The Hartt School Community Division

The Hartt School Community Division

A variety of noncredit activities are offered through the Community Division of The Hartt School. The Community Division not only provides music, dance, and theatre instruction for students preparing to enter the performing arts field, but also training and experiences for individuals for all ages and levels of experience who want to participate in the performing arts. Study is offered throughout the academic year and summer. More than 2,500 students, including many enrolled at the University of Hartford, participate in Community Division activities each year.

The Hartt Community Division offers a comprehensive program for the study of instrumental music. Private lessons are available to students of all ages for all orchestral instruments, in addition to piano, organ and guitar.  Pre-college students may audition to participate in a variety of ensembles, ranging from orchestra, wind and percussion ensembles for beginner to intermediate students to the Greater Hartford Youth Wind Ensemble and Connecticut Youth Symphony for advanced high school students.  An Adult Chamber Music program offers weekly coachings to small ensembles composed of students 18 and older.

The Community Division has one of the most successful Suzuki programs in the nation, offering instruction for violin, viola, cello, bass, piano, guitar, and flute. The program disctinctive for its five orchestras, weekly workshops, and annual week-long Harrt suzuki Institute in early August.

For vocalists, opportunities include private voice lessons and regular master classes. Pre-college students in grades 1 through 12 may audition to join one of the six premiere ensembles of the Connecticut Chorus, which includes an ensemble for young men with changed or changing voices.  Adult singers are encouraged to join the Celesti Sondato Chamber Choir.

The Hartt Community Division Division Dance Department offers programs for beginning through advanced students at the Handel Performing Arts Center.  Serious pre-college dancers participate in the Pre-Professional Program, which provides intensive training and performance opportunities. In addition, open classes in Ballet, Jazz, Hip-Hop and Conditioning are offered for teens and adults.

Early childhood education is offered through the Children’s Ballet and First Steps in Music programs. In First Steps, parents, along with their infant and toddler children, attend music and movement classes, thereby providing a foundation for future study in the performing arts.

All programs of the Hartt Community Division are open as noncredit options to University of Hartford students. Community Division students enjoy access to the Mildred P. Allen Memorial Library and to many events presented by The Hartt School.

For further information, contact the Hartt Community Division at 860.768.4451, visit www.hcd.hartford.edu or visit the Community Division main office in room 19-20 the Fuller Music Center.