Weekly Private piano lessons are offered for 30 minutes for beginners, 45 minutes for intermediates (when the student begins to learn simple music literature), and 60 minutes for advanced students (who are playing more difficult literature). However, high achieving beginners or slower learners may wish apply for more time than allotted here. In other words, you choose the length of time of your lesson. Tuition is paid by the time, not the level.
Teachers write the assignment for each week in the student’s Assignment Notebook, and students are expected to write in the time they spend practicing on the Practice Record page foreach week, children 12 and under have the practice record signed off by a parent.
For beginners, OMS uses primarily but not exclusively the Alfred Publishing Company method books, especially the new Premier Course, at the beginning (which gets away from the C, or G, or Middle C positions). Alfred’s method employs the basics of music reading, techniques (including scales, chords, cadences, and arpeggios), literature (including those of lesser-known and diverse composers, such as those of African descent), sight reading, ear-training, and theory. The course includes the Lesson book, the one that correlates with the Technic, Recital, Classic Themes, Repertoire, Jazz, and Hymn books on the same level.

There are actually different series for various ages:

• Music for Little Mozart for preschoolers (ages 3 1/2 to 6) with Lesson, Recital, Workbook (theory and ear-training), Discovery (singing and action songs), Little Mozarts Go to Church, and Little Mozarts Go to Hollywood.  Level 4 includes a program from Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker”.

• Prep Course for the (7-10 year olds) with Technique,Lesson, Solo, Theory, Notespeller, Activity/Ear-training

• Premier Course for the 8-11 year olds which has the Technique, Lesson, Performance, and Theory/Ear-training books, OR

• Basic Course for the 9-13 year olds (which incl. besides Lesson, Recital, Theory, Notespeller, Ear-training books, offers Hymn books, Fun Book, Top Hits from B’way and movies, Classical Themes, Repertoire, and other books).

• Complete Basic Course for older beginners, pre-teens and teens, complete with Technic, Lesson, Recital, Theory, Notespeller, and the other books mentioned in the basic for 8-13 year-olds but for older beginners.

• Adult courses include “Play Piano Now”, “Adult Basic”, “So You Used to Play Piano”

• Jazz Course including method, recital and improvisation books.
• Then the Literature books, of specific composers such as Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Joplin, Liszt, MacDowell, Black composers, and others.

The method books include the corresponding Theory, Notespeller and Musical Concepts books (another theory book with one piece composed on the theoretic principal being presented); and Sight Reading, and Ear-Training books. All students use the complete Alfred Scale book with major and all 3 minor scales, chords, cadences (in all inversions), arpeggios (tonic and dominant in all inversions).
Once a student achieves the late intermediate and advanced stage, they no longer use the method books, but rather literature and technique. They continue theory and ear training through the Alfred Essentials complete method from which students are qualified to enter college theory.

Students are prepared to audition for entrance into special Music High Schools such as Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Baltimore School of the Arts, Suitland or Northwestern Schools of the Visual and Performing Arts.

Students are prepared to audition for entrance into College and University or Conservatory.  Students are expected to present a senior recital, or in piano, take Prep D or the High School Diploma for the National Guild of Piano Teachers.
For those preparing to play in church services, or for enjoyment, contemporary inspirational, hymns, gospel and sacred songs and their arrangements are learned. Each year the piano students of the school of all instruments take the National Guild auditions for solo piano, as well as ensemble, playing with other instruments and/or with vocalists.
Many of the piano students of the Ottley Music School have passed entrance examinations and auditions to enter colleges and universities such as University of Maryland, Peabody, Columbia University, Carnegie Mellon, Ithica University, Juilliard, Oberlin, Washington Adventist University, Oakwood University, Eastman, Spellman, Morehouse, Howard University, Hampton University, Duke University, Berklee College of Music, Morgan State University, Andrews University, Southern Adventist University, University of the Southern Caribbean, Loma Linda University, and Northern Caribbean University, and other institutions of higher learning worldwide

Check our LESSON & CLASS TUITION