The Academy of Music at St. Francis - About

Home

About Us

Calendar

Registration

Faculty

Photo Gallery

Contact Us

The Academy at St. Francis

The Academy of Music at St. Francis in the Fields offers excellent musical instruction with a faculty of highly trained musicians who are committed to teaching. Instruction is offered through private lessons, monthly performance classes, recitals, and master classes.

The success of a child's musical education depends on parental involvement. This includes making home practice and attendance at monthly performance classes a priorty. In addition, students and parents should take advantage of recitals and master classes offered by the Academy.

The Academy operates year-round and students are expected to study the entire year. Enrollment is by the semester only; partial semesters are not offered. (If a student decides to discontinue lessons before the semester ends, tuition will not be refunded for the remaining lessons.) The summer semester is comprised of a minimum of six (6) hours of instruction for students receiving 30- or 45- minute lessons, and eight (8) hours for students who take 60-minute lessons during the academic year. The price for additional lessons is pro-rated.

New students must schedule an appointment for an interview where they will be advised and placed with an appropriate teacher.

Individual teachers will schedule lesson times before the beginning of each semester.

Performance Classes

Performance Classes meet four times per semester on Saturday mornings. These classes are an integral part of study at the Academy and students are required to attend. All students, except those in their first semester of study, perform at least once during each semester.

Classes are divided into two groups: grades 2-6 meet from 10:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. and grades 7-12 meet from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 pm. Students meet in the Sanctuary of St. Francis in the Fields Episcopal Church unless otherwise notified.

Scholarships in the form of discounted tuition are available through the Academy. The number given is based upon the amount of scholarship funds available. Scholarship recipients are chosen by a committee of faculty and board members. These awards are based on merit and need and a teacher's recommendation is required for consideration. Parents must provide a financial statement at the time of application. Auditions may also be required for students new to the Academy. The Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or creed.

Practice Requirements

Students are expected to practice a minimum of 30-60 minutes a day, six days a week. (The length of practice time each day is equal to the length of the lesson.) The Academy Teaching Philosophy—consistent improvement is essential to building true self esteem. Improvement is achieved through daily practice and committed teaching.

Missed Lessons

Teachers are not obligated to provide make-up lessons for student cancellations. No refunds will be made for missed lessons. However, should a teacher miss a lesson due to any circumstance, that lesson will be made up at a time which is convenient for the student and teacher.

All students, except those in their first semester of study, are required to play in the student recitals held each semester. The office will assign the specific date and time.

Academy History

Steinway

Founded in 1997 by Nancy Albrink, The Academy of Music at St. Francis in the Fields has become the hallmark of excellence in classical music education in Louisville. Instruction is offered to students of all levels in the areas of piano, voice, violin, flute, guitar, and chamber music. Weekly lessons are enhanced by monthly performance classes. Through a wide range of musical opportunities, Academy students gain a special knowledge of what makes music great. With the help of Gist Piano Company and a dedicated Board of Directors, the Academy has purchased a nine-foot concert grand Steinway piano, as well as four studio pianos, thus establishing itself as an All-Steinway school. The Academy is now well-positioned to enter its second decade of providing the highest quality instruction to pre-college students with some of the finest instruments available in the Louisville area.

With an enrollment of more than 100 students, the Academy's programs reach far into the community with:

Public master classes presenting guest artists from the Gheens Great Expectations Concert series, in partnership with the Kentucky Center for the Arts and the Fund for the Arts
Recitals by guest artists
Student musical offerings as part of the worship at St. Francis in the Fields church
Use of the Academy's Steinway concert grand piano by the Louisville Orchestra and the Louisville Choral Arts Society for rehearsals and performances, as well as by guest artists performing in Louisville.