LJC Experience is for children who love their music and would like to develop their skills in a nurturing environment with similar, like minded musicians.
Students are enrolled as a junior member of Leeds Conservatoire.
Students will play in a small ensemble or band, take a specially designed class called Discovering Music aimed at giving children a wide range of musical experiences, and explore their creativity in the Writing Your Own Music class.
They will meet and work alongside other talented, like-minded young musicians who are passionate about music.
All of our tutors are experienced educators with a wide range of music industry experience. They all hold enhanced DBS certificates.
Options
Leeds Junior Conservatoire students can add 1-1 lessons to their 4-hour programme at a 10% discounted rate of £45 per hour (usually £50 per hour). For more information, please visit our 1-1 Lessons page.
The way we teach at LJC goes beyond musical skills and promotes a growth mindset, encouraging curiosity, creativity, the freedom to explore. These are qualities that are essential in developing a lifelong love of music, artistry and versatile, confident young musicians.
A typical class size is between 5-12 students depending on the subject.
The timetable for students in years 4-6 will be:
09:00 – 11:15: Discovering music
11:15 – 13:30: Band/ensemble rehearsal
09:00 – 11:15: Writing your own music
11:15 - 13:30: Band/ensemble rehearsal
*All lessons include a 15-minute break
We have a large variety of ensembles at Leeds Junior Conservatoire, with genres including jazz, pop, classical, folk, rock and metal. Each ensemble is led by one of our talented professional tutors, who have a wealth of teaching experience as well as active performing careers. Students develop their listening, arranging, composition and improvisation skills, and learn how to rehearse and perform as a group.
Rehearse effectively: Learn how to practice in groups and use rehearsal techniques to make music sound its best.
Interpret music: Add style and expression to shape your own version of a piece.
Perform in an ensemble: Play or sing confidently as part of a group.
Communicate musically: Listen, respond, and take the lead when working with others.
Reflect and improve: Think about what went well and what could be better, then set goals for next time.
Personal skills: Be on time, stay organised, look after yourself, and build good practice habits.
Performance skills: Play or sing with good rhythm and pitch, keep in time and in tune, balance with others, and follow directions.
Teamwork: Work well with others through trust, co-operation, problem-solving, and accepting feedback.
Choosing music: Pick pieces that suit your skills and resources.
Creating parts: Write or arrange music for yourself or your group.
Practice plans: Organise your individual and group practice.
Goals & feedback: Set targets and use feedback to get better.
Get ready: Warm ups, and tune.
Communicate well: Use clear verbal and non-verbal communication.
Work together: Take and give direction to help the group.
Stay focused : Support each other and solve problems as they come up.
Reflect & improve: Think about what went well, what could be better, and set goals for next time.
Musical: Play or sing in tune and in time, show good technique, perform with expression, and keep going if things don’t go to plan.
Physical: Set up your space, present yourself well, move confidently on stage, and feel comfortable performing.
Communication: Connect with your audience and work closely with your group.
Look closely: Spot how different musical elements are used.
Think back: Reflect on your rehearsals and performances.
Know yourself: Identify what you’re good at and what you can improve.
Use feedback: Take advice on board and set realistic goals for next time.
Formative feedback throughout (teacher & peer).
Performances
Self-reflection built into every stage.
Take part confidently in rehearsals and performances — arrive prepared, listen, follow direction, and play/sing your part.
Show style and technique make musical choices that suit the piece and use good technique.
Reflect and improve notice what went well, spot what could be better, and suggest practical next steps.
Give consistent, high-level contributions take responsibility, learn tricky parts, and support the group over time.
Analyse performances in detail identify subtle issues (intonation, timing, phrasing) and plan targeted improvements.
Perform with confidence and ensemble awareness play fluently, lead or blend as needed, and keep the music flowing.
Reflect with depth show clear insight into strengths and development areas and set ambitious, realistic goals.
Thinking & Problem-Solving: Be creative, think critically, and adapt to new challenges.
Working with Others: Build teamwork, communicate clearly, and develop leadership skills.
Looking After Yourself: Manage your time, stay resilient, and become more independent.
Writing Your Own Music is a collaborative and practical class where students write their own music in a variety of styles. Including song writing, writing riffs, understanding chord progressions, creating different textures and in the process, learning and understanding how music works
Designed to give experience in various areas of music, examples of sessions that have taken place in the past two years include:
Leeds Junior Conservatoire is designed to support instrumentalists and vocalists with a passion for music
We suggest that students have been playing or singing for around two years before they apply. However, we welcome students who show potential and musical flare.
This programme does not include 1-1 lessons, but Leeds Junior Conservatoire students can add 1-1 lessons to their 4-hour programme at a 10% discounted rate of £49.50 per hour (usually £55 per hour). For more information, please visit our 1-1 Lessons page.
Leeds Junior Conservatoire tuition fees are approximately £10.00 per hour, with a yearly total of:
Monthly instalments and bursaries are available.
We want to ensure that no one turns down a place at Junior Leeds Conservatoire due to cost.
We have a scholarship fund that supports students and their families dependent on their situation. In 2024/25 scholarships of between 10% and 100% were awarded.
Find out more about applying for a scholarship.
“This is my son's first year at the Saturday Music School (now Leeds Junior Conservatoire) and he loves his time there. The musical standard is very high and it enables him to play and meet musicians that help him grow. There has been a lot of opportunity for him to perform live and develop his performance skills. He has also been lucky enough to connect with some of the senior musicians to help him learn so much more about being a musician.
The staff have an incredible depth of knowledge and experience - and always take impeccable care of the young musicians.”
Please see Leeds Junior Conservatoire Term Dates and Information page.
