Early Childhood
Comprehensive Early Childhood Program
Applications for the comprehensive Early Childhood Program's 2025-2026 academic year are now open. The deadline to apply is Thursday, May 15.
Eligibility
Open to students between the ages of 4-7 years of age as of September 1. No prior musical experience necessary, however the child must demonstrate a curiosity for and interest in learning a musical instrument.
Enrollment in the Early Childhood Program does not guarantee placement in the Young Persons Program or Comprehensive Program. Students interested in the Young Persons Program or Comprehensive Program must successfully complete an admission audition.
Admission
Admission to the Early Childhood Program is by application and interview only as there are limited openings available each year. Due to the number of applicants, families will be selected to interview based on their application.
Timeline:
April 1: Application Opens
April 5: Open House Event
May 15: Application Deadline
Financial Aid Applications due Thursday, May 15
May 24, May 31: Family Interviews Conducted with Prospective Students & Families
June: Select students are invited to take trial lessons with SFCM faculty as part of the admissions process
July: Admission Decisions Shared with Families
Faculty
Davis Law, violin
Corina Santos, violin
Sima Kouyoumdjian, piano
Luba Kravchenko, piano
Yi-Fang Wu, piano
Scott Cmiel, guitar
Scott Gossage, guitar
Kayla Wilfong, musicianship
Curriculum
The Early Childhood Program provides developmentally appropriate training for children to establish a strong foundation in performance skills and music literacy. The core curriculum consists of weekly private lessons and group class instruction, as well as parent education sessions. Classes occur on Saturday mornings over 30 weeks each academic year.
The curriculum has been carefully curated to ensure that students are supported and guided in their first steps as musicians.
CORE CURRICULUM
Weekly Private Lesson
Students will receive weekly lessons with Early Childhood faculty covering all aspects of the instrument: musical technique, expression, repertoire, etc. These lessons will be 30-45 minutes depending on what is best for the student as decided by the faculty.
Weekly Smart Start Class
Group instruction is a vital part of the Early Childhood Program curriculum. Students learn in a social atmosphere that prioritizes listening, working with others, playing together and working on the basic building blocks of ensemble at an early age.
Performance Opportunities
Students will have the opportunity to perform for their family members and the Pre-College community throughout the academic year. These performances will vary from more formal presentations to smaller, more casual events.
Parent Sessions
Parental involvement is vital to a child’s success in learning an instrument. Parents will need to develop tools that they can use to support their child’s learning at home, and to best equip parents with these tools, SFCM provides parent sessions both before and during their child’s study. These sessions will teach the philosophy and methodology behind our Early Childhood Program and provide specific training and tools to use while supporting their child’s musical studies.
INSTRUMENTS
- Guitar
- Piano
- Violin
COST & FINANCIAL AID
Annual base tuition for the Early Childhood Program is $4,450. A non-refundable registration fee of $50 is charged annually for all enrolled students. Families may choose to pay tuition through a payment plan.
| Base tuition* | $4,950 (2024-2025) |
| Registration fee | $50 |
| Materials fee | $60 |
| Library and student badge deposit | $50 |
*Select faculty members require a supplemental tuition fee. Please contact the Pre-College office for more information.
Financial aid is awarded based on the joint criteria of demonstrated financial need and merit. Financial aid applications for all Early Childhood Program students are due Thursday, May 15, 2025.
ECP Financial Aid Application 2025-2026
Contact
Get In Touch
Keelin Davis
Associate Director, Pre-College and Early Childhood
xqnivf@fspz.rqhude.mcfs@sivadk
415-503-6262
Smart Start
SFCM is excited to partner with The Royal Conservatory to offer Smart Start! Smart Start is an Early Childhood Music Education curriculum designed to awaken a curiosity for music in young children. This group curriculum was developed by The Royal Conservatory, in collaboration with neuroscientists, and accomplished music educators. Smart Start was developed with science-backed research to deliver the rich, developmental benefits, to all children, in their earliest possible stages of learning. With each child’s developmental stage in mind, the Smart Start curriculum consists of weekly classes, delivered by specially trained music teachers. Lessons are filled with fun and engaging activities that guide the child through foundational music principles fostering cognitive development. Smart Start empowers every child and their family to experience the wonder of learning music, while benefiting from the advantages of early cognitive education. Classes are 45 minutes in length and are held weekly on Sundays between 9:00am and 3:00pm.
Registration for Fall 2025 Smart Start @ SFCM classes will open in August for our September start!
Cost per Semester
| Tuition | $750/semester |
|---|---|
| Registration fee | $50 |
| Materials fee* | $30 |
*This fee includes classroom materials and access to Smart Start digital resources
Class Details
Classes will be held in-person at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Classes are 45 min in length and are held on Saturdays or Sundays throughout the semester. Smart Start for Ages 0-3 will run on Sundays for 15 weeks. Click "Register Now" for additional class details and to enroll your child!
Age Detail
Smart Start is organized by birth year to allow us to plan appropriately for the learning needs and experience level of the children. Students are registered for classes by their age as of September 1 (fall semester) or January 1 (spring semester).
