String Academy
Learning to play a stringed instrument is stimulating, rewarding, and creative. It requires the use of both hemispheres of the brain, which encourages problem-solving and spatial reasoning. With effective teaching and consistent home practice, children get a sense of accomplishment that makes them feel positive about learning in general. Most importantly, children will experience the beauty and emotion of music. Instruction for the String Academy is based on the philosophies of Shinichi Suzuki, Paul Rolland, and Ivan Galamian. String Academy is available to PreK-12 grades.
2026–2027 Academic Year
Enrollment is available throughout the year based on instructor availability.
Registration
Prospective students should contact Leanne Kelso at leaguel@uww.edu to discuss lesson availability and scheduling options.
Once lesson dates and times have been agreed upon, Leanne Kelso will provide a registration link and additional enrollment information.
Lesson placement is subject to instructor availability.
Student Instructor:
- $50 per hour lesson
- $30 per 30 minutes
Faculty Instructor:
- $60 per hour lesson
In addition, parents are asked to monitor and supervise home practice sessions.
Note: Upon receipt of your registration, the Coordinator will contact you to set up private lesson times.
*See payment options available below.
At the final step of registration, you may make payment by check or credit card. Learn more about balance due dates.
A 2.85% surcharge applies to all credit/debit card payments to cover processing fees. Payment by check is exempt. Checks should be made payable to "UW-Whitewater" and mailed to:
UW-Whitewater Camps and Conferences
800 West Main Street, Andersen Library Room 2124
Whitewater, WI 53190
Payment Deadline & Policy
Full payment is due 21 days prior to the event start date. Registrants with outstanding balances after this deadline may be removed from the event roster without a refund. If there are extenuating circumstances affecting payment, please contact Continuing Education Services at cesevents@uww.edu before the deadline.
Your online registration and payment are always safe and secure. We accept MasterCard and Visa credit card payments in our online registration system. We will NOT accept credit card payments over the phone. We will accept checks made out to "UW-Whitewater" and mailed to UW-Whitewater Camps and Conferences, 800 West Main Street, Room 2124 Andersen Library, Whitewater WI 53190.
Confirmation Emails
Once you register to attend an event (including waitlisted), a confirmation email will be sent to the email address you registered with. Contact cesevents@uww.edu if you do not receive this confirmation email. You must have a working email address on file with us to be able to receive important announcements and updates about this event.
For participants who will be receiving a sponsorship to attend this event, please follow these steps to redeem your sponsorship:
- Register for the event and use the promo code provided by your sponsor during checkout.
- The sponsorship amount will be deducted from your invoice. Any remaining balance will be the participant's responsibility.
- If you need to cancel your registration, please note that the sponsorship funds will be returned to the supporting organization.
Please note that any qualifying discounts given by the event will not be applied after you have paid in full. Be sure to use the promo code during checkout to receive your discount. You will be charged if you do not qualify for the requested discount at the start of the event.
If a refund is issued due to overpayment on your account, a processing fee will be assessed.
If you have received an award or scholarship without a promo code or want to use two promo codes, please call Continuing Education Services at 262-472-3165 or email cesevents@uww.edu before registering to avoid overpayment fees.
Want to Sponsor a Registrant?
If you would like to sponsor a registrant and cover all or partial fees, you can request a promo code to give to your chosen registrant. Get more information about sponsoring a registrant.
All registration fees must be paid in full 21 days prior to the event start date. Registrants with unpaid balances after this deadline may be removed from the roster without a refund. If you anticipate payment issues due to extenuating circumstances, please contact Continuing Education Services at cesevents@uww.edu before the deadline.
No refunds are available for this event. All cancellation requests must be submitted to cesevents@uww.edu.
We reserve the right to cancel any event for any reason. In such cases, all fees paid will be refunded.
By registering for an event, you agree to our Registration Terms and Conditions. UW-Whitewater will hold all registrants responsible for their conduct. Serious misconduct or disruption will lead to immediate dismissal from event. Registrants dismissed from the event will not receive a refund. Please review the Terms and Conditions for more details.
Be aware that we recommend that all portable electronic devices be left at home, but ultimately it is your decision. We know that parents and children value the ability to be able to call each other at a moment's notice. For that reason, we do not prohibit cell phones at camp, but ask that cell phone use does not interfere with the event and other participants. Parents are responsible for setting clear guidelines for cell use with their child. We will not be responsible for any lost or stolen items.
Preparing for the Event
Check In
Instructor will provide details of where to check in when scheduling lessons. Contact leaguel@uww.edu if you have any questions.
- Instrument
- Water bottle
Once students reach the grade level of the orchestra program at their school, they must also enroll in the school orchestra. If a student is not a member of the school orchestra, she/he will not be allowed to continue in the UW-Whitewater String Academy. Should a school not provide an orchestra program, then the student may enroll in the UW-Whitewater String Academy.
A two-day notice must be given to the teacher if a lesson must be missed. The lesson will then be rescheduled within a week as agreed upon by both teacher and student. If a lesson is missed without prior notice, the lesson may not be rescheduled. We encourage lessons to be made-up immediately so as to maintain a positive learning process. Because of this, lessons cannot be made-up at the end of the semester. All cancellation requests must be submitted to leaguel@uww.edu; provide registrant's name and event session.
We receive many questions from registrants. We have prepared a page with answers to our frequently asked questions about registering and attending an event.
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is committed to equal opportunity in its educational programs, activities and employment policies, for all persons, regardless of race, color, gender, creed, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, marital status, Vietnam-era veteran status, parental status and pregnancy.
If you have any disabling condition that requires special accommodations or attention, please advise us well in advance. We will make every effort to accommodate your special needs.
By attending this event you understand that the University may take photographs and or videos of event participants and activities. The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater shall be the owner of and may use such photographs and or videos relating to the promotion of future events. You will relinquish all rights that you may claim in relation to the use of said photographs and/or videos. Any media shared with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater on social media or use of its hashtags grants the University use of media for any purpose.
Meet the Staff
Leanne Kelso
String Academy Director; String Camp
