The Diller Quaile School of Music, Inc.

Diller-Quaile's mission is to develop the innate musicality in each individual, inspiring participation for a lifetime.

The Diller-Quaile School of Music is a vibrant community music school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It is comprised of the following departments: Early Childhood, Instrumental and Vocal, Adult, Teacher Training, and Community Programs. The curricula primarily emanate from international folk music and classical music. Throughout the academic year, rug concerts, master classes, student recitals, performances by faculty and guest artists, and special events are offered. Diller-Quaile annually enrolls approximately 886 students of all ages. Additionally, the school's extensive community programs bring the spirit and mission of Diller-Quaile to approximately 1,000 individuals throughout New York City. The Early Childhood Program offers an extensive selection of courses for introducing small groups of young children and their families to the joys of music and visual art. By engaging in developmentally appropriate group music experiences (listening, singing, moving, playing percussion instruments, responding to and creating music), students are given the foundation for a comprehensive music education and the tools to express themselves artistically. Key to the Diller-Quaile approach is the collaboration among teachers and students, which creates a unique child-centered musical environment within each class session. The school's curriculum incorporates the pedagogies of Angela Diller and Elizabeth Quaile, Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, Zoltan Kodaly, and Carl Orff, Shinichi Suzuki, Maria Montessori, and Edwin Gordon. Classes feature pianists who improvise accompaniments in a variety of styles in response to the children's singing and movement, thereby fostering a musically creative environment. The Instrumental and Vocal Department provides beginning to advanced instrument and voice study through comprehensive programs, weekly classes, or ensemble instruction, and the High School Certificate Program. The traditions and artistic approach to teaching cultivated by the school's founders, Angela Diller and Elizabeth Quaile, shape the school's programs. Diller-Quaile faculty guide students in a vibrant and nurturing environment through an approach united by the pedagogical principles of using repertoire of enduring quality, teaching technique musically, and leading students to an understanding of the structure of music. This integrated approach to music education enables the school's dedicated and skilled faculty to develop the emerging artistry in each student. Diller-Quaile's instrument and voice curriculum provides students with a sequenced learning experience. Tailored to the individual instrument or voice, the curriculum focuses on building technical skills as a foundation for expressive performance. Early study begins with folk songs and progresses to the standard literature of each instrument. Rooted in the teaching philosophy of the school's founders, the musicianship curriculum incorporates the approaches of pedagogues such Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, Zoltan Kodaly, and Carl Orff. Performance is central to instrument study at Diller-Quaile and the department provides a robust schedule of varied opportunities at every level of study. The school provides an array of music offerings for adults and teacher training courses. The Diller-Quaile School of Music is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Precollegiate Arts Schools, is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music, and is a member of the National Guild for Community Arts Education.