How to Join
Kids can join The Leopards right after 1st grade. The first step in becoming involved is to attend one of our summer camps. After camp, kids will have the opportunity to join our Beginner Leopards, L.E.A.P. groups, our Middle School Ensemble, or World Drumming Friday.
Camp spots are limited.
Click below to register for our camps.
SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATION FOR 2025 IS OPEN NOW!
Our Programs
Louisville Leopard Percussionists (Grades 2-6)
This is our main performing ensemble for kids in grades 2-6. This group rehearses twice a week and performs often out in our community. Members are added in 2nd and 3rd grade and continue in this group through 6th grade. Graduates of LLP can continue in our Steel Leopard Ensemble.
Leopards Lite is now L.E.A.P (Leopard Ensemble of Amazing Percussionists)
Leopards Lite was an expansion group of the Louisville Leopard Percussionists created by Brittany Franks in 2009. In 2022, the focus of Leopards Lite was changed and it has now evolved into our LEAP group.
Our LEAP program has 2 groups – 2nd & 3rd graders and 4th & 5th graders. They spend their season rehearsing and have 3 performances each year. They do a winter concert, a spring concert, and their culminating performance is at LLP’s BiG GiG each spring.
Kids who join our LEAP group first attend one of our summer camps held each July.
This group practices one day a week.
Middle School Ensemble (Grades 6-8)
Our Middle School Ensemble began in 2017 with Yeshima/K. Michelle Lewis as their instructor. After participating in a week of summer camp, camp attendees can join this ensemble.
Like our LEAP group, the MSE has 3 performances each year. They do a winter concert, a spring concert, and their culminating performance is at LLP’s BiG GiG each spring.
This group practices one day a week.
Steel Leopards (Grades 7-11)
After graduating from the main group of The Leopards, so many of our kids wanted to continue making music together that our Steel Leopards group was created. The group was founded in 2009 by Aaron Klausing and serves past members of the Leopards in 7th grade and above. This group performs throughout the community, often in partnership with our main LLP group. They practice one day a week.
Leopard Music Lab (Grades 9-12)
The Leopard Music Lab members are our oldest students, who are graduates from our Leopard programs. This group does a deep dive on how and why music works, focusing on music theory and composition.
Tune into 97.1 WXOX FM every Tuesday 4:00-5:00 to hear our Leopard Music Lab members host their own radio show, Leopards ON AiR! They will be playing tunes The Leopards have played, or should play, as well as some of their favorites!
(Awesome artwork by Sabina!)
World Drumming Friday (Grades 2-8)
Kids in grades 2-8 are invited to join us for Friday afternoon classes in World Drumming. Students will learn rhythms from around the world, their significance in different cultures, and all about the instruments on which they are played.
We will offer 2 sessions of WDF – one fall session (Oct-Dec) and one winter session (Jan-March).
Click HERE to register!
Please email us for more details of if you have any questions.
Leopard Learners
We have partnered with Decode Project to the launch of our newest program – Leopard Learners. This collaboration aims to inspire students by incorporating thirty minutes of music prior to thirty minutes of tutoring, enhancing the effectiveness of the learning process. This innovative approach is rooted in the longstanding belief that engaging in music can stimulate the brain, creating a more receptive environment for education. When kids possess strong literacy skills and the confidence to believe in themselves and their ideas, they hold the transformative power to shape society. Decode Project, with its focus on students who require structured literacy support, ensures that even those who are often overlooked receive a solid foundation in literacy – a vital element for promoting equity and inclusivity.
An additional exciting aspect of this project is that our pilot program took place at our original home, King Elementary School. Returning to our roots and rekindling the musical spirit within the halls of King Elementary filled us with great excitement and joy!
This project has been funded by Impact 100 Louisville.
Homeschool Leopards
In 2024, we started a new group, LLP Homeschool Leopards. This group serves homeschooled kids in grades 2-8. Contact us if you have a homeschooler who would like to get involved!