for information about class openings.
• Shenandoah Valley Youth Symphony and Junior Strings: grades 3-12
• Harrisonburg City School After-School Violin Program: grades 3-12

For more information contact prepmusic@emu.edu.

Registration Information

Preparatory Music office phone: 540-432-4277
Preparatory Music office email: prepmusic@emu.edu

Our students and performances

Believing music can enrich everyone’s life and is to be shared, performances are arranged in formal and informal settings on EMU’s campus and throughout the community to provide quality music education to the residents of the greater central Shenandoah Valley area. Participants come from as far north and east as Woodstock and Luray and from as far south as Waynesboro and Lexington. Students also travel from West Virginia.

Upcoming Events

• Musikgarten Classes
  Registration deadline for winter classes is January 8, 2019.
• Instrumental Lessons
  Registration deadline for spring semester private lessons is January 4.
• Community Performances
  Students from EMU's Preparatory Music Program will present three short concerts of a variety of classical and holiday music, including favorites such as Joy to the World, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, and many more! 
  • December 8, 1:00pm, Massanutten Regional Library, Harrisonburg
  • December 12, 6:30pm, Meredith Chapel, Sunnyside Retirement Community, Harrisonburg
  • December 15, 10:00am, Maple Terrace, Bridgewater Retirement Community, Bridgewater
• Baroque Festival Workshop
  On February 2, the Preparatory Music Program will hold its first Baroque Workshop from 9am-3pm. Ask your private teacher for a registration form!
• Teen Coffeehouse
  Preparatory Music Program students will perform a variety of instrumental ensemble music in EMU Common Grounds coffee house at 5:15 pm on February 10, 2019.

2018-19 Preparatory Music Calendar

Contact us

**In cases of inclement weather, cancellation of private lessons and classes is left up to the individual teacher and families. If you do not receive cancellation notice from your teacher, assume that your lesson is still on. Please contact your teacher if you cannot come in because of bad weather.**

Interested in learning more about music lessons at EMU? Contact the preparatory music program offices at 540-432-4277 or prepmusic@emu.edu. We’d love to hear from you!

The EMU music program offices, both preparatory music and the undergraduate academic program, are located on the lower level of Lehman Auditorium. On the main floor of Lehman you’ll find a mainstage auditorium that houses performances, weekly chapel, university events, and more. On the lower level you’ll find the music program offices (through the glass double doors), faculty offices, a recital hall, individual practice rooms, and more.