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Musical Mentors Exploration 2025-2026: New York City & Pittsburgh

Musical Mentors Exploration Program Overview 


For the 2025-2026 school year, Musical Mentors Collaborative proudly presents the Musical Mentors Exploration (MME) program in collaboration with school and community partners across the US. This weekly after-school program provides students with an opportunity to explore and discover the joy of music. Through engaging and interactive group classes focused on active music making and optional free private or small-group lessons, students learn fundamental musical concepts, develop performance skills, and nurture their creativity.


Registration open now for Pittsburgh Arlington PreK-8!

MME is open to students in grades 1-5 at Pittsburgh Arlington. If your student is younger than 1st grade, we'll look forward to having them participate with us in future school years.


Students are expected to commit to after-school group classes for the duration of the program (through early June).


MME Dates for Pittsburgh Arlington: Group classes will begin the week of January 12 (or later, based on enrollment timeline and numbers), and private or small-group lessons start later in the winter. While we aim to serve every applicant, we limit each group class to 25 students to uphold low student-to-teacher ratios and ensure individualized attention for every participant. MMC prioritizes participation for students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to engage in music enrichment opportunities. If you have any questions, please reach out to our team at mme@musical-mentors.org.








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Primary Mailing Address






Student's Language

MME classes are taught in English. While we do not have robust translation services available for either classes or program communication, we do our best to appropriately serve and communicate with all families, regardless of primary language.

It's helpful for us to know your preferred languages so that we can best support you through our roster of volunteers.



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Primary Contact

Communication for Musical Mentors Exploration will mainly come through email and will be with the primary parent/guardian, not directly with the student. Be sure to list a parent/guardian’s contact information below.




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Parent/Guardian Contact Info



















Your Musical Mentors Exploration Class


Please visit the Musical Mentors Exploration section under the Programs page of our website for full program information.


MME Sites and Class Schedules

Pittsburgh Arlington PreK-8
Musical Mentor: Erin Higgins

Monday, 3:10-4:40 pm
Drums/percussion, recorder, and/or ukulele


P.S. 66 - Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School (NYC)
Musical Mentor: Jane Lee

Classes at P.S. 66 are full for the 25-26 school year! Registration will still be accepted, and students will be added to the waitlist, to be contacted if class space opens.

Green Class: 1st and 2nd Grades
Tuesday, 2:20-3:50 pm
Drums/percussion and recorder

Yellow Class: 3rd-5th Grades
Thursday, 2:20-3:50 pm 
Keyboard and violin


P.S. 145 - The Bloomingdale School (NYC)
Musical Mentor: Katie Gordon

Classes at P.S. 145 are full for the 25-26 school year! Registration will still be accepted, and students will be added to the waitlist, to be contacted if class space opens.

Green Class: 1st and 2nd Grades
Tuesday, 2:35-4:05 pm
Keyboard and ukulele

Yellow Class: 3rd-5th Grades
Wednesday, 2:35-4:05 pm
Guitar and recorder/clarinet



P.S. 164 - Queens Valley School of the Arts (NYC)
Musical Mentor: Maksim Perepelica

Green Class: 1st-5th Grades

Tuesday, 2:25-4:00 pm

Drums/percussion and keyboard


Yellow Class: 6th-8th Grades

Thursday, 2:25-4:00 pm

Drums/percussion and keyboard



By completing this application, you acknowledge that your student can commit to participating in the MME program on the day and time that your school has been assigned, relative to your student's grade level. Students who have repeated absences risk being removed from the program.





Your Student's Musical Background






Small-Group or Private Lessons

All MME students have the opportunity to apply for and participate in free music lessons, in addition to their weekly group class. Small-group lessons or private lessons are offered either in person or online, depending on the school partnership, space availability, and/or teacher availability.

  • 1st and 2nd Grades: Small-Group Lessons
    • In NYC: 1st and 2nd grade students are offered four 1-hour small-group lessons, allowing them to explore instruments and build foundational skills in a developmentally-appropriate collaborative setting. 
    • In Pittsburgh: 1st and 2nd grade students are offered three 1-hour small-group lessons, allowing them to explore instruments and build foundational skills in a developmentally-appropriate collaborative setting. 
  • 3rd-5th Grades: MMA Exploration Lessons - Limited Instrument Options
    • In NYC: 3rd through 5th grade students are offered ten 30-minute private lessons through the Musical Mentors Academy program. Lessons are available online or in person, depending on the school partnership, space availability, and/or teacher availability.
    • In Pittsburgh: 3rd through 5th grade students are offered eight 30-minute private lessons the Musical Mentors Academy program. Lessons are available online or in person, depending on the school partnership, space availability, and/or teacher availability.
    • Students can choose an instrument of focus from the following list: drums/percussion, piano/keyboard, recorder, clarinet (for 4th and 5th graders at P.S. 145 only), ukulele, guitar, violin, or voice.
    • Students will be assigned to a teacher and an instrument based on availability.
  • 6th-8th Grades: MMA Exploration Lessons - All Instruments
    • 6th through 8th grade students in NYC are offered ten 30-minute private lessons through the Musical Mentors Academy program. Lessons are available online or in person, depending on the school partnership, space availability, and/or teacher availability.
    • Students can choose any instrument of focus, depending on Musical Mentors Academy teaching-artist availability.
    • Students will be assigned to a teacher and an instrument based on availability.

Note 1: The free private lessons and small-group lessons are a bonus for MME students, outside of the after-school MME program, and cannot be guaranteed for any student. The small-group lessons and Exploration Lessons are based on mutual commitment and generosity: students giving their effort and curiosity, teaching artists and volunteer instructors giving their time and expertise.

We ask that all participants - students, families, and teachers - keep the following in mind: 

  • MMC will make every effort to match students with an appropriate teaching artist/volunteer instructor who can best meet their needs. MMC cannot guarantee that a teacher will be available for every instrument at all times.

  • If a teaching artist or volunteer instructor becomes unavailable, MMC will make every effort to rematch the student with another instructor so they can complete their lessons. 

  • We know that sometimes schedules shift, and conflicts arise. If a student becomes unavailable or disengaged, MMC will communicate with the family and the teacher to determine next steps, including the possibility of reassigning the teacher to another student.


Note 2: In schools where space is not available for small-group lessons, all students are offered MMA Exploration lessons instead.

Note 3: MMC loans instruments to students who need one at no additional cost. Instruments must be checked out and returned as soon as lessons are completed. Small-group lesson instruments will not be allowed to go home with students.

Note 4: If lessons are online, students will take lessons from one of the following devices, using the correct corresponding browser:
  • Laptop or desktop computer (using the Chrome browser)
  • iPad (Safari browser)
  • iPhone (Safari browser)
  • Android phone (Chrome browser). 
MMC does not provide devices for online lessons.







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e.g. school band, school music classes, group music class after-school, one-on-one instruction, family member teaching.
Small-Group or Private Lessons

All MME students have the opportunity to apply for and participate in free music lessons, in addition to their weekly group class. Small-group lessons or private lessons are offered either in person or online, depending on the school partnership, space availability, and/or teacher availability.
  • 1st and 2nd Grades: Small-Group Lessons
    • In NYC: 1st and 2nd grade students are offered four 1-hour small-group lessons, allowing them to explore instruments and build foundational skills in a developmentally-appropriate collaborative setting. 
    • In Pittsburgh: 1st and 2nd grade students are offered three 1-hour mall-group lessons, allowing them to explore instruments and build foundational skills in a developmentally-appropriate collaborative setting. 
  • 3rd-5th Grades: MMA Exploration Lessons - Limited Instrument Options
    • In NYC: 3rd through 5th grade students are offered ten 30-minute private lessons through the Musical Mentors Academy program. Lessons are available online or in person, depending on the school partnership, space availability, and/or teacher availability.
    • In Pittsburgh: 3rd through 5th grade students are offered eight 30-minute private lessons the Musical Mentors Academy program. Lessons are available online or in person, depending on the school partnership, space availability, and/or teacher availability.
    • Students can choose an instrument of focus from the following list: drums/percussion, piano/keyboard, recorder, clarinet (for 4th and 5th graders at P.S. 145 only), ukulele, guitar, violin, or voice.
    • Students will be assigned to a teacher and an instrument based on availability.
  • 6th-8th Grades: MMA Exploration Lessons - All Instruments
    • 6th through 8th grade students in NYC are offered ten private 30-minute lessons through the Musical Mentors Academy program. Lessons are available online or in person, depending on the school partnership, space availability, and/or teacher availability.
    • Students can choose any instrument of focus, depending on Musical Mentors Academy teaching-artist availability.
    • Students will be assigned to a teacher and an instrument based on availability.

Note 1: The free private lessons and small-group lessons are a bonus for MME students, outside of the after-school MME program, and cannot be guaranteed for any student. The small-group lessons and Exploration Lessons are based on mutual commitment and generosity: students giving their effort and curiosity, teaching artists and volunteer instructors giving their time and expertise.

We ask that all participants - students, families, and teachers - keep the following in mind: 

  • MMC will make every effort to match students with an appropriate teaching artist/volunteer instructor who can best meet their needs. MMC cannot guarantee that a teacher will be available for every instrument at all times.
  • If a teaching artist or volunteer instructor becomes unavailable, MMC will make every effort to rematch the student with another instructor so they can complete their lessons. 
  • We know that sometimes schedules shift, and conflicts arise. If a student becomes unavailable or disengaged, MMC will communicate with the family and the teacher to determine next steps, including the possibility of reassigning the teacher to another student.
Note 2: In schools where space is not available for small-group lessons, all students are offered MMA Exploration lessons instead.

Note 3: MMC loans instruments to students who need one at no additional cost. Instruments must be checked out and returned as soon as lessons are completed. Small-group lesson instruments will not be allowed to go home with students.

Note 4: If lessons are online, students will take lessons from one of the following devices, using the correct corresponding browser:
  • Laptop or desktop computer (using the Chrome browser)
  • iPad (Safari browser)
  • iPhone (Safari browser)
  • Android phone (Chrome browser). 
MMC does not provide devices for online lessons.

Help Us Understand Your Student

Please help us better understand your student, their learning style, and how we can best approach both classes and small-group/private lessons to meet your student's needs. These questions WILL NOT affect your student's admission decision. MMC's programs are built to be inclusive of all learners. 





Help Us Understand Your Family

The below information helps us subsidize the cost of our programs and raise program funds to support MME, and allows us to offer scholarships to as many families as possible. These questions WILL NOT affect your student's admission decision.

Program Tuition and Cost


MMC is able to offer the Exploration program at a highly subsidized rate thanks to generous donors and foundations, local grants, and other fundraising sources. The actual per student cost of MME is at least $2,000. (Thank you, donors!)


Program Tuition for Pennsylvania: $250


Tuition Includes:

  • Twenty weeks of 90-minute group classes (after school) 
  • Access to free private or small-group lessons 
  • Loaned instrument/s
  • Performance opportunity
  • All class materials

Payment Options:

Participants have the option to pay in full in January or commit to a monthly payment plan from January through May. 



Program Tuition for NYC: $400


Tuition Includes:

  • Thirty weeks of 90-minute group classes (after school) 
  • Access to free private or small-group lessons 
  • Loaned instrument/s
  • Performance opportunities 
  • Multiple community and concert events 
  • Snacks during group classes (provided by the school)
  • All class materials

Payment Options:

Participants have the option to pay in full in September or commit to a monthly payment plan from September through February. 








Scholarship: Financial Assistance

All students in the Musical Mentors Exploration program receive financial assistance through our heavily subsidized tuition. Additional limited scholarships are available to students who demonstrate financial need. The additional questions below help us offer programming that meets the needs of our students and communities. These questions WILL NOT affect your student's admission decision.