Precollege

Several Blair precollege students were top finishers at the Nashville Symphony‘s annual Curb Concerto Competition. Violinist Maggie Kasinger (center), a student of Carolyn Huebl, was first runner-up. Horn player Shawn Zheng (left) and pianist Luke Turner (right) were both finalists. Zheng is a student of Leslie Norton and… Read More

Applications are now open for scholarships to the Blair School’s precollege programs for the 2018-19 academic year. Merit- and need-based scholarships are available for private instruction and Suzuki violin and cello. Learn more about our scholarship programs and download the application. Read More

Thinking about studying music in college? You are CHORDially invited to the Second Annual College Music Admissions Discussion, to be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, in Blair Classroom 2192. At the session, led by Blair’s assistant director of admissions, Molly Jewell, and Pam Schneller, associate dean of the… Read More

On February 20, the Blair Cello Choir, one of the ensembles in our precollege Suzuki program, performed the National Anthem before the Vanderbilt-Georgia men’s basketball game. The performance was a huge hit, and the ensemble has already been invited back to play again next season. Photos by Joe Howell, courtesy… Read More

Applications are now open for precollege scholarships for the 2016-17 academic year. Precollege students study with the same acclaimed instructors who teach our collegiate music majors! Merit and need-based awards are available for qualified elementary, middle and high school students. Complete information about available awards is available on the… Read More

Join us for a precollege panel discussion: The Challenge of Practicing — Tips for Parents, 2-3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, Room 2192 at Blair. It’s something almost all parents of young musicians struggle with: How do you help your child build good practice habits, stay motivated, and practice his or… Read More

The Blair School’s award-winning Kindermusik program is expanding. This spring, Blair is pleased to add Cuddle & Bounce to our Kindermusic offerings. NEW CLASS! Cuddle and Bounce Ages: Infants-1 year with parent or caregiver Dates: 12:45-1:30 p.m. Wednesdays, January 20-April 27 A class designed for new parents and their babies. Read More

Sixteen members of the Blair Children’s Chorus program have been accepted to the Southern Division American Choral Directors Honors Choirs. Congratulations to these talented young singers! High School Women Kristen Stetzer Clara Warford High School Men Eli Culley Will Wallace Junior High SATB Don Pierce… Read More

Carol Nies conducts the Curb Youth Symphony. Congratulations to Carol Nies, the 2015 winner of the Carol Crittenden Arts Advocate of the Year, awarded by Nashville Singers. Below is the announcement from the Nashville Singers News. Congratulations, Carol! Dr. Carol Nies Selected to Receive the 2015 Carol… Read More

The Curb Youth Symphony 2015 Concerto Competition was held on Sunday, November 1. The winners are, in alphabetical order: Joy Fan, violin Jenna Mangum, violin Honorable mentions, also in alphabetical order: Jocelyn Hartley, cello Dustin Lin, clarinet Kazuki Takizawa, piano… Read More

Choristers rehearsal, which usually takes place 6:20-7:20 p.m. Mondays, is cancelled for October 26. Concert Choir, however, will meet as scheduled. Read More

The Blair School of Music admissions team invites high school students and parents to “College 101: The Blair Necessities.” We’ll answer questions and offer guidelines to prepare for any college application and/or music school audition — not just for the Blair School — and provide a general overview of financial… Read More

This fall, the Blair School of Music is expanding our Suzuki violin program. We’ve added a new instructor, Tina Simpson, and expanded the hours of our existing instructors. It’s the perfect time to get your child involved! Suzuki instruction builds students’ self-discipline and character. It does… Read More

Carol Smith, director of the Blair School’s Suzuki strings program, has added an additional information session for families interested in Suzuki instruction for Fall 2015. Sessions will be held 10-11 a.m. Saturday, August 8, and 11 a.m.-noon Saturday, August 15, in Room 1161 at the Blair School. Families interested in… Read More

There has been a change in the dates for precollege piano auditions for students with one or more years of previous study. These placement interviews are for students who plan to take private piano lessons at Vanderbilt’s Blair School in the Fall 2015 semester. Auditions will now be held on… Read More

(From left) David Bender, Maggie Kasinger and Kaili Wang. Photo courtesy of Nashville Symphony For the second year in a row, Blair School precollege students took top honors at the annual Nashville Symphony Curb Concerto Competition, held March 15 at Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Violinist Kaili Wang, a… Read More

Sunday, May 17 7 p.m., Ingram Hall Philharmonia Carol Nies, director Our newest youth orchestra presents its season-ending concert! Presented with gratitude to the Valere Blair Potter Trust for its generous support of the Blair School… Read More

Sunday, May 10 2 p.m., Ingram Hall Blair Children’s Choruses Tucker Biddlecombe and Mary Biddlecombe, directors Featuring the Blair Children’s Concert Choir, Young Men’s Chorus, Chorale, Blair Choristers, Nashville Boychoir, and Training Choir. Presented with gratitude to the Valere Blair Potter Trust for its generous… Read More

Wednesday, April 22 and Thursday, April 23 6 p.m., Steve & Judy Turner Recital Hall Saturday, April 25 5 p.m., Steve & Judy Turner Recital Hall Blair Precollege Program Scholarship Recitals Blair’s finest precollege students present a varied program of solo works for strings, brass, woodwinds, piano,… Read More

Suzuki Cello Graduation and Festival Concert Anne WIliams and Kirsten Cassel Greer, directors Saturday, April 25 1 p.m., Steve and Judy Turner Recital Hall… Read More

Suzuki Violin Graduation and Festival Concert Carol Smith, director Saturday, April 25 3 p.m., Steve and Judy Turner Recital Hall  … Read More

Saturday, April 25 8 p.m., Steve & Judy Turner Recital Hall Our best precollege chamber groups wrap up the semester with an exciting ensemble performance. Read More

Saturday, December 6 5 p.m., Steve & Judy Turner Recital Hall Blair’s precollege student musicians present chamber works for small ensembles — duos, trios and quartets in a variety of instrumentation. Read More

Monday, December 8 7:30 p.m., Ingram Hall Carol Nies, director With Kaili Wang, violin Presented with gratitude to an anonymous friend for generously supporting the Blair School. Read More

Tuesday, December 9 7:30 p.m., Ingram Hall Craig Madole director of Nashville Youth Repertory Orchestra Celeste Holbrook Tuten director of Youth Strings Orchestras and Reading Orchestra… Read More

Blair Precollege Scholarship Recitals Wednesday, December 10 – 6 p.m. Thursday, December 11 – 6 p.m. Saturday, December 13 – 5 p.m. Steve & Judy Turner Recital Hall Our best high school performers present three varied programs of solo pieces. Strings, piano, brass and woodwinds perform works that… Read More

Sunday, December 14 2 p.m., Ingram Hall Mary Biddlecombe, Artistic Director Our American Composers This performance will feature performances by the ensembles of the Blair Children’s  Chorus Program, including the Chorale, Girls’ Concert Choir, Young Men’s Chorus, Boychoir, Choristers, and Training Choir. The music of… Read More

Curb Youth Symphony Carol Nies, director Monday, March 9 8 p.m., Ingram Hall The Curb Youth Symphony performs works by Tchaikovsky, Mozart and Rossini, with featured soloists Chloe Harvel, Jenna Mangum and Kaili Wang on violin and David Bender on cello. Read More

Monday, May 4 7:30 p.m., Ingram Hall Curb Youth Symphony Carol Nies, director Presented with gratitude to the Valere Blair Potter Trust for its generous support of the Blair School… Read More

Tuesday, May 5 7:30 p.m., Ingram Hall Nashville Youth Repertory Orchestra Craig Madole, director Youth Strings Orchestras, Reading Orchestra, and Beginning Reading Orchestra Celeste Tuten, director Presented with gratitude to the Valere Blair Potter Trust for its generous support of the Blair School… Read More

Blair Suzuki Violin Performing Group Carol Smith, director and Blair Children’s Cello Choir Kirsten Cassel Greer, director Sunday, April 12 2:30 p.m., Steve & Judy Turner Recital Hall… Read More

The Blair School's viola studio Juilliard viola professor Heidi Castleman, one of the leading viola pedagogues in the U.S., will conduct a master class with Blair viola students via videoconference from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. February 26, in Blair’s Choral Hall. Blair’s viola studio won the class through… Read More

Olivia Palazzolo, age 17, and Blair alumna Dana Kelley, B.Mus. ’12, depart for the Primrose International Viola Competition on Saturday June 7. They are two of just 30 violists ages 15-29 selected to compete in the live rounds of the competition. Their fellow quarter-finalists are from Australia, Canada, China, France,… Read More

From Curb Youth Symphony Director Carol Nies: Dear CYS members, The CYS will rehearse this evening. However, if it is dangerous in the area that you are coming from, please do not come until the danger has passed. Please check the weather radar map (moving interactive radar that shows green… Read More

  In 2014, the Blair School of Music celebrates 50 years of educating musicians in Nashville. Initially the Blair Academy of Music, which was devoted to teaching music to precollege and adult students, the Blair School has thrived, growing and… Read More

The finals of the Nashville Symphony’s annual Curb Concerto Competition were held Sunday, March 2, at Schermerhorn Symphony Center, and all three top finalists are Myra Jackson Blair Scholars in the Blair School’s precollege program. Violist Olivia Palazzolo won the grand prize, and will perform as… Read More

Some Blair School classes and lessons will be cancelled on Monday, March 3, due to icy weather conditions. This post will be updated frequently. If you have specific questions, contact your instructor directly. Blair Children’s Chorus program: All rehearsals today were already cancelled due to spring break. Curb Youth Symphony:… Read More

Blair School precollege student Nolan Harvel, a guitar student and member of the Nashville Boychoir, will be one of the featured soloists with the Nashville Symphony May 29-31. The program is part of the Nashville Symphony Chorus’ 50th anniversary celebrations, and features the chorus on Leonard… Read More

Curb Youth Symphony families, please note: Even though Metro Nashville Pubic Schools were closed today (Feb. 3), CYS will rehearse tonight. Student musicians should plan to arrive at the regular time. Read More

Applications are available now for scholarships for the Blair School’s precollege program for the 2014-15 academic year. Applications may be picked up in the Blair office or downloaded from the website. Applications are due March 14, 2014. Read More

Midstate Auditions NYOP students participating in midstate auditions on Saturday, Dec. 7, should check the MTSBOA website for weather-related information and announcements. CYS Section Rehearsals Please check 322-5815 or the Blair website at noon on Sunday, Dec. 8, to see if there will be weather-related cancellations. Read More

For Blair Children’s Chorus families, from Dr. Biddlecombe: Due to the approach of unpredictable inclement weather, we have elected to cancel today’s dress rehearsal from 4:30-7 p.m. Please arrive for Sunday’s concert as scheduled (call time 1:02 p.m.) in the Instrumental Rehearsal Hall at Blair. Prep choir students should arrive… Read More

If you or your child is involved in our precollege and adult education program, we want to hear from you! We are very interested in hearing about your experiences as a student at the Blair School. Your feedback and suggestions are very important to us, as we strive to maintain… Read More

As Blair approaches its 50th anniversary, one faculty member has been there all the way Roland Schneller, Chancellor's Professor of Piano at the Blair School of Music Roland Schneller is that rarest of individuals in the 21st-century American workforce—someone who has spent his entire career with one… Read More

Allison Pao, John Hartley and Jocelyn Hartley, all students at MLK High School and members of the Curb Youth Symphony at the Blair School, have organized a concert to benefit The Contributor. The Contributor is a local newspaper that offers homeless Nashvillians the opportunity to make a living by selling… Read More

Gregory Stewart, Pam Schneller and Walter Bitner at the Blair School of Music, Sept. 16, 2013. The Blair School of Music is pleased to announce Friends & Partners in Music, a new partnership with Nashville School of the Arts, Nashville’s arts magnet public high school. With… Read More

Looking for something fun to do with the kids this weekend? The Blair School is hosting a Musical Instrument Petting Zoo at Musicians Corner in Centennial Park, 13:30-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, in the Kidsville Tent at Musiciand Corner, in Centennial Park. Blair’s talented Precollege Honor Scholars will give a… Read More

What can you do with a Blair degree? Ask Brian Biederman. The 2010 Blair School graduate, now a middle school music teacher in Nashville, is featured on the Huffington Post for his Littlestone Music Academy, a summer music program he launched this summer at Montgomery Bell Academy. Read… Read More

From June 12th to the 18th, the Blair Children’s Chorus will be touring to San José, Costa Rica on a musical performance tour. The Girls’ Concert Choir will combine with several other youth choirs form the United States, including the Charlotte Children’s Chorus and the Cary Academy Choir, all while… Read More

Mary Grace Johnson, featured soloist at the Side-by-Side concert. The annual Side-by-Side concert, which pairs the Blair School’s Curb Youth Symphony with the Nashville Symphony, will take place at 7:00 p.m. Friday, May 16, at Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Admission is free and open to the public. Read More

The Blair School’s precollege chamber music program wraps up its Spring 2013 season with a diverse concert program at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 28, in Steve & Judy Turner Recital Hall. Nine ensembles will perform, followed by a reception. The concert program features: Jenna Mangum, violin; Jonathan Hearn, oboe; and… Read More

Joy Fan won the Kentucky MTNA Junior Strings Division. Joy is a student of Connie Heard. Chloe Harvel, violin, won honorable mention in Junior Strings at the MTNA Southern Division competition in January 2013. Chloe is a student of Carolyn Huebl. Nolan Harvel, guitar, won the Columbus State Guitar Symposium… Read More

Blair School of Music precollege violin student Mary Grace Johnson won the Nashville Symphony Curb Concerto Competition on March 3, 2013, in the final round of three performers. Johnson will perform the first movement of Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto, Op. 14, with the Nashville Symphony and Curb Youth Symphony at… Read More

Music City Trio (from left): Nathan Lowry, Susan Yang and Jennifer Pittman. At the annual MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) Southern Division Finals, several Blair students took honors, and one student ensemble will move on to the national competition in March. The Southern Division competition was held… Read More

Every year, the Blair School of Music awards more than $200,000 in merit and need-based scholarship awards to young students for music lessons, classes and ensembles. Scholarships are awarded to students ages 6-18 by audition. Each department holds auditions in early April. Download the scholarship application here. Read More