Music students need expert instruction no matter where they are. They need instruction when they are available to learn. Students need instruction to be personalized and reasonably priced.
Jack is a self-motivated student at a top-level music school. He has enrolled at Shosys Academy because he needs a comprehensive reference and supplement to his music courses.
Jill and her friends enrolled together at Shosys Academy because they want to simulate the traditional classroom setting where lectures from a textbook are given on a fixed schedule, and tests are required to be completed within a given timeframe.
Jose is a foreign student who works during the day; English is not his native language and he has no previous music education. He enrolled at Shosys Academy because he likes the flexibility to watch and rewatch lesson videos with Closed Captions at home, (when he has quiet time), to read slowly from the course and module textbooks, to view slides, and to work at his own pace. Jose likes to interact directly with Mr. Sholar, especially when he has learning breakdowns. Jose likes having help when taking tests and working on specific tasks related to the given lessons.
Jane was previously a popular music teacher at a well-known school; but, now she is retired. Jane has enrolled with Shosys Academy because she enjoys having one-to-one private instruction on advanced topics like the synthesis of novel 20th Century style compositions or the evaluation of the information inherent in music. She likes coming up with her own creative answers to test problems, and she likes engaging in lively discussions with other students on the same level – even if fellow students are not the same age, not of the same culture or of the same nationality.
All of these students have enrolled in Shosys Academy because of a problem related to basic human resources: either space, time, mind or currency. For example, Jack is a highly motivated student, but he doesn’t want to spend any more money because he has no idea how he will recoup the large sum he has already spent. Jack is also not sure that his musical training will be the basis of his future job. Jill and her friends wanted the social interaction of working together in the same space and having a set schedule to do learning activities. Jose needed a flexible time frame, he needed to use his own space to learn and he needed to have different ways (e.g. texts, videos) to access information given in a second language. Jane already knew a lot about music, but she wanted personalized attention with unfamiliar concepts 20th Century and she really enjoyed the peer reviews and group discussions.
In the worst cases, when music students cannot find help where they are, then they have to relocate to where the help is. If a music school or music teacher is not available when students need them to be, then the student has to change their schedules around. When music schools and teachers only address the classroom at large, then students cannot get the personal and private care that they need as individuals. If there is only one price for admission into a music school or one price for music lessons, then some students will pay too much, while others will pay too little.
There are simple solutions to the problems mentioned, and these solutions are easy to implement. Via an internet connection and a smartphone or computer, music students can have help wherever they are on planet earth. Students can learn via online videos whenever they need to, and as many times as they need to. Via automated testing, students can get instant feedback when they have breakdowns of knowledge. Schools can abandon the one-lecture-fits-all approach, and assign lecture content as homework. Teachers can offer personal guidance on tests and tasks. With multiple levels of pricing for different levels of learning and engagement, students only need to exchange what they are willing to pay for music education.
Any school or teacher can identify solutions to the problems mentioned and put them into action. But, when top-level music schools, (like Curtis Institute of Music, Berklee College of Music, University of California, Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, Rice University, New England Conservatory of Music, The Julliard School, Cleveland Institute of Music, John Hopins University, Oberlin, Manhattan School of Music), still adhere to a one-size-fits-all music education, what can music students do to address their needs?
Shosys Academy is a flexible online music education course that can be broken down into six hierarchically arranged modules, each with twenty compact lessons. Students can decide for themselves whether to engage with unique videos, textbooks, tests and tasks on a reference, lecture, mastery of tutor level of learning. And students can decide where to learn, when to learn, how intense to interact with the instructor and how much to pay. Shosys Academy will address your needs on your own terms, or you get all of your money back.
- A Global Network
The lessons of Shosys Academy help music students around the world on any academic level to transform from knowing little about music to being able to recall, understand and apply music to breaking down classics, creating novel compositions and judging composers and compositions based on criteria.
Though education is a human right, good schools and teachers do not exist everywhere that there are motivated students. And there are not enough physical seats to accommodate everyone that wants to learn, even at the largest schools. As the lectures of Shosys Academy are hosted online, students from around the world are able to control the speed of learning while engaging in deep discussions, in-depth tasks and practical tests with the guidance of an experienced instructor – award-winning pianist and composer Kelvin Sholar.
Study groups can be formed along age-based, cultural-based or linguistic grounds; as well as independently of them. Peer review can be implemented. Independence from location enables talent to be found where it exists, not just where good schools or teachers already exist.
- Compact And Discrete Lessons
In Shosys Academy, the entire course is only 5 1/2 hours long, while 6 modules range from 40 minutes to 70 minutes long. 120 lessons range from 1 to 8 minutes long; lessons are scheduled three times per week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) for 42 weeks.
The comprehensive course focuses on the wide-ranging topic of musical knowledge, while modules break musical knowledge down into six major behaviors: appreciation, apprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Lessons focus on more than 120 different ways to discover and demonstrate musical knowledge.
By organizing the material in Shosys Academy in a compact and discrete format such as this, the student can concentrate on one thing at a time and learn at their own pace.
- Intensive But Guided Activity
There are four levels on which students can engage in learning music: Reference, Lecture, Mastery and Tutor. On the reference level of Shosys Academy the student only needs to access the lesson videos. On the Lecture, Mastery and Tutor levels of Shosys Academy, each lesson is based around the student’s intensive but guided activity. Standards define a group of learning goals or things that the student will be able to do when the lesson is completed. Lesson content is abridged in dedicated videos, but they are given in-depth in the course textbook or any of the six module textbooks, so that the students can read for themselves on their own time and find appropriate examples of important concepts.
Through discussion on the Tutor level of Shosys Academy, the students can debate important musical problems with the teacher or with each other in study or chat groups. Tasks are given which the student is to complete so that the student has the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the behaviors necessary. Criteria are given which outline what the teacher requires for good performance on tasks. A test score rubric is included to explain how levels of knowledge are assessed by the tutor. Finally, test questions are assigned which are to be completed before the next lesson can begin. Each lesson contributes a grade of 100 points. Successful completion of a module requires 12000 points. Successful completion of the course requires 72000 points. Grading criteria: the recall of given Discussion and Content is complete. Bibliography selections are read thoroughly. Tests are fully completed within the given timeframe.
- Unique And Direct Instruction
Shosys provides a unique learning experience. Not only are major ideas of 18th and 19th Century western music learned, but also major ideas of 20th Century western music. These ideas are learned without focusing on the history of western music and its practitioners or technologies. The very important modern concept of information is introduced in Shosys Academy. This means that students learn how information technology concepts like entropy, uncertainty and freedom of choice link music to domains of learning like communication, thermodynamics and digital binary technology.
Mr. Kelvin Sholar is the primary content producer; yet, thorough references are given to well-established literature so that students can trace the evolution of ideas for themselves.
Though the content is organized so that students can learn at their own pace, students (on levels higher than the reference level) are not left to figure out things for themselves. Mr. Kelvin Sholar provides direct tutoring via video chat or personal consultations, applying his 30 years of experience as an educator at top-level global schools and performer with the world’s top talent to helping the students transform.
- Education Not Entertainment
The purpose of Shosys Academy is for students around the world on all academic levels to learn about music. Some motivated students may only need a textbook or videos as a reference or supplement; a situation where an instructor is not necessary. Other students may only need to refresh previous music education or catch up when no previous music education was available. Automated tests and instructor involvement provide students with instant feedback.
It is not the aim of Shosys Academy to produce entertainers. This course does not necessarily involve learning to perform on an instrument, (or with the voice). Nor does it involve learning how to use analog or digital musical technologies. Nor, does the course involve learning how to “feel” the music, critique music on purely subjective grounds or learn subcultural values. These aims can be addressed in future courses.
- Professional-Grade Content
The textbooks and video content of Shosys Academy are high-quality. We do not promote gross writing errors, unclear audio, and low-resolution video. Texts have been professionally edited for spelling and grammar. Audio content is in 24bit resolution and is free from distracting noises. Video content is in 16:9 aspect ratio, filmed in 1920p x 1080p resolution, and 30fps frame rate. This ensures best viewing results whether on a smartphone or computer. Videos and images have been compressed according to H.264, a standard format. Slides change anywhere from 30 seconds to one minute to ensure that video lessons are always dynamic and visually engaging.
- Hands-On Activity
Though the focus is not on musical performance with the voice or an instrument, students (on Lecture, Mastery and Tutor levels of learning) are expected to interact with the instructor and to complete tasks or tests in a timely manner. Video content only contains part of the information that is needed – as the textbooks provide much in-depth information which can lead the student down various paths to discover and demonstrate knowledge.
- Short Lengths And Flexible Scheduling
We break the traditional one-hour one-lecture-fits-all approach to learning via lessons that range from one to eight minutes long. This means that lessons are short enough for students to engage in learning several times within a day or week. This allows the student to control the pace of learning from a module a day for very fast learners, to one lesson a week for learners who lead a busy life. Furthermore, online lesson content can be accessed indefinitely; not just immediately – so that lifetime learning can be achieved.
Though everyone has the same amount of time in a day, the schedule of a good school or teacher might be too fixed for a given student. It is our experience that fixed learning schedules only ensure a variable outcome anyway; students can only earn a grade of a, b, c, d or f when they are not expected to master every lesson. With a fixed learning schedule full-time or part-time workers who need training will miss out when schedules collide. These problems are addressed by variable learning speeds as video content can be paused, repeated or reviewed anytime. Allowing students to learn when they want will improve lesson attendance. On the Lecture level of learning, students are supposed to learn at the same rate as a study group, but above the Lecture level of learning, students are not required to keep the pace of a study group.
- Maintain Health And Security
The Corona Pandemic has forever changed the way that schools, students and teachers interact. A major advantage of Shosys Academy is that learning is not based on an enclosed classroom within a given school at a central location. Nor is learning based on immediate physical contact between teacher and student. Distance learning online ensures that students maintain levels of health and security, while still accessing the highest level of learning and interaction.
In Shosys Academy, the interaction between students and the instructor is always to be timely, respectful and mindful. Tardiness, bad attitudes, inappropriate language, content or behavior will not be given by the instructor to the students, nor tolerated from the students to the teacher.
- Personality And Clarity
We consider the popular talking-head approach to online education to be a visual distraction. Gaining musical knowledge is the focus of this course; not necessarily the look and style of Kelvin Sholar (as snazzy as it may be!). However, (via dynamic video chat, video conferencing or direct private consultation), personal interaction between the student and instructor is fostered so that real conversations about music are had; not dispassionate lectures.
All of the given textbooks contain a preface that outlines the personal journey behind the creation of Shosys Academy, demonstrating that Kelvin Sholar is a real person who has experienced the same problems faced by music students today. Shosys Academy is not the business concept of an army of business persons. Lesson content has been designed solely by Mr. Sholar – it is a labor of love. Slideshows feature Sholar’s voice, and texts have been read slowly and clearly for the best impact. Furthermore, each module includes an introduction, so that the student is already familiar with the direction and goals before engaging in lessons.
- Consistent Organization
In each module’s textbook, the same eight items are given in every lesson as objective points of reference: 1). the title of the lesson, 2). a set of standards, 3). discussion question, 4). lesson content, 5). tasks, 6). criteria, 7). test score rubric, and 8). test questions.
The textbook is formatted as a linear schedule of work, lesson plan or course outline so that the overall structure of learning is as organized as possible.
- Clear Presentation
All lesson videos have Closed Captions. This helps those students whose second language is English. Closed Captions also make it easier for the hard-of-hearing and deaf, and for learning in noisy environments, or conversely, for learning in environments that are meant to be low-noise. This means that a dynamic live transcript of each video lesson is provided via Closed Captions, and texts are directly derived from in-depth textbooks. As lessons include video content, (via slideshow), with onscreen text, static text in the textbook and dynamic video conferencing, the content of the course is varied and engaging.
- Results And Benefits
By registering at Shosys Academy, music students will learn to recall a spectrum of important musical knowledge, and develop the intellectual abilities and skills that they have always dreamed of. The knowledge and skills gained can be directly applied in performances or the enjoyment of music.
We at Shosys Academy will meet you where you are, through an internet connection and your smartphone or computer. There will be no need to relocate to another location in order to get the musical education that you want. We will be available anytime that you need us, so you don’t have to miss out on work or dodge care-taking duties. We will provide instant feedback on tests and guide you on tasks at your own pace so that you don’t have to keep up with a classroom of figure texts out alone.
According to what level of engagement you choose, you will pay from as little as 0$/0€ to as much as 20$/16€ per lesson. This means that YOU won’t pay too much or too little to learn what YOU want. You will interact with an award-winning instructor with over 30 years of global teaching and performance experience, giving you the trust and security you need.
Will Shosys Academy work for me?
Read what our students say:
Florian F: “Kelvin is a very thoughtful and perceptive teacher who emphatically and carefully listens to the students to decide jointly which music to teach. He teaches a very wide range of music and also encourages his students to perform.”
Alessandro M: “What I really like about learning with Kelvin is the way that he teaches. He is very open to new ideas and wishes, and he makes always feel like playing with joy and without pressure.”
Ian M: “If there is something I really liked about learning with Kelvin, it is the easy way that you learn how to play! He is always very creative to explain what I have to work on in different ways- until you get what he means. After a few lessons, I was available to play different songs and I really enjoyed that.“
Anna H: ”Kelvin has the unique ability to teach in a very systematic way that still always feels fun and spontaneous. Improvising with him was a great experience. He brought out things I didn’t know I had in me.”
Nele S: “Kelvin lives music. There is rhythm, melody and harmonies everywhere in space. They spread and suddenly you can do things that have never been done at home alone.”
Siga B: “Kelvin is a superb teacher who teaches knowledge and technique in a fun way. Our son learned the basics very quickly using music he loves instead of dry drills. It was great to see how quickly he progressed while learning to play actual music himself.”
1. Appreciation: In the music appreciation course, the student will learn about basic physical phenomena, psychological concepts and structural forms of music through the English language. The primary task is for the student to read the text thoroughly and to recall what was read, either verbatim or in their own words, in order to successfully complete tests. In this course, knowledge of musical notation is helpful, not required; neither is knowledge of an instrument.
In the appreciation course, musical knowledge is organized into three main branches: Specifics, Ways and Universals. Relative to specifics, musicians learn about sound and other individual elements of musical information which have value in and of themselves. This includes basic terminologies and basic historical facts relative to western cultures. Relative to ways, musicians learn the processes by which specific musical products are organized. Relative to universals, musicians learn formal structures, theories and generalizations which organize classified facts and events in music into a whole body of knowledge.
Overall, all twenty lessons of the appreciation course are supposed to be arranged in a linear hierarchy; from the most simple, specific and concrete knowledge of music to the most complex, general and abstract knowledge of music.
2. Apprehension: In the appreciation course, natural language (i.e. English) terms and definitions relative to the study of music were learned. In the music apprehension course, more natural language terms and definitions relative to music are learned; but symbols of the artificial language of musical script, (i.e. staff notation), are introduced – along with conventions of their use in notating and copying music.
In contrast to the appreciation course, (which primarily tests recall), the apprehension concerns testing recall, comprehension and application. In other words, musical apprehension focuses on the goals, behaviors and responses that center on remembering musical material and ideas, knowing what musical material and ideas are communicated in linguistic and audiovisual form, (i.e. music that is spoken or written about, as well as audible or notated), and being able to make use of the musical material and ideas that are contained within linguistic and audiovisual forms of music.
In order to demonstrate that music is apprehended, it is necessary for the student of music to learn musical terms and their definitions, as well as learn how to copy previously written music or notate new music. In other words, music apprehension requires that students learn how to place notes properly on the staff, and how to give linguistic instructions for performance.
3. Application: The application course focuses on remembering and applying the general ideas, technical principles, rules of procedures, theories and generalized methods of copying or notating music to the particular and concrete situation of creating written music from scratch. Detailed tasks are required to be completed both in the public lesson setting and in private work when more time is needed. In addition to more detailed tasks, more detailed criteria for best performance on tasks are given in the application course, so that requirements are as clear as possible.
The music application course can be compared and contrasted with appreciation and apprehension courses. For example, in the music appreciation course, the goal was to attain basic musical knowledge and test recall. In the music apprehension course, the goal was to understand basic terms and general ideas relative to translation of natural language into musical symbols, interpretation of ideas and extrapolation beyond what was given in Lessons. In the music application course, the goals are to learn rules of procedure and generalized techniques for copying and notating music, and to apply those rules and techniques, (along with previous knowledge and comprehension), to new but practical situations. Students will have the ability to produce accurately written music from scratch. Printed staff paper will not be required.
4. Analysis: The analysis course can be compared to all previous courses because it concerns the same essential behaviors. For example, in the music appreciation course, the goal was to attain and recall basic musical knowledge of terms and concepts. In the music apprehension course, the goal was to understand basic terms and general ideas relative to the translation of natural language into musical symbols, interpretation of ideas and extrapolation beyond what was given in Lessons. In the music application course, the goals were to learn rules or procedures and generalized techniques for copying and notating music, and to apply those rules and techniques, (along with previous knowledge and comprehension), to new but practical situations – like generating musical notation from scratch. The analysis course concerns all of these essential behaviors: recall, translation and application of musical terms, symbols, concepts and rules
Yet, the analysis course contrasts previous courses as it also concerns taking a given whole musical composition in the form of staff notation, and breaking it down into simple elements, relationships between elements, and compositional forms, compositional techniques and performance media. The specific musical composition to be analyzed in this course is W. A. Mozart’s work for solo pianoforte, Ah vous dirai-je, Maman (K. 265). In this way, the analysis course can work hand in hand with a performance course, where the psycho-physical aspects of musical activity are studied.
5. Synthesis: The method of synthesis learned in this course mainly consists of joining together given musical elements to form new wholes – those musical structures which have not been previously encountered in other courses. In this course, 20th Century conceptions of music are introduced – in contrast to the conceptions of music of the 18th and 19th Centuries as introduced in the analysis course and other previous courses.
Of all the courses so far presented, the synthesis course relies the most on the student’s creativity; though this creativity is limited to working with given elements, relationships and organizational principles.
The musical appreciation course requires the recall of given information, while the apprehension, application and analysis courses all require that the student provides test answers in their own terms, and perform tasks to demonstrate mastery. But, the musical synthesis course requires further that test answers and task performances are unique, original and novel.
In other words, in the aforementioned courses, the student must take given materials from preexisting compositions and find appropriate responses which accord with them. But in the synthesis course, students must take given materials and reduce them to basic elements, relationships and organizational principles, (requiring analysis), before producing a unique communication – a new musical structure or composition.
The musical structures and compositions which are to be produced in this course are also to be expressed in the form of staff notation. Staff notation should be seen as a form of a proposal for a set of musical operations which are to be carried out in the processes of reading music and performing music with some form of performance media. The expected outcome is a public expression of music that affects an audience. In each case, the musical composition produced is required to comply with specifications given in the test and task situation. These specifications inherently provide criteria for the evaluation of the musical composition.
As given or produced musical compositions are to be expressed in the form of staff notation, they are also required to be further reduced to abstract mathematical elements, relationships and organizational principles, and classified or explained mathematically. Musical compositions are to be ultimately analyzed into a number of rhythmic elements x which are mapped to a number of harmonic elements y; hence they are seen as a unique selection out of a set of y^x possibilities. This form of analysis entails the relative frequency of harmonic elements, which is not an explicit part of musical composition as commonly studied; and it prepares the student for the evaluation of music as a statistical form of communication or information.
6. Evaluation: In the evaluation course, we are basically concerned with judging the value of music as a form of communication. Instead of making qualitative judgments based on opinions, (as is done in traditional music theory), we will learn to make quantitative judgments about entropy – in terms of the degree to which a composer is free to choose musical symbols, (or its negative, the composer’s redundancy or limitation to rules), based on the evidence in a given composition. Alternatively, we will learn to make quantitative judgments about entropy in terms of the degree to which an audience is uncertain of what a composer will choose from a set of possibilities.
In this course, we will learn how musical evaluation can involve the use of a rubric. Said rubric will include the use of entropy (i.e. freedom of choice in compositional selection, or audience uncertainty), relative entropy (i.e. comparison of entropy to the maximum possible) and redundancy (i.e. limitation to rules) as external criteria, as well as, the use of multiple levels of performance for each criterion, and a calculation of entropy (i.e. choice or uncertainty) for assigning a score to each given composition. The given criteria, (i.e. entropy, relative entropy and redundancy), are considered to be external because the composition is a means to an end – providing useful information within a communication, or resolving an audience’s uncertainty with a communication. This illustrates that in the evaluation course, given compositions are evaluated as types of communication; not only as works of art that are relative to aesthetic values.
In the six courses offered, the evaluation course is the last. It draws on behaviors from each of the other courses. However, in the evaluation course, values (e.g. the perceived importance of free composition in communication), and criteria are introduced.
Evaluation should be seen as a way to gain new knowledge about music, as it is concerned with giving the information (or entropy) inherent in music a numerical value. The concept of information will provide a basis for new ways to appreciate, apprehend and apply music. It will also provide a basis for new ways to analyze and synthesize music.
Kelvin Lamar Sholar, (born May 22, 1973), is a Black American pianist, keyboardist, vocalist, bandleader, composer, arranger, musical director, model and educator.
Sholar’s career started at the age of five as a vocalist in Detroit, Michigan, with his mother’s choir. He later developed as a classical pianist, winning the Michigan Bach festival competition at sixteen. As a jazz pianist, Sholar worked with local artists like Kenny Gaddis, Larry Smith, Rodney Whittaker, Cassius Richmond, Marcus Belgrave, Quincy Stewart, Dean Haddad and Norma Jean Bell. Later, he gained much national and international exposure with Clark Terry, Lenny White, Wallace Roney, Kevin Saunderson, Bobby Watson, Mark Turner, Q-Tip, Greg Osby, Caron Wheeler, Jerry Gonzales, John Tchicai, Stevie Wonder, Nigel Kennedy and Carl Craig.
Over the course of his career, Sholar’s compositional and performance technique has primarily drawn on jazz, classical, afro and electro influences. Novelist Adam Mansbach writes: “Sholar employs broad instrumentation, augmenting his musicians with a spoken word artist and, at times, a sampler. The results sound like a kind of updated version of Herbie Hancock’s landmark Mwandishi Band, crossbred with Funkadelic, tutored by early-seventies Pharoah Sanders, and aesthetically engaged to the sounds of early ’90s hip hop”.
Kelvin Sholar has performed on over 100 recordings. He has composed over 300 compositions in various styles, many of which have been performed or recorded by dozens of musicians; including The Roots, Q-Tip, Lenny White, Norma Jean Bell, Kevin Michael Jones, Unity6, Nesin Howhannesijan, Kevin Jones And Tenth World, Esoterica, Kelvin Sholar Group, Transcendence and Babatunde Lea. Sholar has been awarded over ten musical awards, and he has personally appeared in dozens of international live interviews, media articles, radio and TV shows.
Sholar endorses Bösendorfer Pianos, Native Instrument’s “Maschine”, Focus Rite/Novation “X-Station”, Ableton’s “Live”, Ploytech’s “34ONEII” and “Pi Lambda Squared”, M-Audio’s “Axiom Air 49” and Dave Smith’s “Prophet 8” and “Oberheim 6”. Sholar was the first artist to perform and produce use Native Instrument’s Maschine; he is featured in Native Instrument’s “10 Years Maschine” promo video.
Sholar is dubbed a “modern-day Leonardo Da Vinci” (2013 Deutschland Radio Kultur/ Ilke Butzmann-Lorenzon). He has lectured on modern music at the Philipos Nakas Conservatory (Athens, Greece), Cité de la Musique (Marseilles, France), North Carolina Central University (Durham, NC, USA), Kyo Rei Hall (Tokyo, Japan), Escola International (São Paulo, Brazil) and Columbia University (New York, USA) and has developed a unique method of music theory outlined in his book The Sholar System.
Kelvin Sholar has been awarded:
- Best of Music (#8 of 10)/Artforum International (2009)
- IAJE Outstanding Service To Jazz Education (2005)
- Winner of scholarships from James Tatum Foundation For The Arts (1989 and 1990)
- Winner of the Michigan Bach Festival Competition (1990)
- IAJE Outstanding musician in Montreaux/Detroit Jazz Festival (1991)
- Outstanding musician in Aquinas Jazz Festival (1992)
- Best Soloist and Best Band in WEMU/Heritage Jazz Festival (1993)
- Outstanding pianist at The Clark Terry Jazz Camp (1994)
- Outstanding musicianship/Elmhurst Jazz Festival (1995 and 1996)
- Outstanding musicianship/Wichita Jazz Festival (1995 and 1996)
Will Shosys Academy work for me?
Read what our peers have to say:
Antonio Ciacca (Doctorate candidate Stony Brook University / Master Degree City College of New York / Undergraduate Bologna Conservatory in Bologna, Italy / Director Of programming at Jazz at Lincoln Center 2007 – 2011) / Juilliard School from 2009 – 2012): “Mr. Sholar is one of the handful of musicians who can function in every aspect of contemporary music. His knowledge of harmony, rhythms, music production software, music notation software is unmatched in the music scene today. His knowledge of mathematic gives a solid theoretical ground to his aesthetic ideas.
His innate intellectual curiosity makes him the perfect pedagogue. I have watched him teaching with a natural disposition to embrace new perspectives on subjects he spent most of his life on.“
Carl Craig (Dj, Producer, Artist): “We have worked with Kelvin Sholar during the preparation, orchestration and recording of Carl Craig’s Versus Synthesizer Ensemble. Assuming the role of Band Leader, Kelvin also assembled the actual 6 person ensemble; organized, rehearsed and taught each band member his part as well as playing the piano solo part during the 24-month tour, that took the Carl Craig Versus Synthesizer Ensemble to Paris, London, Berlin, Brussels, Amsterdam, Sydney, Melbourne, Detroit and other cities around the world.
Kelvin handled all his roles impeccably, professionally and with grace and was an instrumental force behind the success of this project.
The symphonic version and thus continuation of this project featured Kelvin playing solo piano with the Chineke! orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall in London, NOSPR in Krakowice and the Basel National Orchestra in Basel. The touring of the Versus project had been interrupted by the outbreak of Covid19.
Kelvin is a dear family friend, whom we have known for 15+ years. Sholar is a delightful human being, that is talented and versed in a plethora of genres and our go-to partner on projects past as well as future. There is no doubt about his leadership abilities, that he assumes without hesitation and with great energy. He also is the glue that holds the team together.“
Greg Burk (Composer, Pianist, Educator): “I first met Kelvin in 1991 when we were both aspiring jazz pianists on the fertile musical scene of Detroit. Kelvin was already performing with the jazz masters of the city like Marcus Belgrave, Larry Smith, Donald Walden at that time. His exceptional musical talent, curious mind, and stylistic versatility were clearly evident at this early stage of his career.
While our paths diverged in 1993, I followed Kelvin’s artistic output over the next two decades marveling at the depth and skill that he brought to the most varied of musical contexts, working at the highest levels of mainstream jazz, Latin jazz and groundbreaking electronic jazz as a pianist, keyboardist, arranger and producer.
In 2016 I became a member of the Carl Craig Versus Synthesizer Ensemble of which Kelvin was the musical director, arranger and often the principal soloist. His poise and powerful imagination as a soloist consistently drew enthusiastic responses from both critics writing about the performances, as well as the public.
In my 25 years of University level musical instruction, first at Berklee College of Music, New York University and now in Italy in the Conservatories, I have come to appreciate what I believe are the essential qualities of a teacher that can both inform and transform his/her aspiring students. First is direct experience and the lessons learned from a life lived as a professional musician with all of the challenges one has faced and overcome. Second, and more significantly is the rare quality of a curious mind that is consistently moving beyond the comfort zone of one’s specialization towards broader technical knowledge and deeper aesthetic understanding.
Kelvin embodies these two qualities like very few musicians I have ever encountered. His impressive professional resume speaks for itself, whereas his commitment to lifelong learning, is something I can attest to having known him for over 25 years. When Kelvin speaks about music to his students, audiences or to other musicians, the depth, clarity and enthusiasm are immediately apparent. Kelvin is highly intelligent and alert yet easy-going which makes working with him a pleasure.“
Shosys Academy is flexible in where and when you learn music as well as how much you pay to learn music. There are four levels of learning and engagement in Shosys Academy. Hence, there are four payment plans:
1). Reference: registered students use only video content as a free reference source to lookup needed info; no textbook and no involvement with the instructor. 0$/0€. When purchased alone the Course Textbook is 40$/32€ and Module textbooks are 20$/16€
2). Lecture: Reference + students take multiple-choice tests. The lectures and tests are on a fixed schedule and completed within a given timeframe by a large group. This simulates a traditional education setting. Textbooks are used and tests are graded automatically. There is no teacher involvement. 200$/164€ module – 1000$/819€ course
3). Mastery: lecture + students must complete tasks that demonstrate mastery before moving on to the next lecture. Lesson content, (video watching and test-taking), is homework while the instructor is involved in addressing test problems, assessing tasks and permitting students to either retake the lesson or move on. 300$/246€ module – 1500$/1,228€ course
4). Tutor: mastery + one-to-one discussions with the instructor and with other students on the same level in group settings, based on given discussion questions, as well as, taking tests as homework that focus on having each individual student reframe answers with own words. 400$/328€ module – 2000$/1637€ course
But, with the pre-enrollment bonus (25% off) the system becomes more inexpensive:
1). Reference Level: 0$/0€
2). Lecture Level: 150$/123€ module – 750$/614€ course
3). Mastery Level: 225$/184€ module – 1125$/921€ course
4). Tutor Level: 300$/246€ module – 1500$/1228€ course
Course Textbook (817 pages): 30$/25€
6 Module textbooks: 15$/12€ each
100% money back if not satisfied
What is the name of the course?
The course name is The Sholar System, while the education system is named Shosys Academy.
What are the levels of education?
There are three general levels of education, from beginner through intermediate to mastery
I am a musician already, is this for me?
Yes, we can help you improve and deepen your knowledge
Do I have to engage with the instructor?
No, there are four levels of engagement which range from absolutely none to guided tests and tasks.
I live in a remote village far from a big city school or good teachers, will this help?
Yes, this is designed especially designed for you.
How much time will the course take?
To watch all of the course videos only takes 5.5 hours, while taking three lessons a week will take 42 weeks
I don’t want the course, just the textbooks. Is that possible?
Yes, the textbooks are available independently.
I just want piano lessons, do you teach?
Yes, my piano lessons are 40$ / 33€ per half hour
I can’t afford the whole course at once, what can I do?
You can take individual modules. If you take all six modules, then I will refund you the extra money that you’ve invested
I am a single dad or mom, with not much time. Is this for me?
Yes, you can take up to two years to complete the course.
I have a job, is this flexible for me?
Yes, you can study wherever and whenever you like.
Will you teach how to perform?
No, This course focuses on Knowledge. A performance course is in development. But, I do offer piano lessons for 40$ / 33€ a half hour
Do you teach ear training?
No, this course does not require that your ears are trained. But a future course is in development.
Can I learn an instrument, software of musical hardware in this course?
No, this course doesn’t sell a specific outcome with technology or tools; but, I do teach piano lessons for 40$ / 33€
English is not my first language. Is this course offered in other languages?
No, the primary language is American English (I am a native American English speaker). But, we are working on translation of all media into other languages. Meanwhile, the text is read in videos with closed captions and textbooks, to provide as much help as possible.
I already went to music school, is this for me?
Yes, this program is for all academic levels
What is the overall goal of this system?
To develop the intellectual abilities and skills needed to perform and enjoy music on the highest levels
How many topics of study are involved in this course?
There are 120 different topics of study, distributed over 6 modules
What is the method used to instruct?
The course and its modules are conveyed via online instruction on smartphone or computer.
120 lesson videos are assigned along with a discussion question, tasks and tests.
Instruction is one-to-one but study groups and peer reviews are also implemented.
Education technologies are also implemented in the form of online classroom platforms, .pdf textbooks, .pdf references, audio examples and tutoring by video chat.
What about grading?
Each lesson contributes a grade of 100 points. Successful completion of a module requires 12000 points. Successful completion of the course requires 72000 points.
In terms of grading criteria: the recall of given Discussion and Content is to be complete, bibliography selections are to be read thoroughly, tests are to be fully completed within the given timeframe.
Do I have to buy books?
Materials are included for reading online, while textbooks can be purchased for download if needed.
Even without the 25% off bonus, there is no other way to learn from such an experienced tutor for such an inexpensive price –
Reference level: 0$/0€
Lecture level: 10$/8.10€ per lesson in module – 8.33$/6.82€ per lesson in course
Mastery level: 15$/12.3€ per lesson in module – 12.5$/10.23€ per lesson in course
Tutor level: 20$/16.4€ per lesson in module – 16.66$/13.64€ per lesson in course
The Course Textbook is .04$/.03€ per page
Module textbooks are <.04$/<.03€ per page
My passion is music. It is my hobby (I do it just for fun by myself) and my profession (I charge for my products and services). Shosys Academy only exists so that I can help YOU transform YOURSELF, for a reasonable price. I sincerely thank YOU for taking the time to engage in this program.
Save yourself some money – Don’t hesitate to enroll at shosysacademy before midnight September 20, 2021 and take full advantage of the 25% discount. Even if you enroll after, you won’t find a better system or pricing.
For contact or information email kelvin@shosysacademy.com or info@shosysacademy.com
For more information on the Course, see https://www.shosysacademy.com
For more information on Kelvin Sholar, see https://www.kelvinsholarmusic.com/