The Piano Detectives Club is a program for children 5-6 years old, designed to give beginners a positive first experience at the piano. The program offers both group and private instruction and has received national attention.
Students entering the Piano Detectives Club program have no previous piano study and may begin their journey at the beginning of our academic year each August.
The Piano Detectives Club was created by Janet Hart for The Music Clubhouse. In its early years, the program was showcased at the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy. Now, it is also used by The New School for Music Study, a leading institution in music education and a division of the Frances Clark Center for Keyboard Pedagogy and by other institutions and private teachers throughout the United States.
Our Program
Piano Detectives Club is the ideal way for 5- and 6-year-olds to begin at the piano. This one-year program actively involves the children in weekly group classes (35 classes total) during the academic year and eases them into private instruction by including seven half-hour private lessons that can be scheduled at any time.
Piano Detectives Club group classes meet from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays at The Music Clubhouse during the academic year (August through May). In the weekly classes, students participate in group activities, complete individual activities in centers, and receive a bit of one-on-one time with an instructor to ensure they know how to practice at home that week.
The seven private lessons are scheduled at times agreeable to both the student and the instructor. Although most choose to take their private lessons in the summer, they can be scheduled at any time throughout the year. For students who will be away during the summer, it is best either to schedule the lessons early (during the academic year, alongside the group classes) or to opt for taking them online in the summer.
Students in the Piano Detectives Club learn to share their developing musicianship with others while enrolled in the program. For one class period in January, we invite family and friends to attend while students give performances and show their class work. Depending on student readiness, one or two recitals during the year provide the opportunity to play in front of a larger audience. Students of all levels participate, and participation is optional for our Detectives. Piano Detectives who choose not to play are welcome (and encouraged!) to attend.
Need more information? Please contact us and we’ll answer any questions you may have or send you additional details about our programs.
Details at a Glance
Schedule
- 35 weekly class sessions on Thursdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. beginning on August 20, 2026.
- 7 half-hour private lessons which can be scheduled at mutually convenient times (can all be taken during the academic year OR all can be taken in the summer OR a combination of both).
Tuition and the MakeMusic Payment System
- $1,332 per student per year; the fee covers 35 60-minute group classes, seven 30-minute private lessons, and all class and lesson materials for the entire year.
- Tuition for the Piano Detectives Club program is paid in 12 monthly installments of $111 each, beginning August 2026 and continuing through July 2027.
- We use an electronic system called MakeMusic (formerly called Fons) to collect tuition. At the time of enrollment, you will be prompted via email to set up your MakeMusic Account. Your credit card information will be securely stored there, and your monthly installment will be automatically deducted from your bank account on the 5th day of each month.
Piano Detectives Club Policies
Attendance
An academic year of study includes 35 group classes and seven private lessons. It is very important that students arrive promptly for each class. Late arrivals are disruptive and cause lost class time.
No make-up classes will be given to compensate for a student’s absence, and no refund of fees will be made. Any class canceled by the instructor will be rescheduled.
Discontinuation
If a student needs to withdraw from the Piano Detectives Club program at any time, the final payment will be a prorated amount that will include tuition for 30 days beyond the date of notification.
Inclement Weather
In the event of an inclement weather closing, all affected students will be contacted. All classes and lessons canceled for this reason will be rescheduled to the end of the academic year or in the summer.
Parents’ Class for First-Year Detectives
In January, a class period is set aside for parents to attend with their student (see calendar). Students will perform pieces and the parent(s) will participate in class activities that are representative of class activities the students complete each week. We ask that parents attend without younger siblings because of limited space and so they can be fully attentive to their Piano Detective during this special “show-off” time.
Music Clubhouse Recitals
There are several student recital opportunities offered each year. Typically, first-year Piano Detectives do not perform on these programs until the end of the first year of study at the spring recital in May. Students beyond the first year of study are welcome to perform throughout the year in as many recitals as they choose. We will always make our students aware of performance opportunities and encourage them to participate, but no student is ever required to perform.
Parking and Entrances
Piano Detectives Club classes are held at our 1245 New Hampshire Street Location. You’ll find us inside the old portion of the Trinity Lutheran Church building. Student parking is in the east lot of the church. To access the Music Clubhouse entrance, park in the large lot on the east side of the church, walk along the south sidewalk (13th Street), and look for the Music Clubhouse entrance sign at the far southwest corner of the building. There is a short flight of stairs at our entrance. If you need a handicap-accessible entrance, please contact us and we will arrange an alternate entrance for you.
See also: Piano Detectives Club policies and calendar (PDF)
