Wednesdays 6-7:30 p.m.
January 22-March 12, 2025
8 Sessions
Science Building
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$300

Unlock your creative potential with our hands-on music production course using Ableton Live. Designed for beginners and enthusiasts alike, this class will guide you through the essentials of beat-making, sound design, and mixing. Whether you’re looking to produce your own tracks or refine your skills, you’ll gain practical experience and insights from an experienced instructor. Join us for this fun and creative class to transform your musical ideas into polished productions!

Instructor Philip Friedman

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Thursdays 6-8 p.m.
April 3-24, 2025
4 Sessions
Visual Arts Building, Albuquerque Academy
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$240 (materials fee covered in the cost of tuition)

In this hands-on workshop, we’ll create watercolor paints made from earth pigments. Earth pigments are natural colorants derived from rocks, minerals, and soil, offering a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to synthetic paints. By using materials directly sourced from our environment, we’ll create a unique palette that captures the essence of the landscapes around us.

We’ll begin with an optional foraging hike to collect rocks and other natural materials. In addition to foraging, we’ll explore a variety of natural resources sourced from across New Mexico. Using a mortar and pestle, we’ll grind these raw materials into fine pigments, transforming them into our own handmade paints.

We will use our earth pigment watercolors to learn various watercolor techniques, exploring both abstract and landscape painting styles. By the end of the workshop, you’ll leave with a deeper appreciation for natural pigments and your own collection of nature-inspired watercolor paintings.

Instructor Celine Gordon

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Tuesdays 6-7:30 p.m.
January 21-March 11, 2025
8 Sessions
Chorus Room, Music Building, Albuquerque Academy
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$300

Now that you’ve begun your musical journey on the guitar, you are ready to take your guitar playing to the next level. In this class, students will continue to explore fingerstyle acoustic guitar playing through a study of chords, moveable patterns, scales, and a greater understanding of the sonic possibilities of this bewitching instrument. Students will also consider important musical devices to lend expression and emotional effect to their playing. Come and join us in learning how to make music in this fun, supportive, and enthusiastic class.

Prerequisite: Students should either have taken the Beginning Fingerstyle Guitar class or have at least 3 months of guitar learning to be comfortable in this class. Please contact us at [email protected] for questions regarding the prerequisite for this class.

Instructor Mickey Jones

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Wednesdays 6-7:30 p.m.
January 22-March 12, 2025
8 Sessions
Chorus Room, Music Building, Albuquerque Academy
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$300  

This class focuses on hand exercises and techniques for comfortably playing rhythms in popular music. Poly-rhythms and understanding what clave is a central goal in this class. If you’ve already begun your journey exploring Latin American percussion or other types of percussion, don’t miss this fun and inspiring class! It will be groovy.

Study handouts, some drums, and other percussion instruments will be provided.

Prerequisite: Some experience necessary. Understanding and knowing the tones of the conga drum will be helpful.

Instructor Ricky Carrido

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Thursdays 6-8 p.m.
January 23-March 13, 2025
8 Sessions
Music Building, Albuquerque Academy
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$650

Now that you’ve built your guitar skills and gained some confidence, it’s time to make fun and amazing music together. This is a no-mistake zone! This class is for any adult students who have taken either the beginning or intermediate adult guitar classes at the Levanta Institute. This class would also be appropriate for a person who has some confidence in their fingerstyle guitar playing and would like to play in a guitar orchestra. Come and join us and make Really Bad Music! We’ll give a concert or two at the end of the semester.

Instructor Mickey Jones

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Tuesdays and Thursdays 6-8 p.m.
January 28-February 20, 2025
8 Sessions
Visual Arts Building
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$360 (Materials fee covered in cost of tuition) 

In this fun and brand-new class, students will be introduced to the history, techniques, and aesthetic properties of clay as a medium for artistic expression, both in functional objects as well as sculptural ones. The course will be based on clay techniques and creative idea development.

All students will be introduced to throwing on the wheel, make functional objects, and learn about glazes and firing processes. Students new to clay will be given the fundamental tools to bring some of their 3D ceramic objects and visions to life. Students with some prior experience with the medium will be challenged to increase their technical proficiency as well as refine and expand their skills.

Instructor Peter Glidden

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Wednesday, December 4, 6-7:15 p.m.
Music Building, Albuquerque Academy
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FREE

Join us for a first-ever event hosted by the Levanta Institute at Albuquerque Academy: A Very Open Rehearsal, featuring the Rio Grande Guitar Quartet and emceed by the legendary, John Truitt. Be part of the rehearsal process for the upcoming Dreams of New Mexico concert, where you can ask questions, stop the performers, and even share your musical ideas with the quartet. Experience the behind-the-scenes workings of a professional rehearsal and enjoy a light reception afterward.

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At the Levanta Institute, we believe in making your musical journey both enjoyable and flexible. Our new private lesson program offers the perfect opportunity to develop your skills with personalized guidance. When you sign up for a 10-lesson bundle, your first lesson can be a trial – if it’s not the right fit, you can cancel before the second lesson and receive a full refund for the remaining nine lessons. After the second lesson, payments become non-refundable, but we’re happy to consider credits in cases of illness or emergencies.

We offer two sessions per year: September-December and February-May. Lessons are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis, and if you join us mid-session, prorated five-lesson packages are available! If you need to miss a lesson, just notify your teacher 24 hours in advance, and we’ll do our best to accommodate a makeup lesson. For teacher cancellations, we will always reschedule at a mutually convenient time.

SESSIONS
A “Session” will be the total time period within which your lessons may take place. For example, you may have 10 lessons during the Fall Session of September 15-December 15.

Sessions will be offered two times a year: September to December and February to May. Prorated packages may be available for mid-term registrations.

LESSONS
A “Lesson” refers to an individual appointment with your private instructor. For example, you will have 10 individual Lessons during a given Session.

Lesson timeslots are awarded to the first person to register for that offering. Please arrive a few minutes before your scheduled start time so you can enjoy your full Lesson. All school-year Lesson packages are for 10 individual Lessons. When you purchase a Lesson package, all 10 lessons will take place during the registered Session timeframe.

You must use your Lesson package in the given Session. At the discretion of the instructor, students may take more than one lesson per week to use all lessons within the applicable Session.

Mid-session lesson registrations open halfway through the session for five-lesson packages.

LESSONS AND TUITION
Tuition and Fees: When you register for a Session, you will be charged for the total cost for all 10 Lessons. However, when signing up for a 10-Lesson bundle, we understand the importance of feeling comfortable with your teacher and the private instruction experience. That’s why the first Lesson of your bundle can be considered a trial. If, for any reason, you feel the teacher or Lesson isn’t the right fit, you can cancel your bundle any time before 24 hours prior to your second Lesson start time. You’ll only be charged for the trial Lesson, and the remaining nine Lessons will be fully refunded. We hope this gives you the flexibility and confidence to start your educational journey with us!

Refunds and Credits: Lesson payment is non-refundable once the second scheduled Lesson date has arrived; however, in cases of extended illness or emergencies, credits for future lessons may be considered by the Levanta Institute.

RESCHEDULING
Student Requested Rescheduling: We understand that things come up. If you need to reschedule a Lesson, please notify your private teacher at least 24 hours in advance. While makeup Lessons are not guaranteed, we’ll do our best to accommodate rescheduling within the Session.

Teacher Requested Rescheduling: If a teacher must reschedule a Lesson, a makeup Lesson will be scheduled at a mutually convenient time and within the applicable Session.