Conservatory

The Conservatory of Fine Arts is committed to helping students who are interested or gifted in the Arts discover and develop those talents. The Conservatory serves students in kindergarten through high school, offering private music instruction in the areas of piano, voice, guitar and violin. Many students have benefited from the opportunity to receive weekly, private instruction ON CAMPUS from highly-qualified instructors before, during, or after school through this unique, co-curricular program. Receiving individual instruction also enhances the ability of those students to perform and become valuable members of other Briarcrest performing groups such as Band, Choir, and Drama.

CLick Here for CONSERVATORY Registration

Conservatory registration will open on Monday, August 12th, 2024 at 7:00am.

Mrs. Makenna Rivera

Middle School Choir Director, Conservatory Director, Music Director for Middle School Theatre

School: 901-765-4622

CONSERVATORY REGISTRATION INFORMATION

An Applied Registration Form must be completed for each child and each type of lesson. Students enrolled in more than one applied lesson must complete a separate registration form for each lesson. Registration forms are available on this web site and should be submitted electronically. All lessons will be scheduled on a first-come-first-serve basis. Any forms received after the August 19, 2024 deadline will be processed in the fall or will be entered on a waiting list should lesson times fill up. Lessons will begin the first week in September.

FEE SCHEDULE

Fees and Tuition will be billed to you through FACTS. All students will be charged a $15 Registration Fee and $1100 Tuition. Tuition includes 30 Lessons per year with recitals/rehearsals as well as all teaching materials and lesson costs.

TOTAL COSTS

30-Minute Piano Lesson: $1115/year
- Susan Gambrell will also include a $75 POPS Recital Fee: $1190/year
30-Minute Violin Lesson: $1115/year
30-Minute Guitar Lesson: $1115/year
30-Minute Voice Lesson: $1115/year

Meet Our Instructors

Ebony Boyd- Voice

Ebony Boyd is a mother, musician, creator, and self-taught abstract artist who loves to create beautiful things. Recognized as a classically trained lyric leggiero soprano having taught choral music for quite some time in the tristate area aiding students in getting scholarships to some of the most prestigious colleges in the country. Ebony earned first place in the 2011 NATS Classical Voice Competition. Over the years she has been associated with several organizations across the state such as Opera Memphis, the West Tennessee Vocal Music Educators Association and the Tennessee Music Educators Association. She has sung with Grammy Award winning groups and was cast in The Playhouse on the Square‘s production of Miss Saigon. Over the years she’s been called upon to sing solos locally and out of state. She has completed developed music programs in schools that did away with formal music reintroducing the traditional music concepts to prepare students for college level music. She has lead and organized music productions in churches locally and out of town. Ebony has over 20 years of experience combined as a choral director, minister of music, and private voice instructor. She was happily married for almost 10 years to the Late Reverend Willie Boyd, jr. She has three amazing children Will, Wes Ellis, and Mina-Elyse. Ebony Boyd received her Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance from the LeMoyne College. She also received her Masters of Art in Education from Union University. She is currently preparing to start doctoral work in Sacred and Worship Music.

Roxanne Daws- Violin

Roxanne Daws has taught violin and viola lessons through the Briarcrest Conservatory for 32 years. She typically teaches students in Prk-3 through middle school.

She received her Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Memphis in 1989, Double Certification in Instrumental Music and Elementary Education in 1992 from the State of Tennessee, and Master of Music Degree in Viola Performance in May 2000 from The University of Alabama School of Music.

She has maintained a large and highly successful private violin & viola studio in the Memphis Area since 1985.

Susan Gambrell- Piano

Susan Gambrell has taught piano lessons for 9 years through the conservatory at Briarcrest. She typically teaches students 1st-12th grade.

Susan Gambrell is a private instructor of piano, voice and clarinet. She has taught in the Briarcrest conservatory for the past eight years and has taught in her home studio for 32 years.

Susan holds a bachelors in Music Education from Arkansas State University and is a member of GMMTA and GCPTA (Germantown Piano Teachers Association).

Susan and her husband Stephen have a son, Seth, a junior at Briarcrest. They attend Harvest Church and Susan enjoys leading worship for Community Bible study.

Paula Hedgepeth- Piano

Paula Hedgepeth has taught piano lessons through Briarcrest Conservatory for 2 years now. She typically teaches students in 1st-12th grade.

With more than 35 years of teaching experience, I work with about 80 students of all ages in private and group lessons. Teaching and sharing music is my passion, and I’m always learning how I can do that better. In addition to teaching, I am the pianist at Grace Evangelical Church, and I frequently play for weddings and other events.

https://www.paulahedgepethpianostudio.com/teacher

Lauren Fiveash- Piano

Lauren Fiveash is a lifelong Memphian and an alum from Briarcrest where she was a student accompanist for the choral program during her high school years. She is an early retired Orff Music Specialist (elementary music teacher) from Memphis-Shelby County Schools where she started new elementary choirs at two different schools. Lauren has played the piano for over fifty years and has played at Highland Heights Presbyterian Church for over twenty years. At Highland Heights she accompanies the choir, plays during two services on Sundays and leads an ensemble and contemporary praise group. She has taught piano off and on since the age of sixteen. She currently has a home studio of about forty students. Music is the passion of her life and she enjoys serving the Lord using this gift and instilling a love for music with students.

Lauren Fiveash Piano Studio

Brianna Reilly- Voice

Brianna Reilly is a soprano based in Memphis, TN where she is currently finishing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Vocal Performance at the University of Memphis. As a teacher, some of her students have performed with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, been awarded an Orpheum Award nomination, and have received collegiate music scholarships. Aside from teaching, Brianna has also stage directed the mid-south premiere of The Boatswain’s Mate, the final scene from Of Mice and Men, and the “Shoe’s Duet” from Three Decembers all at the University of Memphis.

As an up-and-coming singer, teacher, and director, Brianna’s mission is to use her vibrant and energetic performances to instill her love of music into anyone and everyone that she can. She is a strong advocate of performing different types of works and has found much success in being a flexible and diverse artist. Brianna currently attends Germantown Presbyterian Church where she sings in the choir and as a soloist.

Makenna Rivera- Voice

Makenna Rivera has a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Memphis. She typically teaches students in 6th-12th grade. She teaches healthy vocal technique, provides feedback for auditions, and helps students grow more confident in their performances. She is a member of Mission Church Collierville, where her husband, Chris serves as the Youth Pastor.

Sarah Spain- Piano

Sarah Spain attended the University of Memphis on a music scholarship where she performed as a member of Sound Fuzion as well as the jazz and commercial music combo. She has ten years of classical piano training, and 4 years of choral experience. Throughout her time in college, she discovered her love for music education and became a director and private lessons instructor at the School of Rock. Outside of work, Sarah cultivates her love for the Memphis music community and sharing in God’s gifts by songwriting, performing, and playing as a recording session musician.

Josh Threlkeld- Guitar

Josh Threlkeld has been teaching and performing in the Memphis area for over 25 years. With several guitar programs started under his care (including Briarcrest in 2001, Germantown Performing Arts Center in 2010, Circuit Music Seen in 2020) and many students that have gone on to play professionally, he has a teaching approach that guides each student to their fullest potential. You can see him in action here at joshtunes.com, and watch live recital streams from when we had to move online during the pandemic (the show must go on!)

Laura Williamson- Piano

Laura Williamson received a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Ouachita Baptist University and a Masters degree in music therapy from Texas Woman’s University. Laura has performed since she was a young child in piano, violin, and voice, and she has been a featured vocalist in productions such as Handel’s Messiah as an adult. She also has experience in worship leading and has written and performed original music in piano and voice. Laura is a board certified music therapist and has experience teaching piano and voice lessons.

POLICY INFORMATION

1. Payment of Fees

2. Discontinuing Lessons

Applied Lessons Enrollment is a year-long commitment (two-semesters) consisting of 30 lessons. Those students who choose to drop an Applied Lesson may apply for a refund of the fee balance, if no more than the first three lessons have been taken during the Fall Semester; however, you are obligated to pay for those lessons received. After the 3^rd lesson, no fees are refundable.

3. Scheduling

Applied Lessons are scheduled around the academic classroom schedule. These times are after school, during recess, lunch/break, related arts classes, study hall, or physical education. Applied Lessons take place once a week. Please note that while we do our best to honor all requests, students may receive a different instructor or lesson time due to instructor availability.

4. Attendance

When advance notice events take place (i.e., class field trips, special school-wide assemblies, personal appointments with doctors, dentists, etc., or shortened school days), the student or parent has full responsibility to contact the assigned Applied Lessons teacher a minimum of one day in advance in order for the absence to be considered excused. The instructor is not obligated to schedule make-up lessons for unexcused absences. No student is allowed more than one make-up lesson per semester under any circumstance. Some make-ups may be group lessons, theory classes, or performance classes. The final week of each semester serves as an opportunity to make-up excused absences.

Excused Absences In order for the lesson to be considered excused, prior notification concerning the absences must be made with the Applied Lessons teacher. Excused lessons are made up as the teacher’s schedule permits with the understanding that not all excused lessons may be able to be rescheduled. When a lesson will be missed due to illness, please give the teacher as much prior notification as possible.

Unexcused Absences All other absences from lessons are considered unexcused and no make-up lesson is scheduled. Please note that lessons missed due to personal or family vacations scheduled during the academic calendar year are unexcused absences.

In the event that school is discontinued in person due to a closure, lessons will be continued virtually; therefore, all accounts will continue to be active, and payments will be expected as per usual.

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