DILLER-QUAILE SCHOOL OF MUSIC INC

THE DILLER-QUAILE SCHOOL OF MUSIC IS A VIBRANT COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL LOCATED ON THE UES OF MANHATTAN, PROVIDING EXEMPLARY EARLY CHILDHOOD AND INSTRUMENTAL & VOCAL PROGRAMS, LESSONS AND WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS, TEACHER TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES, AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. DURING THE 2023-2024 YEAR, DILLER-QUAILE WAS ENGAGED IN ITS 10-YEAR RENEWAL OF ACCREDITATION. THE SCHOOL FORMED A STEERING COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF ACADEMIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF TO LEAD THIS COMPREHENSIVE PROCESS, AND PREPARE THE SELF-STUDY DOCUMENT AND APPENDICES, WHICH FOCUSED ON THE SCHOOL'S PURPOSE AND OPERATIONS; PROGRAMS AND CURRICULUM; AND EVALUATION, PLANNING, AND PROJECTIONS. VISITING EVALUATORS OBSERVED DILLER-QUAILE CLASSES, LESSONS, AND ATTENDED PERFORMANCES AND GROUP MEETINGS TO VERIFY THE SCHOOL'S WORK AS IT PERTAINS TO THRESHOLD STANDARDS AND DILLER-QUAILE'S ASPIRATIONS FOR EXCELLENCE. THROUGHOUT 2023-2024, THE EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM CONTINUED TO OPERATE ON A TRIMESTER SYSTEM WITH APPROXIMATELY 35-38 CLASSES PER WEEK (AN INCREASE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR) AND OFFERED AN EXTENSIVE SELECTION OF COURSES FOR INTRODUCING SMALL GROUPS OF YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES TO THE JOYS OF MUSIC AND VISUAL ART BY ENGAGING IN DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE GROUP MUSIC EXPERIENCES. STUDENTS WERE GIVEN THE FOUNDATION FOR A COMPREHENSIVE MUSIC EDUCATION AND THE TOOLS TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES ARTISTICALLY. KEY TO THE DILLER-QUAILE APPROACH IS THE COLLABORATION AMONG TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, WHICH CREATES A UNIQUE CHILD-CENTERED MUSICAL ENVIRONMENT WITHIN EACH CLASS SESSION. CLASSES FEATURED PIANISTS WHO IMPROVISED ACCOMPANIMENTS IN A VARIETY OF STYLES IN RESPONSE TO THE CHILDREN'S SINGING AND MOVEMENT, THEREBY FOSTERING A MUSICALLY CREATIVE ENVIRONMENT. ENROLLMENT INCREASED FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND CONTINUED TO INCREASE THROUGHOUT 2023-2024. IN-PERSON RUG CONCERTS, DESIGNED FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES, WERE HELD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND ENJOYED BY LARGE AUDIENCES. THE INSTRUMENTAL AND VOCAL DEPARTMENT PROVIDED BEGINNING TO ADVANCED INSTRUMENT AND VOICE STUDY THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMS, WEEKLY CLASSES AND ENSEMBLE INSTRUCTION, AND THE HIGH SCHOOL CERTIFICATE PROGRAM. THE SCHOOL PROVIDED A ROBUST CALENDAR OF STUDENT CONCERTS AND PERFORMANCES. THE TRADITIONS AND ARTISTIC APPROACH TO TEACHING CULTIVATED BY FOUNDERS ANGELA DILLER AND ELIZABETH QUAILE, SHAPED THE SCHOOL'S PROGRAMS. DILLER-QUAILE FACULTY GUIDED STUDENTS THROUGH AN APPROACH UNITED BY THE PEDAGOGICAL PRINCIPLES OF USING REPERTOIRE OF ENDURING QUALITY, TEACHING TECHNIQUE MUSICALLY, AND LEADING STUDENTS TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE STRUCTURE OF MUSIC. THIS INTEGRATED APPROACH TO MUSIC EDUCATION ENABLED THE SCHOOL'S SKILLED FACULTY TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THE EMERGING ARTISTRY IN EACH STUDENT. DILLER-QUAILE'S INSTRUMENT AND VOICE CURRICULUM PROVIDED STUDENTS WITH A SEQUENCED LEARNING EXPERIENCE. TAILORED TO THE INDIVIDUAL INSTRUMENT OR VOICE, THE CURRICULUM FOCUSED ON BUILDING TECHNICAL SKILLS AS A FOUNDATION FOR EXPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE. ROOTED IN THE TEACHING PHILOSOPHY OF THE SCHOOL'S FOUNDERS, THE MUSICIANSHIP CURRICULUM INCORPORATED THE APPROACHES OF PEDAGOGUES SUCH AS EMILE JAQUES-DALCROZE, ZOLTAN KODALY, AND CARL ORFF. INSTRUMENTAL AND VOCAL DEPARTMENT ENROLLMENT INCREASED FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND MUSIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS CONTINUED TO FLOURISH. CAMERATA-AN ADULT CHAMBER ORCHESTRA-WELCOMED FULL AUDIENCES TO FALL, WINTER, AND SPRING CONCERTS; AND ADULTS WERE ENGAGED IN WEEKEND CHAMBER MUSIC WORKSHOPS. THE DILLER-QUAILE SCHOOL OF MUSIC'S-MUSIC FOR ALL LIBRARY-A COLLABORATIVE, ACCESSIBLE WEB-BASED RESOURCE FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS- EXPANDED IN 2023-2024 WITH ADDITIONAL REPERTOIRE, RECORDINGS, ACTIVITIES, AND SUPPORTIVE RESOURCES. THE LIBRARY IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT TEACHERS-OF ANY EXPERIENCE LEVEL-WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AESTHETICALLY BEAUTIFUL MUSIC IN GROUP CHILDCARE AND EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS AGES BIRTH TO FIVE. LIBRARY TALKS, A SERIES OF ONLINE INTERACTIVE WEBINARS ABOUT EARLY CHILDHOOD MUSIC TOPICS, REPERTOIRE, AND PEDAGOGY WAS LAUNCHED. THE DILLER-QUAILE SCHOOL OF MUSIC IS ACCREDITED BY THE ACCREDITING COMMISSION FOR COMMUNITY AND PRECOLLEGIATE ARTS SCHOOLS, IS AN ACCREDITED INSTITUTIONAL MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF MUSIC, AND IS A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL GUILD FOR COMMUNITY ARTS EDUCATION