Pomona College offers private music lessons on nearly 20 instruments, including piano, voice, guitar, and all standard orchestra and band instruments, including harp and percussion. Each semester, hundreds of students from all of The Claremont Colleges take lessons through the Music Department.

Lessons and the Curriculum

Private music lessons are an academic course and are offered at two levels, Level I (Music 10, half-hour lessons) and Level II (Music 20 or 100).

All new students must register for Level I. Level I lessons award one quarter credit (“cumulative credit”) per semester and are available for four semesters.

If you are an experienced player or singer and wish to be placed in Level II lessons, you should consult with your teacher at your first lesson about the possibility of taking the Qualifying Examination (QE) to be placed into Level II lessons. Students at Level II must show an advanced level of performance and commitment. Level II lessons award one quarter credit per semester if taken for a half hour per week, or one half credit per semester if taken for an hour per week. Note that at least four semesters of hour-long lessons are required for music majors. If you are thinking of being a music major, you will need to pass the QE fairly early in your undergraduate career, particularly if you are planning to take a semester abroad.

The Qualifying Examination is a short audition. Qualifying exams take place at the beginning and end of each semester. To take the Qualifying Examination, get the QE application form and requirements from the Music Department office (Thatcher 104), fill it out, obtain your instructor’s signature, and return it to the office. At the same time sign up for your audition time.

The Music Department will work with the Registrar’s Office to enroll you in your lessons. You do not sign up for lessons through the portal.

Applied Music Fees
(13 lessons per semester)
Half-hour lessons per semesterHalf-hour lessons per lessonFull-hour lessons per semesterFull-hour lessons per lesson
Pomona College and
Claremont Colleges students
No feeNo feeNo feeNo fee
Pomona faculty, staff, families and
private students
$260.00$20.00$520.00$40.00

All student lessons must be taken for credit.

*For more information about lessons contact the Academic Coordinator in the Music Department office or see the Music Department Handbook [pdf].

Student Recitals

All students planning on participating in a student recital this semester must be taking lessons at Level II. All participants must complete and return the Student Recital/Accompanist Request Form, with signatures, no later than THREE WEEKS before recital date. Forms are to be turned in to the Concert Production Manager either via the Music Department Office or her office (Thatcher 107). The form also includes accompanist an request. If requesting an accompanist, accompanist music must be submitted with the form.

Spring 2024 Recital Dates and Deadlines 
Student Recital/Accompanist Request Form

Recital Date & TimeDeadline*
Wednesday, Feb. 14 at 8 p.m.Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024  
Friday, Mar. 1 at 4:00 p.m.Friday, Feb. 9, 2024
Friday, April 5 at 4:00 p.m.Monday, Mar. 18, 2024 
Tuesday, April 30 at 7:00 p.m.Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Wednesday, May 1 at 7:00 p.m.Wednesday, April 10, 2024

* Recitals are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, and limited to 100 minutes.

Featured Recitals

For information on giving a featured recital, please refer to “featured recitals” in the Music Department Handbook [pdf], page 24-25. Information regarding recital proposals, permissions, publicity, programs, recordings and receptions are all available in this document. A Program Template [doc] is available here, under Resources on the Music Department website and via the Music Department Sakai site. Please note the first part of your program is due approximately 8 weeks prior to your recital.