Welcome!
The Michael P. Hammond Preparatory Program, a division of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, is a small and selective music program serving Houston and surrounding neighborhoods. The Prep Program offers weekly, not-for-credit, one-on-one lessons to admitted students in piano, violin, and cello. Our Preparatory Program Instructors are primarily locally contracted professionals and selected current Shepherd School of Music doctoral students. We supplement the private lesson experience with the opportunity to perform in the Shepherd School of Music Duncan Recital Hall. While the minimum age requirement for private lessons is age six, the program is primarily aimed at serving advanced middle school and high school students.
Our environment is small yet personalized, catering to exceptionally gifted students and educating them in the art of traditional classical music performance. All instruction occurs exclusively at the Shepherd School of Music, primarily at the Alice Pratt Brown Hall building on the Rice University campus.
Please note that we have made the difficult decision to close the Preparatory Program at the conclusion of the current 2026 spring semester.