Over the last five years, the Vincent-d’Indy School of Music has extended the services they offer by starting up Musique-études programs at both the elementary and secondary school levels. Given the current craze for music, and the results of several studies suggesting the advantages of practicing an instrument from a very young age, the idea of developing such programs became obvious.

In setting up these programs, the school entered into agreements with interested  partners to ensure the academic portion of these programs. Thus, with the collaboration of Pensionnat du Saint-Nom-de-Marie, the Musique-études program for high school was implemented in the fall of 2012. Two years later, the school partnered with École Saint-Joseph, an elementary school located in Plateau Mont-Royal, to set up the Musique-études program designed for students from Grades 3 to 6.

At the elementary school level, the weekly program includes 8 hours of music education at the Vincent-d'Indy School of Music and 25 hours of academic education at École Saint-Joseph. At the secondary level, the program consists of 14 hours of music every week and 16 hours for other subjects at Pensionnat du Saint-Nom-de-Marie. In this way, the students acquire all the knowledge and skills required by the Programme de formation de l’école québécoise (The Education Program for Quebec Schools) at the same time as they develop motor and cognitive skills related to the learning of music.

Musically speaking, each student benefits from individual lessons with a musical instrument, as well as choral and chamber music lessons. Added to this, at the elementary level, there are classes for music culture and creative projects, making it possible for students to participate in the various stages of the production of a show. At the secondary level, there are courses for ear training, musical literature, creation and improvisation, computer and music, and practical workshops to complete the training.

In creating these programs, the school can now offer a Musique-études curriculum that is unique in Quebec, and which spans the gamut, from the elementary level up to and including the college level.