Peer Mentor Program
Portland Youth Philharmonic’s Peer Mentor Program pairs middle school music students with experienced PYP musicians for FREE or low cost, half-hour private music lessons on their instruments.
Hear from some recent program participants!
Our PYP musician mentors are high school or college students who have benefited from private lessons for years. They are eager to share their experience and knowledge with young, enthusiastic musicians. The individual attention these young musicians receive in private study will allow them to work on areas of their playing specific to their needs, and to explore music at their own pace.
“[Peer Mentoring helped my daughter] crack open a code, another language. Music is not a labor anymore. It’s a pleasure. And by attending [the PYP] concerts & listening to other artists, she senses its scope, the emotions & the discipline. It’s like she can hang a piece of her soul on a note and let it soar into the world.”
Peer Mentor Parent
How to get involved
- Apply for the program
Apply for our 2025-2026 season!
If you are a PYP student looking to mentor a community musician, please use this link.
If you are a musician in our community looking for a mentor, please use this link.
- Program term length
Each term allows for 7-8 half-hour lessons, or 4 60-minute lessons per term, however the pairs decide to divide the time.
- Fall term begins October 11, 2025 and ends December 6, 2025.
- Winter term begins January 3, 2026 and ends Feb 28, 2026.
- Spring term begins March 14, 2026 and ends May 9, 2026.
Terms are able to be adjusted for school breaks. Each student and their mentor will establish a timeline together.
All orchestral string, woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments are taught based on PYP musician availability. Piano lessons are not offered.
Note: Continuing this year, mentoring may take place online, unless both mentor and mentee families agree to meet at the mentor’s home only. Online mentoring has worked beautifully for the vast majority of pairs over the past couple of years and is actually easier, since no one has to drive anywhere. Either method is possible; the choice is up to the mentors and the mentees.
- Investment
The cost is $80 per set of seven or eight lessons.
Financial aid is available! Please contact Maluhia Ose, PYP’s Community Engagement Coordinator, with questions or for more information: maluhia@portlandyouthphil.org.
- Attendance Expectations
Students who participate in the Peer Mentor Program are expected to attend all lessons. Should a student find it necessary to cancel a lesson, the instructor must be notified at least 24 hours in advance. Any last minute cancellations by the mentee will not be made up and will count towards the total number of lessons received by the student. Cancellations by the mentor will be made up.
“We are grateful to have this affordable learning opportunity. My son learned lots of playing techniques, useful practicing and playing habits, and instrument care tips. Yes, we would recommend the Peer Mentor Program to families who are considering private lessons because it is affordable and gets students familiar with a one-on-one lesson.”
Peer Mentor Parent