Teens (12-18)

Jackson Youth Symphony Orchestra

Membership in the JYSO is open to musicians of high school age and younger from the Jackson area, and is based on auditions held at the beginning of each season. JYSO members are encouraged to be leaders in their high school’s musical ensembles.

  • Ages: 12-18
  • Price: $100/Semester
  • Payment Plan Option: 8 months at $25/month
  • Audition Dates: September 11th & 18th, 1:00 pm 
  • Start Date: September 18th
  • End Date: April 30th
  • Sundays 2:00-4:00 pm
  • Already taking private lessons? JYSO is free for currently enrolled students!

Jed Fritzemeier, Instructor

Since 2019, Jed has been the Director of the Community Music School and Director of Music Education for the Jackson Symphony Orchestra. A performing bassist, Jed plays with the orchestra in addition to free-lancing throughout the area. He was a public school orchestra teacher for 34 years finishing his career for the Chelsea School District, Chelsea, Mi. Jed was Teacher of the Year for the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association and the Michigan American String Teachers Association in 2008. In addition to the Jackson Symphony Orchestra, his performance credits include the Michigan Opera Theater, Toledo Symphony, Ann Arbor Symphony, Racine Symphony, Racine, Wisconsin, South Dakota Symphony, Sioux Falls, South Dakota and various festival orchestras, jazz ensembles, rock bands, polka bands since he was 15 years old.


Piano Masters 1

This class is for students that have completed at least level one or beyond in piano. Students will learn fundamental skills in composing and work with a variety of composition software. They will learn more in depth about chords and chord inversions. Students will be able to complete multiple composing projects during the course of this class and perform them for their peers.

  • Ages: 9-15
  • Price: $200/Semester
  • Payment Plan Option: 8 months at $50/month
  • Start Date: January 9th
  • End Date: May 1st
  • Mondays 6:30-7:00 pm

Marie Vavro-Clise, Instructor

Marie Vavro-Clise has a Bachelor of Science in Music from the University of Michigan. She has performed with the Detroit Opera Theater as well as performed in several countries in Europe. She enjoys teaching voice and piano to children and adults of all musical abilities.


Beginning Guitar Class

Are you interested in jamming to your favorite country or rock artist? How about some solos with Blues legends? Or would you like to accompany other musicians in your family? Join our group beginner guitar classes to learn how to play and learn about guitar history and styles. No experience required!

We’ll work on strumming patterns, fingerpicking, basic open chords, how to read tabs and music, how to tune your instrument, how to improvise and last but not least we will learn to play popular songs in different genres!

For students aged 14 to 100! This 8 week course is perfect for those who have never played or are looking to master the basics.

  • Ages 14+
  • $80/ 8 week session
  • Session A: January 10 – February 29
  • Session B: March 7 – May 2
  • Tuesday evenings 6:15-7:15 PM

Onur Alakavuklar, Instructor


Intermediate Guitar Class

Are you interested in playing more than open chords on guitar and strumming simple rhythms?

Join our intermediate guitar class to improve your finesse on guitar techniques, learn more about guitar styles and history of the guitar in various genres.

In this course, we will work on legendary guitar solos, how to internalize and play complex-compound rhythms, last but not least play as an ensemble.

Following the Beginner Guitar Class, we will learn power chords and how to move around the fretboard smoothly, learn the basic Major and Minor bar chord shapes

and reading staff notation over the first position, improvising over the pentatonic scale and more!

Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of the fretboard and fundamental open chords (Am, C, G, D), common time signatures and tab reading.

  • Ages 14+
  • $80/ 8 week session
  • March 9 – May 11
  • Thursday evenings 5:45-6:45 PM
  • Weatherwax Hall

Onur Alakavuklar, Instructor